Apparatus for refreshing batteries
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a battery charger comprising a charging circuit for charging rechargeable batteries of a battery pack;
an adapter capable of being connected with the battery pack and the battery charger, the adapter comprising a discharging circuit for discharging the rechargeable batteries, a switch for selectively connecting the rechargeable batteries with the discharging circuit or with the charging circuit of the battery charger when the battery pack is connected with the battery charger via the adapter, and a microprocessor for controlling the switch on the basis of a flag stored in a memory of the battery pack when the battery pack is connected with the battery charger via the adapter, wherein the flag indicates whether a refresh process is required.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Battery charger (10) may include a power source circuit (22) for charging rechargeable batteries (58) when a battery pack (50) is connected directly to the battery charger or is connected thereto with an adapter (30) interposed therebetween. The adapter may include a discharging circuit (42) for discharging the rechargeable batteries. The adapter may also include a switch (48) for alternatively connecting the rechargeable batteries with the discharging circuit or the charging circuit of the battery charger. The battery pack may have a memory (61) storing a flag indicating whether a refresh process is required. The adapter may further include a control portion (41) for controlling the switch. When the battery pack has been connected to the battery charger via the adapter, the control portion may preferably controls the switch on the basis of the flag stored in the memory of the battery pack.
33 Citations
7 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
a battery charger comprising a charging circuit for charging rechargeable batteries of a battery pack;
an adapter capable of being connected with the battery pack and the battery charger, the adapter comprising a discharging circuit for discharging the rechargeable batteries, a switch for selectively connecting the rechargeable batteries with the discharging circuit or with the charging circuit of the battery charger when the battery pack is connected with the battery charger via the adapter, and a microprocessor for controlling the switch on the basis of a flag stored in a memory of the battery pack when the battery pack is connected with the battery charger via the adapter, wherein the flag indicates whether a refresh process is required. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An adapter comprising:
-
a first electrical contact capable of connecting with rechargeable batteries of a battery pack;
a second electrical contact capable of connecting with a charging circuit of a battery charger;
a discharging circuit for discharging the rechargeable batteries;
a switch selectively connecting the first electrical contact with either the discharging circuit or with the second electrical contact;
a microprocessor electrically connecting the switch and a memory of the battery pack, the memory stores a flag indicating whether the refresh process is required, wherein the microprocessor reads a flag from the memory and controls the switch on the basis of the read flag when the rechargeable batteries has been connected with the first electrical contact and the charging circuit has been connected with the second electrical contact.
-
Specification