Precharging Analysis (e.g., Determining Presence Of Battery, Etc.) Patents (Class 320/DIG12)
  • Patent number: 6150796
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a mobile battery charging arrangement (100, 104, 114) utilizes a controllable power switch (306) to selectively switch power from a vehicular power source (114), such as a vehicle battery, to a battery charging circuit (101) to provide a charge to a rechargeable portable battery (104) for a portable battery operated device such as a portable communication radio (106). A battery present detector (102) controls the controllable power switch (306) to switch in the power from the vehicular battery power source (114) to the battery charging circuit (101) only while the rechargeable portable battery (104) is electrically coupled to the battery charging circuit (101) for receiving a charge therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Ford
  • Patent number: 6087803
    Abstract: A battery pack 2 is detachably loaded with respect to an electronic equipment 1 through an electric connecting portion 3 to thereby deliver power. A CPU 2f of the battery pack 2 detects signal states of communication lines by using communication lines, e.g., data lines 3h, 3f and clock lines 3i, 3g for informing information between the battery pack 2 and the electronic equipment 1, whereby the battery pack 2 detects whether the battery pack is in the state electrically connected to the connecting portion of the electronic equipment 1 or in the state electrically detached from the connecting portion of the electronic equipment 1. Thus, the number of connecting terminals used in electrically connecting the battery pack with respect to the electronic equipment is reduced. As a result, miniaturization can be realized and there can result less unsatisfactory terminal contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Eguchi, Kazuhiko Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6023147
    Abstract: An improved hand-held data terminal is provided. A sensing circuit senses the presence of rechargeable batteries. A rechargeable battery pack can be used in the hand-held data terminal. The battery pack can include a short circuit element. The short circuit element comes into contact with the hand-held data terminal when the rechargeable battery pack is assembled with the hand-held data terminal. The short circuit element, when in contact with the hand-held data terminal, serves to indicate the presence of the rechargeable battery pack and to thereby enable the recharging capabilities of the hand-held data terminal. A battery pack which does not contain the short circuit element cannot be recharged by the hand-held data terminal since the recharging circuit of the data terminal would remain in a disabled state. Further, the battery pack can be shaped asymmetrically so that it can only be assembled with the hand-held data terminal in an operational orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Keith K. Cargin, Jr., Ronald L. Mahany, Dennis A. Durbin, Darrell L. Boatwright, Stephen J. Kelly, Darald R. Schultz, William T. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 6002238
    Abstract: A periodic time-varying current with smallest period 1/f.sub.1 excites a cell/battery and provides a timing reference. Linear circuitry produces two signals, one proportional to the excitation current, the other proportional to the responding time-varying voltage. These signals are processed with identical frequency-limiting filters to attenuate higher-order harmonics and noise. Using the timing reference for synchronization, a microprocessor/microcontroller commands analog to digital converters to sample the frequency-limited current and voltage signals at equally-spaced times over a period and accepts the digitized samples as inputs. The digital samples are averaged over multiple periods and employed to calculate averaged Fourier coefficients of in-phase and quadrature components of frequency-limited current and voltage at frequency f.sub.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Inventor: Keith S. Champlin
  • Patent number: 5932989
    Abstract: A battery (104) is connected to a host device (106), the host device is an electrical or electronic device, such as a cellular telephone. The battery is rechargeable, and contains a memory (110) connected to a data line (116). The battery is connected to a battery charger (102) while also connected to the host device. The battery charger detects the battery (306), reads the battery information (308) from the battery memory. The data line is common to the battery charger, battery, and host device. The charger indicates its presence to the host device by changing the voltage level on the data line (310) from a normal first level, such as a logic level of one, to a second level, such as a logic level of zero, and holds the data line at the second level. The host detects the presence of the battery charger (312) after the data line has been held at the second level for a sufficient period of time, and then may take the desired actions (314).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Iilonga Thandiwe, Brian T. Pozsgay
  • Patent number: 5872445
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a secondary battery and a charger, and can further utilize an external D.C. power supply. A switch is interposed between a negative electrode of the secondary battery and the ground. This switch is turned OFF when the external D.C. power supply is connected to the power supply device, and is turned ON when the external D.C. power supply is removed from the power supply device. The charger controls the charge of the secondary battery from the external D.C. power supply by regulating the potential of the negative electrode of the battery. A contact remains OFF while the external D.C. power supply is connected to the power supply device. In consequence, a current does not directly flow from the external D.C. power supply to the secondary battery. Therefore, a back-flow prevention diode, which otherwise results in power consumption, need not be disposed between the secondary battery and the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hidekiyo Ozawa, Masafumi Okumura, Hidetoshi Yano, Mituo Saeki
  • Patent number: 5854551
    Abstract: An apparatus for charging a battery has a power supply terminal, a controllable power control switch coupled to said power supply terminal, a charging circuit having a charging terminal for connection to a terminal of the battery, and means for opening and closing the power control switch if a battery is disconnected or connected to the charging terminal, respectively. The means for opening and closing the power control switch may include an analog circuit, a digital circuit, a hybrid analog/digital circuit or a mechanical switch. A method of controlling a power control switch of a battery charging system is disclosed, comprising the steps of generating a reference voltage level, sensing the voltage level at the charging terminal, comparing the voltage level at the charging terminal to the reference voltage, and controlling the power control switch in response to the comparison of the reference voltage level and the voltage level at the charging terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventors: Patrik Lilja, Thomas Joseph Karpus
  • Patent number: 5780992
    Abstract: An adaptive rechargeable battery system capable of utilizing battery packs of a variety of electrochemical cells includes a portable electronic battery powered device for operating from battery power, a rechargeable battery pack, and means for determining characteristic battery information and parameters of the rechargeable battery pack such that the portable electronic battery powered device may adapt to optimally utilize the rechargeable battery pack in accordance with the characteristic battery information and parameters. The adaptive rechargeable battery system includes a method for adaptively utilizing a rechargeable battery pack by reading the characteristic battery parameter data from electronic storage means contained within the battery pack or by determining the characteristic battery parameter data and subsequently configuring and operating the portable battery powered electronic device to optimally utilize the rechargeable battery pack according to the characteristic battery parameter data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Norand Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Beard