Vehicular battery charger, charging system, and method using stored battery information

Abstract

A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A vehicle charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the vehicle charger comprising:
 a controller;   a memory coupled to the controller;   a user-manipulatable control coupled to the controller, mounted within the vehicle within reach of a user seated within the vehicle, and by which the user can enter a setting by which the vehicle charger charges the battery; and   a display coupled to the controller and also mounted within the vehicle within reach of the user seated within the vehicle,   the controller responsive to entry of the setting by the user by displaying the setting on the display;   wherein the controller is configured to receive data from the memory indicative of at least one of a group consisting of a type of the battery, a manufacturer of the battery, a model of the battery, and an age of the battery; and   wherein based at least in part upon the data retrieved from the memory and the setting entered by the user, the controller is configured to supply electric power to the battery by at least one of a group consisting of increasing a rate of charge of the battery, decreasing the rate of charge of the battery, starting battery charging, and stopping battery charging.   
     
     
         22 . The vehicle charger of  claim 21 , wherein the user-manipulatable control is defined at least in part by the display. 
     
     
         23 . The vehicle charger of  claim 21 , further comprising a transmitter and a receiver coupled to the controller and by which the controller communicates and receives settings for charging the battery from another controller remote from the vehicle and the battery. 
     
     
         24 . The vehicle charger of  claim 21 , wherein the setting is a time of day. 
     
     
         25 . The vehicle charger of  claim 21 , wherein the setting is a time of day by which the battery must be fully charged. 
     
     
         26 . The vehicle charger of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to display a level of charge of the battery upon the display simultaneously with the setting. 
     
     
         27 . The vehicle charger of  claim 21 , wherein the controller, the memory, the user-manipulatable control, and the display are all located within the vehicle. 
     
     
         28 . A method of charging a battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a user seated within the vehicle via a user-manipulatable control mounted within the vehicle and within reach of the user, a setting entered by the user and by which the battery will be charged;   displaying the setting to the user seated within the vehicle;   retrieving, from a memory, data indicative of at least one of a group consisting of a type of the battery, a manufacturer of the battery, a model of the battery, and an age of the battery; and   supplying power to the battery based at least in part upon the setting entered by the user and the data.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising connecting the battery to a source of power via an electrical power cord. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the user-manipulatable control is defined at least in part by a display upon which the setting is displayed. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the setting is a time of day. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the setting is a time of day by which the battery must be fully charged. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising displaying a level of charge of the battery to the user seated within the vehicle. 
     
     
         34 . The method of claim  8 , further comprising receiving at least one additional setting by which the battery will be charged from a controller remote from the vehicle and the battery. 
     
     
         35 . A system for charging a battery of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a controller;   a memory coupled to the controller; and   a user-manipulatable control, mounted within the vehicle within reach of a user seated within the vehicle, and by which the user can enter a setting by which the vehicle charger charges the battery,   wherein the controller is configured to receive the setting entered by the user and data from the memory indicative of at least one of a group consisting of a type of the battery, a manufacturer of the battery, a model of the battery, and an age of the battery; and   wherein based at least in part upon the data retrieved from the memory and the setting entered by the user, the controller is configured to supply electric power to the battery by at least one of a group consisting of increasing a rate of charge of the battery, decreasing the rate of charge of the battery, starting battery charging, and stopping battery charging.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the user-manipulatable control is defined at least in part by a display. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , further comprising a transmitter and a receiver coupled to the controller and by which the controller communicates and receives settings for charging the battery from another controller remote from the vehicle and the battery. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the setting is a time of day. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the setting is a time of day by which the battery must be fully charged. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the controller, the memory, and the user-manipulatable control are all located within the vehicle.