Power adapters for powering and/or charging peripheral devices

• US 8,232,672 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: De Iuliis, Daniele, Hodge, Andrew Bert, Robbin, Jeffrey L., Ng, Stanley Carl, Anderson, Eric W., Faddell, Anthony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/151,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 307/12, 307/42, 710/100, 710/313
• US Class Current: 307/12
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A power adapter for a peripheral device such as portable electronics device is disclosed. The power adapter includes a housing that contains electrical components associated with the power adapter. The power adapter also includes a data port provided at a surface of the housing. The data port is configured to provide external power to the peripheral device.

Claims

1. A method for providing power to a first device and a second device and data transmission therebetween, the method comprising:

receiving power at a first housing that includes electrical components;

providing the power from the first housing to a power input of a connector assembly, the connector assembly provided within a second housing that is separate from the first housing, wherein the connector assembly comprises the power input, a first connection point, and a second connection point, wherein the first connection point includes a first male connector;

in a first mode, mounting the connector assembly on the first device by coupling the first male connector with a port of the first device, wherein the second connection point is coupled with a port of the second device;

in a second mode, mounting the connector assembly on the second device by coupling the first male connector with the port of the second device, wherein the second connection point is coupled with the port of the first device;

transmitting data between the two connection points in the first mode and in the second mode; and

providing the power from the power input to the first and second devices via the first and second connection points in the first mode and in the second mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the second connection point is coupled with a port of the second device via a transmission line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the second mode, the second connection point is coupled with the port of the first device via a transmission line.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the power to the power input of the connector assembly is accomplished by a power cable coupling the first housing to the second housing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second connection point includes a female connector.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a transmission cable capable of transmitting both power and data, the transmission cable having a first male cable connector at a first end and a second male cable connector at a second end;

inserting the first male cable connector into the second connection point of the connector assembly; and

inserting the second male cable connector into the port of the first or second device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second connection points comprise USB connectors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the connector assembly has only two connectors, the two connectors being at the first connection and the second connection point, respectively.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first housing converting the power from one voltage-current level to another voltage-current level.

10. A method for providing power to a first device and a second device and data transmission therebetween, the method comprising:

receiving power at a power connection; and

providing the power to a power input of a connector assembly, wherein the connector assembly comprises the power input, a first connector, and a second connector;

connecting the first connector to the first device and connecting the second connector to the second device;

transmitting data between the first and second connectors; and

providing the power from the power input to the first and second devices via the first and second connectors,

wherein the first connector is a standard IEEE 1394 connector or a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector having a first power contact, the first connector providing the power to the first device via the first power contact, and

wherein the second connector is a standard IEEE 1394 connector or a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector having a second power contact, the second connector providing the power to the second device via the second power contact.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the power connection is part of an adapter having a housing that includes electrical components and that receives the power from the power connection.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the power to the power input of the connector assembly is accomplished with a power transmission line that couples the housing with the connector assembly.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second power contacts are each electrically coupled to the power connection.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first connector is a male connector and the second connector is a female port.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the male connector is configured for insertion into a port of the first device or the second device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein connecting the second connector to the second device is accomplished with a transmission cable.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the power at the power connection is received from a power supply.

18. A method for providing power to a first device and a second device and data transmission therebetween, the method comprising:

receiving power at a first housing;

providing the power from the first housing to a connector assembly via a power cable, the connector assembly provided within a second housing that is separate from the first housing, wherein the connector assembly comprises a first connector and a second connector;

connecting the first connector to the first device, the first connector having at least one first data contact and one or more first power contacts, wherein at least one of the first power contacts is directly connected to the power cable;

connecting the second connector to the second device, the second connector having at least one second data contact and one or more second power contacts, wherein at least one of the second power contacts is directly connected to the power cable;

transmitting data between the first data contact and the second data contact; and

providing the power from the at least one first power contact and the at least one second power contact to the first and second devices, respectively.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first data contact of the first connector is on a same transmission line as the second data contact of the second connector.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first housing receives AC power, converts the AC power to DC power, and the DC power is provided to the connector assembly.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first connector and the second connector are along a same axis through the second housing.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the first connector is a male connector for plugging into a port of the first external device, and wherein the second connector is a female connector.