Apparatuses and methods that facilitate the transfer of power and information among electrical devices
AssigneeApple Computer, Inc.
InventorsStanley Rabu, Nicholas R. Kalayjian, Jesse L. Dorogusker, Jeff Terlizzi, Emery A. Sanford, M. Evans Hankey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer readable media that can facilitate the transfer of power between at least two electrical devices. At least one of the electrical devices is preferably a battery operated device. The present invention may also be used to facilitate the transfer of information among electrical devices. For example, the present invention may be used to automatically pair two Bluetooth devices together.
Claims48
A method that facilitates the charging of a first battery powered electrical device, comprising:
- electrically coupling the first battery powered electrical device and a second battery powered electrical device together, wherein the first device is paired to the second device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol;
- and
- charging the first device from the second device.
An apparatus that facilitates the charging of a first battery powered electrical device, comprising:
- a first port that electrically couples the first battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;
- a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered electrical device to the apparatus, wherein the first device is paired to the second device in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol;
- and
- a microcontroller that facilitates a transfer of power from the second device to the first device via the apparatus.
A method that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device, comprising:
- electrically coupling a first battery powered electrical device to a second battery powered electrical device;
- assigning the first device a high priority;
- assigning the second device a medium priority;
- and
- charging the first device from the second device based on the priorities assigned to the first and second devices.
An apparatus that facilitates the charging of at least one battery powered electrical device, comprising:
- a first port that electrically couples a first battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;
- a second port that electrically couples a second battery powered electrical device to the apparatus;
- and
- a microcontroller that:
- assigns the first device a high priority;
- assigns the second device a medium priority;
- and
- facilitates the transfer of power from the second device to the first device via the apparatus based on the priorities assigned to the first and second devices.
A method, comprising:
- electrically coupling a wireless headset and a cellular telephone together;
- facilitating the transfer of power from the cellular telephone to the wireless headset;
- and
- charging the wireless headset with the power from the cellular telephone.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first port that electrically couples a wireless headset to a cellular telephone;
- and
- a microcontroller that facilitates the transfer of power from the cellular telephone to the wireless headset.
A method, comprising:
- electrically coupling a first Bluetooth device and a second Bluetooth device together;
- in response to the first device being coupled to the second device, determining a Bluetooth pin and address that is associated with the first device;
- providing the Bluetooth pin and address to the second device;
- and
- facilitating the pairing of the first and second devices in accordance with a Bluetooth protocol.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a port that electrically couples a first Bluetooth device and a second Bluetooth device together;
- a microcontroller that:
- in response to the first device being coupled to the second device, determines a Bluetooth pin that is associated with the first device;
- provides the Bluetooth pin to the second device;
- and
- facilitates the Bluetooth pairing of the first and second devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.