Abstract:
An auxiliary power supply for electronic devices such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants. The power supply is adapted to be able to supply many types of devices utilizing multiple connector modules. The power supply comprises and intermediate portion adapted to receive different connector modules. The intermediate portion may receive a battery or have a battery housed within it.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention is related generally to the field of power supplies and more specifically to an auxiliary power supply for cellular telephones and other electronic devices.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     A variety of different battery-operated tools and other consumer products currently are available on the market. Typically, these products are powered by rechargeable batteries or rechargeable battery packs. With some products, batteries are removed from the devices and placed in a charger. Other devices, such as cellular telephones, include a power converter that can be used in place of the battery to operate the telephone. Typical of these converters are converters which plug into an automobile&#39;s cigarette lighter, or which plug into an AC power outlet in the home.  
         [0005]     Cellular telephones typically have a main rechargeable battery, which can be comprised of a series of electrochemical cells in series or in parallel, and the main battery provides electricity to the functioning components of the cellular telephone. Once the main battery has discharged its energy, the cellular telephone can no longer send or receive transmissions. Most cellular telephones have a power level indicator or other warning device to alert the user of the cellular telephone of the remaining charge on the telephone and if a power failure is imminent.  
         [0006]     However, the onset of the complete discharge of the main battery can occur very quickly when the cellular is actively being used for communication. The user may end up with a dead battery, which is a serious problem if that user then needs to make an emergency telephone call. If there is not another power source, the cellular telephone will remain inoperable.  
         [0007]     What is called for is an auxiliary power supply that can be utilized when an electronic device&#39;s primary battery power source is exhausted. In addition, given the variety of electrical connector types on the different electronic devices, a versatile power supply would support a variety of such connector types is called for.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     An auxiliary power supply for electronic devices such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants. The power supply is modular and is adapted to be able to supply many types of devices utilizing different connector modules. The power supply comprises an intermediate portion adapted to receive different connector modules. The intermediate portion may receive a battery or have a battery housed within it.  
         [0009]     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of a cellular telephone.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top view of one embodiment of the intermediate portion of the power supply.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the intermediate portion of the power supply.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side view of one embodiment of the connector portion.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of one embodiment of the connector portion.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side view of one embodiment of the connector portion.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the power supply engaged to a cellular telephone.  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view sketch of one embodiment of the power supply.  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of the power supply.  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional end view of one embodiment of the power supply.  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is figurative representation of a connector portion according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is pictorial representation of a bridge plug according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a typical example of an electronic device. Cellular telephone  10  is shown with back surface  14  and antenna  13 . The battery cover  11  is typically removable and allows access to the cellular telephone&#39;s primary battery (not shown). Connection jack  12  is typically on the bottom surface  15  of cellular telephone  10 . Connection jack  12  typically provides electrical connection for cellular telephone  10  to auxiliary power such as an AC charger, to a separate antennae, and to other devices.  
         [0023]     In one embodiment of the present invention, as seen in  FIG. 2 , intermediate portion  200  is shown in top view. Intermediate portion main body  201  has a first opening  205  which is adapted to receive a connector portion. The intermediate portion main body first opening  205  has side walls  203 ,  204  which form first opening  205 .  
         [0024]     In one embodiment of the present invention, as seen in  FIG. 3 , intermediate portion  200  is shown in a sectional view. Intermediate portion  200  has a second opening  218  which is sized to allow the insertion of a battery (not shown). Second opening  218  is formed by lower walls  217 . In some embodiments, the second opening  218  is sized to allow the insertion of a battery of standard nine volt transistor battery size and shape. Intermediate portion  200  is substantially hollow in some embodiments. Main body outer surface  200  and main body inner surface  221  substantially form the shape of the intermediate portion  200 . In some embodiments, intermediate portion  200  is made of plastic or other suitable materials. In some embodiments, intermediate portion  200  has clips  213  formed into the inner surface  221 . Clips  213  hold platform  211  in place within the intermediate portion  200 . Battery contacts  211 ,  212  are mounted onto the platform  210  in some embodiments. The battery contacts  211 ,  212  are configured to mount to a standard 9 volt battery in this embodiment. Battery contact  211  is electrically coupled to connector module contact  223  via wire  214  in this embodiment. Battery contact  212  is electrically coupled to connector module contact  216  via wire  215  in this embodiment. Intermediate portion first opening  219  is an opening in the top surface  230  of intermediate portion  200  in this embodiment. Intermediate portion first opening wall  222  may be perpendicular to surface  230  or another angle in some embodiments. The connector module contacts  216 ,  223  are adapted to electrically connect to the connector portion. The intermediate portion first opening  219  is adapted to physically couple the intermediate portion  200  to the connector portion  301 ,  302 ,  303 .  
         [0025]     In some embodiments, the battery  801  will be wholly contained within the intermediate portion  200 . In some embodiments, only the top surface or portions of the top surface of the battery  801  will be contained within the intermediate portion  200 .  
         [0026]     In some embodiments, as seen in  FIGS. 4, 5 , and  6 , the connector portion  301 ,  302 ,  303 , have a connector body  315  and connector portion contacts  305 ,  306  to allow the connector portion  301 ,  302 ,  303  to be electrically connected and physically coupled to the intermediate portion  200 . The device connector  310 ,  311 ,  312  is adapted to physically couple and electrically connect the device connector to the connection jack  12  of an electronic device such as a cellular telephone.  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention attached to a cellular telephone. Alternatively powered cellular telephone system  700  uses power supply  800  to power cellular telephone  10 . The battery  801  is coupled to the intermediate portion  200  in this embodiment. The intermediate portion  200  is attached to the cellular telephone  10  via the connector portion (hidden in this view).  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of one embodiment  800  of the present invention. In this embodiment, battery  801  is inserted into the intermediate portion  200  along the line of the arrow  803 . The connector portion  301  is inserted into the intermediate portion  200  along the line of the arrow  802 . When the connector portion  301  and the battery  801  are inserted into the intermediate portion  200  to create power supply  800 , power supply  800  may connected to an electronic device such as a cellular telephone or a personal digital assistant. The power supply  800  can then supply electrical power to the electronic device even if the internal battery of the electronic device is depleted.  
         [0029]     In some embodiments of the present invention, as seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , battery  801  is mounted within intermediate portion  200 . Battery  801  is a nine volt transistor battery in some embodiments. In some embodiments, battery  801  is a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, battery  801  is a NiCd rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, battery  801  is a NiMH rechargeable battery.  
         [0030]      FIG. 11  shows a cross-sectional view of connector portion  301  according to some embodiments of the present invention. The connector portion  301  has connector body  315  and connector portion contacts  305 ,  306  to allow the connector portion  301  to be electrically connected and physically coupled to the intermediate portion  200 . The electronic device contacts  331 ,  332  provide electrical contact between the connector portion  301  and the electronic device. Because different electrical devices that are to powered may have different voltage requirements, connector portion resistor  330  may be connected in-line between the connector portion contact  305  and the electronic device contact  331  in some embodiments. The resistance value of the connector portion resistor  330  will vary according to the needs of a particular electronic device.  
         [0031]     In some embodiments of the present invention, a battery charge LED may be used. The battery charge LED is used to indicate the charge status of the battery.  
         [0032]     In some embodiments of the power supply  800 , the battery  801  is a rechargeable battery. Bridge plug  500  is utilized to recharge battery  801  while battery  801  remains in the power supply  800 . As seen in  FIG. 12 , charge cord  504  routes to a power supply (not shown). Battery charge connector  503  is electrically coupled to the charge cord  504 . The bridge plug  500  is adapted to physically and electrically couple to the battery charge connector  503 . In some embodiments, the battery charge connector  503  couples to the bridge plug  500  through the top surface  501  of the bridge plug  500 .  
         [0033]     The bridge plug  500  is adapted to electrically and physically couple to the connector portion  301 . Different embodiments of the bridge plug  500  may be used depending upon the configuration of the connector portion used in a particular application. In some embodiments, the bridge plug  500  is coupled to the connector portion through the bottom surface  502  of the bridge plug  500 .  
         [0034]     As evident from the above description, a wide variety of embodiments may be configured from the description given herein and additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general invention.