Method and apparatus allowing a battery to regain charge in a handheld device without an applied external charge while still supplying power selected designated components

Abstract

An embodiment includes a power management method for regulating power to a handheld computer. A source voltage is received from a battery module. The source voltage is regulated to power a plurality of internal components, including a processor and a memory. If the source voltage is detected to be less than a designated threshold, the plurality of internal components powered by the source voltage are reduced to allow a charge of the battery module to increase in absence of an external charge.

1. A handheld computer comprising:
 a rechargeable battery module to output a source voltage;  
 a power management module coupled to the battery module to regulate the source voltage from the battery module;  
 a plurality of internal components including a processor and a memory component that draw power from the source voltage; and  
 wherein in response to the source voltage falling below a first threshold, the power management module signals a lockout that reduces the number of internal components that are powered by the source voltage;  
 wherein in response to the number of internal components that are powered by the source voltage being reduced, —the battery module is configured to regain a charge for an interval after the lockout is signaled, wherein no external charge is applied to the battery module during the interval; and  
 wherein during the interval, the battery module applies the charge to maintain the source voltage at a level that is sufficient to sustain a designated one or more, but not all, of the plurality of internal components.  
 
     
     
       2. The handheld computer of  claim 1 , wherein the level of the source voltage that is sufficient to sustain the designated one or more of the plurality of internal components has a peak of between 3.3 and 3.6 volts. 
     
     
       3. The handheld computer of  claim 2 , further comprising a rail coupled to the power management module to extend the source voltage to the plurality of internal components. 
     
     
       4. The handheld computer of  claim 1 , wherein the designated one or more of the plurality of internal components includes at least one of the—memory component and the processor. 
     
     
       5. The handheld computer of  claim 2 , wherein the power management module signals the sustaining source voltage to only the memory component and the processor in the plurality of internal components, and wherein the plurality of internal components include a display, a speaker, and an input device. 
     
     
       6. The handheld computer of  claim 1 , wherein the power management module signals the lockout to the processor, and the processor causes some of the components in the plurality of components to stop drawing power from the battery module. 
     
     
       7. The handheld computer of  claim 3 , wherein the power management module includes a first detector to detect when the source voltage is below the first threshold. 
     
     
       8. The handheld computer of  claim 7 , wherein the first threshold corresponds to an operational level of the handheld computer. 
     
     
       9. The handheld computer of  claim 7 , wherein the power management module includes a second detector to detect when the source voltage declines to an amnesia level that is designated to trigger the memory component to be erased. 
     
     
       10. The handheld computer of  claim 8 , wherein the power management module signals the source voltage from the battery module to the rail without regulating the source voltage when the source voltage decreases below the operational level of the handheld computer. 
     
     
       11. The handheld computer of  claim 1 , wherein the battery module is a lithium type rechargeable battery. 
     
     
       12. The handheld computer of  claim 9 , wherein the first threshold is between 3.0 volts and 3.6 volts. 
     
     
       13. The handheld computer of  claim 12 , wherein the first threshold is approximately 3.2 volts. 
     
     
       14. The handheld computer of  claim 9 , wherein the amnesia level is approximately between 2.7 and 2.9 volts. 
     
     
       15. The handheld computer of  claim 14 , wherein the amnesia level is approximately 2.8 volts. 
     
     
       16. A method for regulating power to a handheld computer, the method comprising  comprising:
 receiving a source voltage from a battery module;  
 regulating the source voltage to power a plurality of internal components, the plurality of components including a processor and a memory component;  
 detecting if the source voltage is less than a first threshold;  
 in response to detecting the source voltage is less than the first threshold, for an interval during which no external charge is applied to the battery module, reducing the plurality of internal components powered by the source voltage; in order to allow a charge  voltage of the battery module to increase; and  
 sustaining a designated one or more, but not all, of the plurality of internal components during the interval.  
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein sustaining a designated one or more of the plurality of internal components during the interval includes sustaining the memory component. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of detecting when the source voltage drops below an operational level of handheld computer, and stopping one or more of the plurality of internal components from drawing power from the battery module when the source voltage is less than the operational level. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of detecting when the source voltage reaches an amnesia level subsequent to the source voltage reaching the operation level. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising erasing the memory component when the amnesia level is reached. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16 , wherein regulating the source voltage to power a plurality of internal components includes reducing the source voltage while the source voltage is greater than an operational level of the handheld computer. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein reducing the source voltage while the source voltage is greater than an operational level of the handheld computer includes reducing the source voltage with a buck component. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein reducing the source voltage includes bypassing the buck component when the source voltage is less than the operational level of the handheld computer. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the operational level of the handheld computer is approximately equal to the first threshold. 
     
     
       25. A handheld computer comprising:
 a means for receiving a source voltage from a battery module;  
 a means for regulating the source voltage to power a plurality of internal components, including a processor and a memory component;  
 a means for detecting if the source voltage is less than a first threshold;  
 when the source voltage is detected as being less than the first threshold, for an interval during which no external charge is applied to the battery module, a responsive means for reducing the plurality of internal components powered by the source voltage in order to allow a charge  voltage of the battery module to increase; and  
 a means for sustaining a designated one or more, but not all, of the plurality of internal components during the interval.  
 
     
     
       26. The handheld computer of  claim 1 , wherein the charge regained by the battery module results in an increase of the source voltage distributed by the battery module. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 16 , wherein receiving a source voltage from the battery module includes receiving the source voltage from a rechargeable battery module. 
     
     
       28. A method for regulating power to a handheld computing device, the method comprising:
   distributing a source voltage from a rechargeable battery module to power a plurality of internal components, the plurality of components including a processor and a memory component;        detecting that the source voltage is less than a first threshold;        in response to detecting the source voltage is less than the first threshold, for an interval during which no external charge is applied to the battery module, enabling the rechargeable battery to increase the source voltage during the interval by reducing a sufficient number of the plurality of internal components powered by the source voltage; and        sustaining operations on a designated one or more, but not all, of the plurality of internal components during the interval.     
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of components include a component for transmitting or receiving data across a wireless medium, and wherein reducing the plurality of internal components that are powered by the source voltage includes disabling the component while the processor is maintained operable to receive user- input and execute applications.   
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , wherein reducing the plurality of internal components that are powered by the source voltage includes disabling the component while maintaining power to a display of the handheld computing device. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 28 , wherein reducing the plurality of internal components that are powered by the source voltage includes locking out a user from entering input to power or operate the handheld computing device. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein sustaining operations includes powering a memory of the handheld computing device with the source voltage to preserve data stored in the memory, wherein the memory is configured to otherwise lose the data but for being powered with the source voltage. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 28 , wherein sustaining operations on a designated one or more, but not all, of the plurality of internal components includes using the increased source voltage to power at least one of the designated one or more internal components. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 28 , wherein distributing a source voltage from a rechargeable battery includes regulating the source voltage when the source voltage is greater than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than or equal to the first threshold. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 34 , wherein regulating the source voltage includes bucking the source voltage when the source voltage is at a level that is greater than the second threshold. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 34 , wherein regulating the source voltage includes regulating the charge output using a low drop- out regulator.   
     
     
       37. A handheld computing device comprising:
   a rechargeable battery module to output a source voltage;        a power management module coupled to the battery module to regulate the source voltage from the battery module;        a plurality of internal components including a processor and a memory component that draw power from the source voltage; and        wherein in response to the source voltage falling below a first threshold, the power management module signals a lockout to enable the battery module to increase the source voltage, for an interval during which no external charge is applied to the battery module, by reducing a sufficient number of the internal components that are powered by the source voltage during the interval; and        wherein during the interval, the battery module applies the charge to maintain the source voltage at a level that is sufficient to sustain a designated one or more, but not all, of the plurality of internal components.     
     
     
       38. The handheld computing device of  claim 37 , wherein the first threshold corresponds to an operational level of the handheld computer. 
     
     
       39. The handheld computing device of  claim 38 , wherein the designated one or more of the plurality of internal components includes at least one of the memory component or the processor.