Patent ID: 8766476

Claim:
An apparatus for communicating power with an electronic device (ED), the ED including a power and data interface (PDI) including an electrical connector including a plurality of electrical contacts, at least two electrical contacts for communicating power (ECCP) and at least two, different electrical contacts for communicating data (ECCD), an electrical energy storage element (EESE) and memory, the electrical connector having a mechanical structure, the apparatus including: a housing, the housing mechanically separate from the ED, the housing substantially encasing: a power and data interface (PDI) module, the PDI module including an electrical connector and flexible cable, the flexible cable coupled to the electrical connector, the electrical connector including a plurality of electrical contacts, at least two (ECCP), the electrical connector having a mechanical shape configured to mechanically mate with the ED electrical connector and electrically couple the PDI module electrical connector at least two ECCP with the ED electric connector at least two ECCP; an internal electrical energy storage module (IEESM), the module including an EESE capable of storing and discharging electrical energy; an electrical energy communication module (EECM) operatively coupled to the (IEESM) and the PDI module, the EECM communicating electrical energy between the electronic device EESE and the apparatus IEESE via the flexible cable and PDI module electrical connector at least two ECCP; and a charging module coupled to the EECM and IEESM, the charging module charging the EESE via electrical energy received from the ED via the PDI module and EECM.