Charger Loss Prevention Adaptor
First Claim
1. A unit connectable for charging a portable device and configured to prevent leaving behind a portable-device battery charger when a battery chargeable by said charger is disconnected from said charger, said unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting the disconnection; and
a notification module configured for, responsive to detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reminder system for a portable-device charger is designed for determining when it is likely that the charger is about to be left behind. Detection which may be in real time can pertain, depending on the embodiment, to disconnection of a portable device from the charger, and/or movement of a portable device out of wireless range of the charger or a charger adaptor. In some versions, the onset of reminding is, upon detecting disconnection, tentatively postponed until a predetermined criterion is met, such as expiry of a predetermined time period. Or the criterion can be detection of an out-of-range condition based on distance between the portable device and an adaptor or charger. In some embodiments detection and reminder issuance are incorporated in a unit, such as a plug-in wall adaptor or the charger itself. The adaptor can be generalized rather than specialized for a charger of a particular make or model. The system can be unobtrusive, and sensitive to the charger connection status, power saving and power outages.
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. A unit connectable for charging a portable device and configured to prevent leaving behind a portable-device battery charger when a battery chargeable by said charger is disconnected from said charger, said unit comprising:
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a detector configured for detecting the disconnection; and a notification module configured for, responsive to detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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- 24. A portable-device battery charger configured to prevent itself from being left behind when a battery of a portable device is disconnected from said charger, said charger being configured for, responsive to said charger detecting the disconnection from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder, and for independently detecting said disconnection.
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26. An adaptor connectable directly to an electrical outlet and configured to prevent leaving behind a portable-device battery charger when a portable-device battery is disconnected from said charger, said adaptor comprising:
a notification module configured for, responsive to detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder. - View Dependent Claims (27)
- 28. A unit configured for preventing a battery charger from being left behind, for supplying power from an electrical outlet to a portable device connected for charging, and for, responsive to breaking of the connection, delaying commencement of reminding a user.
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36. Circuitry for preventing a battery charger from being left behind, comprising:
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a portable-device disconnection detector configured for detecting a disconnection event in which a portable device is disconnected from said charger, the detection of said event occurring in real time; and a notification module configured for, responsive to said disconnection event, delaying commencement of reminding a user. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for making a unit that is connectable for charging a portable device and that is configured to prevent leaving behind a portable-device battery charger when a battery of said device is disconnected from said charger, comprising:
configuring said unit so as to incorporate a notification module for, to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder, said issuing being responsive to detection, by said unit, of said battery being disconnected from said charger.
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54. A computer software product for preventing leaving behind a battery charger for a portable device when a battery of said device is disconnected from said charger, said product comprising a computer readable medium embodying a computer program that includes instructions executable by a processor to perform a plurality of acts, said plurality comprising the acts of:
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detecting, by a unit comprising said product, the disconnection; and responsive to detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing, by said unit, a reminder.
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55. An adaptor comprising:
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an engagement detector configured for detecting, based on, at least one of a) a location of a first adaptor surface that faces a surface of an electrical outlet with respect to the outlet surface and b) a location of a surface, of a battery charger, that faces a second adaptor surface with respect to said second adaptor surface, whether, correspondingly, said outlet or said charger is connected to said adaptor; and a notification module configured for, correspondingly responsive to the detecting that said outlet or said charger is so connected, issuing a reminder. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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59. (canceled)
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60. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device;
a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind; and
a switch by which said module is switchable by a user into a state that is inactive but allows said unit to still provide power for charging a portable device, and by which said module is switchable back into an active state, said unit designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet.
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device;
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62. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind, said unit configured for detecting whether said unit is connected for receiving power from an electrical outlet, said issuing being responsive to a result of said detecting whether said unit is connected. - View Dependent Claims (70, 72)
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
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63. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind, said unit being further configured for detecting whether said unit is connected, to a portable device, for supplying a portable-device battery with power from an electrical outlet, said issuing being responsive to a result of said detecting whether said unit is connected. - View Dependent Claims (64, 73)
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
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65-66. -66. (canceled)
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67. A unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder, said issuing being subject to detection of disconnection, from a charger, of a portable-device battery. - View Dependent Claims (74)
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
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68. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a predetermined distance between said detector and said device;
a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind; and
a battery for supplying power to said unit, said unit designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet. - View Dependent Claims (61)
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a predetermined distance between said detector and said device;
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69. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind, said unit designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet, said unit configured for said issuing even when said unit is not receiving said power.
- a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and
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71. (canceled)
- 75. A wall outlet adaptor configured for, while a device remains plugged in to said adaptor, sensing, from said device, that said device is about to be left behind.
Specification