Abstract:
A system has an adapter/charger to receive power from a power source and output a first DC power signal. A universal battery receives the first DC power signal directly from the adapter/charger and to supplies a second DC power signal, and the universal battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal. A power tip receives the second DC power signal and outputs a third DC power signal useable by an electronic device. The power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     An embodiment of this invention relates to the field of portable batteries, and more specifically, to a portable battery for use with a single adapter/charger and a set of electronic devices having differing power requirements. 
     2. Description of the Related Arts 
     Supplying continuous DC power when away from an AC power source for more than a few hours often becomes a problem for a portable electronic device such as a laptop computer or a personal digital assistant (PDA). Such portable devices typically have a built-in space to receive a rechargeable battery pack as a primary power source when the device is in portable use. The rechargeable battery pack typically lasts only a few hours. Once the rechargeable battery pack is exhausted, the electronic device has to be turned off. In order to continue its operation, a user can bring along a back-up battery pack, which is identical in shape and design with the pack installed in the battery pack. Once the first installed battery pack is discharged to a low level after few hours of operation, the backup battery pack can be installed to replace the first installed battery pack for continuous operation. However, before the battery replacement, the device often must be powered down properly. In the case of a laptop computer, before it is turned off, the files which the computer is executing must be properly closed and some files often must be saved in order to preserve the works performed on the computer, which may be lost either due to the total exhaustion of power supply or its improper powering down. The powering down process typically generates interference and interruption to a user that is not only annoying but also decreases the user&#39;s effectiveness and productivity. 
     Operation with a portable electronic device and a conventional AC/DC adapter has another difficulty. There is a restriction that the installed battery pack is generally not charged when the electronic device is in operation due to the fact that the input current is mostly used for supporting the operation of the electronic device. Thus, in order to charge a battery pack, the device usually has to be turned off. In the case of a slow charging, either by a built-in charging circuit or the adapter, in order to fully charge the battery, the electronic device has to be temporarily out of service in the charging period. Again, the limitation of not able to efficiently and rapidly charge the battery pack reduces the usefulness and productivity of the portable electronic device. 
     There are backup batteries in the art that are used to supply power to electronic devices. One such backup battery system includes an adapter, an input interface, a charging circuit, the backup battery, and an output interface that is directly coupled to the electronic device being powered. However, such a system is deficient because the original adapter of the electronic device must be used while the backup battery is being powered. As disclosed in the prior art, the original adapter of the electronic device is utilized while: (a) supplying DC power to the electronic device, and (b) powering the portable backup battery. The prior art discloses a universal adapter interface that hooks up to the original adapter of the electronic device. 
     However, it is inefficient to have to utilize the original adapter of the electronic device being powered. For example, if a user is powering the backup battery while it is hooked up to a portable laptop computer, the user must utilize the original adapter of the portable laptop computer. If the user then decides to power a cellular phone, or other electronic device, the user must remove the adapter for the portable laptop computer, and replace it with the adapter for the cellular phone so that (a) the cellular phone, and (b) the backup battery, can be simultaneously powered. 
     Accordingly, systems in the prior art are deficient because a user must change adapters when the user decides to power different electronic devices while the backup battery charges. Also, due to the bulkiness of the adapters, it is awkward for a user to have to since multiple adapters to power different electronic devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates a system diagram of the universal battery according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an adapter/charger according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1C  illustrates a power tip according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1D  illustrates an alternative power tip according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a cut-away view of the universal battery according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cut-away view of the universal battery supplying power to an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a method of hooking up the universal battery according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a package in which the universal battery may be stored according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates an deluxe package in which the universal battery may be stored according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An embodiment of the invention is directed to a portable backup battery pack which may be directly coupled to an adapter/charger and a power tip in order to charge while an electronic device is receiving power. The adapter/charger may be coupled to a power source. The power source may be an A/C power source such a common household electric outlet. Alternatively, the power source may be a DC power source such as an automobile (e.g., powered through a cigarette lighter) or an electrical outlet on an airplane. The adapter/charger may be directly coupled to the portable backup battery pack. The portable backup battery pack may be charged while an electronic device is also powered. The “power tip” may provide an interface between the portable backup battery pack and the electronic device. The power tip may receive power, and then convert the power into an amount necessary to power the electronic device. Electronic devices requiring different amounts of power may utilize different power tips. However, the power tip is the only element which needs to be changed when electronic devices having different power requirements are utilized which the portable backup battery charges. In other words, a common adapter/charger is used, regardless of the electronic device receiving the power. The power tips may each be physically small. Accordingly, it is not problematic for a user to carry power tips for multiple electronic devices. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a system diagram of the universal battery  110  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, a power source  100  is directly coupled to an adapter/charger  105 . As discussed above, the power source may be an A/C source such as that of an ordinary household electric outlet (e.g., 110 V RMS, 60 Hz). The power source may also be from an electric outlet in a foreign country which utilizes a different voltage and/or A/C frequency. Alternatively, the power source  100  may be a DC source such as an automobile or an electric outlet on an airplane. 
     The adapter/charger  105  may convert an A/C input signal into a suitable DC signal. Alternatively, if the power source provides a DC input signal, the adapter/charger  105  may output a DC signal having a different magnitude than that of the power source  100 . The adapter/charger  105  may be directly connected to the universal battery  110  via a cable. In other words, no additional interfacing circuitry is necessary between the universal battery  110  and the adapter/charger  105 . The universal battery  110  may be coupled to a power tip  115  via a cable  112 . The power tip  115  may be connected to an electronic device  120  being powered, such as a cellular phone, a PDA, a portable laptop computer, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, or any other portable electronic device  120 , for example. The power tip  115  may contain circuitry to supply power to the electronic device  120 . Different power tips  115  may be utilized for electronic devices  120  having different power requirements. For example, a different power tip  115  would be used for an electronic device  120  requiring 6 Volts, than would be used for an electronic device  120  requiring 12 Volts. However, regardless of the electronic device  120  being powered, the same adapter/charger  105  and universal battery  110  may be utilized. A user may carry a set of different power tips  115  when transporting the universal battery  110 . Each of the power tips  115  may have a different physical size. For example, a power tip  115  for a laptop computer may be larger or smaller than a power tip  115  for a PDA. Each of the power tips  115  may be physically small. Accordingly, because they are not bulky, it is not inconvenient for a user to transport multiple power tips to use with the universal battery  110 . 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates an adapter/charger  105  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the adapter/charger  105  may include a regulator  130 . The regulator  130  may have a function of receiving power (e.g., A/C or DC power) from the power source  100 , and outputting a DC power signal to the universal battery  110 . The adapter/charger  105  may be utilized with different electronic devices  120  having different power requirements. The DC power signal output from the adapter/charger  105  may be programmed (i.e., the voltage of the DC power signal may be set) based on the power requirements of the electronic device  120 . For example, if the electronic device  120  requires 9 volts DC, the adapter/charger  105  may be programmed to provide 9 volts DC. However, if the electronic device  120  only requires 6 volts DC, the adapter/charger may be programmed to provide 6 volts DC. 
     The regulator  130  may receive a voltage programming voltage (i.e., V Vprogram1 ) and a current programming voltage (i.e., V Iprogram1 ) from the universal battery  110  (V Vprogram1  and V Iprogram1  are set by a power junction device  202 , as discussed below with respect to FIG.  2 ), and may share a ground reference (i.e., GND) with the universal battery  110  and the power tip  115 . V Vprogram1  may be utilized to set the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power signal output by the adapter/charger  105 , and V Iprogram1  may be utilized to limit the magnitude of the current. In an embodiment, the regulator  130  may receive V Vprogram1  and output a DC power signal having a voltage that is a predetermined multiple of V Vprogram1 . For example, if the predetermined multiple is 3.2, the magnitude of the voltage of the DC power signal output is equal to 3.2 times V Vprogram1 . The magnitude of the current output by the regulator  130  may also be limited in a similar manner based on the magnitude of V Iprogram1 . 
       FIG. 1C  illustrates a power tip  115  according to an embodiment of the invention. The power tip  115  may have active control circuitry  140  to receive the DC power signal from the adapter/charger  105  (via the universal battery  110 ), and output the DC power signal to the electronic device  120 . The active control circuitry  140  may include a voltage regulator, for example, to set V Iprogram2  and V Vprogram2 . V Vprogram2  may be utilized to set the magnitude of the voltage output by the universal battery  110 , and V Iprogram2  may be utilized to limit the magnitude of current output by the universal battery. A single power tip  115  may be utilized be provide the DC power to an electronic device  120  having predetermined power requirements (e.g., 9 volts DC). If an electronic device  120  having different power requirements is to be utilized with the system, then a different power tip  115  may be utilized. Each power tip  115  may include active circuitry  140  having different characteristics. For example, in an embodiment where an electronic device  120  requires 9 volts DC, and a regulator in the power junction device  202  provides a DC output signal that is 3 times the size Of V Vprogram2 , the active control circuitry  140  may be utilized to set V Vprogram2  to 3 volts, so that 9 volts DC may be output. The power tip  115  may share a common GND with the universal battery  110  and the adapter/charger  105 . 
       FIG. 1D  illustrates an alternative power tip  115  according to an embodiment of the invention. The power tip  115  of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1D  may include passive control circuitry  150  to receive the DC power from the adapter/charger  105  (via the universal battery  110 ) and output the DC power to the electronic device  120 . The passive control circuitry  150  may include a set of resistors, for example. The passive control circuitry  150  may receive DC power and generate V Vprogram2  and V Iprogram2 , which are output to the universal battery  110  to set the magnitude of the DC power signal output by the universal battery  110 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a cut-away view of the universal battery according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the universal battery  110  may receive DC power from the adapter/charger  105  and may allow the DC power to charge battery cells (e.g., battery cell A  200 , battery cell B  205 , and battery cell C  210 ). An input port  215  may receive the DC power. The universal battery  110  may also allow the DC power from the adapter/charger  105  to flow out of an output port  220  and directly to the power tip  115 . In an embodiment, the universal battery  110  may give priority to the electronic device  120 . In other words, the universal battery  110  may allow the DC power required by the electronic device  120  to flow directly through to the power tip  115 , which supplies a voltage to the electronic device  120 . Any of the DC power from the adapter/charger  105  that is not utilized by the electronic device  120  may be utilized to charge the battery cells (e.g., battery cell A  200 , battery cell B  205 , and battery cell C  210 ). Therefore, if the electronic device  120  requires use of 80% of the power supplied by the adapter/charger  105 , then the remaining 20% is available to charge the battery cells (battery cell A  200 , battery cell B  205 , and battery cell C  210 ). However, if the electronic device  120  requires 90% of the power from the adapter/charger  105 , then only the remaining 10% of the power may be available to charge the battery cells (battery cell A  200 , battery cell B  205 , and battery cell C  210 ). Also, if the electronic device  120  requires 100% of the DC power from the adapter/charger  105 , then no power is available to charge the battery cells (battery cell A  200 , battery cell B  205 , and battery cell C  210 ). 
     A power junction device  202  may serve to make some of the power available to the electronic device  120 , and the remainder to the battery cells. The power junction device  202  may include a regulation device to receive V Vprogram2  and V Iprogram2  from the power tip  115  to set the DC voltage output and limit the current output. The power junction device  202  may also determine and transmit V Vprogram1  and V Iprogram1  to the adapter/charger  105  to set the DC voltage output therefrom and limit the output current. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a cut-away view of the universal battery supplying power to an electronic device  120  according to an embodiment of the invention. When the power source  100  is removed (e.g., by unplugging a cord plugged into an outlet), the universal battery  110  may provide power to the power tip  115 , which may in turn provide power to the electronic device  120 , as if still plugged into an A/C or DC power source  100 . 
     As shown, power may flow from battery cells A  200 , B  205 , and C  210  out of the universal battery  120 . Each of the battery cells A  200 , B  205 , and C  210  may provide a voltage of 1.5 Volts, for example. The voltage between the top battery cell (i.e., A  200 ) and ground may therefore be 4.5 V. Additional battery cells may be utilized, and each of the battery cells may provide voltages of greater or less than 1.5 V, depending on the application of the universal battery  110 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a method of hooking up the universal battery  110  according to an embodiment of the invention. First, a user may insert  400  a plug of the adapter/charger  105  into a power source  100 , such as an electric outlet, or a cigarette lighter of an automobile, for example. Next, the user may plug  405  a cord from the adapter/charger  105  into the universal battery  110 . The user may then plug  410  a cord from the universal battery  110  into the power tip  115 . Finally, the user may connect  415  the power tip  115  to the electronic device  120 . 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates a package  500  in which the universal battery  110  may be stored according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated, the package  500  may include the universal battery  110 , the adapter/charger  105 , as well as any cords/plugs  505  necessary to couple the adapter/charger  105  to a power source  100 , and to couple the adapter/charger  105  to the universal battery  110 . 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates an deluxe package  510  in which the universal battery  110  may be stored according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated, the deluxe package  510  may include the universal battery  110 , the adapter/charger  105 , as well as any cords/plugs  505  necessary to couple the adapter/charger to a power source  100 , and to couple the adapter/charger  105  to the universal battery  110 . The deluxe package  510  may also include a power tip  115  to interface between the universal battery  110  and an electronic device  120 . Alternatively, the deluxe package  510  may include multiple power tips  115  to supply power to electronic devices  120  having differing power requirements. 
     While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of an embodiment of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of an embodiment of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.