Dockable device and power method thereof
AssigneeQuanta Computer Inc.
InventorsHsin-Chih Kuo, Ming-Chieh Lee, Wen-Lan Yu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dockable device and a power method thereof are provided. The dockable device includes a main device, a main device battery, a connector, a switch and a voltage down-converter. The connector may be coupled to a docking device. The switch, coupled to the main device battery, is configured to be closed to provide power to the main device from the main device battery. The voltage down-converter is configured to provide power with a backup voltage to the main device, wherein the backup voltage is less than a discharge voltage output by a fully discharged main device battery.
Claims6
A dockable device system, comprising:
- a docking device having a docking device battery;
- a main device comprising:
- a main device battery;
- a connector for mating with the docking device;
- a switch, coupled between the main device battery and the main device, providing a first power path to the main device;
- and
- a voltage down-converter, configured to provide the main device with a backup voltage via a second power path to the main device when the main device is in a power-on state, and the voltage down-converter further configured to not provide the main device with the backup voltage via the second power path when the main device is not in the power-on state,
- wherein the backup voltage is less than a discharge voltage output by a fully discharged main device battery,
- wherein the backup voltage is less than a discharge voltage output by a fully discharged docking device battery,
- wherein the switch is configured to be open when the main device is connected to the docking device and the docking device battery is not in a discharged state thereby disconnecting the first power path, wherein the switch is configured to be closed and provide power to the main device via the first power path either
- when the main device is not connected to the docking device or when the main device is connected to the docking device but the docking device battery is in a discharged state,
- wherein when the main device is in the power-on state, the main device is connected to the docking device, and the switch is open, the voltage down-converter and the docking device battery concurrently provide power to the main device via the second power path and the third power path.
A power method, adopted by a dockable device system, wherein the dockable device system comprises a docking device having a docking device battery and a main device dockable to the docking device, the power method comprising:
- detecting whether a connector has been coupled to the docking device;
- providing the main device with power from a main device battery via a first power path when the main device is in a power-on state;
- providing the main device with a backup voltage, by a voltage down-converter, to the main device via a second power path when the main device is in power-on state, but not providing the main device with the backup voltage when the main device is not in the power-on state, wherein the backup voltage is less than a discharge voltage output by a fully discharged main device battery, wherein the backup voltage is less than a discharge voltage output by a fully discharged docking device battery,
- opening a switch to disconnect the first power path, when the main device is connected to the docking device and the docking device battery is not in a discharged state, thereby providing power to the main device via a third power path;
- closing the switch to connect the first power path either when the main device is not connected to the docking device or when the main device is connected to the docking device but the docking device battery is in a discharged state,
- wherein when the main device is in the power-on state and the main device is connected to the docking device, the voltage down-converter and the docking device battery concurrently provide power to the main device via both the second power path and third power path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.