Portable power charger with two-way charging interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9973016-B2
Application number	US-201213682985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2012
Priority date	Aug 10, 2011
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A portable power charger having an internal rechargeable battery is provided with a power connection port than can act in a power input mode when the charger is connected with an external power source via the power connection port and in a power output mode when at least one electronic device is connected to the charger via the power connection port. The power charger may be connected with both an external power source and an electronic device via the power connection port at the same time, wherein the charge supplied from the external power source recharges the charger and any electronic device connected to the charger. The charger also can automatically turn on if a connector cable is connected to the power connection port with either an external power supply or an electronic device connected at the other end of the cable to supply or draw power through the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for using a portable power charger having a rechargeable internal battery and a processing unit each operatively connected to a power connection port, said method comprising:
determining, using the processing unit, if a connector cable is connected to the power connection port; and, if so
determining, using the processing unit, if the connector cable is also connected to at least one of (i) an external power source supplying an electrical charge through the connector cable, and (ii) an electronic device attempting to draw an electrical charge through the connector cable; and, if so
turning on the power charger;
placing the power charger in a power output mode, whereby an electrical charge is provided from the internal battery of the power charger to recharge an internal battery of an electronic device, in case a free end of the connector cable is connected to at least one electronic device having an internal battery; or
placing the power charger in a power input mode, whereby an electrical charge is provided to the internal battery of the power charger from the external power source to recharge the internal battery of the power charger, in case a free end of the connector cable is connected to an external power source; or
placing the power charger in the power input mode, in case free ends of the connector cable are connected to the external power source and to the at least one electronic device, and subsequently, switching the power charger from the power input mode to the power output mode, whereby electrical charge is provided from the internal battery of the power charger to the internal battery of the electronic device, in case the power charger is disconnected from the external power source but still connected to the at least one electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
shutting off the power charging if the internal battery of the power charger is fully charged and if the internal battery of any electronic device connected to the power charger via the connector cable is fully charged.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining, using the processing unit, if any electronic device is still connected to the connector cable;
confirming if the internal battery of the power charger is fully charged, and if the internal battery of any electronic device still connected to the connector cable is fully charged; and, if so
shutting off the power charger after a time delay.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
switching the power charger from the power output mode to the power input mode if, after the power charger is already connected to the at least one electronic device to provide an electrical charge to the at least one electronic device from the internal battery of the power charger, the power charger is connected to the external power source to supply an electrical charge to the power charger from the external power source.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
in the power input mode, charging the at least one electronic device from the external power source via the power charger.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
switching the power charger from the power input mode to the power output mode, in case (i) the power charger is connected to the external power source and to the at least one electronic device and (ii) the internal battery of the power charger is fully charged and (iii) the internal battery of the at least one electronic device is not fully charged.

Assignees

• Miller Garold C
• Weinstein Nathan Daniel
• Halo2Cloud Llc

Inventors

• Miller Garold C
• Weinstein Nathan Daniel

Classifications

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/825

  Detection of fully charged condition · CPC title

• H02J7/731

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

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title