DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR GROUP CHARGING OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20080315826A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: ALBERTH, WILLIAM P. Jr., ROBB, PATRICIA A., GJERMANO, GJERGJI
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

Disclosed are a device, system and method for multiple mobile communication devices that may be charged according to their relative priority and/or for multiple mobile communication devices that may be charged to a minimum level. The devices may be connected in any order physically, but based upon their relative charging priority the device with the highest priority may receive a charge first. The device with second highest priority may receive a charge second. Their relative priority may be communicated between the devices by wireless communication. In one embodiment, one or more devices may receive a minimum charge to allow operation, before the devices with the highest priorities are fully charged. In regions where electrical utility infrastructures are minimally developed users may share electrical facilities to recharge a plurality of mobile communication devices so that the devices with the highest priority of the grouped devices are fully charged first.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a power source;

a controller configured to be coupled to the power source and configured to determine a priority for charging of the power source;

wherein;

the electronic device is configured for connection to a charger;

the power source is configured to be charged when the electronic device is connected to the charger; and

the controller is further configured to initiate charging of the power source according to the priority for charging, when the electronic device is connected to the charger.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a profile configured to enable entering a priority for charging the power supply; and

a user interface configured to enable setting a priority in the profile.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver coupled to the controller and configured to transmit and receive wireless communications;

wherein;

the electronic device is configured to determine its relative priority for charging based on received wireless communications and to initiate charging when it has a high relative priority.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

the electronic device comprises a first electronic device;

the power source comprises a first power source;

the first electronic device and a second electronic device are connected to the charger, the second electronic device including a second power source;

each power source is associated with a first charging threshold;

the controller is configured to allow charging of each power source until the first charging threshold is reached; and

the controller is further configured to interrupt charging of a power source when the first charging threshold is reached, and to then charge the power source according to its priority for charging.

5. A system, comprising:

a first device, comprising;

a first rechargeable power source;

a second device, comprising;

a second rechargeable power source; and

a charger;

wherein;

the first device is configured with a first charging priority and the second device is configured with a second charging priority;

the first device and the second device are configured to be connected to the charger to allow charging;

the first device and the second device are configured to determine which of the first device and the second device has a higher priority for charging.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the charger connects to the first device;

the second device connects to the first device; and

the first device is configured to provide to the second device a charging current.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the first device and the second device are configured to communicate wirelessly; and

the first device and the second device are configured to determine via wireless communication which device has the higher priority.

8. The system of claim 5,

the first device further comprising a first user interface configured to enable entry of a priority for charging of the first device;

and

the second device further comprising a second user interface configured to enable entry of a priority for charging of the second device.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the first device and the second device are further configured to determine which of the first device and the second device has a lower priority for charging.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the device which is determined to have the higher priority is configured to charge before or at the same time as the device which is determined to have the lower priority.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the first and second device are configured to charge until their power sources are charged to a first threshold; and

the lower priority device, upon reaching the first threshold, is configured to stop charging until the higher priority device is charged to a second threshold.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a laptop computer, wherein:

the laptop computer comprises the charger;

the charger is a contactless charger; and

the first device and the second device are configured to determine via the laptop computer which of the first device and the second device has a higher priority for charging.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the laptop computer is configured to hold the first device and the second device in place positioned to connect to the contactless charger.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the laptop computer further comprises a fuel cell.

15. A method of a first electronic device including a power source, a second electronic device including a power source, and a charger, the method comprising:

connecting the first device and the second device to the charger to allow charging;

determining by the first device and the second device which of the first device and the second device has a higher priority for charging, and which of the first device and the second device has a lower priority for charging; and

charging the device which is determined to have the higher priority before or at the same time as the device which is determined to have the lower priority.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein connecting the first device and the second device to the charger comprises:

connecting the first device to the charger; and

connecting the second device to the first device;

wherein the first device is configured to provide to the second device a charging current from the charger.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

charging the first device and the second device until their power sources are charged to a first threshold.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

interrupting charging of the lower priority device upon the lower priority device reaching the first threshold; and

resuming charging of the lower priority device when the higher priority device is charged to a second threshold.

19. The method of claim 15, the first device and the second device configured to communicate wirelessly, wherein determining by the first device and the second device which of the first device and the second device has a higher priority for charging comprises:

the first and second device communicating wirelessly to determine which device has the higher priority.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first device includes a profile configured to enable entering a priority for charging of the first device, and wherein the second device includes a profile configured to enable entering a priority for charging of the second device, the method further comprising:

entering a priority for charging of the first device in the profile of the first device; and

entering a priority for charging of the second device in the profile of the second device.