Patent Publication Number: US-2011050162-A1

Title: Fabric Power Panel Insert

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention claims priority on provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/238,082, filed on Aug. 28, 2009, entitled “Brief-case/backpack/luggage that contains a backup battery for cell phone and or notebook/netbook computers, includes an AC power adapter and connection interface for a cell phone, MP3, player or notebook/netbook computer (plug)” and is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Present day mobile devices such as mobile phones and lap top computers require a constant source of power for those devices to have utility. While battery life has improved, the frequency and duration of the use of the devices has also increased along with higher level application programs requiring more power. The net result is a constant search for a 110 volt power outlets and carrying a power cord with an AC adapter to recharge the mobile device. In addition, many users of such devices have more than one mobile device requiring multiple power cords and AC adapters because they have different voltage level requirements, and as a result, different AC adapters and connectors for each device. 
     The user has to remember to charge all mobile devices before their portable utility is needed and to carry all of the power cords and AC adapters if they need to recharge the devices while traveling, for example. 
     Ways to bridge the gap between the need for back up power and the constant demand for power have been attempted by designing back up batteries for each type of device with a power cord and AC adapter for that back up battery. This solution is less than elegant as it requires more hardware for each mobile device and a way to carry all of the additional power cords and AC adapters. The mobile devices have to be recharged and the backup batteries have to be separately recharged. In addition, the user may forget the power cords and AC adapter either at home or in the hotel room. 
     Thus there exists a need for a power panel that can charge or power all of a user&#39;s portable devices conveniently. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A fabric power panel insert that overcomes these and other problem has a controller that transcends the different voltage levels, and therefore, eliminates the need for multiple power cords and AC adapters, i.e., all mobile devices can be controlled, recharged, by one system. In addition, the controller allows the recharging of all of the mobile devices at the same time the back up battery pack is being recharged. This eliminates the need for multiple power cords and AC adapters for multiple mobile devices and backup batteries. 
     Since most mobile devices require some type of carrying case, the power panel is embedded in a fabric panel that inserts into an existing brief case or backpack or is part of a custom brief case or backpack. The fabric panel is designed to neatly integrate with a briefcase or backpack. The fabric panel contains the controller, the backup battery pack, the AC adapter with a retractable power cord and a connector cord for a computer and a USB port for a mobile device. Hence, by embedding all of the components into the fabric panel they become part of the carrying case allowing the user to have a power panel that recharges all of the mobile devices, recharges the backup battery back, and provides backup power thereby eliminating the need for the constant search of a power outlet. In addition, because the power panel is part of the carrying case the user is reminded to recharge all devices at the same time, along with the backup battery pack, with only one power cord and AC adapter. The power cord and AC adapter can not be forgotten or lost because they are embedded in the case. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a briefcase with a fabric power panel insert in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a front view of a fabric power panel insert in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view of a fabric power panel insert in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a control panel in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram a power panel in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart of the steps used in charging a device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a power panel system that includes an electrical storage device. A controller regulates both the charging of the electrical storage device and the voltage outputs from the electrical storage device. The electrical storage device and the controller fit inside a power panel, which may be a fabric housing. A number of adapter cables may also be held by the fabric housing for connecting to a variety of mobile devices. The controller allows the recharging of all of the mobile devices at the same time the back up battery pack is being recharged. This eliminates the need for multiple power cords and AC adapters for multiple mobile devices and backup batteries. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a briefcase  10  with a fabric power panel insert  12  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The fabric power panel  12  may be an integral part of the briefcase  10  or it may be removable attached to the briefcase  10 . In one embodiment, hook and loop straps are used to connect the power panel  12  to the briefcase  10 . The power panel  12  has a plurality of pockets  14 ,  16 ,  18  to hold mobile devices, such as a cellular telephone  20 . The cellular telephone  20  is being charged using an adapter cable  22 . In this embodiment, a notebook computer  24  is also the carrying case  10 . 
       FIG. 2A  is a front view of a fabric power panel insert  12  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The power panel  12  has a plurality of pockets  14 ,  16 ,  18  for holding portable devices such as MP3 players. The panel  26  contains an electronic control circuit. The lower panel  28  holds an electrical storage device such a rechargeable battery.  FIG. 2B  is a side view of a fabric power panel insert  12  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. This embodiment shows that a zipper  30  provides access to the electrical storage device. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of a control panel  32  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The control panel  32  regulates the electronic control circuit. The control panel  32  includes an on/off switch  34 , a battery charging indicator  36 , an output voltage selector  38 , a battery charge indicator  40 , and a USB (Universal Service Bus) port  42 . When the power panel  12  is plugged into a 110 Volt outlet, the charging indictor light is on (red light) and when the battery or other electrical storage device is fully charged a green light is on. The output voltage selector  38  provides the option of selecting output voltages of twelve volts, fourteen volts, sixteen volts and twenty volts, in one embodiment, for the different laptop computer voltage requirements. The output voltage indicators  39  confirm the voltage selected. The output voltage indicators  39  are LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) in one embodiment. The charge indicator  40  displays the charge left in the power panel  12 . The USB port  42  provides a five volt output to charge cellular telephones, MP3 players, and similar devices. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram a power panel  12  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The power panel  12  has a control circuit and panel  44 . A plurality of batteries  46 ,  48  are connected to the control circuit and panel  44 . The control circuit and panel  44  contains a microprocessor that controls the charging of the battery packs  46 ,  48 , the charging of the mobile devices  50 , the charging of computer  52  and monitors the power supply/AC adapter  54  to prevent over charging when all batteries are fully charged. The power panel  12  has a single AC adapter  54 , which makes it more convenient and cost effective than present charging solutions that require multiple AC adapters. A retractable power cord  56  is attached to the AC adapter  54 . The retractable power cord  56  fits inside the soft sided housing of the power panel for convenience. The DC output cord to the laptop computer  52  may also be retractable. A number of adapters may come with the fabric power panel insert  12  to connect to a variety of different notebook/netbook computers. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart of the steps used in charging a device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The process starts, step  100 , by selecting adapter tip for portable computer at step  102 . Next the adapter tip is connected to DC output cord for portable computer at step  104 . The voltage selector is set to the lowest setting, twelve volts in one embodiment at step  106 . The mobile device portable charging system is turned on at step  108 . Next it is determined if the portable computer is charging at step  110 . This can be determined by examining whether a charging indicator of the portable computer is on. If the portable computer is charging at step  112 , then the voltage selector is correct and the process ends at step  116 . If the portable computer is not charging at step  114 , then the voltage selector is moved up to the next setting and the process is repeated until the portable computer is charging. 
     Thus there has been described a fabric power panel insert that can charge or power all of a user&#39;s portable devices conveniently. 
     While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alterations, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations in the appended claims.