Electronic device and charging device for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9455582-B2
Application number	US-201414201663-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 7, 2014
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device. The electronic device may include a battery, and a charging system in electronic communication with the battery. The charging system may be configured to charge at least a partially-depleted battery to a threshold charge value, discontinue the charging in response to the battery being charged to the threshold charge value, and monitor the function of the electronic device to detect at least one of an anticipated event, and an unanticipated event of the electronic device. Additionally the charging system may be configured to recharge the battery in response to detecting one of: the anticipated event occurring a predetermined time subsequent to the recharging of the battery, or the unanticipated event occurring immediately before the recharging of the battery.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a battery; and
a charging system in electronic communication with the battery, the charging system configured to:
charge at least a partially-depleted battery to a threshold charge value;
discontinue the charging in response to the battery being charged to the threshold charge value;
monitor a function of the electronic device to detect at least one of an anticipated event, and an unanticipated event of the electronic device;
in response to a detection of the anticipated event, charge the battery prior to the anticipated event occurring; and
in response to a detection of the unanticipated event, charge the battery immediately after the unanticipated event occurs.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the anticipated event comprises at least one of a predetermined operation of the electronic device and a reoccurring interaction with the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the anticipated event comprises an alarm of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the unanticipated event comprises a spontaneous interaction with the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the charging system is further configured to maintain a predetermined, partial charge value of the battery, subsequent to the discontinuing of the charging of the battery.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the charging system is further configured to at least one of:
charge the battery to the threshold charge value prior to the occurrence of the anticipated event; and
charge the battery to one of the threshold charge value, or a nearly threshold charge value, subsequent to the occurrence of the unanticipated event.

7. A charging device for an electronic device comprising:
a connection portion electrically coupled to a battery of the electronic device; and
a charging system in electronic communication with the battery of the electronic device, the charging system configured to:
charge at least a partially-depleted battery to a threshold charge value;
discontinue the charging in response to the battery being charged to a maximum charge value;
monitor a function of the electronic device to detect at least one of an anticipated event, and an unanticipated event of the electronic device;
in response to a detection of the anticipated event, charge the battery prior to the anticipated event occurring; and
in response to a detection of the unanticipated event, charge the battery immediately after the unanticipated event occurs.

8. The charging device of claim 7 , wherein the threshold charge value includes the maximum charge of the battery of the electronic device.

9. The charging device of claim 7 , wherein the charging system is further configured to at least one of :
charge the battery at a first charge rate; and
charge the battery at a second charge rate, wherein the second charge rate is greater than the first charge rate.

10. The charging device of claim 9 , wherein the charging system is further configured to:
charge the battery at the first charge rate prior to the occurrence of the anticipated event.

11. The charging device of claim 9 , wherein the charging system is further configured to:
charge the battery at the second charge rate subsequent to the occurrence of the unanticipated event.

12. The charging device of claim 9 , wherein the charging system is further configured to maintain a predetermined, partial charge value of the battery, subsequent to the discontinuing of the charging of the battery.

13. The charging device of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined, partial charge value of the battery is dependent upon one of:
the charging of the battery at the first charge rate, or
the charging of the battery at the second charge rate.

14. The charging device of claim 7 , wherein the charging system is distinct from the electronic device.

15. The charging device of claim 7 , wherein the discontinuing of the charging of the battery by the charging system further comprises:
maintaining the electrical coupling between the connection portion and the battery of the electronic device.

16. The charging device of claim 7 , wherein the charging system is further configured to allow the battery to gradually deplete in response the discontinuing of the charging of the battery.

17. A method for charging a battery of an electronic device, the method comprising:
charging at least a partially-depleted battery for the electronic device to a threshold charge value;
discontinuing the charging in response to the battery being charged to the threshold charge value;
monitoring a function of the electronic device to detect at least one of an anticipated event, and an unanticipated event, of the electronic device;
in response to a detection of the anticipated event, charging the battery prior to the anticipated event occurring; and
in response to a detection of the unanticipated event, charging the battery immediately after the unanticipated event occurs.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the monitoring of the function of the electronic device occurs prior to at least one of:
the charging of the at least partially-depleted battery, and
the discontinuing of the charging of the battery.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the monitoring of the function of the electronic device occurs concurrently with at least one of:
the charging of the at least partially-depleted battery, and
the discontinuing of the charging of the battery.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Zadesky Stephen P
• Dai Hongli

Classifications

• H02J7/63

  against overdischarge · CPC title

• H02J7/875

  Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation · CPC title

• H02J7/60

  including safety or protection arrangements · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/90 Primary

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title