System and method of managing power at a portable computing device and a portable computing device docking station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004286-A1
Application number	US-201514856954-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2009
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of managing power distribution between a portable computing device (PCD) and a PCD docking station is disclosed and may include determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station, switching a power supply to the PCD from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery, and powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery. Further, the method may include determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition and charging the PCD battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition. The method may also include monitoring a PCD docking station battery power, determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition, and transmitting a first warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

First claim

1 .- 32 . (canceled)

33 . A method comprising:
switching a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery; powering the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery; determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition; switching the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition; and powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD battery.

34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

35 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising switching the power supply to the PCD from the PCD battery to the PCD docking station battery in response to determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

36 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising executing a first application version by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise executing a second application version by the PCD.

37 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising using a first processor by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise using a second processor by the PCD.

38 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising backing up data from the PCD to the PCD docking station when it is determined that the PCD is docked.

39 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition; and charging the PCD battery from the PCD docking station battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition.

40 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
monitoring the PCD docking station battery power; determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition; and transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

41 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition.

42 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
determining whether an external power source is connected to the PCD docking station; and charging the PCD docking station battery when the external power source is connected.

43 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
monitoring the PCD battery power; and determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition.

44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising:
transmitting a warning when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

45 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising:
powering down the PCD and the PCD docking station when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition comprises determining if the PCD battery power is less than a predetermined value.

47 . The method of claim 33 , wherein determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition comprises determining if a PCD docking station battery power is less than a predetermined value.

48 . A system comprising:
means for switching a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery; means for powering the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery; means for determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition; means for switching the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition; and means for powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD battery.

49 . The system of claim 48 , further comprising means for determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

50 . The system of claim 49 , further comprising means for switching the power supply to the PCD from the PCD battery to the PCD docking station battery in response to determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station.

51 . The system of claim 49 , further comprising means for executing a first application version by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise executing a second application version by the PCD.

52 . The system of claim 49 , further comprising means for using a first processor by the PCD when it is determined that the PCD is docked, and otherwise using a second processor by the PCD.

53 . The system of claim 49 , further comprising means for backing up data from the PCD to the PCD docking station when it is determined that the PCD is docked.

54 . The system of claim 48 , further comprising:
means for determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition; and means for charging the PCD battery from the PCD docking station battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition.

55 . The system of claim 48 , further comprising:
means for monitoring the PCD docking station battery power; means for determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition; and means for transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.

56 . The system of claim 48 , further comprising:
means for transmitting a warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the critical condition.

57 . The system of claim 48 , further comprising:
means for determining whether an external power source is connected to the PCD docking station; and means for charging the PCD docking station battery when the external power source is connected.

58 . The system of claim 48 , further comprising:
means for monitoring the PCD battery power; and means for determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition.

59 . The system of claim 58 , further comprising:
means for transmitting a warning when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

60 . The system of claim 58 , further comprising:
means for powering down the PCD and the PCD docking station when the PCD battery power equals the power down condition.

61 . The system of claim 58 , wherein the means for determining whether the PCD battery power equals a power down condition comprises means for determining if the PCD battery power is less than a predetermined value.

62 . The system of claim 48 , wherein means for determining whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition comprises means for determining if a PCD docking station battery power is less than a predetermined value.

63 . A system comprising:
a processor, wherein the processor is operable to:
switch a power supply to a portable computing device (PCD) from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery;
power the PCD and a PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery;
determine whether the PCD docking station battery equals a critical condition;
switch the power supply to the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery to the PCD battery when the PCD docking station bat

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Collopy Thomas Kevin
• Gill Manjit Singh
• Tessitore Ronald J
• Pineda Luis

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title

• G06F1/263 Primary

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/0044

  Electricity · mapped topic