Patent ID: 6928372

Claim:
A method for determining a time until completion for a charging process associated with a rechargeable battery, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a charger capable of coupling to the rechargeable battery, the charger comprising a means of processing data capable of identifying the rechargeable battery; b. identifying a charging process for the rechargeable battery, the process comprising a plurality of charging states; c. determining which of the plurality of charging states is being executed; d. calculating a first time to completion for the state being executed; e. calculating at least a second time to completion for at least one of the remaining states of the plurality of charging states; and f. calculating the time to completion for the charging process by adding the first and the at least a second time to completion; wherein each of the plurality of charging states is selected from the group consisting of trickle charging, rapid charging, initiation charging, and discharging; wherein calculating a time to completion for the rapid charging state comprises the steps of: i. subtracting an amount of energy stored in the rechargeable battery from a maximum energy capable of being stored within the rechargeable battery; and ii. dividing by a rapid charge rate.