Patent ID: 7424626

Claim:
A laptop computer system including a display casing, having display circuitry and a display screen, and a main computer casing coupled to the display casing, wherein the main computer casing comprises: a battery power source coupled to a motherboard switching regulator; a charging regulator coupled to the battery power source and configured to recharge the battery power source; a first Ethernet-type connector having connections for both power and network data, said connections for power being coupled to the motherboard switching and charging regulators and configured to provide power thereto; power-sensing circuitry coupled to the first Ethernet-type connector and configured to detect whether DC (direct current) power is received from said first Ethernet-type connector; voltage step-down circuitry between the first Ethernet-type connector and the charging regulator, wherein the voltage step-down circuitry is configured to reduce a voltage level of said DC power received from approximately 50 volts to 15 volts or less; and a second Ethernet-type connector with power lines coupled to the charging regulator and configured to provide power thereto, wherein the second Ethernet-type connector is only configured to provide power and not for data communcations.