# US 7,612,527 B2 · Communicative and virtual battery chargers and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,612,527 B2 - Document ID: US7612527B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/563,437 - Filed: 2006-11-27 - Published: 2008-05-29 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-11-27 - Assignees: Eveready Battery Company, Inc. - Inventors: Peter F. Hoffman; Michael J. Brandon, II; Jennifer Ana Moffat; Scott W. Osiecki; Peter C. Castellucci - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612527B2 ## CPC - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - H02J 7/84: Control of state of health [SOH] - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the communication interface is a serial bidirectional interface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the communication interface is a universal serial bus interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger includes a graphical representation of a battery charger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the user input includes a stop charging command and a start charging command. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the virtual battery charger provides an audible indication of an operation of the physical battery charger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The virtual battery charger of claim 1 wherein the physical battery charger receives a plurality of AA size batteries for charging. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the battery charger obtains energy for charging the battery via the interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the communication interface is a USB interface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the computer is a personal computer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein presenting includes presenting a graphical representation of the battery charger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) 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. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) 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. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) 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. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) 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. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) 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. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the information includes a state of charge of a battery received in the battery receiving region. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the first communication interface is a USB port. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 including receiving the battery charger application software from the internet. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) 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. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) 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. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) 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. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 including sending, via the communication port, a command for controlling an operation of the physical battery charger. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 wherein the physical battery charger is powered from energy received from the communication port. ### Claim 37 (depends on 30) 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.