Tetherless device charging for chained devices

• US 9,935,484 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dow, Eli M., Fitzsimmons, Thomas D., Gilchrist, James P., Gorelik, Galina, LeFevre, Jr., Frank R., Schmidt, Steven K., Stocker, IV, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US14/753,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20160380463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes integrating a charging pad into a powered device having a power supply, where the powered device is at least one of a monitor and a keyboard. The method includes configuring the charging pad to receive a first chargeable device in a charging position relative to the charging pad. The method further includes configuring the charging pad to deliver an electrical charge from the power supply to the first chargeable device when the chargeable device is in the charging position.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first chargeable device, being at least one of a monitor and a keyboard, and comprising;

first receiving hardware positioned at a first edge of the first chargeable device and configured to couple to a powered device when in a first charging position relative to the powered device;

wherein the first receiving hardware is further configured to receive an electrical charge from a power supply of the powered device when the first chargeable device is in the first charging position;

first charging hardware positioned at a second edge of the first chargeable device and configured to receive second receiving hardware of a second chargeable device in a second charging position relative to the first chargeable device;

wherein the first charging hardware is configured to deliver an electrical charge from the powered device to the second chargeable device when the first chargeable device is in the first charging position and the second chargeable device is in the second charging position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second chargeable device is a wireless trackpad.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply of the powered device is configured to simultaneously charge both the first chargeable device and the second chargeable device.

4. The system of claim 1, the powered device configured to supply power to each of one or more chargeable devices chained to the powered device by way of the charging pad.

5. The system of claim 1, the first chargeable device further configured to detect presence of the second chargeable device in the second charging position, and to deliver the electrical charge to the second chargeable device responsive to the detection.

6. The system of claim 1, the first chargeable device being configured to couple with the second chargeable device using at least one of inductive coupling and magnetic resonance.

7. A computer program product for charging one or more chained devices, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting, at a first chargeable device, being at least one of a keyboard and a mouse, a presence of a second chargeable device in a second charging position relative to the first charging device;

wherein the first chargeable device comprises first receiving hardware positioned at a first edge of the first chargeable device and configured to couple to a powered device when in a first charging position relative to the powered device;

wherein the first receiving hardware is further configured to receive an electrical charge from a power supply of the powered device when the first chargeable device is in the first charging position;

wherein the first chargeable device further comprises first charging hardware positioned at a second edge of the first chargeable device and configured to receive second receiving hardware of the second chargeable device in the second charging position relative to the first chargeable device;

delivering, by way of the first charging hardware of the first chargeable device, an electrical charge from the powered device to the second chargeable device, responsive to the detecting, when the first chargeable device is in the first charging position and the second chargeable device is in the second charging position.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the second chargeable device is a wireless trackpad.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the power supply of the powered device is configured to simultaneously charge both the first chargeable device and the second chargeable device.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, the powered device configured to supply power to each of one or more chargeable devices chained to the powered device by way of the charging pad.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, the first chargeable device being configured to couple with the second chargeable device using at least one of inductive coupling and magnetic resonance.