Apparatuses and methods that facilitate the transfer of power and information among electrical devices

• US 8,086,281 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rabu, Stanley, Kalayjian, Nicholas R., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Terlizzi, Jeff, Sanford, Emery A., Hankey, M. Evans
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/620,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,816 Days
• Field of Search: 455571-573, 544571-573
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer readable media that can facilitate the transfer of power between at least two electrical devices. At least one of the electrical devices is preferably a battery operated device. The present invention may also be used to facilitate the transfer of information among electrical devices. For example, the present invention may be used to automatically pair two Bluetooth devices together.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device using an apparatus comprising a first port, a second port, a third port, a switch, a boost, and a regulator, the switch having first, second and third inputs, and an output that is coupled to the second port, wherein the first input is coupled to the third port, the boost is coupled to the second input and the first port, and the regulator is coupled to the third port, the boost, and the third input, the method comprising:

determining whether a first device, second device, or third device are electrically coupled to respective first, second, and third ports;

selecting one of at least two communications modes for the second device when the second device is determined to be coupled to the second port; and

selectively facilitating transfer of power from the third port to the second port or from the first port to the second port based on the determination of which devices are coupled and the selected communications mode, wherein selectively facilitating transfer of power comprises;

transferring power from the third port to the second port when only the third and second devices are coupled to their respective third and second ports;

or

transferring power from the first port to the second port when only the first and second devices are coupled to their first and second ports, wherein a voltage level of a power signal provided by the first port is controlled based on the selected communications mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the communications modes is a USB mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the communications modes is a serial mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage level of the power signal provided by the first port is controlled by boosting the voltage level to a boosted voltage level, wherein the boosted voltage level has a higher voltage level than the voltage of the power signal provided by the first port.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the voltage level of the power signal provided by the first port is further controlled by regulating the boosted voltage level to a regulated voltage level, wherein the regulated voltage level is lower than the boosted voltage level but higher than the voltage level of the power signal provided by the first port.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively facilitating transfer of power comprises:

transferring power from the either the first port or third port to the second port when the first, second, and third devices are coupled to their respective first, second, and third ports, wherein power is transferred from the first port or the third port based on the selected communications mode.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning priorities to the first, second, and third ports.

2. An apparatus that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device, comprising:

a first port that electrically couples a first battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;

a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;

a third port operative to receive power from a third device when the third device is electrically coupled to the apparatus, the third port coupled to the first port;

a switch having first, second, and third inputs, the first input coupled to the third port, and an output coupled to the second port;

a boost coupled to the second input of the switch and the first port;

a regulator coupled to the third port, the boost and the third input of the switch; and

a microcontroller that;

determines when the second device is connected to the second port; and

selects the first, second, or third input based on whether the first device, third device, or both the first and third devices are coupled to their respective first and third ports in response to determining that the second device is connected to the second port to facilitate transfer of power from the third port to the second port or from the first port to the second port, wherein a voltage level of a signal provided to the second port determines a mode of operation for the second device.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the boost is operative to increase a voltage level of a power signal provided by the first port to a boost voltage level, wherein the boost voltage level places the second device in a first mode of operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the regulator is operative to decrease the boost voltage level to a regulated voltage level, wherein the regulated voltage level places the second device in a second mode of operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller is operative to select the first input when only the second and third devices are coupled to respective second and third ports.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller is operative to select the second input when only the second and first devices are coupled to respective second and first ports.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller is operative to select the third input when only the second and third devices are coupled to respective second and third ports.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller is operative to select the second input when the first, second, and third devices are coupled to respective first, second, and third ports.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller is operative to select the third input when the first, second, and third devices are coupled to respective first, second, and third ports.

16. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the regulator is operative to decrease the voltage level of a power signal provided by the third port to a regulated voltage level, wherein the regulated voltage level places the second device in a second mode of operation.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the voltage level of a power signal provided by the third port can place the second device in a first mode of operation.