Patent ID: 7259539

Claim:
A battery recharging apparatus which comprises; a) a charger, which is either built into a personal computer or connected directly or indirectly thereto, wherein an internal power supply source of said personal computer is used as a power supply for said charger in a charging operation for said battery, and wherein said charger includes a programmable charging processing operation program having capability for recognizing a type of rechargeable battery to be recharged and for selecting one charging processing operation program from a plurality of charging operation programs stored in said charger, based upon information about the type of battery thus recognized, said one selected charging process operation program being suitable for executing said charging operation for said recognized type of battery and for setting and executing said selected program, and for monitoring conditions required for charging said recognized battery type, and for controlling recharging of said recognized battery, and wherein a charging operation may be performed by executing said charging processing operation program selected for said selected battery to be charged by utilizing an electric power supplied from said internal power supply source of said personal computer; b) a battery holding apparatus which holds at least a single battery to be charged and connected directly or indirectly to said charger; c) a display means connected to said personal computer and displaying at least one information selected from a group consisting of information related to a battery to be charged, information related to conditions required for charging said battery to be charged and information related to past and current charging situation or results of said charging operation; and d) an input means connected to said personal computer for inputting information at least about said respective battery to be charged necessary to execute said charging processing operation program into a controller provided in personal computer; wherein said battery charging processing operation program is capable of executing high-speed charging processing, and further wherein said battery charging processing operation program is capable of executing said charging with a charging current of at least 2 C.