1. A method of charging a battery attached to a mobile communication device after the battery has been charged to a charge voltage limit, the method then comprising:
while the mobile communication device is not engaged in a communication activity, continuing charging of the battery using a constant voltage charge regime;
while the mobile communication device is engaged in a communication activity, the method comprising:
ceasing charging until the battery voltage falls to a preselected threshold; and
upon the battery voltage falling to the preselected threshold, charging the battery with a constant current charge regime until the battery voltage reaches the charge voltage limit.
2. A method of charging a battery as defined in claim 1, wherein charging the battery is controlled by a charge controller in the mobile communication device.
3. A method of charging a battery as defined by claim 1, wherein the charge voltage limit is substantially 4.2 volts.
4. A method of charging a battery as defined by claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is supplied by a current-limited power supply for charging the battery, while the mobile communication device is engaged in the communication activity, charging and ceasing charging is performed by operating a charge control transistor in an on state and an off state, respectively.
5. A method of charging a battery as defined by claim 4, further comprising providing an intermediate voltage regulator between the current-limited power supply and the charge control transistor.
6. A battery charging system for a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device including an attached rechargeable battery and a current-limited power supply coupled to the mobile communication device for supplying a charging current to the mobile communication device, the battery charging system comprising:
a charge control transistor coupled in series between the current-limited power supply and the rechargeable battery; and
a charge controller for monitoring a battery voltage of the rechargeable battery and controlling operation of the charge control transistor;
wherein the charge controller operates the charge control transistor in an on state while the rechargeable battery is first charged to a charge voltage limit, and subsequently:
while the mobile communication device is not engaged in a communication activity, operating the charge control transistor in a linear mode to maintain a substantially constant voltage at the rechargeable battery; and
while the mobile communication device is engaged in a communication activity, operating the charge control transistor in an off state until the battery voltage falls to a preselected threshold, then operating the charge control transistor in an on state until the charge voltage limit is reached.
7. A battery charging system as defined in claim 6, further comprising an intermediate voltage regulator coupled between the current-limited power supply and the charge control transistor.
8. A battery charge system as defined in claim 7, wherein the intermediate voltage regulator is a linear regulator.
9. A battery charge system as defined in claim 7, wherein the charge control transistor comprises at least one MOSFET transistor.
10. A battery charge system as defined in claim 6, wherein the charge voltage limit is substantially 4.2 volts.
11. A method for charging a battery of a device, the device having a heat-generating subsystem, the method comprising:
coupling an external power supply to the device, the external power supply providing a charge current having a maximum current level;
charging the battery at a substantially constant charging current until a battery voltage of the battery reaches a charge limit threshold, the charging current provided by the external power supply;
Subsequent to the battery voltage reaching the charge limit threshold a first time;
while the heat-generating subsystem is not active, charging of the battery using a constant voltage charge regime;
while the heat-generating subsystem is active, the method comprising:
ceasing charging until the battery voltage falls to a preselected threshold; and
upon the battery voltage falling to the preselected threshold, charging the battery with a constant current charge regime until the battery voltage reaches the charge limit threshold.
12. A method for charging a battery of a device as defined in claim 11, wherein ceasing charging and charging the battery with a constant current charge regime until the battery voltage reaches the charge voltage limit are repeated while the heat-generating subsystem is active.
13. A method for charging a battery of a device as defined in claim 11 wherein charging the battery to the charge limit threshold comprises charging the battery until the battery voltage reaches substantially 4.2 volts.
14. A method for charging a battery of a device having a heat-generating subsystem, the battery being disposed in the device, the charging being controlled by a charge controller in the device, the method comprising:
charging the battery with a substantially constant current until a battery voltage of the battery first reaches a charge limit threshold;
activating the heat-generating subsystem of the device; and
while activating the heat-generating subsystem, alternating between:
ceasing charging until the battery voltage falls to a preselected limit; and
charging the battery with a substantially constant current until the battery voltage again reaches the charge limit threshold.
15. A method for charging a battery as defined in claim 14, wherein activating the heat-generating subsystem comprises periodically transmitting using a radio frequency power supply during a communication activity of the device.
16. A method for charging a battery as defined in claim 14, further comprising:
deactivating the heat-generating subsystem;
charging the battery using a substantially constant current until the battery voltage reaches the charge limit threshold; and
charging the battery at a substantially constant voltage.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first component having a first surface and defining an air inlet extending through a wall of the first component;
a second component having a second surface; and
an adhesive layer in direct contact with both the first surface and the second surface; and
a pneumatic release mechanism coupled with the air inlet of the first component and positioned proximate the first surface, wherein the first component is completely separated from the second component when the pneumatic release mechanism is inflated.
2. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism comprises an inlet manifold coupled with an inflatable member.
3. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the inflatable member is at least partially embedded within the adhesive layer.
4. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the inlet manifold is configured to supply air to a plurality of inflatable members.
5. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the inflatable member has a varying cross-sectional area.
6. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the inflatable member inflates in distinct stages causing the first component to be gradually separated from the second component.
7. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the first component is a first housing component and the second component is a second housing component that cooperates with the first housing component to form an electronic device housing.
8. The electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism is disposed within an internal volume defined by the electronic device housing.
9. A self-releasing adhesive layer for joining a first component to a second component, the self-releasing adhesive layer comprising:
an adhesive substrate;
wherein the first component is a first housing component and the second component is a second housing component that cooperates with the first housing component to define an interior volume; and
a pneumatic release mechanism at least partially embedded within the adhesive substrate, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism severs a bond formed by the adhesive substrate between the first and second components when the pneumatic release mechanism is inflated.
10. The self-releasing adhesive bonding layer as recited in claim 9, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism comprises two sheets of polyester film sealed to one another around a peripheral edge of the two sheets to form an interior expandable volume.
11. The self-releasing adhesive bonding layer as recited in claim 10, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism further comprises an inlet for receiving pressurized gas.
12. The self-releasing adhesive bonding layer as recited in claim 9, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism comprises an elastomeric tube.
13. The self-releasing adhesive bonding layer as recited in claim 9, wherein the first component is a battery cell and the second component is a housing component.
14. The self-releasing adhesive bonding layer as recited in claim 9, wherein the adhesive substrate keeps the housing components together and enclosing a plurality of electrical components within the interior volume.
15. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a first housing component;
a second housing component that cooperates with the first housing component to define an interior volume;
an adhesive layer joining the first housing component to the second housing component at a bonding region; and
a pneumatic release mechanism at least a portion of which is disposed within the interior volume, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism is configured to completely separate the first housing component from the second housing component when the pneumatic release mechanism is inflated.
16. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 15, further comprising:
an inlet manifold configured to receive compressed gas through an opening in the first housing component and to distribute the gas to the pneumatic release mechanism.
17. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism comprises a plurality of inflatable members, and wherein the inlet manifold is configured to distribute the gas to the plurality of separate inflatable members of the pneumatic release mechanism.
18. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 17, wherein the inlet manifold is configured to distribute gas to the plurality of inflatable members sequentially.
19. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 15, wherein the pneumatic release mechanism comprises an elastomeric tube configured to exert a separating force upon both the first and second housing components proximate the bonding region.