Methods, systems, and products for charging of devices

• US 9,385,557 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luu, Adrianne Binh, Williams, J. Michael, Causey, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nha
• Application Number:
  US13/592,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0071 with a programmable schedule

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products charge a battery in a mobile device. A calendric pattern describes habitual usage of the mobile device. The battery may thus be charged based on the calendric pattern.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing communication, by a battery charger, with a mobile device;

wirelessly receiving, by the battery charger, an electronic calendric pattern sent from the mobile device, the electronic calendric pattern indicating a three-dimensional plot of historical consumption of battery power from a battery in the mobile device;

determining, by the battery charger, a charging strategy for the battery in the mobile device based on the electronic calendric pattern;

receiving, by the battery charger, electrical power; and

directing, by the battery charger, the electrical power to an inductive coil that charges the battery in the mobile device according to the charging strategy determined using the electronic calendric pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising predicting future consumption of the battery power from the battery in the mobile device from the calendric pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising inductively coupling the mobile device and the battery charger.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising inductively charging the battery.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a minimum level of charge of the battery that is sufficient for the historical consumption indicated by the calendric pattern.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a current level of charge of the battery; and

comparing the minimum level of charge to the current level of charge.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a charge deficit exists between the minimum level of charge and the current level of charge; and

determining a charging requirement of the battery based on the charge deficit.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a charge time to charge the battery from the current level of charge to the minimum level of charge.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a start time for inductively charging the battery based on the charge time.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery charger having a primary coil;

a power supply supplying electrical power to the primary coil;

a wireless interface establishing wireless communication between the battery charger and a mobile device;

a processor receiving at least a portion of the electrical power provided by the power supply; and

a memory that stores code, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

wirelessly receiving a calendric pattern sent from the mobile device, the calendric pattern indicating a three-dimensional plot of historical consumption of battery power from a battery in the mobile device;

determining a charging strategy for the battery in the mobile device based on the calendric pattern;

inductively coupling the primary coil to a secondary coil of the mobile device; and

directing a charge of the battery according to the charging strategy using the electrical power supplied to the primary coil.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise determining a recurring time of daily consumption of the battery power from the battery in the mobile device based on the calendric pattern.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise fully charging the battery before a current time matches the recurring time of daily consumption.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise predicting future consumption of the battery power available from the battery based on the calendric pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise determining a minimum level of charge of the battery that is sufficient for the historical consumption indicated by the three-dimensional plot.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a current level of charge of the battery; and

comparing the minimum level of charge to the current level of charge.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a charge deficit exists between the minimum level of charge and the current level of charge; and

determining a charging requirement of the battery based on the charge deficit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining a charge time to charge the battery from the current level of charge to the minimum level of charge.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise determining a start time for inductively charging the battery based on the charge time.

19. A memory device storing code that when executed causes a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

establishing wireless communication between a battery charger and a mobile device;

receiving an electronic calendric pattern wirelessly sent from the mobile device, the electronic calendric pattern indicating a three-dimensional plot of historical consumption of battery power from a battery in the mobile device;

determining a charging strategy for the battery based on the electronic calendric pattern sent from the mobile device;

receiving electrical power at the battery charger; and

directing an inductive charge of the battery with the electrical power according to the charging strategy determined using the electronic calendric pattern wirelessly sent from the mobile device.

20. The memory device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise inductively charging the battery.