Portable power source to provide power to an electronic device via an interface

• US 8,581,449 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tupman, David John, Farrar, Doug M., Fisher, Joseph R. Jr., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Novotney, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US12/878,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 307/126
• US Class Current: 307/126
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A portable power source is configured for use with an electronic device. The portable power source cooperates and communicates with the electronic device via a peripheral bus to which the electronic device is attachable. The portable power source includes circuitry to process a power request signal from the electronic device to determine whether a device connected to a bus interface of the portable power source is requesting power from the portable power source.

Claims

1. A power source comprising:

an interface;

power generating circuitry operatively coupled to generate and provide power to an electronic device via the interface; and

control circuitry configured to;

control the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during a waiting step so as to allow the electronic device to boot up-and begin operating by loading and initializing an operating system of the electronic device,

wherein the waiting step comprises a predetermined length of time, and wherein the power generating circuitry is controlled to not generate power after the waiting step unless a request signal is received from the electronic device.

2. The power source of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cause the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during the waiting step based on an indication of a connection to the electronic device.

3. The power source of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during the waiting step only when the electronic device is first connected.

4. The power source of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to make an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source.

5. The power source of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source; and

based on determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source, control the power generating circuitry to refrain from generating and providing power to the electronic device.

6. The power source of claim 1, wherein the power generating circuitry is configured to provide two different voltages to the electronic device.

7. The power source of claim 6, wherein the power generating circuitry includes a 5 volt power generating circuit and a 1.9 volt power generating circuit.

8. The power source of claim 7, wherein a time delay between providing the 5 volt power and providing the 1.9 volt power is about 100 ms.

9. The power source of claim 6, wherein the power generating circuitry is configured to provide a first voltage of the two different voltages to the electronic device before providing a second voltage of the two different voltages to the electronic device.

10. The power source of claim 9, wherein a time delay between the first voltages and the second voltage is predetermined.

11. The power source of claim 10, wherein the predetermined time delay between providing the first voltage and providing the second voltage is about 100 ms.

12. The power source of claim 1, further comprising terminal circuitry configured to receive power from a portable source of power and to supply power to the power generating circuitry.

13. The power source of claim 12, wherein the portable source of power includes replaceable batteries.

14. The power source of claim 1, further comprising a cable detachably coupled to the interface.

15. The power source of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is operable to receive power from an internal battery when the electronic device is connected to the interface.

16. The power source of claim 1, wherein the request signal is received via the interface of the power source.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the power generating circuitry is controlled to discontinue generating power after the waiting step unless a request signal is received from the electronic device.

17. A method of operating a power source having control circuitry and power generating circuitry, the method comprising:

controlling the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to an electronic device during a waiting step so as to allow the electronic device to boot up, the power being provided to the electronic device via an interface of the power source, wherein the waiting step comprises a predetermined length of time; and

controlling the power generating circuitry to discontinue providing power to the electronic device after the waiting step if a request signal is not received from the electronic device; and

controlling the power generating circuitry to continue providing power to the electronic device if a request signal has been received from the electronic device during the waiting step.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the request signal is received via the interface of the power source.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the power is generated in response to a connect signal indicating a connection to the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the power generating circuitry is controlled to generate and provide power to the electronic device during the waiting step only when the electronic device is first connected.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising making an initial determination that the electronic device is connected to the interface of the power source.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source; and

based on determining that the electronic device is no longer connected to the interface of the power source, controlling the power generating circuitry to refrain from generating and providing power to the electronic device.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

the power generating circuitry generating two different voltages; and

providing the two different voltages to the electronic device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the two different voltages are 5 volts and 1.9 volts.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the two different voltages are a first voltage and a second voltage, and wherein the second voltage is provided to the electronic device with a time delay relative to when the first voltage is provided to the electronic device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the time delay is predetermined.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the predetermined time delay is about 100 ms.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving power at terminal circuitry of the power source from a portable source of power and supplying power to the power generating circuitry.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the request signal is sent from the electronic device when a charge of an internal battery of the electronic device is below a minimum level of charge.

30. A power source comprising:

an interface;

power generating circuitry operatively coupled to generate and provide power to an electronic device via the interface; and

control circuitry configured to;

control the power generating circuitry to generate and provide power to the electronic device during a waiting step so as to allow the electronic device to boot up wherein the waiting step comprises a predetermined length of time;

control the power generating circuitry to stop providing power to the electronic device after the waiting step if a request signal is not received from the electronic device; and

control the power generating circuitry to continue providing power to the electronic device if a request signal has been received from the electronic device during the waiting step.