Battery pack with supplemental memory

• US 9,495,375 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Daniel, Theis, Andrew Michael, Suski, Edward Daniel, Chou, Steven Yu-Chuan, Kim, Dan Michael, Roderick, Kyle Andrew, Sadek, Kerloss, Gale, Vannin, Zhai, Daoyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/553,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/69, 455/68, 455/558, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/522.1, 455/553.1, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 455/90.2, 455/575.1, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/73, 455/74, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 320/14, 320/112, 379/433.01, 379/433.09, 379/440
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Features are disclosed relating to a case for a mobile device that provides supplemental battery power and supplemental storage space to the mobile device. Additional features are disclosed relating to an external storage device that can provide supplemental battery power and/or supplemental storage space for one or more devices. Further features are disclosed relating sharing and searching for files. Files may be shared across multiple (e.g., two or more) devices, operated by or associated with multiple users, providing multiple file storage locations. Files may be searched across the multiple devices using, e.g., search terms, tags, and/or other search options. Searching may also be performed with respect to activities performed in connection with subject files.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a case configured to receive a mobile electronic device, the case comprising;

a top wall;

a bottom wall;

a power output interface coupled to the bottom wall, the power output interface configured to engage a power input interface of the mobile electronic device, wherein the top wall is movable with respect to the power output interface from a first position in which the case is permitted to be removably attached to the mobile electronic device to a second position in which detachment of the case from the mobile electronic device is inhibited by engagement of the power output interface with the power input interface;

a battery, wherein the power output interface is configured to convey electrical power from the battery;

an indicator component configured to indicate an amount of power in the battery; and

a non-transitory computer-readable case memory configured to store data accessible by at least the mobile electronic device via the power output interface; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a file management system configured to run on the mobile electronic device, the file management system configured to at least;

provide, to a media player executing on the mobile electronic device, access to a first media file in the case memory using a server-based communication protocol; and

provide, to the media player, access to a second media file in memory of the mobile electronic device using a local storage access protocol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least cause the mobile electronic device to transmit the media file to a second mobile electronic device via a wireless communication channel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the file management system is further configured to store metadata in connection with the first media file, the metadata comprising a tag defined by a user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the tag comprises an audio recording.

5. A system comprising:

a case configured to removably attach to a mobile electronic device, the case comprising;

a battery;

a non-transitory computer-readable case memory; and

an output interface configured to at least;

engage an input interface of the mobile electronic device;

convey electrical power from the battery to the input interface of the mobile electronic device; and

provide the mobile electronic device access to data stored in the case memory; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a file management system configured to run on the mobile electronic device, the file management system configured to at least provide, to an application executing on the mobile electronic device, access to data in the case memory.

6. A combination of the system of claim 5 and the mobile electronic device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is configured to provide access to the data in the case memory using a server-based communication protocol.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least cause the mobile electronic device to transmit the data stored in the case memory to a second mobile electronic device via a wireless communication channel.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least provide access to data in memory of the mobile electronic device using a local storage access protocol.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least store metadata in connection with a file stored in the case memory.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the metadata comprises a tag defined by a user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the metadata comprises a tag generated based at least partly on calendar data stored in memory of the mobile electronic device.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is further configured to provide access to a file stored in the case memory by transmitting, to a remote electronic device, a link to the file stored in the case memory.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least search a plurality of mobile electronic devices for a file meeting user-supplied search criteria.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the file management system is further configured to search the plurality of mobile electronic devices using at least two different network connections in response to a single search request.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the file management system is further configured to search the plurality of mobile electronic devices by communicating with file management systems executing on the plurality of mobile electronic devices.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least enable modification of a search result file stored on a remote mobile electronic device of the plurality of mobile electronic devices.

18. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is further configured to at least enable presentation of a sequence of two or more media files, wherein at least a first media file of the two or more media files is retrieved from a first remote mobile electronic device, and wherein at least a second media file of the two or more media files is retrieved from a second remote mobile electronic device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the sequence of two or more media files comprises a playlist of audio files or a slide show of image files.

20. The system of claim 5, wherein the file management system is configured to search for a file based at least in part on user activity information.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the user activity information comprises an indication of an activity that the user was performing when the file was created or modified.

22. A method of manufacturing a case, the method comprising:

providing a housing configured to removably attach to a mobile electronic device, the housing comprising a battery and a non-transitory computer-readable case memory;

providing an output interface configured to engage an input interface of the mobile electronic device, wherein the output interface is further configured to convey electrical power from the battery to a input interface, and wherein the output interface is further configured to provide access to data stored in the case memory;

attaching the output interface to the housing; and

providing a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a file management system configured to run on the mobile electronic device, the file management system configured to at least provide, to an application executing on the mobile electronic device, access to data in the case memory.

23. An electronic storage device comprising:

a first wireless communication interface;

a second wireless communication interface configured to consume less power than the first wireless communication interface during operation; and

a computing device configured to at least;

transmit, using the second wireless communication interface, indicators regarding availability of the electronic storage device;

receive, using the second wireless communication interface, a communication from a mobile electronic device; and

in response to the communication;

activate the first wireless communication interface, wherein the electronic storage device transmits data to the mobile electronic device using the first wireless communication interface subsequent to activation of the first wireless communication interface; and

subsequent to transmitting the data to the mobile electronic device using the first wireless communication interface, deactivate the first wireless communication interface.