PHYSICAL KEY TO FACILITATE AN INACTIVE MODE FOR A STATE-OF-CHARGE INDICATOR WITHIN A BATTERY

• US 20060187072A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EaglePicher Energy Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: EaglePicher Energy Products Corporation
• Inventors: Brand, Christo, Bruce, Gregg C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,176,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/636.100
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/448 End of discharge regulating measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The invention provides a system and battery including a state-of-charge indicator (SOCI) to monitor and display the amount of charge within the battery. The SOCI is capable of operating in a hibernate mode, an active mode, and/or a sleep mode. The battery may be manufactured, shipped and/or stored with the SOCI operating in a power-saving hibernate mode. The SOCI may exit the hibernate mode and begin operating in active mode if a physical key connected to the battery is removed. In addition, the SOCI may operate in a sleep mode while the battery is not being used to conserve power. Furthermore, the invention provides a method of making a battery including a SOCI to monitor and display the state of charge of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising:

at least one battery cell stack including at least one battery cell;

a state-of-charge indicator coupled to said at least one battery cell to indicate an amount of charge remaining in said at least one battery cell; and

a physical key detachably coupled to said state-of-charge indicator to control a mode of operation of said state-of-charge indicator.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein said physical key comprises:

an on/off actuator for said state-of-charge indicator.

3. The battery of claim 1, wherein said battery comprises:

an open circuit between said state-of-charge indicator and said at least one battery cell stack if said physical key is coupled to said state-of-charge indicator.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein said battery comprises:

a closed circuit between said state-of-charge indicator and said at least one battery cell stack if said physical key is detached from said state-of-charge indicator.

5. The battery of claim 1, further comprising:

a protection circuit coupled to said at least one battery cell stack and said state-of-charge indicator,

wherein said protection circuit includes circuitry to protect said at least one cell stack from at least one of excessive current draw, damaging temperature conditions and reverse current.

6. The battery of claim 1, further comprising:

a complete discharge device coupled to said at least one battery cell stack and said state-of-charge indicator.

7. The battery of claim 6, wherein said complete discharge device comprises:

an actuator; and

a load coupled to said actuator,

wherein said actuator and said load function to allow said battery to discharge into a non-reactive state suitable for non-hazardous disposal.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein said state-of-charge indicator comprises:

circuitry to cause said state-of-charge indicator to operate in at least one of an active mode, a hibernate mode and a sleep mode, wherein;

said state-of-charge indicator operating in said sleep mode consumes less charge from said at least one battery cell than said state-of-charge indicator operating in said active mode, and

said state-of-charge indicator operating in said hibernate mode consumes less charge from said at least one battery cell than said state-of-charge indicator operating in said sleep mode.

9. The battery of claim 1, wherein said battery comprises:

A closed circuit between said state-of-charge indicator and said at least one battery cell stack if said physical key is coupled to said state-of-charge indicator.

10. The battery of claim 1, wherein said battery comprises:

an open circuit between said state-of-charge indicator and said at least one battery cell stack if said physical key is detached from said state-of-charge indicator.

11. A method of making a device to indicate an amount of available charge in at least one battery cell comprising the steps of:

providing a battery with at least one battery cell;

coupling a state-of-charge indicator to said at least one battery cell within said battery,

wherein said state-of-charge indicator comprises;

a ground signal;

a clock signal; and

circuitry coupling said ground signal and said clock signal; and

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in a hibernation mode by coupling a detachable physical key to said ground signal and said clock signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in a hibernation mode comprises the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to draw a minimum amount of charge from said at least one battery cell by coupling a detachable physical key to said ground signal and said clock signal.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in an active mode if said detachable physical key is removed from said ground signal and said clock signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in an active mode comprises the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to continuously monitor at least one of current, voltage and temperature of said at least one battery if said detachable physical key is removed from said ground signal and said clock signal.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in a sleep mode if said state-of-charge indicator does not detect a significant charge draw from said at least one battery for a predetermined period of time while said state-of-charge indicator is operating in said active mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in a sleep mode comprises the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to cease continuously monitoring said at least one battery if said state-of-charge indicator does not detect a significant charge draw from said at least one battery for a predetermined period of time while said state-of-charge indicator is operating in said active mode.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in a sleep mode comprises the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to periodically monitor at least one of current, voltage and temperature of said at least one battery if said state-of-charge indicator does not detect a significant charge draw from said at least one battery for a predetermined period of time while said state-of-charge indicator is operating in said active mode.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

configuring said state-of-charge indicator to operate in said active mode if said state-of-charge indicator detects a significant charge draw in said at least one battery while operating in said sleep mode.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

coupling a complete discharge device to said at least one battery cell; and

completely discharging said at least one battery cell,

wherein said at least one battery cell is completely discharged when a minimum threshold voltage is reached.

20. A system to indicate a battery state of charge, comprising:

a battery, wherein said battery comprises;

at least one battery cell,

a state-of-charge indicator coupled to said at least one battery cell to indicate an amount of charge remaining in said at least one battery cell,

wherein said state-of-charge indicator comprises;

circuitry to operate said state-of-charge indicator in at least one of an active mode, a hibernate mode and a sleep mode, wherein said state-of-charge indicator operating in said sleep mode consumes less charge from said at least one battery cell than said state-of-charge indicator operating in said active mode, and said state-of-charge indicator operating in said hibernate mode consumes less charge from said at least one battery cell than said state-of-charge indicator operating in said sleep mode, and

a physical key detachably coupled to said state-of-charge indicator to control a mode of operation of said state-of-charge indicator; and

an electronic device coupled to said battery.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said battery further comprises:

a protection circuit coupled to said at least one battery cell and said state-of-charge indicator,

wherein said protection circuit includes circuitry to protect said at least one battery cell from at least one of excessive current draw, damaging temperature conditions and reverse current.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said battery further comprises:

a complete discharge device coupled to said at least one battery and said state-of-charge indicator.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said complete discharge device comprises:

an actuator; and

a load coupled to said actuator,

wherein said actuator and said load function to allow said battery to discharge into a non-reactive state suitable for non-hazardous disposal if said battery becomes substantially discharged.