ALERT DEVICES AND METHODS FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE REMOVAL FROM CHARGERS

• US 20090128346A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flowers, Christian, Thorson, Dean, Zhao, Hong
• Application Number:
  US11/943,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/636.150
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

Disclosed are devices and methods of electronic devices for activating an alarm when it is detected that an applied charging voltage has dropped below a threshold value. An electronic device is configured to detect the type of charger, for example, a bicycle charger or motorcycle charger, connected to the electronic device according to a charger attribute. The electronic device may further detect when the applied charging voltage has decreased below the predetermined threshold value. When the device is detected to be connected to a particular type of charger, and it is detected that the applied charging voltage has decreased below the threshold value, the alarm may be activated after a predetermined time. In this way, a user of a bicycle charger or other vehicle charger can be reminded to remove the electronic device from the charging cradle of the vehicle, helping to avoid loss or theft of the device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a controller configured to execute instructions;

a memory coupled to the controller and configured to store instruction modules;

a power source coupled to the controller and configured to be rechargeable;

an alarm coupled to the controller;

a charging port coupled to the controller and configured to be identifiably coupled to a predetermined type of charger, the charging port further configured to receive charge to recharge the power source;

a charger detection module having instructions configured to detect and identify when the portable electronic device is coupled to the predetermined type of charger;

a charger voltage monitoring module having instructions configured to monitor whether an applied voltage of the received charge is below a predetermined threshold value;

an alarm activation module having instructions configured to activate the alarm after a predetermined time when the charger detection module detects and identifies the predetermined type of charger and the charger voltage monitoring module detects that the applied voltage is below the predetermined threshold value.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the charger detection module is configured to detect and identify a charger based on detection of a predetermined charger attribute.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein detection of a predetermined charger attribute comprises detection of a predetermined charger ID resistor.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the alarm activation module is further configured to cease activation of the alarm after a predetermined time.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a user input device configured to accept user input;

wherein the alarm activation module is further configured to cease activation of the alarm when particular user input to the user input device is detected.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a user input device configured to accept user input;

wherein the alarm activation module is further configured to continue the alarm until entry of a predetermined security code is detected by the user input device.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the alarm is at least one of an audible alarm and a visible alarm.

8. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a controller configured to execute instructions;

a memory coupled to the controller and configured to store instruction modules;

a power source coupled to the controller and configured to be rechargeable;

an audio transducer coupled to the controller, the audio transducer configured to emit an alert signal having a volume below a first predetermined volume and configured to emit a alarm having a volume above a second predetermined volume;

a charging port coupled to the controller and configured to be coupled to an identifiable type of charger, the charging port further configured to receive charge to recharge the power source;

a charger detection module having instructions configured to detect a type of charger;

a charger voltage monitoring module having instructions configured to monitor whether an applied voltage of the received charge is below a predetermined threshold value;

an alert module having instructions configured to start an alert timer for a predetermined alert time and to transmit a signal to the audio transducer to emit the alert signal for the predetermined alert time, when the charger detection module detects a type of charger and the charger voltage monitoring module detects that the applied voltage is below the predetermined threshold value; and

an alarm activation module having instructions configured to transmit a signal to the audio transducer to emit an alarm having a volume above the second predetermined volume after the predetermined alert time has expired, and the charger detection module detects the type of charger and the charger voltage monitoring module detects that the applied voltage is below the predetermined threshold value.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, further comprising:

an alarm inactivation module having instructions configured to extinguish the alarm when the charger detection module no longer detects a type of charger.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the charger detection module is configured to detect a charger based on detection of a predetermined charger attribute.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein detection of a predetermined charger attribute comprises detection of a predetermined charger ID resistor.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the charger detection module is configured to detect a bicycle charger based on detection of a predetermined charger attribute.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 8, further comprising:

a user input device configured to accept user input;

wherein the alarm activation module is further configured to cease activation of the alarm when particular user input to the user input device is detected.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 8, further comprising:

a visible alarm coupled to the controller and configured to emit a visual indication when the charger detection module detects a type of charger and the charger voltage monitoring module detects that the applied voltage is below the predetermined threshold value.

15. A method of an electronic device having a rechargeable power source, the method comprising:

detecting that the device is attached to a type of charger;

receiving charge from the charger to charge the rechargeable power source of the device;

detecting that an applied voltage of the received charge is below a predetermined threshold;

starting an alert timer for a predetermined alert time;

emitting an alert signal having a volume below a first predetermined volume for the predetermined alert time;

determining, when the alert timer expires, whether the applied voltage is above the predetermined threshold;

emitting an alarm having a volume above a second predetermined volume if the applied voltage is below the predetermined threshold when the alert timer expires; and

ceasing the alarm when the device detects that the device is no longer attached to a type of charger.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device has a user input device configured to accept user input, the method further comprising:

ceasing the alert signal when a particular user input is detected.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the device has a user input device configured to accept user input, the method further comprising:

ceasing the alarm when a particular user input is detected.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

ceasing the alarm after a predetermined alarm time.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

increasing a volume of the alert signal after a predetermined time interval.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

emitting a visual indication when the applied voltage is below the predetermined threshold value.