PORTABLE DEVICE CHARGING STATION WITH ADVERTISING DISPLAY

• US 20100259213A1
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ashwin C. Maharaj
• Original Assignee: Ashwin C. Maharaj
• Inventors: Maharaj, Ashwin C.
• Application Number:
  US12/756,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259213A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/02 the advertising matter being displayed by the operation of the article
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/04 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

Abstract

A battery charging station for at least one personal electronic device, which is associated with a display is provided. The charging station would allow people to obtain a quick charge on their personal electronic device, and they would be shown various visual content on the display while the charge was taking place. The device lends itself particularly well to use in airports, malls, hotel lobbies and other public locations. Chargers for various types and voltages of personal electronic devices could be provided in the charging station to allow different types of personal electronic devices to be charged by the charging station.

Claims

1. A charging station for charging a personal electronic device, the charging station comprising:

an enclosure;

at least one charging interface for charging a personal electronic device;

at least one transformer operatively connected to the at least one charging interface to supply power to the at least one charging interface for charging the personal electronic device;

a display unit operative to display visual content in response to a user charging a personal electronics device using the charging station; and

a power cord for connecting the charging station to a local power source.

2. The charging station of claim 1 wherein more than one charging interface is provided.

3. The charging station of claim 2 wherein more than one type of charging interface is provided.

4. The charging station of claim 1 wherein the at least one charging interface is a power cord.

5. The charging station of claim 1 wherein the at least one charging interface is a docking station.

6. The charging station of claim 1 wherein the visual content is at least one of:

a still image;

an animation; and

a video.

7. The charging station of claim 6 wherein the visual content is an advertisement.

8. The charging station of claim 1 wherein the display unit is a touchscreen display.

9. The charging station of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one computer readable memory, the at least one computer readable memory containing at least one media file containing visual content data;

at least one processing unit, the processing unit operatively connected to the memory and the display unit, the at least one processing unit operative to;

in response to determining a personal electronic device is being charged by the charging station, accessing the at least one media file stored on the at least one memory and displaying visual content on the display unit based on the visual content data in the at least one media file.

10. The charging station of claim 9 wherein the at least one computer readable memory contains a count indicating a number of personal electronic devices that have been charged by the charging station and the at least one processing unit is further operative to increase the count in response to a personal electronic device being connected to the charging station for charging.

11. The charging station of claim 9 wherein at least one memory contains a plurality of media files and the at least one processor is further operative to determine a type of personal electronic device connected to the at least one charging interface for charging and select one of the media files for display from the plurality of media files based on the type of personal electronic device connected to the at least one charging interface.

12. The charging station of claim 9 wherein the visual content is at least one of:

a still image;

an animation; and

a video.

13. The charging station of claim 9 wherein the visual content is an advertisement.

14. A charging station for charging a personal electronic device, the charging station comprising:

an enclosure;

at least one charging interface for charging a personal electronic device;

at least one transformer operatively connected to the at least one charging interface to supply power to the at least one charging interface for charging the personal electronic device;

a display unit interface operative to connect to a display unit and display visual content on the display unit in response to a user charging a personal electronics device using the charging station; and

a power cord for connecting the charging station to a local power source.

15. The charging station of claim 14 wherein the visual content is at least one of:

a still image;

an animation; and

a video.

16. The charging station of claim 14 wherein the visual content is an advertisement.

17. The charging station of claim 14 further comprising:

at least one computer readable memory, the at least one computer readable memory containing at least one media file containing visual content data;

at least one processing unit, the processing unit operatively connected to the memory and the display unit interface, the at least one processing unit operative to;

in response to determining a personal electronic device is being charged by the charging station, accessing the at least one media file stored on the at least one memory and using the display unit interface to display visual content on the display unit based on the visual content data in the at least one media file.

18. The charging station of claim 17 wherein at least one memory contains a plurality of media files and the at least one processor is further operative to determine a type of personal electronic device connected to the at least one charging interface for charging and select one of the media files from the plurality of media files for display based on the type of personal electronic device connected to the at least one charging interface.

19. A method comprising:

providing a charging station for charging a personal electronic device and a display unit associated with the charging station; and

in response to a personal electronic device being connected to the charging station to be charged, displaying visual content on the display unit associated with the charging station.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the charging station is provided in a public location.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the visual content is one of:

a static image;

an animation; and

a video.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the visual content is an advertisement.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the method further comprises determining the type of personal electronic device being charged with the charging station and selecting the visual content based on the type of personal electronic device being charged.