Battery pack, holster, and extendible processing and interface platform for mobile devices

• US 9,088,029 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Daniel, Brand, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/547,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20150072200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.41, 361/679.55, 361/679.56, 206/308.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• 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: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A battery pack is provided for a mobile communication device, comprising a casing defining a cavity that conforms, at least partially, to the outer shape of the mobile communication device and one or more rechargeable power cells housed within the thickness of the casing. An internal interface engages a corresponding interface on the mobile communication device to provide power from the one or more rechargeable cells to the mobile communication device. An external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface in order to transmit signals from the mobile communication device to an external device and may further serve to recharge the one or more rechargeable power cells. The battery pack may also serve as an extendible platform by providing additional integrated communication interfaces and/or processors that can be utilized by the mobile communication device to extend its communication and/or processing capabilities.

Claims

1. A battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the battery case comprising:

a housing configured to at least partially enclose the mobile electronic device, the housing comprising;

a back wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a back side of the mobile electronic device;

a bottom wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;

a top wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;

a right side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device;

a left side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device; and

a front opening configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening;

a battery disposed within the housing;

an internal interface extending from the bottom wall and configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the internal interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the internal interface;

an external interface disposed on an outside of the housing and configured to receive electrical power to recharge the battery; and

a user input element configured to toggle the battery case between a charging configuration and a non-charging configuration while the mobile electronic device is in the battery case, wherein the battery case is configured to deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device when in the charging configuration and to not deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device when in the non-charging configuration.

2. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the user input element comprises a switch.

3. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first section and a second section that are configured to removably engage each other to at least partially enclose the mobile electronic device and to disengage from each other to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the housing.

4. The battery case of claim 3, wherein the first section of the housing includes the back wall, the bottom wall, and an open top side to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the first section of the housing, and wherein the second section of the housing includes the top wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall.

5. The battery case of claim 3, wherein when the first section and the second section of the housing are engaged, a first open-polygon-shaped opening on the first section of the housing aligns with a second open-polygon-shaped opening on the second section of the housing to form the front opening of the housing.

6. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the internal interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device and wherein the external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device via the internal interface and the external interface while the mobile electronic device is in the battery case.

7. The battery case of claim 1, further comprising a charge indicator configured to indicate the charge level of the battery.

8. The battery case of claim 7, wherein the charge indicator comprises one or more lights on a back side of the back wall.

9. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to receive a mobile phone, and wherein the housing substantially replicates an external shape of the mobile phone.

10. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the battery is disposed within a thickness of the back wall.

11. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall together cover at least a majority of a perimeter of the mobile electronic device formed by the bottom, the top, the right side, and the left side of the mobile electronic device.

12. A battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the battery case comprising:

a back wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a back side of the mobile electronic device;

a battery disposed within a thickness of the back wall;

a bottom wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;

an internal interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the internal interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the internal interface;

an external interface configured to receive electrical power to recharge the battery;

a right side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device;

a left side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device;

a front opening configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening; and

a user input element configured to enable a user to start and stop charging from the battery to the mobile electronic device while the internal interface is engaged with the corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device.

13. The battery case of claim 12, wherein the user input element comprises a switch that is movable between an on position and an off position, wherein the battery case is configured to deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device when the switch is in the on position and to not deliver electrical power from the battery to the mobile electronic device when the switch is in the off position.

14. The battery case of claim 12, further comprising a top wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device.

15. The battery case of claim 14, wherein a first case portion includes the back wall, the bottom wall, and an open top side to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the battery case, wherein a second case portion includes the top wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall, and wherein the second case portion is configured to removably engage the first case portion to secure the mobile electronic device in the battery case.

16. The battery case of claim 14, wherein when a first case portion and a second case portion are engaged, a first open-polygon-shaped opening on the first case portion aligns with a second open-polygon-shaped opening on the second case portion to form the front opening.

17. The battery case of claim 12, wherein the internal interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device and wherein the external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device via the internal interface and the external interface while the mobile electronic device is in the battery case.

18. The battery case of claim 12, further comprising a charge indicator configured to indicate the charge level of the battery.

19. The battery case of claim 18, wherein the charge indicator comprises one or more lights on a back side of the back wall.

20. The battery case of claim 12, wherein the battery case is configured to receive a mobile phone, and wherein the battery case substantially replicates an external shape of the mobile phone.

21. The battery case of claim 12, wherein the internal interface extends from the bottom wall.

22. The battery case of claim 14, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall together cover at least a majority of a perimeter of the mobile electronic device formed by the bottom, the top, the right side, and the left side of the mobile electronic device.