Host machines for battery charging system

• US 20090033278A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ludtke, Harold Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 7,671,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed at a method and system for recharging batteries for wireless electronic devices. According to one embodiment, a host machine for recharging rechargeable batteries for wireless devices is disclosed. The host machine includes a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a first plurality of rechargeable batteries and a plurality of charging slots configured to couple with a second plurality of rechargeable batteries. The host machine is adapted to provide power to charge the second plurality of rechargeable batteries and to hold in standby a third plurality of rechargeable batteries comprising the second plurality of rechargeable batteries that have been fully charged. According to an embodiment, the host machine is further adapted to join a network of host machines and to share the batteries in standby with each other.

Claims

1. A host machine comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a first plurality of rechargeable batteries; and

a plurality of charging slots configured to couple with a second plurality of rechargeable batteries;

wherein the host machine is adapted to;

provide power to charge the second plurality of rechargeable batteries;

hold in standby a third plurality of rechargeable batteries comprising the second plurality of rechargeable batteries that have been fully charged.

2. The host machine of claim 1 further adapted to communicate with the plurality of wireless devices over a plurality of wireless links and to monitor the first plurality of rechargeable batteries by communicating with the plurality of wireless devices.

3. The host machine of claim 2 further adapted to find a battery that needs to be replaced in the first plurality of rechargeable batteries and the second plurality of rechargeable batteries and to suggest an ecommerce site that sells rechargeable batteries of a type compatible with the battery.

4. The host machine of claim 2 further adapted to find a first battery in the first plurality of rechargeable batteries that is about to be drained and to find a second battery of compatible with the first battery in the third plurality of rechargeable batteries.

5. The host machine of claim 1 wherein the charging of the second plurality of rechargeable batteries is adapted for to optimize at least one of several criterion, including:

minimizing charging times of rechargeable batteries;

maximizing lifetimes of rechargeable batteries; and

maximizing energy stored in rechargeable batteries.

6. The host machine of claim 1 further adapted to maintain a record of charging histories for the first plurality of rechargeable batteries and the second plurality of rechargeable batteries, wherein when a second battery from the first plurality of rechargeable batteries is to be recharged, the host machine determines whether the second battery should undergo a normal charge or reconditioning charge based on the record of charging histories for the second battery.

7. The host machine of claim 6 further adapted to reset the charging history of a battery that has its battery core replaced.

8. The host machine of claim 6, the host machine further adapted to join a network of remote host machines, wherein each host machine of the network is further adapted to access the charging histories of each other.

9. The host machine of claim 8 wherein upon detecting that a drained battery in the first plurality of rechargeable batteries needs to be recharged and that none of the plurality of rechargeable batteries is of a compatible type, the host machine attempts to find a replacement battery from the plurality of rechargeable batteries coupled any of the remote host machines on the network that is fully charged and of a compatible type with the drained battery.

10. The host machine of claim 9 further adapted to communicate the location of the replacement battery so a user can swap the drained battery with the replacement battery.

11. The host machine of claim 8 wherein upon detecting that a drained battery in the first plurality of rechargeable batteries needs to be recharged and that none of the plurality of rechargeable batteries is of a compatible type, the host machine attempts to find a plurality of replacement batteries from the plurality of rechargeable batteries coupled any of the remote host machines on the network that is fully charged and of a compatible type with the drained battery.

12. The host machine of claim 11 further adapted to order the plurality of replacement batteries and to communicate the locations of the plurality of replacement batteries in accordance with the order the plurality of replacement batteries.

13. The host machine of claim 8, the network is a peer-to-peer network, the host machine further adapted to query a remote host machine on the network for the charging histories of a rechargeable battery belonging to the remote host machine.

14. The host machine of claim 8, the network being a server-client network, the host machine further adapted to query a server for the charging histories of a rechargeable battery belonging to the network.

15. The host machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of charging slots is adapted to couple to a rechargeable battery through a latching mechanism.

16. The host machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of charging slots is adapted to couple to a rechargeable battery through a magnetic-based system.

17. The host machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of charging slots is adapted to couple to a rechargeable battery through an electromagnetic-based system.

18. The host machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of charging slots is adapted to electrically couple with a rechargeable battery through a plurality of metal contacts.

19. The host machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of charging slots is adapted to electrically couple with a rechargeable battery inductively.