# US 2016/0261128 A1 · Power routing for dongles and adapters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0261128 A1 - Document ID: US20160261128A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/987,718 - Filed: 2016-01-04 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-07 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Peter J. Johnston; Neal V. Cecil; Robert McKeever, II; William O. Ferry; Steven P. Hier; Clinton Bauder; Aaron J. Barber; Reese A. Schreiber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160261128A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/685: {using connection detecting circuits (H02J7/68 takes precedence)} - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract Circuits, methods, and apparatus where a dongle or adapter may provide continuous power in the event of a disconnection of a charging device. One example may provide a dongle having a charge storage circuit. A charging device connected to the dongle may be used to power an accessory also connected to the dongle. Following a disconnection of the charging device, the dongle may use the charger storage circuit to provide power to the accessory for a first duration. After the first duration, a host device also connected to the dongle may provide power to the accessory via the dongle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dongle comprising: a first plug to couple to a host device receptacle on a host device; a housing coupled to the first plug; a first receptacle in the housing to receive a second plug coupled to a charger; a second receptacle in the housing to receive a third plug coupled to an accessory; a first regulator having an output coupled to a power supply terminal in the second receptacle; a first switch having a first terminal coupled to a power supply terminal in the first plug and a power supply terminal in the first receptacle and a second terminal coupled to an input of the first regulator; a charge storage circuit having an input coupled to the output of the first regulator; and a second switch having a first terminal coupled to an output of the charge storage circuit and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first switch and the first regulator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dongle of claim 1 wherein when the charger provides power to the first terminal of the first switch, the first switch is closed and the second switch is opened. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The dongle of claim 2 wherein when the charger provides power to the first terminal of the first switch, the charger provides power to the first regulator and the regulator provide power to the accessory via the power supply terminal in the second receptacle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dongle of claim 3 wherein when the charger is removed after the charger has supplied power to the first terminal of the first switch, the first switch opens and the second switch closes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The dongle of claim 4 wherein when the charger is removed after the charger has supplied power to the first terminal of the first switch, then, for a first period of time, the charger storage circuit provides power to the first regulator, and the first regulator provides power to the accessory via the power supply terminal in the second receptacle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dongle of claim 5 wherein after the first period of time, the first switch closes and the second switch opens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The dongle of claim 6 wherein after the first period of time, the host device provides power to the first regulator via the power supply terminal in the first plug. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dongle of claim 1 wherein the charger storage circuit comprises a second regulator having an output coupled to a capacitor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dongle of claim 1 wherein the charger storage circuit comprises a second regulator having an output coupled to a plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The dongle of claim 9 wherein the second regulator is a boost regulator. ### Claim 11 A method of providing power to an accessory using a dongle, the method comprising, with the dongle: receiving power at a first receptacle and using the power received at the first receptacle to provide power to a first plug and a second receptacle, and to charge a charge storage circuit in the dongle; detecting that the power received at the first receptacle is no longer being received; then providing a signal to the first plug that power is not being received at the first receptacle; providing power to the second receptacle using the charge storage circuit; then, after a first duration; and receiving power at the first plug and using the power received at the first plug to provide power to the second receptacle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: before detecting that the power received at the first receptacle is not being received, determining that a host device connected to the first plug is capable of providing a power supply voltage within the first duration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein providing a signal to the first plug that power is not being received at the first receptacle comprises providing a signal using a low-speed data line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising: after the first duration, receiving a signal indicating that the power received at the first plug may be used to provide power to the second receptacle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising: after receiving power at the first plug, determining a power level that may be provided by the host device via the first plug. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising: before detecting that the power received at the first receptacle is not being received, determining a power level that may be provided by the host device via the first plug. ### Claim 17 An electronic system comprising: a host device having a receptacle; and a dongle having a plug to mate with the receptacle on the host device, the plug connected to a housing of the dongle, the housing having a first receptacle to connect to a charger and a second receptacle to connect to an accessory, the dongle further comprising: a first switch to couple a power supply received at the first receptacle to the second receptacle; detect circuitry to detect that the power supply received at the first receptacle is no longer being received and to send a signal to the host device indicating that the power supply received at the first receptacle is no longer being received; and a second switch to couple a charge storage circuit to provide a power supply to the second receptacle; wherein the host device further comprises: logic to receive the signal from the dongle indicating that the power supply received at the first receptacle of the dongle is no longer being received and to provide a power supply to the plug of the dongle within a first duration, and wherein the first switch of the dongle couples the power supply received from the host on the plug to the second receptacle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electronic system of claim 17 wherein the host is further configured to determine that the dongle is capable of providing a power supply for a first duration, and the dongle is further configured to determine that the host device is capable of providing a power supply voltage within the first duration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The electronic system of claim 17 wherein the first switch provides power from the host and the charger via a first voltage regulator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electronic system of claim 19 wherein the charge storage circuit comprises a second voltage regulator having an output coupled to a capacitor.