# US 9,039,443 B2 · Apparatus and methods for providing power and communicating data with electronic devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,443 B2 - Document ID: US9039443B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/294,010 - Filed: 2014-06-02 - Published: 2014-09-25 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-17 - Applicants: Ramin Rostami - Inventors: Ramin Rostami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039443B2 ## CPC - H01R 24/28: Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable - H01R 13/6675: {with built-in power supply} - H01R 31/02: Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92) - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract Embodiments of a system, topology, and architecture for providing power and transceiving data to electronic devices having an interface are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for providing power to a portable electronic device (PED), the PED including an electrical energy storage element, including: a first housing, the first housing mechanically separatably from the PED, the first housing substantially including a first power interface module (PIM), the first PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be releasably and directly coupled with the PED, the PIM at least two electrical contacts configured to provide a direct current (DC) power signal; and a second housing, the second housing physically separate from the PED and coupled to the first housing via a substantially flat, flexible cable, the second housing including an external power source interface (EPSI), the (EPSI) including at least two separate electrical contacts configured to receive a DC electrical signal, and a converter module coupled to the EPSI, the converter module converting a DC signal from the EPSI having a first voltage level to a DC signal having a lower, second voltage level; the substantially flat, flexible cable fixably coupling the first housing to the second housing and including at least one wire pair, the wire pair coupling the first housing first PIM at least two electrical contacts to the second housing converter module to provide the DC signal having the lower, second voltage level to the first PIM at least two electrical contacts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, further including a user perceptible signal generation module encased in one of the first housing and the second housing, the signal generation module providing an indication of a DC signal being received by the second housing EPSI at least two separate electrical contacts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the second housing has a width and a height and the height is less than the width and the EPSI is a male type electrical interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 3, wherein the substantially flat, flexible cable has a width about equal to the width of the second housing and a height less than half of the first housing height. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the second housing further includes a second power interface module (PIM), the second PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be coupled to a second electronic device, the second PIM at least two electrical contacts coupled to the converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second power level to the second PIM at least two electrical contacts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the first voltage level is about 10-13 volts, and the second voltage level is about 3-5 volts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the second housing further includes a second, female-type power interface module (PIM), the second PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be indirectly coupled to a second electronic device, the second PIM at least two electrical contacts coupled to the converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second power level to the second PIM at least two electrical contacts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the second housing, the first housing, and the cable are shaped so the cable can be coiled about the second housing and one of the cable and the cable and first housing including storage linking elements to releasably secure the cable about the second housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, the second housing further including an internal data storage module (DSM) and wherein the first PIM enables communication of data between the internal DSM and a coupled PED. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, the second housing further including an external memory storage interface module (EMSIM) and wherein the first PIM enables communication of data between the EMSIM and a coupled PED. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for providing power to a first portable electronic device PED and a second PED, the apparatus including: a first housing, the first housing mechanically separatably from the PEDs, the first housing substantially including a first power interface module (PIM), the first PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be releasably and directly coupled with one of the first and the second PED, the PIM at least two electrical contacts configured to provide a direct current (DC) power signal; a second housing, the second housing physically separate from the PEDs and coupled to the first housing via a flexible cable, the second housing including an external power source interface (EPSI), the EPSI including at least two separate electrical contacts configured to receive a DC electrical signal, a converter module coupled to the EPSI, the converter module converting a DC signal from the EPSI having a first voltage level to a DC signal having a lower, second voltage level, and a second power interface module (PIM), the second PIM including a least two electrical contacts configured to be indirectly coupled with the other of the first and the second PED and coupled to the converter module to provide the DC signal having the lower, second voltage level to the second PIM at least two electrical contacts; and the flexible cable fixably coupling the first housing to the second housing and including at least one wire pair, the wire pair coupling the first housing first PIM at least two electrical contacts to the second housing converter module to provide the DC signal having the lower, second voltage level to the first PIM at least two electrical contacts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 11, further including a user perceptible signal generation module encased in one of the first housing and the second housing, the signal generation module providing an indication of a DC signal being received by the second housing EPSI at least two separate electrical contacts. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 11, wherein the flexible cable is a substantially flat flexible cable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 13, wherein the second housing has a width and a height and the height is less than the width. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 14, wherein the substantially flat cable has a width about equal to the width of the second housing and a height less than half of the first housing height and a length of at least 6 inches. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 11, wherein the other of the first and the second PED has a standardized specific power interface and the first PIM includes a mating standardized specific power interface. ### Claim 17 An apparatus for providing power to a portable electronic device (PED), the PED including an electrical energy storage element, including: a first housing, the first housing mechanically separatably from the PED, the first housing substantially including a first power interface module (PIM), the first PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be releasably and directly coupled with the PED, the PIM at least two electrical contacts configured to provide a direct current (DC) power signal; a second housing, the second housing physically separate from the PED and coupled to the first housing via a flexible cable, the second housing including an external power source interface (EPSI), the (EPSI) including at least two separate electrical contacts configured to receive a DC electrical signal, and a converter module coupled to the EPSI, the converter module converting a DC signal from the EPSI having a first voltage level to a DC signal having a lower, second voltage level; the flexible cable fixably coupling the first housing to the second housing and including at least one wire pair, the wire pair coupling the first housing first PIM at least two electrical contacts to the second housing converter module to provide the DC signal having the lower, second voltage level to the first PIM at least two electrical contacts; and the second housing, the first housing, and the cable shaped so the cable can be coiled about the second housing and one of the cable and the cable and first housing including storage linking elements to releasably secure the cable about the second housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 17, further including a user perceptible signal generation module encased in one of the first housing and the second housing, the signal generation module providing an indication of a DC signal being received by the second housing EPSI at least two separate electrical contacts. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 17, wherein the second housing has a width and a height and the height is less than the width and the EPSI is a male type electrical interface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 19, wherein the flexible cable is a substantially flat, flexible cable, has a width about equal to the width of the second housing, and a height less than half of the first housing height.