Patents by Inventor Alan Burchfield

Alan Burchfield has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and apparatus for battery charging based on battery capacity and charging source constraints
    Patent number: 7843171
    Abstract: A battery charging circuit sets charging current according to either the capacity of the battery under charge or a constraint of the charging source, depending on the properties of the charging source. The battery charging circuit sets termination current, however, according to the capacity of the battery under charge, regardless of the properties of the charging source. For example, the termination current may be set as a fixed fraction of the recommended C rate of the battery even if the charging current supplied by the charging source is below this C rate. Always setting the termination current in proportion to the battery's capacity permits detection of the current at which charging should terminate even when the charging current is constrained by the charging source and no longer depends on the battery's capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Semtech Corporation
    Inventors: Warren Richard Schroeder, Alan Burchfield, Thomas Joseph Karpus
  • Method and Apparatus for Battery Charging Based on Battery Capacity and Charging Source Constraints
    Publication number: 20090184687
    Abstract: A battery charging circuit sets charging current according to either the capacity of the battery under charge or a constraint of the charging source, depending on the properties of the charging source. The battery charging circuit sets termination current, however, according to the capacity of the battery under charge, regardless of the properties of the charging source. For example, the termination current may be set as a fixed fraction of the recommended C rate of the battery even if the charging current supplied by the charging source is below this C rate. Always setting the termination current in proportion to the battery's capacity permits detection of the current at which charging should terminate even when the charging current is constrained by the charging source and no longer depends on the battery's capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SEMTECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Warren Richard Schroeder, Alan Burchfield, Thomas Joseph Karpus