BATTERY LEVEL INDICATION BY PORTABLE TELEPHONE

• US 20120190305A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Wuidart, Luc
• Application Number:
  US13/349,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20120190305A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72478 for hearing-impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

Methods for indicating the state of charge of the battery of a portable object, comprising a step for contactless transmission from a portable object to a telephone of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object, and a step for indication, via a human-machine interface of the telephone, of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object.

Claims

1. A method for indicating a state of charge of a battery of a portable object, the method comprising:

contactlessly receiving, from a portable object to a telephone, a communication indicative of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object; and

indicating the state of charge of the battery of the portable object via a user interface of the telephone.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the state of charge of the battery of the portable object.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein indicating the state of charge of the battery of the portable object via the user interface of the telephone comprises at least one of displaying a visual message and emitting a sound message.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following:

transmitting, from the portable object to the telephone, data representing the state of health of the battery;

transmitting, from the portable object to the telephone, data corresponding to an operation of the portable object; and

transmitting, from the telephone to the portable object, parameters for setting an operation of the portable object.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, via the user interface of the telephone, a request for the state of charge of the battery of a portable object

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the portable object is within a proximity of the telephone, wherein the wirelessly receiving includes automatically receiving the communication in response to determining that the portable object is within the proximity of the telephone.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

emitting an electromagnetic field from the telephone; and

resonating a resonant circuit of the portable object to enable data communication between the portable object and the telephone.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic field emitted from the telephone is at a frequency of between approximately 10 MHz and approximately 15 MHz.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic field emitted from the telephone is suitable for contactless communication at a distance less than or equal to 10 centimeters.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising contactlessly charging the battery of the portable object by the electromagnetic field emitted from the telephone.

11. A telephone comprising:

a wireless transceiver device configured to receive and transmit signals during a telephone call;

a communication device configured to contactlessly receive a communication indicative of a state of charge of a battery of a portable object; and

a user interface configured to indicate the state of charge of the battery of the portable object.

12. The telephone according to claim 11 wherein the communication device comprises a resonant circuit having an antenna.

13. The telephone according to claim 12 wherein the antenna of the resonant circuit occupies more than half of the surface area of the telephone.

14. The telephone according to claim 13 wherein the antenna of the resonant circuit is incorporated in a screen of the telephone.

15. The telephone according to claim 11, wherein the user interface includes at least one of a screen configured to display a visual message indicative of the state of charge of the battery and a speaker configured to transmit a sound message indicative of the state of the battery.

16. The telephone according to claim 11, further comprising a recess in the telephone configured to receive the portable object, the contactless communication device being configured to receive the communication indicative of the state of charge of the battery for the portable object in response to the portable object being placed into the recess.

17. The telephone according to claim 11, further comprising a computing device configured to send a request for a contactless transmission of the communication indicative of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object, and in response to the user interface receiving a request for the state of charge, the computing device requesting for the contactless transmission of the communication.

18. The telephone according to claim 11, further comprising a proximity sensor configured to sense whether the portable object is within a distance of the telephone, and cause the telephone to enable contactless communication between the portable object and the telephone.

19. A system comprising:

a portable object including a resonant circuit configured to resonate at first frequency; and

a telephone including a communication device configured to contactlessly receive a communication indicative of a state of charge of a battery of the portable object, the telephone further including a user interface configured to indicate the state of charge of the battery of the portable object.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication device includes a resonant circuit configured to resonate at a second frequency, the second frequency corresponding to the first frequency.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes at least one of a screen and a speaker, the screen configured to display a visual message indicative of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object and the speaker configured to provide a sound message indicative of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the portable object is a hearing aid.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the portable object is a first portable object, the system further comprising a second portable object including a resonant circuit configured to resonate at the first frequency.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the telephone further includes a proximity sensor configured to sense whether the portable object is within a distance from the proximity sensor and cause the telephone to enable contactless communication between the portable object and the telephone.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a computing device configured to request the contactless transmission of the communication indicative of the state of charge of the battery of the portable object in response to input data received from the user interface.