Power charger with charge indicating power button

Abstract

A power charger includes a charger housing having a rechargeable battery internally disposed therein, and a charge-indicating power button operatively connected with the battery to direct a power charge from the battery to a power connection interface provided on the housing. At least one LED light is associated with the power button such that manipulation of the LED light (such as by illumination or blinking of the light) causes the power button to provide an indication of the battery charge level. A battery control module is provided to operate the power charger upon actuation of the power button between a first mode in which the charger is turned off, and a second mode in which electrical current can flow from the battery to the power connection interface. An additional mode can also be included, in which electrical current can flow from the power connection interface to the battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable power charger for recharging an electronic device having a rechargeable internal battery, said portable power charger comprising:
 a charger housing having a rechargeable battery internally disposed therein;   a charge-indicating power button operatively connected with the rechargeable battery to direct a power charge from the rechargeable battery to a power connection interface provided on the charger housing; and   at least one LED light associated with the power button whereby manipulation of the at least one LED light causes the power button to provide an indication of the charge level of the rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         2 . The portable power charger according to  claim 1 , wherein the power button is translucent or transparent. 
     
     
         3 . The portable power charger according to  claim 1 , wherein the power button is in operative communication with a switch internally disposed within the charger housing whereby pressing the power button actuates the switch so as to deliver power from the rechargeable battery to the power connection interface. 
     
     
         4 . The portable power charger according to  claim 3 , wherein the internal switch is a normally-off switch. 
     
     
         5 . The portable power charger according to  claim 3 , wherein the internal switch is a toggle switch. 
     
     
         6 . The portable power charger according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one LED light is illuminated upon actuation of the internal switch. 
     
     
         7 . The portable power charger according to  claim 1 , wherein manipulation of the at least one LED light comprises a blinking cycle of said at least one LED light that corresponds to the battery capacity. 
     
     
         8 . The portable power charger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED light comprises a first LED light having a first color and a second LED light having a second color, whereby coordinated illumination of the first and second LED lights provides battery capacity information by illuminating the power button in various colors associated with various ranges of battery capacity. 
     
     
         9 . The portable power charger according to  claim 8 , wherein coordinated illumination of the first and second LED lights illuminates the power button in green when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 67% and about 100%; in yellow when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 34% and about 66%; and in red when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 0% and about 33%. 
     
     
         10 . The portable power charger according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the LED lights may be constant or blinking, each said action corresponding to a different indication relative to the charge capacity of the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         11 . The portable power charger according to  claim 8 , further comprising a battery control module in operative communication with the rechargeable battery and the first and second LED lights, wherein said battery control module coordinates illumination of the LED lights based on measurements of battery capacity. 
     
     
         12 . The portable power charger according to  claim 11 , wherein the battery control module illuminates one or more of the LED lights in response to actuation of a switch in operative communication with the power button and internally disposed within the charger housing whereby pressing the power button actuates the switch so as to deliver power from the rechargeable battery to the power connection interface. 
     
     
         13 . The portable power charger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED light comprises a first green LED light and a second red LED light whereby coordinated illumination of the first and second LED lights provides battery capacity information by illuminating the power button in various colors associated with various ranges of battery capacity. 
     
     
         14 . The portable power charger according to  claim 13 , wherein coordinated illumination of the first and second LED lights illuminates the power button in green when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 67% and about 100%; in yellow when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 34% and about 66%; and in red when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 0% and about 33%. 
     
     
         15 . The portable power charger according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the LED lights may be constant or blinking, each corresponding to a different indication relative to the charge capacity of the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         16 . The portable power charger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED light comprises a first green LED light, a second yellow LED light, and a third red LED light, whereby illumination of each of the LED lights causes the power button to light up in the respective color of the particular LED light illuminated, whereby each said color corresponds to a particular range of battery capacity. 
     
     
         17 . The portable power charger according to  claim 16 , wherein coordinated illumination of the first, second and third LED lights illuminates the power button in green when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 67% and about 100%; in yellow when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 34% and about 66%; and in red when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 0% and about 33%. 
     
     
         18 . The portable power charger according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the LED lights may be constant or blinking, each corresponding to a different indication relative to the charge capacity of the rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         19 . A portable power charger for recharging an electronic device having a rechargeable internal battery, said portable power charger comprising:
 a charger housing having a rechargeable battery internally disposed therein;   a charge-indicating power button operatively connected with the rechargeable battery to direct a power charge from the rechargeable battery to a power connection interface provided on the charger housing;   a first LED light having a first color;   a second LED light having a second color; and   a battery control module in operative communication with the rechargeable battery and the first and second LED lights, wherein said battery control module coordinates illumination of the LED lights based on measurements of battery capacity; and   wherein the first and second LED lights are associated with the power button such that manipulation of the LED lights causes the power button to provide an indication of the charge level of the rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         20 . The portable power charger according to  claim 19 , wherein coordinated illumination of the first and second LED lights illuminates the power button in green when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 67% and about 100%; in yellow when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 34% and about 66%; and in red when the charge level of the rechargeable battery is between about 0% and about 33%.