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GardCharge: Smart USB Timer Charger Protector

GardCharge is a Smart USB Count Down Timer with Charge Protection for your Smart Phone, and more.

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GardCharge: Smart USB Timer Charger Protector

GardCharge: Smart USB Timer Charger Protector

GardCharge: Smart USB Timer Charger Protector

GardCharge: Smart USB Timer Charger Protector

GardCharge: Smart USB Timer Charger Protector

GardCharge is a Smart USB Count Down Timer with Charge Protection for your Smart Phone, and more.

GardCharge is a Smart USB Count Down Timer with Charge Protection for your Smart Phone, and more.

GardCharge is a Smart USB Count Down Timer with Charge Protection for your Smart Phone, and more.

GardCharge is a Smart USB Count Down Timer with Charge Protection for your Smart Phone, and more.

Larry Hsieh
Larry Hsieh
Larry Hsieh
Larry Hsieh
2 Campaigns |
New Taipei City, Taiwan
$13,760 USD by 85 backers
$12,229 USD by 51 backers on Jan 23, 2018
Production
The project team has begun turning their prototype into the final product. Their ability to ship the products may be affected by product development or financial challenges.
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Concept Prototype Production Shipping
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Overview
GardCharge is a perfect Smart USB accessory companion for your Smart Phone that takes out of your worries when charging your Phone or Power Bank at night with protection, by automatically cutting off the Charging Power from your USB Cable when charging process is complete, or when the countdown timer reaches the end.

GardCharge takes away our modern day worries

Nowadays almost everyone has a smart phone; and that charging smart phone has become our daily ritual, especially at the night time when the majority of people would charge their phones.  And for many us, we do worry about charging the phone overnight with overheating safety concerns for ourselves, our elderly relatives,  and our children.

That’s why we at Joybien designed GardCharge to address overnight battery charging concerns by stopping the charging process when the Smart Phone or Power Bank charging process is complete, or by a fixed countdown timer to shut down the power at a given time duration.  And that GardCharge will physically disconnect the power from your USB Cable to your Smart Phone or Power Bank; thus,  GardCharge not only will make you sleep better at night with battery charging safety protection, but also GardCharge will prolong your Smart Phone’s battery life by keeping the battery cool without the excess heating generated by more than required charging process.

 

GardCharge with Simple to Use Power Safety Protection

GardCharge is very user friendly.  To install, simply connect GardCharge in between the Power Adaptor and the USB Cable that leads to your Smart Phone or Power Bank, and you are ready to go with power safety protection.  And a press on the RESET button immediately after the charging connection will ensure a fresh new cycle of Count Down Time for charging (with default of 6 Hour, and can be changed to 00:01 ~ 23:59 in Hour:Minute format via App).  And GardCharge also has a built-in Over-Current Protection that cuts off the Power automatically to keep away sudden in rush of unnecessary high electric current due to battery charging abnormalities.  Moreover, GardCharge will detect when a charging process is complete (even before the count down timer is due), and cuts off the power afterward. And you may easily customize Count Down Timer, Over-Current Protection, and Charging Completion parameter values via App setting change.

With App running on a Android or iPhone, GardCharghe also provides Power Measurement info right on the App for you to monitor the on-going real-time voltage, current, power information in Meter Mode & Graph Mode so that you may  observe and understand better about the overall battery charging system’s health characteristics.

And GardCharge can do more!  GardCharge may also be used as a “smart device enabler” for your dumb USB Adaptor or other dumb USB devices (such as an always-on USB LED Light or Fan) to make these dumb devices Smart with Smart Phone Control in no time.

 

Smart Charger

 

Smart Timer

 
Smart Remote
 

 

 

Meter Mode

iPhone X with wired and wireless charging at the same time?

 
iPhone X USB Cable Charging Test with GardCharge
 
Android Phone USB Cable Charging Test with GardCharge

 

Note: Specifications subject to change without notice.

                   Plastic Housing Tooling

                  Production

 

Project Management Timeline

We have completed almost all of our critical milestones from Concept, to Prototype, and now to first mass production stage; where we have finished the hardware design for the product launch, and working on the fine-tuning of Firmware and App for the first product release.  So instead of launching the campaign at Concept or Prototype stage, our philosophy is to launch this campaign where we have reliably accomplished most of the design & production considerations because, from our experience, an early product idea or prototype may not be realized in the end due to final design & production challenges.  And in fact, even for the GardCharge project, we have deployed design changes at various stages to improve the product design & functionality with more design-for-user-experience in mind, and make it safe and simple to use.

 

Our Team

 

Our team is in Taiwan with over 30 years of RF wireless electronic hardware & software/firmware & mechanical designs, and manufacturing test & production experience in the heart of the IT industry in Taiwan, and with over 6 years of working with over 100 IoT related designs & manufacturing projects

And for GardCharge, we have devoted our key team members to work on this project:

Larry Hsieh   -  CEO, Co-Founder & Product Manager

Zach Chen    -  Software RD VP, Co-Founder & Software App Team Lead

Kevin Wei    -  Hardware RD VP, Co-Founder & Firmware Team Lead

 

Future Challenges

 

Moving forward, we will continue improving our product quality, and will further enhance user experience.  We are willing to open source GardCharge SDK in Q1 2018, for those of you who would like to boost GardCharge functionalities via App code development; and will work toward establishing a community for iOS & Android App code development for various projects using GardCharge hardware device; and certainly will look forward to more exciting Apps by developers on iTunes App Store and/or Google Play that will interact with GardCharge, such as using GardCharge with an App to take the advantage of GardCharge’s Power Measurement functionality to identify whether the USB Cable in use is defective or have a certain risk, using GardCharge’s countdown-timer functionality to automatically turn off USB Night Lamp at a given time period with an App, using GardCharge to monitor a given USB current threshold with alert on App to notify the user, using GardCharge as a Power Measurement data acquisition device with the collected data stored within an App, using GardCharge as an educational tool that teaches youngsters about electricity used in our daily life, etc… the possibility is only limited by your creativity.

 

Backers Plan

 

Your supports will be greatly appreciated to assist us to keep the momentum going for improving our product quality, material procurement & production, GardCharge marketing promotion, as well as for devoting further engineering resources for the Continuous Improvements with establishing GardCharge App Development Community, and exploring more usages for ChargeCharge with various App applications.

 

You may contribute and support us by:

Physical Perk Backing:

 

Join App Development:

 

  • You may purchase a GardCharge device, and then work with our App SDK (to be released in Jan, 2018) for your own App development.
  • You are granted for a free-license for releasing your App based on our SDK on iTunes App Store and/or Google Play (for free or selling on the store), as long as the App will require wireless connectivity with our GardCharge device.
  • You may even create your own Indiegogo App Campaign that takes the advantage of GardCharge functionalities for end-user applications.

 

Share the News:

 

  • Share GardCharge news with your Family & Friends with Indiegogo Share Tools, and our Facebook & Website links.
  • Share with us on how you use GardCharge, or how you’d like to use GardCharge if a customized App were available (and we will share it later on the GardCharge App Development Community to be established), or we may decide to work on such App if our engineering resource were available.

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail us at: gardcharge@joybien.com

 

 

Thank You !

 

 

 

 

Addendum

GardCharge FAQ List

 

FAQ #001:  How to set up GardCharge?

Simply connect the GardCharge unit in between your Power Adaptor and your USB Cable (which is connected to your Device under Charge such as a smart phone or a power bank); and you are ready to go.

Note, if you saw GardCharge LED indicator is “red”, just press the RESET button (which will turn the LED to “green”) to start a fresh new charging cycle.

 

FAQ #002:  Do I need to use the App to work with GardCharge ?

No. GardCharge will work as a standalone unit to provide you full battery charging protection using the manufacturer’s default setting that works with smart phones or power banks.

However, you may use the optional GardCharge App for the advanced setting, and also to monitor Power Parameters (such as Voltage and Current) in real time on smart phone screen.

 

FAQ #003:  How does GardCharge work?

GardCharge uses built-in intelligent algorithms based on continuous Power Parameters (namely voltage & current) sensing detection within the GardCharge unit to determine whether to provide Power/Current, or to cut off the Power/Current supplied to the connected USB Cable, and thus, the connected Device under charge (such as a smart phone or a power bank).

 

FAQ #004:  How can GardCharge provide charging protection?

For battery charging protection application, GardCharge provides several combined protection schemes including:

  1. When detected over-current (with default value of 4A), GardCharge will cut off the Power/Current supplied to the USB Cable.
  2. When detected that the Charging Device (such as a smart phone) stopped accepting Current when it is fully charged, GardCharge will provide further insurance by cutting off the Power/Current supplied to the USB Cable.
  3. When detected that the Charging Device (such as a smart phone) is accepting very little Current to pass through (this indicates that the Charging Device is approaching fully charged stage), GardCharge will cut off the Power/Current supplied to the USB Cable after a certain Off Set /Delay Time.
  4. When detected that the Count Down Timer used reached the end, GardCharge will cut off the Power/Current supplied to the USB Cable.

 

FAQ #005:  What is the manufacturer’s default setting ?

GardCharge’s factory default setting as follows:

  1. Count Down Timer at 6 Hour (enough charging time to cover most Smart Phones and Pads of 10” or less).
  2. Over-Current Limit at 4A (enough to cover normal 0.5A ~ 1.0A ~ 2.1A ~ 2.4A current range).
  3. Low Current Limit ENABLEd (for automatic charging mode) and set at 0.3A, and with Additional Time Off Set to 30min (enough to keep most smart phones or power banks’ charging to 95% ~ 100%)

 

FAQ #006:  Will GardCharge work with QC2.0/3.0 charging?

Yes. GardCharge provides Power/Current pass-through from Power Adapter to a charging device (such as a smart phone) via connected USB cable, and with Measurement Range of 3.6VDC ~ 21VDC and 0A ~ 3.5A covering the range of QC2.0/3.0 charging.

 

FAQ #007:  What is Over Current Protection?

Normally your smart phones or power banks will accept Current value of 0.5A ~ 2.1A, and for some special devices with 3A, when charging.

Sometimes due to sudden misbehavior of the physical Power Adapter, USB Cable, or Smart Phone (like Power Surge); there might be an in-rush of higher than normal Current, which we call “Over Current”.  And we have Over Current Protection with the default value set at 4A as the threshold; while, pending your need, adjustable to 0.1A ~ 4A via App; and GardCharge will automatically cut off the Power/Current supplied to the USB Cable (and thus, cut off the Power/Current to the attached smart phone or power bank) to protect your charging device.

So, Over Current Protection is like having a FUSE or Circuit Breaker to protect your Charging Device.

 

FAQ #008:  What is Low Current Limit ?

With Low Current Limit ENABLEd (as a default for the manufacturer setting), GardCharge will automatically activate intelligent algorithms to auto detect whether you have plugged-in or unplugged a charging device (such as a smart phone), and to start charging (with a fresh new cycle per your last setting) or to stop charging accordingly.

In Essense, it is placing GardCharge in automatic charging mode.

 

FAQ #009:  How does Low Current Limit work?

* We recommend that you keep the default value for Low Current Limit with 0.3A, and with Additional Time Off Set at 30min for normal daily use (same as the factory default setting). 

And the way the Low Current Limit work is that when a charging device (like a smart phone) is reaching near fully charged state, the Current going through (and supplied to the charging device) will get slower, and thus, with lower real time current sensing/detection value; and when the current value reached below 0.3A threshold (or any other value between 0.05A ~ 0.5A for the threshold set via App), GardCharge will continue charging for additional 30min for the Time Off Set (or you may set with other Time value between 0min ~ 60min) to ensure that enough additional Power/Current is charged after reaching the Low Current Threshold.

 

FAQ #010:  Can GardCharge work as a Mechanical Timer ?

Yes.  By selecting DISABLE for the Low Current Limit within the Set Up configuration in the App, GardCharge will work as a Mechanical Count Down Timer (with Power always ON until count down to 0 min & sec); and will re-initiate the count down time whenever the RESET button is pressed.

Note in this Mode, you will not be in automatic charging mode, and will not have the auto sensing/detection of plugging or unplugging the USB Cable when charging mentioned in FAQ #008.

 

FAQ #011:  Can GardCharge be used for Smart Watch charging?

Yes.  Please set the GardCharge as a Mechanical Timer per FAQ #010 by DISABLEing the Low Current Limit; and set the Count Down Timer to, say, 30min ~ 1Hour pending your Smart Watch charging time requirement.

This is due to Smart Watch uses very little Power/Current when charging, and sometimes lower than the lower bound limit of the Low Current Limit of 0.05A; so that the Low Current Limit may not suitable to use here for the auto Current detection.

 

FAQ #012:  When to use Mechanical Timer mode?

Other than charging Smart Watch mentioned within FAQ #011, you may need to run Mechanical Timer mode for devices with very low charging current (for charging current less than, say, 0.3A), or for devices normally running with very low current (say, less than 0.3A; such as USB LED Night-Light) or devices with unstable current (such as USB Fan with current running dynamically between 0A ~ 0.5A).

And of course, you may just use Mechanical Timer mode as you feel appropriate.  You will still have the benefit of Over Current Protection, but just keep in mind that Power/Current will be supplied until Count Down Timer reached the end.

 

FAQ #013:  How to wireless connect GardCharge with App?

First search and install “GardCharge” App on your iPhone or Android Phone from Apple iOS App Store or Google Play Store respectively.

Then enable Bluetooth in your smart phone Set Up (if Bluetooth is not yet enabled); and run the App to proceed for the connection process. And make sure that GardCharge device is connect to your Power Adapter and with green-light ON.

For iOS, press the Search-Magnifier icon on the Upper Right corner of the App, and you will see GardCharge device icon with alpha-numeric ID name shown on screen (and if you have more than one GardCharge device, you will see more than one device icon on screen).  Press and select the appropriate GardCharge device icon to connect.

For Android, press the Menu Selection on the Upper Left, then select “Scan/Connect”, and you will see GardCharge device’s alpha-numeric ID name shown on screen (and if you have more than one GardCharge devce, you will see more than one device ID on the screen list).  Press and select the appropriate GardCharge device ID to connect.

Note, for a small percentage of Android phone, it may take a little longer to Scan (may take 5 sec ~ 30 sec).  And if a GardCharge device is ON and nearby, but you cannot see the device ID on App screen list, please press the “SCAN” on the upper-right corner of the App to re-scan.  And if you still have Scan problem, please remove GardCharge App from your Android Phone’s background task, and you may need to restart your Android Phone, then proceed for the Scan process again.

 

FAQ #014:  Can you charge less than 100% ?

Yes.

Some Smart Phone users may prefer charging the Phone with less than 100% fully charged state to prolong battery life.

For those of you who are interested in the technology behind, please read through FAQ #008 & FAQ#009 about Low Current Limit first.

For the majority of Smart Phones and/or Power Banks, under App Set Up, the Low Current Limit of 0.2A ~ 0.3A and Additional Off Set Time of 20min ~ 30min will be sufficient to take you to 95% ~ 100% charging state.

And to lower the battery charging % (say, to 85% ~ 95%), you may experiment and change the Low Current Limit to 0.3A ~ 0.4A, and Additional Off Set Time to 0min ~ 10min for your Smart Phone / Power Bank.  With the higher the Current Limit threshold value, this means than when the battery is “nearly” charged, the rate of the current flow will go slower (from higher value than 0.4A to lower value), so that our current detection mechanism will see 0.3A ~ 0.4A quicker than seeing 0.2A ~ 0.3A.  Similarly with lowering the Additional Off Set Time for charging from 20min~30min down to 0min~10min, the charging process will stop quicker.

 

FAQ #015:  Why do you need Factory Default option on the App?

When you changed the Setting Value within the App (such as the Count Down Timer, Over Current Limit Value, Low Current Limit setting, etc.), sometimes it may not be appropriate for your next charging device (such as charging a Smart Watch then charging a Smart Phone); and the quickest way is to set to Factory Default to recover with the original out of factory setting.  And after a Factory Default is set within the App, please make sure to press the RESET button on GardCharge device afterward to ensure a fresh new charging cycle with Factory Default setting.

 

FAQ #016:  Why is the App disconnected after RESET is pressed?

We designed GardCharge with non-auto reconnect feature after the RESET button is pressed on the GardCharge device; so that Android/iPhone’s App will be disconnected by default.  To re-connect, you may refer to FAQ #013 for wireless connection procedure.

The reason for implementing non-auto reconnect after RESET is that we don’t know which member in your family will use his/her respective phone to connect to GardCharge for the next charging cycle; so it is not appropriate to auto reconnect to the last smart phone connected, otherwise, the user with next charging cycle cannot connect with the App.

 

FAQ #017:  What’s inside of GardCharge Hardware?

We've chosen Texas Instruments' TI CC2541 Wireless MCU along with TI INA138NA/250 Current Output Current Shunt Monitor, as the key Wireless Microprocessor and current sensing components to build GardCharge.

While the rest of electronic materials are procured in Taiwan and Japan (such as FRAM, resistors, capacitors, inductors, PCB Board, etc.); and mechanical materials procured in Taiwan and China (such as Housing, USB connectors, etc.)

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Choose your Perk

SUPER CONVENIENCE PACK
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SUPER CONVENIENCE PACK

$80 USD $120 USD (33% off)
Get 4 GardCharges, and use them anywhere you want, placing them in your bedroom, living room, kitchen, garage, etc. for charging your smart phone, power bank, or for controlling your USB FAN, etc. * SAVE 33% off $120 Retail Price + Shipping (Duty&VAT not included)
Included Items
  • GardCharge Device (4)
Estimated Shipping
January 2018
19 claimed
Ships worldwide.
HANDY TWIN PACK

HANDY TWIN PACK

$42 USD $60 USD (30% off)
With two GardCharge units, you have the flexibility to use one for home and another for work, or one for yourself and the other for your beloved one, or one for your Android Phone and another for your iPad, etc. It’s up to you how you want to use them. * SAVE 30% off $60 Retail Price + Shipping (Duty&VAT not included)
Included Items
  • GardCharge Device (2)
Estimated Shipping
January 2018
34 claimed
Ships worldwide.
LITTLE-STYLE TWIN PACK

LITTLE-STYLE TWIN PACK

$50 USD $72 USD (30% off)
We have collaborated with a local Taiwan Illustration Artist called “Little-Style” for a special offer of LITTLE-STYLE TWIN PACK, where the two GardCharge units are decorated with Little-Style illustrations with nice soothing pictures; great for placing GardCharge on your desk. SAVE 30% off $72 Retail Price + Shipping (Duty&VAT not included)
Included Items
  • Little-Style GardCharge Device (2)
Estimated Shipping
January 2018
3 claimed
Ships worldwide.

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