Apple Looking at Solar Power Converters

[Guest]

The US Patent office has published a patent application from Apple Inc. titled "Power management systems for accepting adapter and solar power in electronic devices."

Apple Looking at Solar Power Converters : Read more

 

[lockhrt999]

I think google came up with this first for their data center in iceland (?). They made generators to produce right amount of DC voltage which directly power PC components like mobo proc without any need for SMPS.

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

Going green was a fad that is slowly dying out. As more people realize the absurdity of man made global warming, and that the extreme premiums of green technology are not offset by the small energy savings, more people become disenchanted with the notion of green technology. More and more people are getting tired of their hard earned income going to tax dollars that subsidize failing green technologies.

"Getting "green" is going to be one of the tech trends that defines the next generation of hardware."

Talk about being out of touch with reality.

 

[Jgriff]

"So-called “global warming” is just a secret ploy by wacko tree-huggers to make America energy independent, clean our air and water, improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles, kick-start 21st-century industries, and make our cities safer and more livable. Don’t let them get away with it!"

To the poster above, make no mistake. Scientist have found dozens of ways to make the WHOLE WORLD energy efficient. The problem is not that it doesn't work but it's how these greedy lobbyist can sell it $$$$$$ it's all about the money. And gas is big money right now.

 

[InvalidError]

Sounds like Apple is patenting a power management design that can source external input power from either the DC adapter or solar panel.

If you want the most power out of a given solar panel, you need power-point-tracking technology which means some form of DC-DC conversion between the panel's output and the load(s), be it stand-alone or integrated in the power management IC.

I'm guessing Apple's patent is simply about skipping the intermediate solar-to-battery voltage conversion.

 

[fleeb]

If the patent is awarded, hopefully Apple will spread the love around, because having a cheaper, streamlined system for charging my stuff would be awesome.

Right.

 

[True-Value]

In Australia, solar seems to not be a mature product, given simple house installs get botched with little recourse for homeowners, meaning no true value in solar:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7qa6TVkoI0M+W group

 

[natoco]

Global warming is happening, just check out (chasing ice) movie of all the glaciers around the world melting and the pictures that prove it you fools. The whole science community agrees on this and its only the general public that seem to think in there infinite wisdom without any facts knows better. its such a shame. Anything that stops carbon going into our air we all breath is better. Stop being selfish and naïve.

 

[guvnaguy]

Who would hold their smartphone in the sunlight long enough to charge it?

 

[Avus]

All the money you saved from the solar charging probably go toward Apple's special cable and adapter...

 

[back_by_demand]

So, when are we all going to get sued by Apple for absorbing sunlight after they decide to patent it?

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

Just like everything else in life, the global warming scare is about money and power. Governments stand to see a HUGE windfall if they are able to push their carbon taxes through.

These environmental laws have nothing to do with promoting efficiency and energy independence, and here is a great example. In the US, vehicle emission standards are intentionally framed in pollutants per gallon, not pollutants per mile. A two year old could figure out that using pollutants per gallon does nothing to improve fuel efficiency. In fact we find much of the emissions equipment actually decreases fuel efficiency.

As for this global warming consensus, that is a bunch of nonsense. There are plenty of climatologist and scientists who do not ascribe to man made global warming. However, even if there was a consensus it wouldn't matter. Science is about facts not consensus. It used to be the consensus in the scientific community that the earth was flat. Here is a fact. The past decade has been marked by global cooling!

And anyone who thinks a global warming movie proves anything should just get it all over with and get lobotomized. You will be much happier and docile, and your cognitive abilities won't change that much. You won't even notice your constant drooling any more.

 

[lilcinw]

Global warming is happening, just check out (chasing ice) movie of all the glaciers around the world melting and the pictures that prove it you fools. The whole science community agrees on this and its only the general public that seem to think in there infinite wisdom without any facts knows better. its such a shame. Anything that stops carbon going into our air we all breath is better. Stop being selfish and naïve.

The issue is not whether or not global warming is occurring. I think all of the data shows that the earth has been in a warming phase for the past 30 or so years. The debate is whether or not this is caused by our activity (our carbon output is within the margin of error of other sources) and if we should spend trillions upon trillions to possibly reduce global temperature rise by an immeasurable amount over the following century.

The cost to mitigate the effects of global warming would be significantly less than the cost to attempt to prevent it.

 

[gggplaya]

This would be great for people that like to camp, instead of using a solar charger which charges a little pack with 2 AA batteries, then has USB out to charge my phone.

 

[InvalidError]

The cost to mitigate the effects of global warming would be significantly less than the cost to attempt to prevent it.

How do you mitigate the cost of each millimeter of ocean water level rise from melting polar caps? Many areas are within millimeters from flipping from habitable to floodable land. Whatever happens, it will continue costing billions each year.

As you said though, there are so many other factors that it is unclear if there really is something that can be done on a man-made scale that will actually make a measurable difference... like right now, some scientists think the cold snaps across Canada might have been caused by the unexpected solar lull. There isn't much that can be done to counter something on that scale.

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

There is also the widely held notion that warmer average temperatures are a good thing. With increased temperatures comes increased growing seasons. Food shortages will come well before energy shortages for humanity.

How many more people die of the cold than the heat each year? Around 400 people die from heat related incidents each year, mostly heat stroke. Over 24,000 people died last year from the cold. It is actually a shame man made global warming isn't real. Think of all the lives we could save.

Even if every last cubic foot of polar ice melted, which would never happen, sea levels would only increase by less than 200 feet. The average elevation of NJ is over 250 feet. The world would definitely be a better place to live if it were warmer.

Of course we have only measured half a degree Celsius increase over the last 30 years, which is nothing in terms of what our planet has done naturally. It is hard to even define this as global warming. If we look at the Mesozoic era, temperatures were warmer by around 6 degrees Celsius. Coincidentally, these higher temperatures supported the greatest amount of life and vegetation to ever exist on this planet. The dinosaurs and the rain forests loved global warming.

 

[mynith]

All switched mode power supplies can in theory accept any voltage. I don't understand why this is patentworthy. Maximum power point trackers aren't new, either. Of course, Apple will get the patent. They always do. But do they deserve it? Do they deserve the right to tell other manufacturers they can't use this fairly obvious idea? Not really.

 

[facevalue]

"So-called “global warming” is just a secret ploy by wacko tree-huggers to make America energy independent, clean our air and water, improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles, kick-start 21st-century industries, and make our cities safer and more livable. Don’t let them get away with it!" To the poster above, make no mistake. Scientist have found dozens of ways to make the WHOLE WORLD energy efficient. The problem is not that it doesn't work but it's how these greedy lobbyist can sell it $$$$$$ it's all about the money. And gas is big money right now.

You know, I can take something way out of context and say it doesn't make any sense too. Doesn't mean it's wrong.

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

InvalidError, mankind has been living in floodable land for our entire existence. It really isn't a big deal.

The oceans rising by... 7 mm a year has not cost billions of dollars you nitwit. In fact, we have seen drastically low hurricane and flooding damage over the last decade.

 

[del35]

It would be nice if Apple acted green and produced serviceable devices, not just throwaway products.

 

[XM Keeper]

What if I put a computer in a car? Can I patent that? Of course not. But Apple could if they wanted. They can do whatever they want. Mark my words, Apple will patent a computer in a car one day.

 

[yay]

How on earth are apple allowed to patent all of this crap! America PLEASE stop giving patents to Apple for stupid shit. If we have seen it before, its not something that can be patented. Simple.This is no exception.

 

[gorfmaster1]

This sounds like apple is building another lawsuit towards solar panel companies......Their lawyers must be getting antsy