Chargers cooperating with portable electronic devices

• US 8,086,251 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Semi Gate LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kavounas, Gregory T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika
• Application Number:
  US12/622,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/045 Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

Generally, the present invention provides accessories for one or more portable electronic devices (PEDs) and related methods. An accessory includes a station that can support a PED. The PED is also equipped to generate an action signal, above and beyond the regular signal for notifying the user about a wireless signal that is received from a remote transmitter. When the station senses the action signal, it further generates a human-perceptible indication to help notify the user, who might have walked away. The human-perceptible indication can include, a call sound, a light signal, etc. This way, for example, when the PED is only vibrating, the call sound can be such that the station rings like a regular home telephone, and/or the light signal can be such that the station lights up without distracting coworkers as much. As such, the user can always keep the PED at the “Silent” annunciation mode.

Claims

1. A charger for use with a Portable Electronic Device (PED) distinct from the charger, the PED including an antenna operable to receive a wireless signal from a remote transmitter at least 500 feet away from the PED, the PED further able to generate internally an action signal responsive to receiving the wireless signal, the action signal not being human perceptible, the charger comprising:

a body for supporting the PED;

a sensor for sensing the generation of the action signal, and for outputting a call signal responsive to the sensing;

a station notifier for generating responsive to the call signal a human-perceptible indication; and

a station notifier testing actuator for causing the human-perceptible indication to be generated while the PED is supported by the body but the action signal is not sensed as being generated.

2. The charger of claim 1, in which the wireless signal is received in conjunction with receiving a telephone call.

3. The charger of claim 1, in which the wireless signal is received in conjunction with receiving a text message.

4. The charger of claim 1, in which the action signal encodes a message that is one of at least two possible messages, and

the human-perceptible indication is different, depending upon which of the two messages is encoded.

5. A charger for transferring energy wirelessly to a battery of a Portable Electronic Device (PED) distinct from the charger, the PED including an antenna operable to receive a wireless signal from a remote transmitter at least 500 feet away from the PED, the PED further able to generate internally an action signal responsive to receiving the wireless signal, the action signal not being human perceptible, the charger comprising:

a body for supporting the PED;

a mechanism for transferring energy wirelessly to the battery of the PED, the battery of the PED presenting an input impedance when the energy is thus being transferred to it, the action signal causing a modulation to the input impedance;

a sensor for sensing the action signal from the modulation, and for outputting a call signal responsive to the sensing of the modulation; and

a station notifier for generating a human-perceptible indication responsive to the call signal.

6. The charger of claim 5, in which the wireless signal is received in conjunction with receiving a telephone call.

7. The charger of claim 5, in which the wireless signal is received in conjunction with receiving a text message.

8. The charger of claim 5, in which the action signal encodes a message that is one of at least two possible messages, and

the human-perceptible indication is different, depending upon which of the two messages is encoded.

9. A charger for transferring energy via conductors to a battery of a Portable Electronic Device (PED) distinct from the charger, the PED including an antenna operable to receive a wireless signal from a remote transmitter at least 500 feet away from the PED, the PED further able to generate internally an action signal responsive to receiving the wireless signal, the action signal not being human perceptible, the charger comprising:

a body for supporting the PED;

a mechanism for transferring energy via conductors to the battery of the PED, the battery presenting an input impedance across the conductors when the energy is thus being transferred to it, the action signal causing a modulation to the input impedance;

a sensor for sensing the action signal from the modulation, and for outputting a call signal responsive to the sensing of the modulation; and

a station notifier for generating a human-perceptible indication responsive to the call signal.

10. The charger of claim 9, in which the wireless signal is received in conjunction with receiving a telephone call.

11. The charger of claim 9, in which the wireless signal is received in conjunction with receiving a text message.

12. The charger of claim 9, in which

the action signal encodes a message that is one of at least two possible messages, and

the human-perceptible indication is different, depending upon which of the two messages is encoded.