US 8610397

US Patent 8610397: Smart Battery Charger for Portable Wireless Devices

Title: Battery charger for portable devices and related methods
Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Ltd
Inventors: Michael L. Purdy, Ryan Mitchell Bayne
Filing Date: January 24, 2012
Issue Date: December 17, 2013
Abstract: A battery charger for portable devices and methods that intelligently adapts its charging parameters. The charger includes a connector, a charging circuit, and a controller. This controller determines the specific type of portable device and its rechargeable battery, then adjusts the charging process based on their respective charging requirements.

Independent Claims Overview:

Claim 1 (Battery Charger Apparatus):
This claim describes a battery charger specifically designed for portable wireless communication devices. The portable wireless communication device has a rechargeable battery and a wireless communication transceiver. Both the device and the battery have specific "types" that determine their charging rates. The charger itself consists of a charging circuit and a controller. The controller is programmed to identify the specific type of the connected portable wireless communication device and its rechargeable battery. Based on this identification, the controller instructs the charging circuit to charge the battery according to its appropriate charging rate.

Claim 11 (Battery Charging System):
This claim defines a complete battery charging system. It includes a portable wireless communication device, which itself comprises a rechargeable battery and a wireless communication transceiver. Similar to Claim 1, both the device and the battery have designated types with corresponding charging rates. The system also incorporates the battery charger as described in Claim 1, which includes a charging circuit and a controller. The controller in this system is configured to identify the device and battery types and then direct the charging circuit to charge the battery based on their respective charging rates.

Claim 18 (Battery Charging Method):
This claim outlines a method for charging a rechargeable battery within a portable wireless communication device. The method acknowledges that the portable device and its battery each have a specific type with unique charging rates. The steps of the method involve connecting a charging circuit to the portable wireless communication device. This connection prompts the device to communicate its portable device type and rechargeable battery type. Subsequently, the charging circuit then proceeds to charge the rechargeable battery based on the identified charging rates.