Techniques for charging a portable communication device using an accessory device

A system for charging a primary portable communication device (PCD) operatively connected to a battery powered speaker/microphone accessory, comprising:

• a PCD;
• a speaker/microphone accessory;
• and
• a cable communicatively operatively coupling the PCD and the speaker/microphone accessory;
• wherein the PCD:
• monitors a battery level of the PCD;
• monitors a battery level of the speaker/microphone accessory;
• determines if the battery level of the PCD is below a predetermined first PCD threshold;
• determines if the battery level of the speaker/microphone accessory is above a predetermined speaker/microphone accessory threshold;
• responsive to determining that the battery level of the PCD is below the predetermined first PCD threshold and the battery level of the speaker/microphone accessory is above the predetermined speaker/microphone accessory threshold, sends from the PCD a first command to the speaker/microphone accessory to cause the speaker/microphone accessory to enter a charging mode that charges the PCD;
• and
• maintains audio communication functions between the PCD and the speaker/microphone accessory while the speaker/microphone accessory is charging the PCD.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for charging a primary portable communication device (PCD) operatively connected to a battery powered speaker/microphone accessory, the instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

• monitor a battery level of the PCD;
• monitor a battery level of the speaker/microphone accessory;
• determine if the battery level of the PCD is below a predetermined first PCD threshold;
• determine if the battery level of the speaker/microphone accessory is above a predetermined speaker/microphone accessory threshold;
• responsive to determining that the battery level of the PCD is below the predetermined first PCD threshold and the battery level of the speaker/microphone accessory is above the predetermined speaker/microphone accessory threshold, send from the PCD a first command to the speaker/microphone accessory to cause the speaker/microphone accessory to enter a charging mode that charges the PCD;
• and
• maintain audio communication functions between the PCD and the speaker/microphone accessory while the speaker/microphone accessory is charging the PCD.