Patent ID: 8401473

Claim:
An apparatus that facilitates the charging of a first battery powered device and a second battery powered device, comprising: a first port that electrically couples the first battery powered device to the apparatus; a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered device to the apparatus; a third port that electrically couples a third device to the apparatus; and a microcontroller that: prevents a battery of the first device coupled to the first port from supplying power to a battery of the second device coupled to the second port when it is determined that the first and second devices are coupled to their respective first and second ports, but the third device is not coupled to the third port, and the first device is capable of supplying power to the second device; selecting one of at least two communications modes for the second device when the second device is determined to be coupled to the second port; and enables the first port to supply power to the second port when the first, second, and third devices are coupled to their respective first, second, and third ports, wherein a voltage level of a power signal provided to the second port is controlled based on the selected communications mode.