Protective case for mobile device with auxiliary battery and power control
A protective case for a mobile device is disclosed. The case includes an additional power source (i.e., a battery) that can supply electric current to the mobile device. A processing device within the protective case may be wirelessly connected to the mobile device, such as with a Bluetooth interface, and thereby control operational aspects of the battery case, including for example control over supplying power to the mobile device. The battery case may be part of a charging system or kit that includes a uniquely designed separate charger. In yet another aspect, the protective case may include unitary bumper flexible bumper co-molded to the body of the case and a male connector extending from a nested portion that is adapted to tilt outward from the case to facilitate insertion of the corresponding female port on the mobile device into the connector and into the case. The protective case may also include a stand in the form of dock or cradle to allow positioning and/or charging of the battery case and mobile device via external contact terminals correspondingly positioned on the outside of the case and in the cavity of the cradle.
1. A user removable protective case for a mobile device, wherein said mobile device includes an internal battery, a charging/sync port, a wireless link capable of establishing a peer-to-peer connection, and processing device capable of executing instructions of software applications, said protective case comprising:
an enclosure for holding a battery cell;
a battery charging circuit contained within said protective case, said battery charging circuit comprising:
a port for receiving battery charging current;
a connector device configured to be connected to said charging/sync port of said mobile device;
a current sensor configured to determine current drawn by said mobile device installed in said protective case;
a switching device coupled to said current sensor, configured to direct battery charging current to said battery cell and said connector device depending on inputs from said current sensor;
a battery charging device that receives charging current from said switching device;
a DC-DC convertor that adjusts voltage of battery power input to said connector; and
a processing device that controls said battery charging circuit;
a wireless module capable of communicating with said wireless link of said mobile device and said processing device of said battery charging circuit, said wireless module receiving data comprising instructions from a battery software application running on same mobile device, said wireless module providing said instructions to said processing device of said battery charging circuit, said instructions indicating whether said battery charging circuit should supply current from said battery cell to said connector device.
2. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein said battery of said protective case can be removed by a user.
3. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein said wireless module is a Bluetooth module.
4. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein said instructions are determined by whether the battery's capacity is less than a predetermined percentage value.
5. A battery charging device, comprising:
a housing having a first charging position and a second charging position, each charging position having a respective first charging lead and a second charging lead, each of said first and second charging leads having terminals that correspond to and can mate to terminals on a battery cell that can be inserted into and removed from said first and second charging positions;
a battery charging and control circuit comprising a port for receiving charging current, a first charging circuit and a second charging circuit, said first charging circuit in parallel with said second charging circuit;
a processing device controlling the first charging circuit and second charging circuit; and
an external device charging circuit coupled to said second charging circuit, said external device charging circuit capable of supply of current, through a connection port coupled thereto, to an external device.
6. The battery charging device of claim 5 , wherein said first charging lead and second charging lead are displaced from each other.
7. The battery charging device of claim 6 , wherein said first charging lead is placed on a first printed circuit board while the second charging lead is placed on a second printed circuit board.
8. A protective case for a mobile device, the protective case comprising:
an enclosure for holding a battery cell;
a battery charging circuit contained within the protective case; and
a wireless module capable of communicating with a wireless link of the mobile device and the battery charging circuit, wherein when the mobile device is drawing a current that is larger than a predetermined amount, the battery charging circuit directs most of the current to the mobile device, and wherein when the mobile device is drawing current that is small than the predetermined amount, the battery charging circuit directs most of the current to the battery cell.
9. The protective case of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined amount of current is 800 mA.
10. A protective battery case for a mobile device, wherein said mobile device includes an internal battery, a charging/sync port, a wireless link capable of establishing a peer-to-peer connection, and processing device capable of executing instructions of software applications, said protective case comprising:
a base having a back surface extending from a top end to a bottom end region and having a mid region there-between, said base defining an enclosure that houses a battery cell and a battery charging circuit, said battery charging circuit comprising:
a port for receiving battery charging current;
a connector device configured to be connected to said charging/sync port of said mobile device;
a current sensor configured to determine current drawn by said mobile device installed in said protective case;
a switching device coupled to said current sensor, configured to direct battery charging current to said battery cell and said connector device depending on inputs from said current sensor;
a battery charging device that receives charging current from said switching device;
a DC-DC convertor that adjusts voltage of battery power input to said connector;
a processing device that controls said battery charging circuit;
external metal charging terminals; and
a wireless module capable of communicating with said wireless link of said mobile device and said processing device of said battery charging circuit, said wireless module receiving data comprising instructions from a battery software application running on same mobile device, said wireless module providing said instructions to said processing device of said battery charging circuit, said instructions indicating whether said battery charging circuit should supply current from said battery cell to said connector device; and
wherein said base being comprised of (a) a first component that includes the top end region and a perimeter bumper region that extending around the entire perimeter of the case defined by said top, bottom and mid-regions of the base, and (b) a second component that includes the mid-region of the base, and wherein said first and said second components are co-molded into a unitary structure and said first component is formed of a material that is more elastic and less rigid than the material that forms the second component.
11. The battery case of claim 10 further comprising a cover plate that is attached to the base to cover the battery housed therein.
12. The battery case of claim 11 further comprising a nested region positioned at the bottom end region of the case within the perimeter of the bumper, said nested region including a plug adapted to be inserted into the charging/sync port of the mobile device.
13. The battery case of claim 12 , wherein said nested portion is attached to said cover plate and is adapted to being hinged outwardly away from said cover plate.
14. The battery case of claim 13 further being part of a charging kit having a dock that includes a bottom surface that is configured to rest on a flat support surface and a top surface that includes a cavity contoured to conform with the external shape of the bottom end region of the battery case.
15. The battery case of claim 14 , wherein said cavity is adapted to receive the bottom end region of the battery case and support the battery case in an upright position so that the area extending between the nested portion and the top end region is visible.
16. The battery case of claim 15 , wherein said dock includes metal charging terminals that are located in the cavity and positioned to correspond and be in contact with the external charging terminals on the battery case.