Charging stations

1 . A charging station comprising:

a frame defining a plurality of bays;

a plurality of modular charging units disposed in the plurality of bays, each modular charging unit adapted to receive a communication device at least partially therein, wherein each modular charging unit includes:

a connector for communicating power and data between the modular charging unit and the communication device when the communication device is present in the modular charging unit;

a locking mechanism; and

an actuator including a member that is movable between:

a first actuator position at which the member is not in physical contact with the locking mechanism and the locking mechanism does not prevent removal of the communication device from the modular charging unit; and

a second actuator position at which the member is in physical contact with the locking mechanism such that the locking mechanism exerts a force on a surface of the communication device, when present in the modular charging unit, for preventing the removal of the communication device from the modular charging unit;

and wherein the charging station is configured to supply power to the communication device only when the locking mechanism is in the second position.

2 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein each modular charging unit further comprises a pivot point, wherein the locking mechanism is coupled via an arm to the pivot point, such that the locking mechanism rotates about the pivot point between a first position at which the locking mechanism is not in physical contact with the communication device and a second position at which the locking mechanism is in physical contact with the communication device to exert the force on the communication device.

3 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein each modular charging unit is door-free.

4 . The charging station of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply coupled to the plurality of modular charging units to permit communication devices to be charged via power supplied from the power supply to each of the plurality of modular charging units.

5 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein each modular charging unit is disposed in a bay and is removably coupled to the frame.

6 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bays is a same shape and a same size, and wherein each of the plurality of modular charging units is a same shape and a same size.

7 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein each modular charging unit is outlet-free.

8 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein each modular charging unit is cable-free.

9 . The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a planar portion and a hooked portion, wherein the hooked portion is adapted to contact a surface of the communication device for preventing the removal of the communication device from the modular charging unit.

10 . The charging station of claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a planar portion and a hooked portion, wherein the actuator is movable from the first actuator position to the second actuator position to contact the planar portion of the locking mechanism and cause the locking mechanism to rotate about the pivot point from the first position to the second position and cause the hooked portion to contact a surface of the communication device for preventing the removal of the communication device from the modular charging unit.

11 . A system comprising:

a communication device; and

a charging station comprising:

a frame defining a plurality of bays; and

a plurality of modular charging units disposed in the plurality of bays, each modular charging unit adapted to receive the communication device at least partially therein,

wherein each modular charging unit includes:

a connector adapted to couple to a corresponding connector of the communication device and communicate power between the modular charging unit and the communication device when the communication device is inserted into the modular charging unit; and

a locking mechanism that is movable between a first position at which the locking mechanism is not in physical contact with the communication device when the communication device is positioned within the modular charging unit and a second position at which the locking mechanism is in physical contact with the communication device; and

an actuator coupled to the frame, the actuator being selectively movable between:

a first position at which the actuator is not in physical contact with the locking mechanism; and

a second position at which the actuator is in physical contact with the locking mechanism to exert a force, via the locking mechanism, on the communication device;

wherein the charging station is configured to supply power to the communication device only when the locking mechanism is in the second position.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the communication device is a hardened wireless communication device including an outer protective housing including a first external surface and a second external surface, and wherein the locking mechanism, when at the second position, is in physical contact with the first external surface, the second external surface, or both, to exert the force on the communication device and retain the communication device in the bay of the plurality of bays.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a planar portion including a first distal end of the locking mechanism and a hooked portion including a second distal end of the locking mechanism.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the second distal end of the locking mechanism, when at the second position, is in physical contact with the first external surface, the second external surface, or both, to exert the force on the communication device and retain the communication device in the bay of the plurality of bays.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the communication device includes an RFID transmitter to transmit identification information to the charging station, and wherein the RFID transmitter is disposed inside of a housing of the communication device between a semi-rigid interior member (SRIM) and a rigid exterior member (REM).

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the charging station is adapted to charge the communication device responsive to all of:

authentication of the communication device based on the identification information received by the charging station;

the connector being coupled to the corresponding connector of the communication device; and

the actuator being positioned at the second position to retain the communication device in the modular charging unit.

17 . A system comprising:

a communication device; and

a charging station comprising:

a frame including a plurality of bays; and

a plurality of door-free modular charging units disposed in the bays, wherein each of the door-free modular charging units includes:

a connector adapted to operatively couple to a corresponding connector of the communication device and communicate power between the modular charging unit and the communication when the communication device is inserted into the modular charging unit;

a pivot point;

a locking mechanism including a planar portion and a hooked portion,

wherein the locking mechanism is rotatable about the pivot point between:

a first position at which a distal end of the hooked portion is not in physical contact with the communication device when the communication device is positioned within the modular charging unit; and

a second position at which the distal end of the hooked portion is in physical contact with the communication device; and

an actuator that is selectively movable between:

a first actuator position at which the actuator is not in physical contact with the locking mechanism; and

a second actuator position at which the actuator is in physical contact with the planar portion and the distal end of the hooked portion is in contact with an external surface of the communication device to exert a force on the external surface of the communication device for preventing the removal of the communication device from the modular charging unit while the actuator is at its second actuator positions,

wherein the charging station is configured to supply power to the communication device only when the locking mechanism is configured in the second actuator position and the communication device has been authenticated.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the communication device is directly coupled, via the connector and a corresponding connector of the communication device, to the charging station; and

a portion of the communication device disposed in one of the door-free modular charging units protrudes a distance away from an exterior surface of the frame.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the charging station is configured to cause the actuator to relock the locking mechanism of the communication device after a time limit is exceeded by causing the locking mechanism to move from the second position to the first position after the time limit is exceeded.

20 . The charging station of claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface adapted for receiving input of identification information from a user, the graphical user interface adapted to display a keypad comprising numbers, wherein the arrangement of the numbers on the graphical user interface keypad is changeable for increased security.