Charger Loss Prevention Adaptor

a technology of loss prevention and adaptor, which is applied in the direction of electrical signalling details, mechanical actuation of burglar alarms, instruments, etc., can solve the problems of affecting the efficiency of the system, the burden on the user to keep track, and the issue of too many false positives, etc., to achieve the effect of conserving energy

Inactive Publication Date: 2011-09-22
TEDESCO BRIAN
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system effectively prevents chargers from being left behind by providing timely and relevant reminders, reducing false alarms and energy waste, while being convenient and adaptable to various charging scenarios.

Problems solved by technology

Problematically, however, the particular times entered into the system may become ineffective if travel plans change, and the user bears the burden of keeping track of this.
There also is the tendency to issue too many “false positives”, i.e., reminders that the user may find obtrusive and unnecessary.
These protocols are not sufficiently targeted for reminding a user about to leave behind a charger.

Method used

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  • Charger Loss Prevention Adaptor
  • Charger Loss Prevention Adaptor
  • Charger Loss Prevention Adaptor

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

first embodiment

[0068]FIG. 3 depicts, by way of illustrative and non-limitative example, an overview of charger loss prevention circuitry 300 in accordance with the present invention. The circuitry 300 is designed primarily, as discussed herein above, for preventing a user who is currently away from home from leaving a charger behind in a wall outlet. The circuitry 300 can be implemented as, for example, analog electronic components, a hybrid circuit, or a solid state device comprising an integrated circuit which includes any form of RAM, ROM, ASIC, PLD, or combination thereof, and can be implemented in software, firmware or hardware or any combination thereof.

[0069] The circuitry 300 can be incorporated into a plug-in unit, separate from a portable device to be charged, and implemented for example as an adaptor 304 for making a plug-in connection to an outlet. The adaptor 304 is depicted in FIG. 3 as detachably pluggable into a wall outlet 308, as indicated by the arrows 312, and can detachably re...

second embodiment

[0100] Then, by means of, collectively, the portable-device disconnection detector 1010, the portable-device-battery stored-charge detector 1030 and the comparator module 1005, monitoring commences for the occurrence of any one of: a) disconnection of the portable device, b) a power outage, and c) an externally-imposed power-saving shutdown (step S1230). Comparisons made to identify when any of the events a), b) and c) have occurred are analogous to those described herein above with respect to FIG. 8. Detection of an externally-imposed power-saving shutdown, for example, can be based on a sensed charging state of the battery 336, as discussed further above. As also mentioned above, the present, i.e., second, embodiment is assumed to lack an engagement detector. Consequently, the occurrence of a power outage is indistinguishable from the user unplugging the adaptor 304. Since, as noted below, it may be desirable to issue a reminder, in the form of LED flashing, in the case of a power...

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Abstract

A reminder system for a portable-device charger is designed for determining when it is likely that the charger is about to be left behind. Detection which may be in real time can pertain, depending on the embodiment, to disconnection of a portable device from the charger, and / or movement of a portable device out of wireless range of the charger or a charger adaptor. In some versions, the onset of reminding is, upon detecting disconnection, tentatively postponed until a predetermined criterion is met, such as expiry of a predetermined time period. Or the criterion can be detection of an out-of-range condition based on distance between the portable device and an adaptor or charger. In some embodiments detection and reminder issuance are incorporated in a unit, such as a plug-in wall adaptor or the charger itself. The adaptor can be generalized rather than specialized for a charger of a particular make or model. The system can be unobtrusive, and sensitive to the charger connection status, power saving and power outages.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 378,054, filed Aug. 30, 2010 by the present inventor.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to issuing reminders and more particularly, to issuing reminders with respect to a connection status. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Travelers doing a last-minute scan of a room before checking out often leave behind portable-device battery chargers. They are easy to miss, due to their dark color and especially if the wall outlet is behind furniture. You can easily forget in the morning the charger you plugged in the night before for charging. This problem is exacerbated by the wide variety of mobile devices, each with its own charger that a traveler potentially has to keep track of. [0004] Hotels typically have an abundant supply of left-behind chargers. [0005] However, they do not contact the guest due to privacy conce...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G08B21/00
CPCG08B13/1427G08B21/0233H02J7/00G08B21/24G08B21/0277
InventorTEDESCO, BRIAN
OwnerTEDESCO BRIAN