Method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries, corresponding device and computer program

• US 9,941,711 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Banks And Acquirers International Holding
• Original Assignee: Ingenico Group
• Inventors: Lacroix, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Kessie, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/992,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20130320761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 307 19
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00716 in response to integrated charge or discharge current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/73 Battery saving arrangements

Abstract

A method is provided for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries respectively powering a first and a second device. The devices are able to cooperate physically with one another via a modular interface, and the method includes a step of transferring energy from one of the batteries to the other of the batteries, the transferring step being implemented as a function of a level of charge of at least one of the batteries.

Claims

1. A method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries respectively powering a payment device and a communication device, said devices being capable of physically cooperating with each other via a modular interface, said method comprising:

connecting the payment device to the communications device through the modular interface;

transferring energy from one of said batteries to the other of said batteries, wherein transferring is carried out according to a level of charge of at least one of said batteries;

obtaining at least one piece of information on level of charge for each of said batteries, which provides a first piece of information on level of charge for said payment device and a second piece of information on level of charge for said communication device; and

comparing the first and second pieces of information on level of charge with, respectively, a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, respectively producing a first comparison result and a second comparison result, a comparison result being positive when the level of charge is above the threshold and a comparison result being negative when the level of charge is below the threshold,

when either the first comparison result or the second comparison result is negative, performing the act of transferring so that both the payment device and the communications device have sufficient levels of charge at least to carry out a bank transaction up to an end of the bank transaction.

2. The method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one request for transfer of energy from one of said batteries to another of said batteries, coming from one of said devices for which the level of charge of its battery is below a predetermined threshold.

3. The method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries according to claim 1, wherein transferring energy is carried out when either of the following conditions is verified:

the first result of comparison is negative and the second result of comparison is positive;

the second result of comparison is negative and the first result of comparison is positive.

4. The method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries according to claim 2, wherein transferring energy is carried out when a request for transfer of energy has been received during said receiving and when either of the following conditions is verified:

the first result of comparison is negative and the second result of comparison is positive;

the second result of comparison is negative and the first result of comparison is positive.

5. The method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries according to claim 1, wherein transferring energy is carried out by said modular interface.

6. A component for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries respectively powering a payment device and a communication device, said devices being capable of physically cooperating with one another via a modular interface, said component for managing comprising:

a switch, which transfers energy from one of said batteries to the other of said batteries, said switch being activated according to a level of charge of at least one of said batteries;

a processor programmed by instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium to;

connect the payment device to the communications device through the modular interface;

obtains at least one piece of information on level of charge for each of said batteries, which provides a first piece of information on level of charge for said payment device and a second piece of information on level of charge for said communication device; and

compare said first and second pieces of information on level of charge with, respectively, a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, respectively producing a first comparison result and a second comparison result, a comparison result being positive when the level of charge is above the threshold and a comparison result being negative when the level of charge is below the threshold,

when either the first comparison result or the second comparison result is negative, activate the switch to transfer so that both the payment device and the communications device have sufficient levels of charge at least to carry out a bank transaction up to an end of the bank transaction.

7. The component according to claim 6, wherein the component is implanted in the payment device, which includes a smartcard reader and a magnetic card reader, and said communication device is a telephone terminal, said payment device comprising the modular interface to receive and communicate with said telephone terminal.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program stored thereon and comprising instructions for implementing a method for managing the level of charge of at least two batteries, when this program is executed by a processor, the at least two batteries respectively powering a payment device and a communication device, said devices being capable of physically cooperating with each other via a modular interface, wherein the method comprises:

connecting the payment device to the communications device through the modular interface;

transferring energy from one of said batteries to the other of said batteries, wherein transferring is carried out according to a level of charge of at least one of said batteries;

obtaining at least one piece of information on level of charge for each of said batteries, which provides a first piece of information on level of charge for said payment device and a second piece of information on level of charge for said communication device; and

comparing the first and second pieces of information on level of charge with, respectively, a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold, respectively producing a first comparison result and a second comparison result, a comparison result being positive when the level of charge is above the threshold and a comparison result being negative when the level of charge is below the threshold,

when either the first comparison result or the second comparison result is negative, performing the act of transferring so that both the payment device and the communications device have sufficient levels of charge at least to carry out a bank transaction up to an end of the bank transaction.