Upgradable smart battery pack

• US 20030175560A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Power Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smart Power Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Sang-Min, Youn, Dae-Young, Kim, Dae-Jeong, Kim, Hun-June
• Granted Patent: US 7,041,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/7
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Herein disclosed is an upgradable SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) battery pack which is capable of upgrading a SMART function thereof. The upgradable SMART battery pack comprises a battery array, a host interface for supplying power to a host and performing a SMART communication therewith, a protection circuit for protecting battery cells in the battery array from overcurrent or overvoltage, a microprocessor for monitoring a current state of the battery array, calculating a battery capacity thereof and controlling the SMART communication with the host via the host interface, a nonvolatile memory for storing a program necessary to an operation of the microprocessor and unique battery information, and a signal processor for converting a level of a signal to be sent to the host via the host interface into that desired by the host and processing the level-converted signal. The SMART battery pack further comprises an input/output port for performing an interfacing operation between the host and the microprocessor to download a control program and data to be stored in the nonvolatile memory from the host.

Claims

1. An upgradable SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) battery pack comprising:

a battery array;

a host interface for supplying power to a host and performing a SMART communication therewith;

a protection circuit for protecting battery cells in said battery array from overcurrent or overvoltage;

a microprocessor for monitoring a current state of said battery array, calculating a battery capacity thereof and controlling said SMART communication with said host via said host interface;

a nonvolatile memory for storing a program necessary to an operation of said microprocessor and unique battery information; and

a signal processor for converting a level of a signal to be sent to said host via said host interface into that desired by said host and processing the level-converted signal;

wherein said SMART battery pack further comprises an input/output port for performing an interfacing operation between said host and said microprocessor to download a control program and data to be stored in said nonvolatile memory from said host.

2. The upgradable SMART battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein said input/output port includes:

a reset terminal for erasing various data stored in said battery pack in response to a control signal from said host; and

a first serial output terminal for outputting a control program and data inputted from said host to said battery pack.

3. The upgradable SMART battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein said input/output port further includes a second serial output terminal for uploading a control program and data stored in said nonvolatile memory to said host.

4. The upgradable SMART battery pack as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said host interface and said input/output port are physically implemented in a single connector.