The present invention relates generally to the field of headsets, including those used with telephone communication and other mobile electronic devices.
A variety of mobile electronic devices are in widespread use today and many include rechargeable batteries. Examples of such devices include the iPOD and similar devices for playing music, the Blackberry and other personal information managers, and headsets for voice communication.
Headsets of various types are commonly used for telephone or radio communication. With reference to
A variety of systems have been developed to recharge a headset battery. One example, shown in
In
In
In
It can be seen that the recharging pocket discussed above and illustrated in
Accordingly, it can be seen that improved methods and systems for recharging batteries in headsets and other mobile electronic devices are desirable.
An embodiment of the recharging system includes a rechargeable system battery; a first connector configured to connect the recharging system to the mobile device such as a headset; a second connector configured to connect the recharging system to a source of electrical power such as the USB port of a computer, and a controller configured to direct electrical power as required.
The recharging system can operate in two modes—“Connected” and “On-the-go”. In the “Connected” mode, when the USB plug of the recharging system is connected to a USB port of a computer a controller causes a bypass switch to direct power to charge the rechargeable system battery if recharging is necessary. On the other hand, in the “On-the-go” mode, when the USB plug of the recharging system is not connected to a USB plug the controller causes the bypass switch to direct power from the rechargeable system battery to charge the rechargeable battery of the mobile device if recharging is necessary. Also, if during the “Connected” mode the mobile device is connected to the recharging system, power from the USB port can also be directed to recharge the battery of the mobile device if necessary. In each of these cases, the controller is configured to determine which, if any, of the rechargeable batteries requires recharging and to control the bypass switch to direct current appropriately.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of the above-summarized and other exemplary embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with respect to accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers are used to indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
Embodiments of the present invention are described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following detailed description of the present invention is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the present invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following detailed description to refer to the same or like parts.
In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and
With reference to
A mini-USB plug 104 is mounted at the end of the first cable 100, and a USB plug 106 is mounted at the end of the second cable 102. The cable winding member 90 is roughly T-shaped in cross section, having an upright section, not shown, with the base of the upright section mounted to the top of the base 82. A horizontal section 108 is located at the top of the upright section. The cable winding member 90 allows the user to adjust the length of the first cable 100 by winding the cable, as illustrated in
The second cable 102 is connected to a bypass switch 110 mounted on the printed circuit assembly 86, and the bypass switch is electrically connected to the rechargeable system battery 84 and to a controller 112. The controller is also electrically connected to the first cable 100 and to an indicator light driver 114. The indicator light driver is electrically connected to status indicator lights 88. The controller 112 is configured to operate the bypass switch 110 to control the flow of electric current between the second cable 102, the rechargeable system battery 84 and the first cable 100.
In operation the USB plug 106 can be connected to a USB port 120 of a computer and the mini USB plug 104 can be connected to the mini USB socket of a rechargeable headset 122. The controller 112 then can engage bypass switch 110 to cause current to flow from the USB port 120 to recharge the rechargeable system battery 84 or the rechargeable headset battery 124 or both rechargeable batteries depending on the circumstances.
It can now be appreciated that the headset recharging system 80 can operate in two modes—“Connected” and “On-the-go”. In the “Connected” mode, when the USB plug 106 of the headset recharging system 80 is connected to a USB port of a computer the controller 112 causes the bypass switch 110 to direct power to charge the rechargeable system battery 84 if recharging is necessary. On the other hand, in the “On-the-go” mode, when the USB plug 106 of the headset recharging system 80 is not connected to a USB plug 106 the controller 112 causes the bypass switch 110 to direct power from the rechargeable system battery 84 to charge the rechargeable headset battery 124 if recharging is necessary. Also, if during the “Connected” mode the headset 122 is connected to the headset recharging system 80, power from the USB port 120 can also be directed to recharge the headset battery 124 if necessary. In each of these cases, the controller 112 is configured to determine which, if any, of the rechargeable batteries requires recharging and to control the bypass switch 110 to direct current appropriately.
The indicator light driver 114 causes the indicator lights 88 to light up according to various conditions of the system. For example, the indicator light driver 114 can be configured to cause the indicator lights 88 to indicate the status of the charge of the rechargeable system battery 84. Alternatively the indicator light driver 114 can be configured so that the indicator lights 88 indicate whether the rechargeable system battery 84 is being charged.
It should be recognized that although the system described above has been discussed in the context of a headset having a rechargeable battery, other mobile devices which include a rechargeable battery can also be used with the present recharger. For example, the present recharger can be used to recharge the batteries of a mobile MP3 device or a mobile, handheld personal information manager such as a Blackberry.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments are merely illustrative, and not restrictive of, the present invention. Various modifications or changes to the specifically disclosed exemplary embodiments will be suggested to persons skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be restricted to the specific exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, and all modifications that are readily suggested to those of