Battery charger for portable devices and related methods
A battery charger may include a charger connector to be coupled to a corresponding device connector of a portable device including a rechargeable battery. The battery charger may also include a charging circuit connected to the charger connector, and a controller connected to the charger connector and the charging circuit. The controller may be for causing a portable device connected to the charger connector to identify its corresponding portable device type and its corresponding rechargeable battery type from among a plurality of different portable device types and different battery types, and for causing the charging circuit to charge the rechargeable battery based thereon.
1. A battery charger for a portable wireless communications device including a rechargeable battery and a wireless communications transceiver coupled thereto, the portable wireless communications device and rechargeable battery each respectively having a portable device type and a rechargeable battery type associated therewith from among a plurality of different portable device types and different rechargeable battery types, the battery charger comprising:
a charging circuit; and
a controller coupled to said charging circuit and configured to determine from the portable wireless communications device the portable device type and corresponding rechargeable battery type, and to cause said charging circuit to charge the rechargeable battery based upon a limiting charging parameter between a charging parameter for the portable device type and a corresponding charging parameter for the rechargeable battery type.
2. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to enter a learning mode for learning the charging parameter for the portable device type and the charging parameter for the rechargeable battery type.
3. The battery charger of claim 2 wherein said controller is configured to enter the learning mode upon receiving a learning mode signal from the portable device.
4. The battery charger of claim 1 further comprising at least one memory coupled to said controller and configured to store the limiting charging parameter.
5. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the limiting charging parameter comprises at least one of a current parameter, a voltage parameter, and a charging time.
6. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to monitor said charging circuit to detect a charging error during charging of the rechargeable battery.
7. The battery charger of claim 6 further comprising an indicator coupled to said controller and configured to provide an error indication upon detecting the charging error.
8. A battery charging system comprising:
a portable wireless communications device comprising a rechargeable battery and a wireless communications transceiver coupled thereto, the portable wireless communications device and rechargeable battery each respectively having a portable device type and a rechargeable battery type associated therewith from among a plurality of different portable device types and different rechargeable battery types; and
a battery charger comprising
a charging circuit, and
a controller coupled to said charging circuit and configured to determine from said portable wireless communications device the portable device type and the corresponding rechargeable battery type, and to cause said charging circuit to charge the rechargeable battery based upon a limiting charging parameter between a charging parameter for the portable device type and a corresponding charging parameter for the rechargeable battery type.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to enter a learning mode for learning the charging parameter for the portable device type and the charging parameter for the rechargeable battery type.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said controller is configured to enter the learning mode upon receiving a learning mode signal from said portable device.
11. The system of claim 8 further comprising at least one memory coupled to said controller and configured to store the limiting charging parameter.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the limiting charging parameter comprises at least one of a current parameter, a voltage parameter, and a charging time.
13. The system of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to monitor said charging circuit to detect a charging error during charging of the rechargeable battery.
14. The system of claim 13 further comprising an indicator coupled to said controller and configured to provide an error indication upon detecting the charging error.
15. A battery charging method for a rechargeable battery carried by a portable wireless communications device, the portable wireless communications device and rechargeable battery each respectively having a portable device type and a rechargeable battery type associated therewith from among a plurality of different portable device types and different battery types, the method comprising:
operatively coupling the portable wireless communications device to a battery charger comprising a charging circuit and a controller coupled thereto; and
using the controller to determine from the portable wireless communications device the portable device type and corresponding rechargeable battery type, and to cause the charging circuit to charge the rechargeable battery based upon a limiting charging parameter between a charging parameter for the portable device type and a corresponding charging parameter for the rechargeable battery type.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising entering the controller into a learning mode for learning the charging parameter for the portable device type and the charging parameter for the rechargeable battery type.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein entering the controller into the learning mode comprises entering the controller into the learning mode upon receiving a learning mode signal from the portable device.
18. The method of claim 15 further comprising storing the limiting charging parameter into at least one memory coupled to the controller.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the limiting charging parameter comprises at least one of a current parameter, a voltage parameter, and a charging time.
20. The method of claim 15 further comprising using the controller to monitor the charging circuit to detect a charging error during charging of the rechargeable battery.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising using an indicator coupled to the controller for providing an error indication upon detecting the charging error.