Communicative and virtual battery chargers and methods

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.

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.

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.