Communicative and virtual battery chargers and methods
View Patent ↗A physical battery charger ( 104 ) connects to a computer ( 102 ) using a communications link such as a universal serial bus (USB) connection. Application software ( 114 ) resident on the computer ( 102 ) presents a virtual battery charger ( 116 ) on a display ( 110 ) associated with the computer ( 102 ). The virtual charger ( 116 ) provides information regarding the status of the physical charger ( 104 ) and allows the user to control the operation of or otherwise interact with the physical charger ( 104 ). The physical charger ( 104 ) also adjusts the charging rate of batteries ( 222 ) being charged based on the available power.
1. A virtual battery charger operatively connected to a general purpose external communication interface of a computer for communication with a physical battery charger, wherein the virtual battery charger presents information indicative of an operation of the physical battery charger on a display of the computer and receives a user input for interacting with the physical battery charger and wherein the virtual battery charger has a form factor and arrangement corresponding to those of the physical battery charger.
2. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the communication interface is a serial bidirectional interface.
3. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the communication interface is a universal serial bus interface.
4. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger includes a graphical representation of a battery charger.
5. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the computer includes a graphical user interface and the virtual battery charger presents the information and receives the user input via the graphical user interface.
6. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger instructs a user to insert a battery in a battery receiving region of the physical battery charger.
7. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the presented information includes information that a battery has been incorrectly inserted in a batter receiving region of the physical battery charger.
8. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the presented information includes the number of batteries disposed in a battery receiving region of the physical battery charger.
9. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger is automatically displayed when the physical charger is connected to the communication interface.
10. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the user input includes a stop charging command and a start charging command.
11. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger includes a plurality of user selectable skins, whereby the user can alter an appearance of the virtual battery charger.
12. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger provides an audible indication of an operation of the physical battery charger.
13. The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the physical battery charger receives a plurality of AA size batteries for charging.
14. A computer readable storage medium containing instructions which, when carried out by a computer, causes the computer to carry out a method comprising:
presenting, via a user interface of the computer, information indicative of an operation of a physical battery charger including a battery receiving region which selectively receives a generally cylindrical battery for charging, wherein the battery charger is operatively connected to the computer via a communication interface of the computer;
presenting virtual elements via the user interface that correspond to element of the physical battery charger; and
using information received from the battery charger via the communication interface to update the presented information and the presented virtual elements.
15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the battery charger obtains energy for charging the battery via the interface.
16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the communication interface is a USB interface.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the computer is a personal computer.
18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.
19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein presenting includes presenting a graphical representation of the battery charger.
20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the information includes a state of charge of a battery received in the battery receiving region.
21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein presenting includes presenting the state of charge in a format selected by the user via the user interface, wherein the format is selected from a group which includes a percentage and a time.
22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the method includes receiving, via the operator interface, a user input indicative of a desired operation of the battery charger and communicating the desired operation to the battery charger via the communication interface.
23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the method includes receiving, via the operator interface, a user input indicative of a desired presentation of the information, wherein the desired presentation is selected from a group which includes a first presentation which includes a graphical representation of the battery charger and a second presentation.
24. An apparatus comprising:
a personal computer comprising
a user interface including a virtual charger;
a first communication interface;
a battery charger comprising:
a battery receiving region which selectively receives a plurality of batteries for charging;
battery contacts which make electrical contact with the terminals of batteries received in the battery receiving region;
a second communication interface operatively connected to the first communication interface for data communication therewith;
battery charger circuitry operatively connected to the battery contacts and the second communication interface; and
the battery charger having a form factor and arrangement corresponding to those of the virtual battery charger;
a computer readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by the personal computer, cause the personal computer to display, via the user interface, information indicative of an operation of the battery charger.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the computer readable storage medium contains instructions which, when executed by the personal computer, cause the personal computer to display, via the user interface, a graphical representation of the battery charger.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the computer readable storage medium contains instructions which, when executed by the personal computer, cause the personal computer to receive a user input indicative of a desired operation of the battery charger and to communicate the desired operation to the battery charger via the first communication interface.
27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the information includes a state of charge of a battery received in the battery receiving region.
28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the first communication interface is a USB port.
29. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the battery receiving region receives at least first and second batteries selected from a group which includes AA and AAA size batteries.
30. A method comprising:
identifying a device connected to a communication port of a computer, wherein the communication port is configured for communication with a plurality of different devices;
if the connected device is a physical battery charger, presenting a virtual battery charger via a user interface of the computer;
determing whether battery charger application software is present on the storage medium; and
if the battery charger application software is not present storing the battery charger application software on the computer readable storage medium.
31. The method of claim 30 including receiving the battery charger application software from the internet.
32. The method of claim 30 wherein the virtual battery charger includes a graphical representation of the physical battery charger, and wherein the graphical representation has a form factor which corresponds to a form factor of the physical battery charger.
33. The method of claim 30 wherein the physical battery charger includes a battery receiving region which receives a plurality of batteries for charging and the method includes receiving, via the communication port, information indicative of the number and location of batteries received in the battery receiving region.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein the method includes receiving, via the communication port, information indicative of a state of charge of a battery received in the battery receiving region.
35. The method of claim 30 including sending, via the communication port, a command for controlling an operation of the physical battery charger.
36. The method of claim 30 wherein the physical battery charger is powered from energy received from the communication port.
37. The method of claim 30 including obtaining at least one of operating instructions for the physical battery charger, operating instructions for the virtual battery charger, or an updated version of battery charger application software over a wide area computer network.