Universal battery charger system and method

• US 9,059,590 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Cassidy, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GARBOWSKI, LEIGH M
• Application Number:
  US13/777,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20140239881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• 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: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A system and method for a universal battery charger is presented. An RFID tag on a battery-powered device communicates battery information to the charger to allow the charger to optimally charge the battery. The battery charger has a charging cord with a charge plug at an end of the cord to connect the charging cord to a port on a device. The charging cord contains an RFID antenna near the end of the cord. The RFID antenna has a limited reading range. When the charge plug is inserted into a charging port on a battery-powered device, an RFID reader uses the RFID antenna to read the information stored on the RFID tag. Based on the RFID tag information, a charging selector selects a current and voltage to be output to charge the device through the device port.

Claims

1. A universal battery charger for a battery-powered device, the device having a charging port and an RFID tag, the charger comprising:

a) a power converter;

b) a first charging selector connected to the power converter, the first charging selector regulating a charging output;

c) a first charging cord having a first charging plug at an end of the first charging cord;

d) a first RFID antenna at the end of the first charging cord; and

e) a processor receiving first RFID tag information from the first RFID antenna and selecting, based on the first RFID tag information, a first charging output to be provided by the first charging selector to the first charging plug.

2. The charger of claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag information is a charging parameter, the charging parameter being one of a charging voltage, a charging current, and a charging algorithm to be output by the first charging selector.

3. The charger of claim 1, further comprising:

f) a second charging selector connected to the power converter;

g) a second charging cord having a second charging plug at an end of the second charging cord; and

h) a second RFID antenna at the end of the second charging cord, the processor receiving second RFID tag information from the second RFID antenna and selecting, based on the second RFID tag information, a second charging output to be provided by the second charging selector to the second charging plug.

4. The charger of claim 1, further comprising:

f) a memory storing a first battery identifier linked to a first charging parameter;

wherein the first RFID tag information is the first battery identifier and the first charging parameter specifies the first charging output.

5. The charger of claim 4, further comprising:

g) a second charging cord having a second RFID antenna at an end of the second charging cord;

h) second RFID tag information received from the second RFID antenna;

i) a second battery identifier in the memory, the second battery identifier linked to a second charging parameter;

wherein the second RFID tag information is the second battery identifier, and the second charging parameter specifies a second charging output.

6. The charger of claim 5, wherein the second charging output is output by a second charging selector connected to the power converter.

7. The charger of claim 5, wherein the first and second battery identifiers are each linked to charging parameters defining charging voltages, charging currents, and charging algorithms.

8. The charger of claim 4, wherein the first charging parameter includes one of a charging voltage, a charging current, and a charging algorithm.

9. The charger of claim 4, wherein the first battery identifier is linked to charging parameters defining a charging voltage, a charging current, and a charging algorithm.

10. A battery charging system for a battery-powered device, the system comprising:

a) a first device having

i) a first battery,

ii) a first battery charging port, and

iii) a first RFID tag with first RFID tag information; and

b) a charging base having

i) a power converter;

ii) a first voltage-and-current selector connected to the power converter;

iii) a first charging cord terminating in a first charging plug and a first RFID antenna, the first charging cord receiving a first charge output from the first voltage-and-current selector; and

iv) a processor receiving the first RFID tag information from the first RFID tag through the first RFID antenna and selecting a first voltage and current to be output by the first charging plug to charge the first battery through the first charging port based on the first RFID tag information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a charging algorithm is selected based on the first RFID tag information.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

c) a second voltage-and-current selector connected to the power converter in the base;

d) a second charging cord terminating in a second charging plug and a second RFID antenna, the second charging cord receiving a second charge output from the second voltage-and-current selector;

e) a second device having

i) a second battery,

ii) a second battery charging port, and

iii) a second RFID tag with second RFID tag information, the processor receiving the second RFID tag information through the second RFID antenna and selecting a second voltage and current to be output by the second charging plug to charge the second battery through the second charging port based on the second RFID tag information.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first RFID tag is attached to the device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first RFID tag is attached to the battery.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first RFID tag information is one of a charging voltage, a charging current, and a charging algorithm to be output by the first charging port.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first RFID tag information is a battery identifier, and the selected first voltage and current are provided in a lookup table based on the battery identifier.

17. A method of charging a battery, the method comprising:

a) inserting a charging plug, located on a first end of a charging cord, into a port on a device powered by a battery;

b) reading RFID information from an RFID tag on the device using an RFID antenna located proximal to the first end of the charging cord;

c) selecting a voltage and current to be output by the charging plug based on the RFID information; and

d) supplying the voltage and current to the charging plug to charge the device battery.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the RFID information is used to locate the selected voltage and current in a look-up table.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the RFID antenna receives the RFID information from the RFID tag while the charging plug is being inserted into the port.