Patent ID: 8527782

Claim:
A power hub comprising: a housing; a host connector positioned on said housing wherein said host connector is adapted to be coupled to a host device and receive a host power supply voltage from said host device; at least two device connectors positioned on said housing wherein each of said device connector is adapted to be coupled to an electronic device and provide a power supply voltage to said electronic device; a rechargeable battery in said housing; a hub circuit that connects both of said device connectors to said host connector such that a host device connected to said host connector can communicate digital data with an electronic device connected to one of said device connectors; a microcontroller that controls said hub such that power for said hub circuit, rechargeable battery and device connectors is provided from a host device if a host device is connected to the host connector and power for an electronic device connected to one of said device connectors is provided from said rechargeable battery if no host is connected to the host connector; and a battery bypass circuit for bypassing said rechargeable battery if a charge level of said rechargeable battery falls below a threshold level and no external power is available; wherein said rechargeable battery is charged from a host device connected to said host connector only when a power current drawn by any electronic devices connected to said device connectors is below a specified threshold.