Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Cell or battery charger structure – For handheld device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-28
2001-02-06
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Cell or battery charger structure
For handheld device
C320S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06184654
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to power-intensive hand-held electronic devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption in such devices by migrating many of their functions to a portable docking holster.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wireless phones, pagers, camcorders and other hand-held electronic devices having large power requirements have been rapidly miniaturized. To meet a market for ever-smaller, hand-held, power-intensive electronic devices, certain trade-offs are made by the designer to reduce battery size and delete features that may be favored by only small portions of the market. For example, newer cellular phones provide sufficient “standby time” for most subscribers, but only a limited amount of “talk time.” Heavy users are expected to carry spare batteries and swap batteries when the first battery unit expires. To use certain other features, such as a hands-free speakerphone, the subscriber is expected to return to his or her vehicle.
The trend is to smaller radiophones (and similar devices) and multi-band and multi-mode communications. There has arisen a problem of short battery life due to the size limitation. Manufacturers are designing in reduced amounts of useful battery life to keep the size of these devices small. As of the time of writing, the currently available models include the Motorola StarTAC™ series, Ericsson 700 series, Qualcomm Q™ series cellular/PCS phones, the Sony D-WAVE Zuma™ CDMA phone and the Phillips Genie™ TCD 828 GSM phone. For multi-mode, multi-band operation, battery life is an even tougher issue to address due to the complexity of the circuitry and the electrical power required by the on-board digital signal processors which typically are in multi-mode or multi-band phones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a portable docking unit system for wearable cellular/PCS phones, two-way pagers and similar devices. The present invention overcomes the above-described problems associated with using such a wearable device. The docking unit securely holds the portable device, and in preferred embodiments allows its continued use, while providing added features such as (a) a portable, battery-powered battery “saver” (b) a supplemental battery, and (c) a convenient attachment to belt or purse strap.
In preferred embodiments, a novel arrangement of the components keeps from increasing the overall thickness of the electronic device in the docking-holster, over that of the same electronic device in a traditional belt-clip.
A principal objective of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective solution to prolong the service time of a wearable phone without increasing the size of the phone.
A further objective is to provide a hidden battery pack which is blended into a holster for convenient use.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide energy management to let the hidden battery charge the main battery automatically to “save” the main battery's power during standby.
Another advantage is that the invention will allow the conventional device charger accessory to be used to charge the hidden battery.
Another objective of the present invention, in an alternative embodiment, is to use the docking-holster as a carrier of the same type battery pack as is used on the phone or other electronic device, in lieu of custom or fixed internal cells, in order to minimize the investment required of a current user to require the docking-holster of the present invention.
These objectives are accomplished in the present invention by a docking-holster system which (1) can be mechanically attached to the belt or purse strap, and (2) can electrically connect to the portable electronic device to increase the device's useful battery life. This permits prolonged use of very power-intensive, small cellular phones, etc., without reducing battery life or eliminating desirable, but occasional-use, features.
The present invention maintains the main battery of the portable electronic device near full charge, so that the device lasts longer during the day. In most embodiments, the period of usability or life is more than doubled. The docking-holster stores the electronic device between uses, but in almost all embodiments the device is also usable while nested in the docking-holster.
In one embodiment, the docking-holster can clip to a user's belt, pocket or purse strap, or can be carried without using the clip in a briefcase, pocket or purse.
In the embodiments including the one incorporating the Motorola StarTAC phone, the unit as combined with the docking-holster is much thinner than a StarTAC with both the commercially available carry-clip and “auxiliary” battery mounted to it, but yet has more power. In the case of the Qualcomm Q-Phone, this unit combined with the docking-holster according to the present invention is the same thickness as the unit with its commercially available belt-clip supplemental, and only slightly wider, yet doubles the talk-time of the device.
In certain embodiments, circuitry of the docking-holster can modify the voltage from the conventional charger, emulating a standard battery, so as to allow charging of the docking unit. The unit can also be charged by a supplemental power input, such as a travel charger, car-cord or transformer, and/or solar cells mounted to it. In certain embodiments, circuitry is provided which can modify the output voltage from the batteries within the docking-holster to properly charge the device battery, or to “save” the battery.
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Bachner, III Edward F.
Du Xin
Double-Time Battery Corporation
McDonnell & Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff
Tibbits Pia
Wong Peter S.
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