System and method for charging electronic devices in a controlled environment
AssigneeGlobal Tel*Link Corporation
InventorStephen Lee Hodge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for providing electrical charge to residents of a controlled-environment facility. In an embodiment, a charging station may be provided in an area accessible to an inmate to allow charging of in an inmate smart device, such as a phone or tablet. In an embodiment, a portable charger may be provided to an inmate for charging a smart device.
Claims17
A method of a charging station, the method comprising:
- receiving an electrical charge;
- accumulating the electrical charge in an accumulator;
- determining that an amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is above a threshold;
- ceasing, in response to the determining, accumulating the electrical charge;
- determining that an amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is below a threshold;
- and
- regulating, in response to the determining that the amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is below the threshold, discharging of the electrical charge from the accumulator.
A charging station, comprising:
- an accumulator;
- a charging interface configured to receive an electrical charge;
- an energy collector configured to accumulate the electrical charge in the accumulator;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the charging interface, configured to:
- receive the electrical charge;
- accumulate the electrical charge in the accumulator;
- determine that an amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is above a threshold;
- cease, in response to the determining, accumulating the electrical charge;
- determine that an amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is below a threshold;
- and
- regulate, in response to the determining that the amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is below the threshold, discharging of the electrical charge from the accumulator.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium (CRM) comprising instructions to, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of a charging station, cause the charging station to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- receiving an electrical charge;
- accumulating the electrical charge in an accumulator;
- determining that an amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is above a threshold;
- ceasing, in response to the determining, accumulating the electrical charge;
- determining that an amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is below a threshold;
- and
- regulating, in response to the determining that the amount of the electrical charge in the accumulator is below the threshold, discharging of the electrical charge from the accumulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.