Battery charger loss prevention adaptor having a notification module
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,said issuing being further responsive to at least one of the following events;
a) distance between said unit and said portable device exceeding a predetermined threshold; and
b) expiry of a time period, said period starting after said detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
60 Citations
72 Claims
-
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, said issuing being further responsive to at least one of the following events; a) distance between said unit and said portable device exceeding a predetermined threshold; and b) expiry of a time period, said period starting after said detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
-
-
4. Circuitry configured for reminding a user to thereby prevent a battery charger from being left behind and for determining that disconnection of a portable device from said charger has occurred, said circuitry comprising:
a notification module configured for, responsive to said determining that said disconnection has occurred, delaying commencement of said reminding. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 62, 63, 64)
-
20. A computer readable medium for preventing leaving behind a battery charger for a portable device when a battery of said device is disconnected from said charger, said medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform a plurality of acts, said plurality comprising the acts of:
-
detecting, by an adaptor that includes said computer readable medium and to which said charger is connectable for charging, the disconnection; and responsive to detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing, by said adaptor, a reminder, said issuing being further responsive to at least one of the following events; a) distance between said unit and said portable device exceeding a predetermined threshold; and b) expiry of a time period, said period starting after said detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
-
Specification