# US 2014/0192481 A1 · Electronic device case > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192481 A1 - Document ID: US20140192481A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/833,915 - Filed: 2013-03-15 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: 1 Oak Technologies, LLC - Applicants: 1 Oak Technologies, LLC - Inventors: James John Wojcik; Adam Douglas Center; Abhishek Joshi; Adam Benzion - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192481A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations} - G01R 31/382: Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC - G06F 1/263: {Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence)} - G06F 8/61: Installation - G06F 21/86: Secure or tamper-resistant housings - H02J 4/00: Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) - H02J 4/25: for transfer of electric power between AC and DC networks, e.g. for supplying the DC section within a load from an AC mains system - H02J 7/342: {The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68)} - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - H02J 7/825: {Detection of fully charged condition} - H04M 1/185: {Improving the shock resistance of the housing, e.g. by increasing the rigidity} - H04M 1/7246: by connection of exchangeable housing parts - H04W 52/0296: {switching to a backup power supply} - H05K 5/0086: {portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02)} - H05K 5/0247: {Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring} - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/42: with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A case for an electronic device is provided. The case includes a battery, an interface to receive electrical current from an external power source, and a computer processor. The computer processor is configured to execute computer-readable instructions to receive a communication from the electronic device, limit the received electrical current to a current limit, and allocate the electrical current among the battery and the electronic device based on the received communication. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A case for an electronic device, the case comprising: a battery; an interface to receive electrical current from an external power source; and a computer processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions to: receive a communication from the electronic device; limit the received electrical current to a current limit; and allocate, based on the received communication, the received electrical current among the battery and the electronic device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein to limit the received electrical current to a current limit includes to: detect a type of the external power source; and determine the current limit based on the type of the external power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein to receive the communication from the electronic device includes to receive information from the electronic device indicating a state of a battery of the electronic device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The case of claim 3 wherein to allocate the received electrical current among the battery and the electronic device includes to: charge the battery using a first portion of the received electrical current; and supply a second portion of the received electrical current to the electronic device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The case of claim 4 wherein the computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine a size of the second portion based on the state of the battery of the electronic device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein the computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions to transmit an instruction to the electronic device directing the electronic device to draw no more than a specified amount of current from the case. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The case of claim 1 wherein to allocate includes to allocate using a charging profile that is based on one or more of: a time of day, a day of week, a charge level of the case battery, a charge level of a battery of the electronic device, an amount of current available from the external power source, and a user preference received from the electronic device. ### Claim 8 A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device, the protective enclosure comprising: a battery interface for interfacing to a rechargeable battery; an interface to receive electrical current from an external power source; and electrical circuitry configured to: exchange communications with the mobile computing device; and distribute a first portion of the received electrical current to the mobile computing device based on the communications. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein the mobile computing device is one or more of: a cellular phone, a smartphone, a camera, and a tablet computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to determine a magnitude of the first portion based on the communications. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein the communications include information indicating a charge state of a battery of the mobile computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to restrict the received electrical current from exceeding a current limit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The protective enclosure of claim 12 wherein to restrict the received electrical current from exceeding the current limit includes to: detect a type of the external power source; and determine the current limit based on the type of the external power source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein to exchange communications with the mobile computing device includes to receive user profile information from the mobile computing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein the electrical circuitry is further configured to distribute a second portion of the received electrical current to charging circuitry for charging the rechargeable battery. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The protective enclosure of claim 15 wherein a size of the second portion is determined based on a state of the rechargeable battery. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein to distribute the first portion includes to determine a magnitude of the first portion using a charging profile that is based on one or more of: a time of day, a day of week, a charge level of the rechargeable battery, a charge level of a battery of the mobile computing device, an amount of current available from the external power source, and a user preference received from the mobile computing device. ### Claim 18 A method of performing power management in a protective case for an electronic device, the method comprising: receiving electrical current at the protective case from a power source connected to the protective case; and distributing the received electrical current to the protective case and to the electronic device based on data exchanged in a communication between the protective case and the electronic device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein distributing the received electrical current to the protective case includes using a portion of the received electrical current to charge a rechargeable battery interfaced to the protective case. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the data includes a charge state of a battery of the electronic device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising sending a command from the protective case to the electronic device instructing the electronic device to consume no more than a specified amount of current. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising: determining a type of the power source; and limiting the received electrical current to a current limit based on the type of the power source.