Reporting a Faulty Charging Device

• US 20100188237A1
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Haglan, David E., Monks, Morgan H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,130,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

Reporting a faulty charging device. A mobile device may determine if a charging device is a faulty charging device. The determination may be performed after coupling the charging device to a power source and to the mobile device. If the charging device is a faulty charging device, the mobile device may report a location of the faulty charging device over a network.

Claims

1. A method for reporting a faulty charging device, comprising:

a mobile device determining if a charging device is a faulty charging device, wherein said determining is performed after coupling the charging device to a power source and to the mobile device; and

if the charging device is a faulty charging device, the mobile device reporting a location of the faulty charging device over a network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining if the charging device is a faulty charging device comprises determining if the charging device is providing an over voltage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the overvoltage is greater than 5.5 volts.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

dissipating the overvoltage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said dissipating the overvoltage is performed by a high voltage tolerant device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said reporting the location of the faulty charging device comprises;

determining global positioning system (GPS) location information; and

the mobile device reporting the GPS location information over the network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said reporting the location of the faulty charging device comprises:

determining location information using one or more wide area network towers; and

the mobile device reporting the location information over the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said reporting the location of the faulty charging device comprises:

determining location information based on available local wireless networks; and

reporting the location information over the network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an audible indication of the faulty charging device to a user of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a visible indication of the faulty charging device to a user of the mobile device.

11. A mobile device for reporting a faulty charging device, comprising:

a processor;

a network port coupled to the processor;

a charging device port for coupling to a charging device;

a battery coupled to the charging device port for receiving power from the charging device;

first circuitry coupled to the charging device port, wherein the first circuitry is configured to determine if the charging device is a faulty charging device, wherein the first circuitry is configured to operate after the charging device port is coupled the charging device;

second circuitry coupled to the processor for determining a location of the mobile device; and

a memory which stores program instructions executable by the processor to report the location of the faulty charging device over a network using the second circuitry and the network port.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first circuitry is configured to determine if the charging device is providing an overvoltage to determine if the charging device is a faulty charging device.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the overvoltage is greater than 5.5 volts.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the first circuitry comprises:

high voltage tolerant circuitry, wherein the high voltage tolerant circuitry is coupled to the charging device port and the battery, and wherein the high voltage tolerant circuitry is configured to dissipate the overvoltage.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second circuitry comprises global positioning system (GPS) circuitry for determining the location of the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second circuitry is configured to use one or more wide area network towers to determine the location of the mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second circuitry is configured to determine the location of the mobile device based on available local wireless networks.

18. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device further comprises a display coupled to the processor, and wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:

provide an indication of the faulty charging device on the display of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device further comprises an audio output coupled to the processor, and wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:

provide an indication of the faulty charging device via the audio output of the mobile device.

20. A memory medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

receive an indication of a faulty charging device coupled to a mobile device;

determine a location of the mobile device;

report the location of the faulty charging device over a network, wherein the location of the faulty charging device comprises the location of the mobile device; and

provide information on a display of the mobile device indicating that the device is coupled to the faulty charging device.

21. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory mediums coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more memory mediums store program instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

receive an indication that a faulty charging device is coupled to a mobile device from the mobile device over a network;

receive a location of the faulty charging device;

provide the location of the faulty charging device to an administrator of the faulty charging device.

22. A method for reporting a faulty charging device, comprising:

a mobile device determining that a charging device is a faulty charging device, wherein said determining is performed after coupling the charging device to a power source and to the mobile device;

storing information regarding the faulty charging device, wherein the information comprises a location of the faulty charging device; and

providing the information regarding the faulty charging device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein information further comprises a time when the mobile device was coupled to the faulty charging device.