Apparatus and method for detecting a short of a battery connector

• US 20060061365A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jun-Ho
• Application Number:
  US11/234,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061365A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/586 inside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A short circuit detection apparatus and method thereof for detecting a pin-to-pin short or a pin-to-ground short of a wireless communications terminal battery connector is described. The detection apparatus monitors the voltage level of the battery and indicates a pin-to-ground short when the battery voltage is at ground level, and indicates a pin-to-pin short when the battery level is slightly above ground. Upon detection of a ground, the short circuit detection apparatus indicates the presence of the short and of its type by a visual or audible indication or both.

Claims

1. A wireless communications terminal comprising:

a battery connector;

a short circuit detection unit for detecting a short circuit of the battery connector and for detecting a short circuit type of the battery connector; and

a controller for indicating the short circuit and the short circuit type detected by the short circuit detection unit.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the battery connector comprises an anode pin and a cathode pin.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the short detection unit comprises:

a short circuit detector for detecting the short circuit using a voltage potential of the anode pin; and

a short circuit type detector for detecting the short circuit type using the voltage potential of the anode pin.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the short circuit detector comprises a first NOR gate logic circuit having a first input pin and a second input pin, wherein the first NOR gate logic circuit provides an indication responsive to the short circuit.

5. The terminal of claim 4, wherein the first input pin is connected to the anode pin and the second input pin is connected to ground.

6. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the short circuit type detector comprises:

a diode connected to the anode pin of the battery connector for detecting a battery voltage; and

a second NOR gate logic circuit having a third input pin and a fourth input pin, wherein the second NOR gate logic circuit provides an indication responsive to the short circuit type.

7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the third input pin is connected to the diode and the fourth input pin is connected to ground.

8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the type of short circuit is a short between the anode pin and the cathode pin.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the type of short circuit is a short between the anode pin and the ground.

10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller provides a visual indication of the detection of the short circuit.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller provides an audible indication of the detection of the short circuit.

12. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller provides a visual indication of the detection of the short circuit type.

13. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller provides an audible indication of the short circuit type.

14. A short circuit detection apparatus comprising:

a battery connector further comprising an anode pin and a cathode pin;

a means for detecting a short circuit using a voltage potential of the anode pin;

a means for detecting a short circuit type using the voltage potential of the anode pin; and

a controller for indicating the short circuit and the short circuit type detected by the short circuit detection unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein means for detecting a short circuit comprises a first NOR gate logic circuit having a first input pin connected to the anode pin and a second input pin connected to a ground, wherein the first NOR gate logic circuit provides an indication responsive to the short circuit.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for detecting the short circuit type comprises:

a diode connected to the anode pin of the battery connector for detecting a battery voltage; and

a second NOR gate logic circuit having a third input pin connected to the diode and a fourth input connected to ground, wherein the second NOR gate logic circuit provides an indication responsive to the short circuit type.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the type of short circuit is a short between the anode pin and the cathode pin or a short between the anode pin and the ground.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a means for displaying a visual indication of the short circuit and the short circuit type.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a means for providing an audible indication of the short circuit and the short circuit type

20. A method for detecting a short circuit of a wireless communications battery connector, the method comprising:

detecting a short circuit of the battery connector, the battery connector comprising an anode pin and a cathode pin;

detecting a short circuit type; and

indicating the detected short circuit and the short circuit type.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the type of short circuit is a short between the anode pin and the cathode pin or a short between the anode pin and a ground.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the short circuit and the short circuit type are detected using a voltage of the anode pin.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the short between the anode pin and the ground is detected when the anode pin voltage is at ground voltage.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the short between the anode pin and the cathode pin is detected when the anode pin voltage is higher than ground voltage.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein indicating is visual.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein indicating is audible.