US 2015/0084593 A1 · BATTERY PACK, HOLSTER, AND EXTENDIBLE PROCESSING AND INTERFACE PLATFORM FOR MOBILE DEVICES

Abstract

A battery pack is provided for a mobile communication device, comprising a casing defining a cavity that conforms, at least partially, to the outer shape of the mobile communication device and one or more rechargeable power cells housed within the thickness of the casing. An internal interface engages a corresponding interface on the mobile communication device to provide power from the one or more rechargeable cells to the mobile communication device. An external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface in order to transmit signals from the mobile communication device to an external device and may further serve to recharge the one or more rechargeable power cells. The battery pack may also serve as an extendible platform by providing additional integrated communication interfaces and/or processors that can be utilized by the mobile communication device to extend its communication and/or processing capabilities.

Claims31

Dependent claims

(canceled)

A protective battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the protective battery case comprising:

a lower casing portion comprising:
a battery;
a back wall configured to extend across at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;
a lower right side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a lower right side of the mobile electronic device;
a lower left side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a lower left side of the mobile electronic device;
a bottom wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;
an open top side to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the lower casing portion;
an internal interface extending upward from the bottom wall, the internal interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the internal interface to enable the provision of electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the internal interface, and wherein the internal interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device;
an external interface configured to receive electrical power to recharge the battery, wherein the external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device via the internal interface and the external interface while the mobile electronic device is mounted in the protective battery case;
a user input element configured to enable a user to start and stop charging from the battery to the mobile electronic device;
and
an upper casing portion configured to removably couple to the lower casing portion to form a casing that is configured to at least partially enclose the mobile electronic device, wherein the upper casing portion comprises:
a top wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;
an upper right side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of an upper right side of the mobile electronic device;
and
an upper left side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of an upper left side of the mobile electronic device;
wherein a front opening of the protective battery case is configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening.

14 more elements

A protective battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the protective battery case comprising:

a first casing portion comprising:
a battery;
a back wall configured to extend across at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;
a bottom wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;
an open top side to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the first casing portion;
an internal interface extending from the bottom wall, the internal interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the internal interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the internal interface, and wherein the internal interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device;
an external interface configured to receive electrical power to recharge the battery, wherein the external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device via the internal interface and the external interface while the mobile electronic device is mounted in the protective battery case;
a user input element configured to enable a user to start and stop charging from the battery to the mobile electronic device;
and
a second casing portion configured to removably couple to the first casing portion to form a casing that is configured to at least partially enclose the mobile electronic device, wherein the second casing portion comprises:
a top wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;
a right side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device;
and
a left side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device;
wherein a front opening of the protective battery case is configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening.

12 more elements

A protective battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the protective battery case comprising:

(i) a housing having a first section and a second section that are configured to removably engage each other to at least partially enclose the mobile electronic device and to disengage from each other to facilitate insertion of the mobile electronic device into the housing, wherein when the first section and the second section are engaged with each other the housing comprises:
(1) a back wall configured to extend across at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;
(2) a bottom wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;
(3) a top wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;
(4) a right side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device;
(5) a left side wall configured to extend along at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device;
and
(6) a front opening configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening;
ii) a battery disposed in the housing;
iii) an internal interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the internal interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the internal interface, and wherein the internal interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device;
iv) an external interface configured to receive electrical power to recharge the battery, wherein the external interface is electrically coupled to the internal interface to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device via the internal interface and the external interface while the mobile electronic device is mounted in the protective battery case;
and
v) a user input element configured to enable a user to start and stop charging from the battery to the mobile electronic device.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/517,492Filed 17 Oct 2014

Priority

18 Jan 2008

Published

26 Mar 2015

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

H01M 10/46
Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells: accumulators structurally combined with charging…
G01R 31/382
Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of…
G06F 1/1626
For portable computers: with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
G06F 1/1632
For portable computers: external expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Family

Application61/021,897Us provisional application · filed 18 Jan 2008

Application12/357,262Division · filed 21 Jan 2009

Application12/938,351Continuation · filed 2 Nov 2010

Application14/517,492Continuation

Application12/938,351Division

US 2009/0186264 A1Published application

US 2011/0159324 A1Published application

US 8,367,235 B2Related patent

US 8,971,039 B2Related patent

US 9,172,070 B2Related patent

US 2015/0084593 A1This patent