Universal battery

• US 20040108833A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Systems LLC (AppBrilliance, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,145,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• 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 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters

Abstract

A system has an adapter/charger to receive power from a power source and output a first DC power signal. A universal battery receives the first DC power signal directly from the adapter/charger and to supplies a second DC power signal, and the universal battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal. A power tip receives the second DC power signal and outputs a third DC power signal useable by an electronic device. The power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an adapter/charger to receive power from a power source and output a first DC power signal;

a universal battery to receive the first DC power signal directly from the adapter/charger and to supply a second DC power signal, wherein the universal battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal; and

a power tip to receive the second DC power signal and output a third DC power signal useable by an electronic device, wherein the power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source provides A/C power.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source provides DC power.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the passive circuitry includes at least one resistor.

14. The system of claim 1, further including a cable to couple the universal battery to the power tip.

15. A universal battery, comprising:

an input port to receive a first DC power signal directly from an adapter/charger, and output a programming signal to the adapter/charger, wherein the programming signal is utilized to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal;

at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal; and

an output port to supply a second DC power signal to an electronic device via a power tip, wherein the output port receives the programming signal from the power tip.

16. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the power source provides A/C power.

17. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the power source provides DC power.

18. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

19. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

20. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

21. The universal battery of claim 15, further including a power junction device to provide the first DC signal to power both the at least one battery cell and the electronic device.

22. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

23. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

24. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

25. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry.

26. The universal battery of claim 25, wherein the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

27. The universal battery of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry.

28. The universal battery of claim 27, wherein the passive circuitry includes at least one resistor.

29. A method of using a universal battery, comprising:

coupling an adapter/charger to a power source, wherein the adapter/charger outputs a first DC power signal;

directly coupling the adapter/charger to the universal battery, wherein the universal battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal, and the universal battery supplies a second DC power signal;

coupling the universal battery to a power tip, wherein the power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal; and

coupling the power tip to an electronic device.

30. The method of claim 29, further including coupling the universal battery to the power tip via a cable.

31. The method of claim 29, further including coupling the power tip to the electronic device.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the power source provides A/C power.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the power source provides DC power.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

42. The method of claim 29, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the passive circuitry includes at least one resistor.

44. A package to store a universal battery system, comprising:

an adapter/charger to receive power from a power source and output a first DC power signal;

a universal battery to receive the first DC power signal directly from the adapter/charger and to supply a second DC power signal, wherein the universal battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal; and

a power tip to receive the second DC power signal and output a third DC power signal useable by an electronic device, wherein the power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal.

45. The package of claim 44, further including a cable to couple the universal battery to the at least one power tip.

46. The package of claim 44, further including at least one plug to couple the adapter/charger to the power source.

47. The package of claim 44, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry.

48. The package of claim 47, wherein the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

49. The package of claim 44, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry.

50. The package of claim 49, wherein the passive circuitry includes at least one resistor.

51. A method, comprising:

receiving a first DC power signal directly from an adapter/charger;

supplying a second DC power signal to an electronic device via a power tip, wherein the power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal; and

supplying a third DC power signal to at least one battery cell.

52. The method of claim 51, further including coupling with the power tip via a cable.

53. The method of claim 51, further including coupling the power tip to the electronic device.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the passive circuitry includes at least one resistor.