SMART CHARGING OF USER DEVICES

• US 20170040815A1
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Todasco, Michael Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,050,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]

Abstract

A charger device may include a coupling component configured to deliver power for charging user devices and a wireless interface configured to broadcast wireless signals. The coupling component may include a connector that may be plugged into a user device or an inductive coil to be inductively coupled to a user device. The charger device may determine whether the coupling component is coupled to a user device and transmit via the wireless interface an “available” signal indicating the charger device is available in response to determining the coupling component is not coupled. The user device may provide a notification to the user based, at least in part, on receiving the “available” signal. The user device may provide the notification further based on other information, such as activity of a user detected by the user device, a geolocation determined by the user device, or information received from a service provider.

Claims

1. A charger device comprising:

a coupling component configured to deliver power for charging user devices;

a wireless interface configured to transmit signals; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether the coupling component is coupled to a user device; and

transmit via the wireless interface a first signal indicating the charger device is available in response to determining the coupling component is not coupled.

2. The charger device of claim 1, wherein the user device is configured to provide a notification to charge based, at least in part, on receiving the first signal.

3. The charger device of claim 1, wherein the coupling component comprises at least one of a connector configured to plug into the user device or an inductive coil configured to inductively couple to the user device.

4. The charger device of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface is configured to transmit at least one of Bluetooth signals, Wi-Fi signals, infrared (IR) signals, visible light signals, or radio frequency (RF) signals.

5. The charger device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to stop transmitting via the wireless interface the first signal in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device.

6. The charger device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

stop transmitting via the wireless interface the first signal in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device that is charging; and

transmit via the wireless interface the first signal in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device that is done charging.

7. The charger device of claim 1, wherein the coupling component comprises a data interface, wherein the processor is further configured to:

access via the data interface an identifier from the user device in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device; and

transmit via the wireless interface a second signal including the identifier indicating the user device is done charging in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device that is done charging;

wherein another user device associated with the user device is configured provide to the user a notification indicating the user device is done charging in response to receiving the second signal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupling component comprises a data interface, wherein the processor is further configured to:

in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device, accessing via the coupling component an identifier from the user device; and

in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device that is done charging, transmitting via the wireless interface a second signal including the identifier indicating the user device is done charging.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising in response to another user device associated with the user device receiving the second signal, providing a notification on the other user device indicating the user device is done charging.

8. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store activity data; and

one or more processors configured to;

determine a charger device is available in response to a user device receiving a signal from the charger device;

determine an amount of power remaining in a battery of the user device;

provide a notification to charge the user device based, at least in part, on receiving the signal and the amount of power remaining in the battery.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

access the activity data; and

provide the notification to charge the user device further based on the activity data;

wherein the activity data comprises recent activity indicating whether the user has been recently active and/or activity history indicating whether user is active at the time of the day or week.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine, via a global positioning system (GPS) of the user device, a geolocation of the user device;

provide the notification to charge the user device further based on the geolocation.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine battery usage data for the battery;

provide the notification to charge the user device further based on the battery usage data by forecasting how much power the battery requires based on the battery usage data.

12. A method comprising:

determining whether a coupling component of a charger device is coupled to a user device; and

in response to determining the coupling component is not coupled, transmitting via a wireless interface of the charger device a first signal indicating the charger device is available.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining an amount of power remaining in a battery of the user device; and

providing a notification on the user device to charge based, at least in part, on the user device receiving the first signal and the amount of power remaining in the battery.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device, stop transmitting via the wireless interface the first signal.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device that is charging, stop transmitting via the wireless interface the first signal; and

in response to determining the coupling component is coupled to the user device that is done charging, transmitting via the wireless interface the first signal.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising accessing activity data, wherein the providing is further based on the activity data, and wherein the activity data comprises recent activity indicating whether the user has been recently active and/or activity history indicating whether user is active at the time of the day or week.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining, via a global positioning system (GPS) of the user device, a geolocation of the user device, wherein the providing is further based on the geolocation.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining battery usage data for the battery, wherein the providing is further based on the battery usage data.