Abstract: A method which may be used to condition a battery. The method includes sensing that the battery needs to be conditioned while an external power source is being used as the source of system power. According to the method, the battery is then used as the system power source while the external power source remains available.

Abstract: In a battery charger, current regulating means and voltage regulating means can be prevented from damages. In the case where a loss of current regulating means (11) or voltage regulating means (12) exceeds an allowable loss, pulse width modulating means (15, 16) for generating a pulse signal having a desired pulse width and control means (18, 19) for intermittently operating the current regulating means or the voltage regulating means, having the loss exceeding the allowable loss, based on the pulse signal are provided to suppress the loss of the current regulating means or the voltage regulating means and suppress heat generated thereby, thus the current regulating means and the voltage regulating means can be protected from damages.

Abstract: A battery charger monitors the terminal voltage of a secondary battery connected thereto with no appreciable depletion of the battery energy. Upon the completion of the charge cycle, the battery charger monitors the terminal voltage of the battery by first creating a high impedance node at the battery low side, and then regulating the battery high side voltage to a value below the maximum allowable terminal voltage for the battery. The battery low side voltage will decreases in response to a value below ground. The charger monitors the terminal voltage across the battery by measuring the battery low side voltage When the battery charger detects that the battery has discharged to a predetermined capacity level, the charger initiates a charge maintenance mode. The battery charger either refreshes the battery or maintains the battery at the predetermined capacity level.

Abstract: A cellular phone battery charger includes a housing, a control circuit assembly mounted within the housing, the control circuit assembly having a power jack for obtaining power supply from a car battery by a cable or a city power supply outlet by a transformer, a coupling element mounted in the housing at the rear side to hold any of a variety of cellular phone connectors for connection to a particular cellular phone, and a batter holder mounted in the housing at the front side and electrically connected to the control circuit assembly for receiving a 9V alkaline battery for providing battery power supply to the connected cellular phone in an emergency case.

Abstract: A battery pack for an electronic device includes a housing separate from the electronic device wherein the housing can be mechanically connected to the electronic device. Electrical contacts on the housing provide electrical contact with the electronic device when connected thereto. A first battery interface in the housing receives a first battery, and a second battery interface in the housing receives a second battery. A switch in the housing connects either the first battery interface or the second battery interface to the electrical contacts in response to a selection by a user of the electronic device. Related systems and methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A light source is disclosed for use an optical printer illuminating a spatial light modulator to efficiently and uniformly project light onto a photosensitive medium while providing a simpler design of the spatial light modulator in the optical printer. The light source uses light emitting diodes opposed across a light pipe. The light from the light emitting diodes propagates in the light pipe until striking a redirection structure which redirects the light out of lateral surface of the light pipe.

Abstract: Apparatus to rapidly bulk charge a lead acid battery used in a "standby" power supply unit (PSU), or similar equipment containing said function, such as in an alarm panel system, fire panel (system) etc., without increasing the output capacity of the regulated PSU, significantly increasing its dissipation, size or cost, or causing an unacceptable recharge time of (often) several days. The apparatus comprises minimal additional components to provide a bulk charge of approximately 70% capacity to a 65 Ahr battery within 14 hours, while only drawing an average current of approximately 0.4 amp from the regulated PSU.

Abstract: A capacity calibration apparatus for the battery of a portable computer system is provided. The computer system includes a main board circuit, a processor unit, a display unit, a power-supply board circuit, a battery and a parallel port interface. The capacity calibration apparatus includes a standard parallel port interface and a control circuit. The standard parallel port interface is connected to the parallel port interface of the computer system. Via the parallel port interface, the computer system outputs at least one control signal to the capacity calibration apparatus. The capacity calibration apparatus selectively outputs the alternating current supply to the power-supply board circuit in order to proceed a charge/discharge procedure of a predetermined type such that the capacity value of the battery is initialized.

Abstract: A battery immobilizer is described in which power provided by the battery to the ignition switch of an automobile is discontinued when the starter motor of the automobile is engaged without proper previous authorization. The authorization is provided by entry of a user code on a keypad within the automobile compartment. Once the code is entered, the automobile will start as normal, but if the code is not entered the battery will intelligently provide power to resistive loads while disconnecting power to the starter motor once the immobilizer detects that the starter motor has been engaged. The present battery can be connected to an automobile system using only standard electrical connections between the automobile electrical system and the battery and further does not require any connection between the immobilizer circuit and the user keypad.

Abstract: To obtain a required delay time at each control using one capacitor in common, a charge and discharge control circuit includes an overcharge detecting circuit, an overdischarging circuit, and an overcurrent detecting circuit and carries out charge and discharge control of a secondary cell by ON/OFF control. A delay circuit includes plural current sources or a resistor and a single capacitor to obtain a varying delay time in response to a signal from outside. The charge and discharge control circuit operates the delay circuit so that a required delay output is obtained from the delay circuit by a first control circuit and ON/OFF controls a switch circuit by a second control circuit so that a required charge and discharge control is carried out with delay by the delay output.

Abstract: A deflecting/scanning apparatus includes a deflector for deflecting/scanning a light beam from a light source unit, an optical system for focusing the light beam deflected/scanned by the deflector onto a surface, an optical box for accommodating the deflector and the optical system, and a cover for covering the optical box. An elastic member is disposed in the optical box so as to blocking flow of air entering therein. At least a portion of the elastic member is fitted in a recess portion formed on at least one of the optical box and the cover so that the elastic member is pressed by the cover.

Abstract: A battery charging apparatus and method permits the recharging of the batteries of a seismic streamer depth control device or bird without access to the interior of the bird. In a preferred embodiment, a battery pack includes a coil within the bird that is capable of receiving a charging field from a charging unit by inductive coupling. The coil provides power to a regulated power supply comprising a voltage regulator and rectifier, and direct current is provided to charge battery cells. Thus, the batteries within the bird a charged by induction from outside the casing of the bird. Alternatively, the battery pack may be detached from the rest of the bird, but the battery pack remains scaled against the elements. The battery pack may include an electrical connector which attaches to the main body of the bird, and the electrical connector includes one or more pins for charging purposes.

Abstract: A power regulator circuit efficiently regulates electrical power generated by a solar cell array for satellite system load requirements and rechargeable battery needs. The power regulator circuits mounted opposite the solar panel regulate the power generated by the solar array according to a voltage signal generated by a processor. The regulator circuit includes a linear circuit for generating an output signal according to the generated voltage signal; and a resistor strip for dissipating the solar array generated power according to the generated output signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the instantaneous state-of-charge of a battery in which change in composition with discharge manifests itself as a change in optical absorption. In a lead-acid battery, the sensor comprises a fiber optic system with an absorption cell or, alternatively, an optical fiber woven into an absorbed-glass-mat battery. In a lithium-ion battery, the sensor comprises fiber optics for introducing light into the anode to monitor absorption when lithium ions are introduced.

Abstract: A portable information device includes a portable main part having a clocking function, a source part which is detachably attachable to the main part and contains secondary batteries serving as a power source for the main part, and a charger which is separate from the main part and serves to charge the source part. The charger includes a clock part for setting time, and the information device is adapted to cause time data from the clock part to be transmitted to the source part when the source part is charged by the charger and, when the source part is attached to the main part, to transmit time data updated by the source part to the main part and to thereafter cause the main part to continue updating the time data.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery is provided with an overcharge protection circuit which is particularly adapted for nickel metal hydride battery packs to be used in conventional charging adapters suitable for NI-CAD battery packs. The battery pack includes a microprocessor which measures the voltage across the electrical contacts of the battery pack. Upon reaching peak charge, the microprocessor increases the voltage appearing across the battery pack contacts. After a predetermined time period as measured by the microprocessor, the microprocessor decreases the voltage appearing across the battery pack terminals to exceed the change in voltage to which the charging adapter responds to terminate a high rate of charging.

Abstract: An adaptive battery charger for charging batteries used in portable electronic devices. The battery charger monitors power provided from an AC adapter to the portable electronic device, and adaptively utilizes all available power from the AC adapter for charging the batteries, both when the portable electronic device is off, and when it is in use. As the power required for the portable electronic device increases, the power provided to the batteries decreases. As the power required to power the portable electronic device decreases, the power available to charge the batteries increases.

Abstract: In a charge and discharge protection circuit, those transistors constituting a level shifting circuit that may receive a relatively high voltage as a source level or a drain level have a high withstand voltage construction.

Abstract: The present invention is a charging apparatus devised to make it possible with the help of another car to start a failed engine resulted from an old storage battery or from over-charging by inserting cigar jack in a car without opening the bonnet and without the issue of polarity arising. In general, enough current can't be attained even if storage batteries in two cars are connected through a cigar jack. This is due to the narrow difference between the voltage of the two storage batteries. Furthermore, sufficient current can not be attained and it takes a long time because the voltage drop caused by internal resistance in the cable is not negligible. To resolve such problems, the present invention includes a small-sized switch mode power supply, generates needed voltage from the power source and outputs the voltage overlapped to the supplying voltage, which creates an effective charging in a short time.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the discharging/charging cycles of a rechargeable battery which includes adaptive calculation means for providing a predictive indication of when the battery will reach a critical discharge voltage. The adaptive calculation means includes parameters which can be modified by other adaptive calculation means so as to optimize the monitor's performance depending on the battery's actual use. The adaptive calculation means may be neural networks formed by a microprocessor and memory, and the monitor system may be coupled to a host system.