A charging device for charging an electronic article , the charging device comprising the following: (a) a device charging circuit configured (i) to selectively, electrically couple with an electronic article circuit and (ii) to charge a rechargeable battery located within a portion of the electronic article and comprising part of the electronic article circuit , and (b) a microcomputer configured to do the following: (i) detect whether the charging circuit is electrically coupled with the electronic article circuit , (ii) measure a charge level of the rechargeable battery, and (iii) use the measured charge level to determine a charge mode for charging the rechargeable battery, characterized in that the charging device further comprises a capacitor (C2) configured to be electronically coupled, in parallel, with the electronic article circuit , and a voltage divider (R1, R2) with two resistors (R1, R2) interconnected in series, wherein the capacitor (C2) and the voltage divider (R1, R2) are both connected to an output line of the charging circuit and in parallel with each other, and wherein the microcomputer is further configured to detect whether the device charging circuit is electrically coupled with the electronic article circuit by periodically supplying a source power supply signal from the device charging circuit via the output line , said determination depending on a voltage on a voltage monitor line interconnecting the microcomputer and a connection between the two resistors (R1, R2) of the voltage divider (R1, R2). (a) a device charging circuit configured (i) to selectively, electrically couple with an electronic article circuit and (ii) to charge a rechargeable battery located within a portion of the electronic article and comprising part of the electronic article circuit , and (i) to selectively, electrically couple with an electronic article circuit and (ii) to charge a rechargeable battery located within a portion of the electronic article and comprising part of the electronic article circuit , and (b) a microcomputer configured to do the following: (i) detect whether the charging circuit is electrically coupled with the electronic article circuit , (ii) measure a charge level of the rechargeable battery, and (iii) use the measured charge level to determine a charge mode for charging the rechargeable battery, (i) detect whether the charging circuit is electrically coupled with the electronic article circuit , (ii) measure a charge level of the rechargeable battery, and (iii) use the measured charge level to determine a charge mode for charging the rechargeable battery, the charging device further comprises a capacitor (C2) configured to be electronically coupled, in parallel, with the electronic article circuit , and a voltage divider (R1, R2) with two resistors (R1, R2) interconnected in series, wherein the capacitor (C2) and the voltage divider (R1, R2) are both connected to an output line of the charging circuit and in parallel with each other, and wherein the microcomputer is further configured to detect whether the device charging circuit is electrically coupled with the electronic article circuit by periodically supplying a source power supply signal from the device charging circuit via the output line , said determination depending on a voltage on a voltage monitor line interconnecting the microcomputer and a connection between the two resistors (R1, R2) of the voltage divider (R1, R2). <EOS>