Electrical system for universal charging station

• US 9,680,319 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ergotron Incorporated (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Ergotron Incorporated (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Tischer, William Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Sun
• Application Number:
  US14/695,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20150380964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 320114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

In an embodiment of the current invention, a battery charging system for charging a plurality of portable electronic devices includes a scaling module configured to receive a first voltage and scale the first voltage to a second voltage, a memory configured to store a value, and a processor configured to receive a signal representing the second voltage, retrieve the value stored in the memory, and adjust at least one charging parameter using a comparison between the retrieved value and the received signal representing the second voltage.

Claims

1. A battery charging system for charging a plurality of portable electronic devices, the battery charging system comprising:

a scaling module configured to receive a first voltage and scale the first voltage to a second voltage;

a memory configured to store a value; and

a processor configured to;

receive a signal representing information about the second voltage;

retrieve the value stored in the memory; and

adjust at least one charging parameter when indicated based on a comparison between the retrieved value and the received signal representing the second voltage.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the scaling module is a voltage transformer.

3. The battery charging system of claim 2, wherein the voltage transformer has a turns ratio, and wherein the first voltage is scaled to the second voltage using the turns ratio.

4. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the scaling module is a voltage divider.

5. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one charging parameter is an input charging current limit.

6. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is mains line voltage.

7. A computer implemented method of charging a plurality of portable electronic devices, the method comprising:

receiving a first voltage and scaling the first voltage to a second voltage;

storing a value in a memory;

receiving a signal representing information about the second voltage;

retrieving the value stored in a memory;

comparing the retrieved value and the received signal representing the second voltage; and

adjusting at least one charging parameter when indicated based on a comparison result of the comparing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one charging parameter is an input charging current limit.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first voltage is mains line voltage.

10. A battery charging station for charging a plurality of portable electronic devices, the battery charging station comprising:

a charging system including;

a scaling module configured to receive a first voltage and scale the first voltage to a second voltage;

a memory configured to store a value; and

a processor configured to;

receive a signal representing information about the second voltage;

retrieve the value stored in the memory; and

adjust at least one charging parameter when indicated based on a comparison between the retrieved value and the received signal representing the second voltage.

11. The battery charging station of claim 10, wherein the scaling module is a voltage transformer.

12. The battery charging station of claim 11, wherein the voltage transformer has a turns ratio, and wherein the first voltage is scaled to the second voltage using the turns ratio.

13. The battery charging station of claim 10, wherein the scaling module is a voltage divider.

14. The battery charging station of claim 10, the least one charging parameter is an input charging current limit.

15. The battery charging station of claim 10, wherein the first voltage is mains line voltage.

16. The battery charging station of claim 10, further comprising a charging cart.

17. The battery charging station of claim 10, further comprising a charging cabinet.

18. The battery charging station of claim 17, wherein the charging cabinet includes a desktop unit.

19. The battery charging station of claim 17, wherein the charging cabinet includes a wall-mount unit.

20. The battery charging station of claim 17, wherein the charging cabinet includes at least one locker.