Conditional battery charging system
View Patent ↗A method and system are provided in which a charging process for rechargeable batteries is controlled in accordance with selected predetermined variable conditions. In an exemplary embodiment, a user is enabled to select the predetermined conditions under which the charging of a battery is suspended until such conditions have changed. Such conditions include, for example, physical location of the battery being charged and/or the time and/or date when the battery is being charged. A user GUI is provided to enable a user to input selected times and/or dates and/or locations when the device containing the battery is likely to be away from a charging source and needs to be fully charged, and/or selected times and/or dates and/or locations when the device is likely to have access to a power source and the battery is enabled to be charged only to a storage level.
1. A method for selectively charging a specific battery within an electronic device, said method comprising:
enabling a user to select a situational condition relative to said electronic device in which said specific battery within said electronic device will be charged to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, said storage charge level being less than a fully charged level;
determining when said selected situational condition exists with respect to said electronic device; and
enabling a charging of said specific battery to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, depending upon a current existence of said selected situational condition.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said situational condition is a selected time period.
3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said specific battery is enabled to be charged to a fully charged level during said selected time period.
4. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said specific battery is enabled to be charged to a storage charge level during said selected time period.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said situational condition is a selected location.
6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said specific battery is enabled to be charged to a fully charged level when said electronic device is within said selected location.
7. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said specific battery is enabled to be charged to a storage charge level when said electronic device is within said selected location.
8. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said method further includes:
retrieving a current time;
comparing said current time with said selected time period; and
enabling a charging of said specific battery to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, depending upon a detected relationship between said current time and said selected time period.
9. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said method further includes:
determining a current location of said electronic device;
comparing said current location with said selected location; and
enabling a charging of said specific battery to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, depending upon a detected relationship between said current location and said selected location.
10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said location is determined using a GPS or RFID system.
11. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said location is determined using an SSID location determining methodology.
12. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said location is determined using a network profile location determining methodology.
13. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said location is determined using a ping/trace location determining methodology.
14. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:
detecting specific battery charging information for said specific battery;
retrieving charging information for said specific battery;
retrieving a recommended storage charge level for said specific battery, said recommended storage charge level being less than a fully charged level for said specific battery;
monitoring an actual charge level for said specific battery as said specific battery is being charged; and
terminating said charging of said specific battery depending upon a current existence of said selected situational condition.
15. A storage medium, said storage medium being selectively coupled to processing circuitry, said storage medium containing indicia readable by said processing circuitry for providing program signals to control charging a specific battery within an electronic device from a charging source when said electronic device is connected to said charging source, said program signals being effective for enabling:
enabling a user to select a situational condition relative to said electronic device in which said specific battery within said electronic device will be charged to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, said storage charge level being less than a fully charged level;
determining when said selected situational condition exists with respect to said electronic device; and
enabling a charging of said specific battery to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, depending upon a current existence of said selected situational condition.
16. The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein said situational condition is a selected time period.
17. The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein said situational condition is a selected location.
18. A system for selectively charging a specific battery within an electronic device, said system comprising:
means for enabling a user to select a situational condition relative to said electronic device in which said specific battery within said electronic device will be charged to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, said storage charge level being less than a fully charged level;
means for determining when said selected situational condition exists with respect to said electronic device; and
means for enabling a charging of said specific battery to a fully charged level or only to a storage charge level, depending upon a current existence of said selected situational condition.
19. The system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said situational condition is a selected time period.
20. The system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said situational condition is a selected location.