Charger Loss Prevention Adaptor

• US 20110050447A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian Tedesco
• Original Assignee: Brian Tedesco
• Inventors: Tedesco, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,493,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/687
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0233 System arrangements with pre-alarms, e.g. when a first distance is exceeded
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

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.

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.

2. The unit of claim 1, said detection occurring in real time response to said disconnection.

3. The unit of claim 1, implemented as an adaptor connectable directly to an electrical outlet.

4. The unit of claim 3 configured for providing, to said charger, power from said outlet.

5. The unit of claim 3, said issuing being subject to said charger being in a state of being connected for powering from said outlet.

6. The unit of claim 3, said outlet being a wall outlet.

7. The unit of claim 1, comprising said charger.

8. The unit of claim 7, said issuing being subject to said charger detecting that said charger is connected for powering from an electrical outlet.

9. The unit of claim 1, said issuing being further responsive to distance between said unit and said portable device exceeding a predetermined threshold.

10. The unit of claim 9, further configured for detecting said distance using at least one of Bluetooth™

technology and radio frequency identification (RFID).

11. The unit of claim 9, said issuing being in real time response to said exceeding.

12. The unit of claim 1, said issuing being further responsive to expiry of a predetermined time period that starts upon the disconnection from said charger.

13. The unit of claim 12, said issuing being in real time response to said expiry.

14. The unit of claim 1, said issuing being subject to said unit being in a state of being connected for powering from an electrical outlet.

15. The unit of claim 14, further comprising an engagement detector configured for detecting said state.

16. The unit of claim 1, said disconnection occurring by detachment, from said charger, of a portable device to which said battery is attached.

17. The unit of claim 16, said detachment occurring by unplugging, from said charger, said portable device to which said battery is attached.

18. The unit of claim 1, said disconnection comprising electrical disconnection of a battery of said portable device.

19. The unit of claim 1, implemented as a plug-in unit.

20. The unit of claim 1, said portable device being a handheld device.

21. The unit of claim 1, configured such that communication, to said module, of said disconnection, occurs in real time.

22. The unit of claim 1, designed for said issuing only if at least one of:

a) said charger; and

b) an adaptor for powering said charger

is plugged in for receiving power from an electrical outlet.

23. The unit of claim 1, said unit being a unit separate from said device.

24. A portable-device battery charger configured to prevent itself from being left behind when a battery of a portable device is disconnected from said charger, said charger being configured for, responsive to said charger detecting the disconnection from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder, and for independently detecting said disconnection.

25. The charger of claim 24, said issuing being subject to said charger detecting that said device is not connected to said charger for powering.

26. An adaptor connectable directly to an electrical outlet and configured to prevent leaving behind a portable-device battery charger when a portable-device battery is disconnected from said charger, said adaptor comprising:

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.

27. The adaptor of claim 26, configured as generalized, rather than specialized for use with a particular type of portable-device plug-in charger.

28. A unit configured for preventing a battery charger from being left behind, for supplying power from an electrical outlet to a portable device connected for charging, and for, responsive to breaking of the connection, delaying commencement of reminding a user.

29. The unit of claim 28, said delaying being for a predetermined length of time.

30. The unit of claim 28, configured for scheduling a reminder so as to perform said delaying, said scheduling being performed responsive to said breaking.

31. The unit of claim 30, said scheduling being performed in real-time response to said breaking.

32. The unit of claim 28, configured for scheduling a reminder so as to perform said delaying, said scheduling comprising accessing a parameter representing a predetermined threshold.

33. The unit of claim 28, said commencement being scheduled for when a predetermined criterion is met.

34. The unit of claim 33, further comprising a wireless transceiver, said criterion being such that evaluation against it would comprise determining whether distance between said transceiver and a transceiver of said device chargeable by said charger meets a predetermined threshold.

35. The unit of claim 28, comprising a portable-device connection detector configured for, after scheduling of a reminder so as to perform said delaying, detecting connection of a portable device to said charger, said circuitry being further configured for, responsive to said detecting of said connection, resetting by foregoing a current schedule created in said scheduling and by reinitiating monitoring for said breaking.

36. Circuitry for preventing a battery charger from being left behind, comprising:

a portable-device disconnection detector configured for detecting a disconnection event in which a portable device is disconnected from said charger, the detection of said event occurring in real time; and

a notification module configured for, responsive to said disconnection event, delaying commencement of reminding a user.

37. The circuitry of claim 36, said delaying being for a predetermined length of time.

38. The circuitry of claim 36, comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogator for determining whether a predetermined distance criterion is met, said circuitry configured for commencing, upon said criterion being met, a reminder scheduled upon said detecting of said event.

39. The circuitry of claim 36, said module being further configured for determining whether to issue a reminder.

40. The circuitry of claim 39, said determining being performed at said commencement of reminding, said commencement having been scheduled.

41. The circuitry of claim 39, said determining being based upon a connection status of said charger at a time subsequent to said disconnection event.

42. The circuitry of claim 41, further comprising a portable-device-connection-existence detector configured for detecting, by said circuitry at said time subsequent, whether there exists a connection of a portable device to said charger so as to be charged by said charger, said status being representative of a result of said detecting by said portable-device-connection-existence detector.

43. The circuitry of claim 41, further comprising a power-connection-existence detector configured for detecting whether there exists, to a source external to said charger, a connection of said charger for receiving power by which to charge a portable device connectable to said charger for charging, said status being representative of a result of said detecting by said power-connection-existence detector.

44. The circuitry of claim 41, further comprising a portable-device-connection detector for detecting connection of a portable device to said charger so as to be charged by said charger, said status reflecting, in event of said connection, said connection.

45. The circuitry of claim 36, said charger being configured for charging a battery configured for powering said device.

46. The circuitry of claim 36, the disconnection of said device electrically disconnecting said battery from said charger.

47. The circuitry of claim 36, said charger configured for being plugged in to a source of electrical power.

48. The circuitry of claim 36, said module being further configured for, based on a determined charging state of a battery, shutting off power to said charger and suppressing an audible component of said reminding.

49. An adaptor comprising the circuitry of claim 36, said adaptor configured for detachable electrical connection both to said charger, and to a source of electrical power for charging by said charger.

50. The adaptor of claim 49, further comprising a switch by which said module is switchable by a user into a state that is inactive but allows said adaptor to still convey from said source, to said charger, said power, and by which said module is switchable back into an active state.

51. A user-alerting charger comprising, as a single, integrated unit, the circuitry of claim 36 and said charger.

52. The circuitry of claim 36, further comprising an engagement detector configured for detecting, based on, at least one of a) a location of a first adaptor surface that faces a surface of an electrical outlet with respect to the outlet surface and b) a location of a surface, of a battery charger, that faces a second adaptor surface with respect to said second adaptor surface, whether, correspondingly, said outlet or said charger is connected to said adaptor;

said notification module being configured for, correspondingly responsive to the detecting that said outlet or said charger is so connected, issuing a reminder whose commencement said delaying delays.

53. A method for making a unit that is connectable for charging a portable device and that is configured to prevent leaving behind a portable-device battery charger when a battery of said device is disconnected from said charger, comprising:

configuring said unit so as to incorporate a notification module for, to prevent said leaving behind, issuing a reminder, said issuing being responsive to detection, by said unit, of said battery being disconnected from said charger.

54. A computer software product for preventing leaving behind a battery charger for a portable device when a battery of said device is disconnected from said charger, said product comprising a computer readable medium embodying a computer program that includes instructions executable by a processor to perform a plurality of acts, said plurality comprising the acts of:

detecting, by a unit comprising said product, the disconnection; and

responsive to detection of said battery being disconnected from said charger and to prevent said leaving behind, issuing, by said unit, a reminder.

55. An adaptor comprising:

an engagement detector configured for detecting, based on, at least one of a) a location of a first adaptor surface that faces a surface of an electrical outlet with respect to the outlet surface and b) a location of a surface, of a battery charger, that faces a second adaptor surface with respect to said second adaptor surface, whether, correspondingly, said outlet or said charger is connected to said adaptor; and

a notification module configured for, correspondingly responsive to the detecting that said outlet or said charger is so connected, issuing a reminder.

56. The adaptor of claim 55, said module being further configured for, responsive to detection of a battery chargeable by a portable-device-battery charger being disconnected from said charger and to prevent leaving behind said charger, performing said issuing.

57. The adaptor of claim 55, said one or more comprising said location of said first adaptor surface with respect to said outlet surface.

58. The adaptor of claim 55, said issuing being responsive to distance between said adaptor and a portable device exceeding a predetermined threshold.

59. (canceled)

60. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:

a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device;

a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind; and

a switch by which said module is switchable by a user into a state that is inactive but allows said unit to still provide power for charging a portable device, and by which said module is switchable back into an active state, said unit designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet.

62. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:

a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and

a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind, said unit configured for detecting whether said unit is connected for receiving power from an electrical outlet, said issuing being responsive to a result of said detecting whether said unit is connected.

70. The unit of claim 72, further configured for monitoring for said movement meeting said criterion.

72. The unit of claim 62, designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for said receiving.

63. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:

a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and

a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind, said unit being further configured for detecting whether said unit is connected, to a portable device, for supplying a portable-device battery with power from an electrical outlet, said issuing being responsive to a result of said detecting whether said unit is connected.

64. The unit of claim 63, implemented as an adaptor removably connectable between said charger and said outlet.

73. The unit of claim 63, designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet.

65-66. -66. (canceled)

67. A unit comprising:

a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and

a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder, said issuing being subject to detection of disconnection, from a charger, of a portable-device battery.

74. The unit of claim 67, designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet.

68. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:

a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a predetermined distance between said detector and said device;

a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind; and

a battery for supplying power to said unit, said unit designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet.

61. The unit of claim 68, the connection being a plug-in connection.

69. A unit configured for preventing a charger from being left behind, said unit comprising:

a detector configured for detecting, by wireless communication, movement of a portable device that meets a predetermined criterion, said criterion being based on a distance between said detector and said device; and

a notification module configured for, responsive to the meeting of said criterion, issuing a reminder to thereby prevent the leaving behind, said unit designed for said issuing only if said unit is connected for receiving electrical power from an electrical outlet, said unit configured for said issuing even when said unit is not receiving said power.

71. (canceled)

75. A wall outlet adaptor configured for, while a device remains plugged in to said adaptor, sensing, from said device, that said device is about to be left behind.

76. The adaptor of claim 75, said device comprising a charger.

77. The adaptor of claim 75, configured for, only while plugged in to an electrical outlet, issuing a reminder upon said sensing that said device is about to be left behind.