Methods and systems for indicating cellular telephone battery-charging information

• US 6,792,297 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU X
• Application Number:
  US09/760,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 455/573, 455/572, 455/574, 455/575.1, 455/517, 320/114, 320/115, 340/636, 340/539.1
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for indicating battery information to cellular telephone users when a cellular telephone is near an associated battery charger. When a cellular telephone is within a predetermined range of the battery charger, the charger and telephone form a communication link. The link allows the charger (or telephone) to analyze the status of the telephone'"'"'s battery, generate alert commands and/or generate sensory alerts as needed in order to warn a user to charge the battery. The charger can also be adapted to establish a communication link with a personal computer (“PC”) and to transmit similar commands to the personal computer via the link to allow the PC to generate sensory alerts.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone system comprising:

a battery charger adapted to;

wirelessly receive charging information, associated with a cellular telephone, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics; and

generate an alert command when said battery capacity indicates a capacity below a threshold capacity and when the cellular telephone is located within a predetermined range of the charger.

2. The system in claim 1, wherein the battery charger is further adapted to generate a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cellular telephone adapted to:

wirelessly send said charging information to said charger; and

generate a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a personal computer adapted to generate a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

27. The system as in claim 1 wherein the battery usage statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of remaining talk time, remaining standby time, time between consecutive charges, average talk time and average charging time.

6. A cellular telephone system comprising:

a cellular telephone adapted to;

wirelessly send charging information, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics, to a battery charger; and

generate an alert command when the telephone is located within a predetermined range of a battery charger.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the cellular telephone is adapted to generate a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a battery charger adapted to:

wirelessly receive the charging information associated with the cellular telephone; and

to

generate a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a personal computer adapted to generate a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

28. The system as in claim 6 wherein the battery usage statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of remaining talk time, remaining standby time, time between consecutive charges, average talk time and average charging time.

11. A battery charger adapted to:

wirelessly receive charging information, associated with a cellular telephone, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics; and

generate a sensory alert responsive to an alert command when the cellular telephone is located within a predetermined range of the charger.

12. The charger of claim 11 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

13. A cellular telephone adapted to:

wirelessly send charging information to a battery charger, said information selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics; and

generate a sensory alert responsive to an alert command when the telephone is located within a predetermined range of a battery charger.

14. The telephone of claim 13 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

15. A personal computer adapted to generate a sensory alert responsive to an alert command based on battery capacity and battery usage statistics when a cellular telephone is located within a predetermined wireless range of a battery charger.

16. The personal computer of claim 15 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

17. A programmed device adapted to:

control the wireless reception of charging information, associated with a cellular telephone, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics; and

control the generation of an alert command when the cellular telephone is located within a predetermined range of a battery charger.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the device is further adapted to control the generation of a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

19. The programmed device of claim 17 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

29. The programmed medium as in claim 17 wherein the battery usage statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of remaining talk time, remaining standby time, time between consecutive charges, average talk time and average charging time.

20. A programmed device adapted to:

control the wireless sending of charging information, associated with a cellular telephone, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics to a battery charger; and

control the generation of a sensory alert responsive to an alert command when the cellular telephone is located within a predetermined range of a battery charger.

21. The programmed device of claim 20 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

22. A method for indicating cellular telephone battery charging information comprising:

wirelessly receiving charging information, associated with a cellular telephone, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics; and

generating an alert command when the cellular telephone is located within a predetermined range of a battery charger.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising generating a sensory alert responsive to the alert command.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.

30. The method as in claim 22 wherein the battery usage statistics comprise statistics selected from the group consisting of remaining talk time, remaining standby time, time between consecutive charges, average talk time and average charging time.

25. A method for indicating cellular telephone battery-charging information comprising:

wirelessly sending charging information, associated with a cellular telephone, selected from the group consisting of battery capacity and battery usage statistics to a battery charger; and

generating a sensory alert responsive to an alert command when the cellular telephone is located within a predetermined range of a battery charger.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the range is substantially 10 meters.