ULTRA FAST BATTERY CHARGER WITH BATTERY SENSING

• US 20080238357A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Rotondo, John, Bourilkov, Jordan T., Klein, David N., Batson, David C.
• Application Number:
  US11/776,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238357A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for charging a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell. The method includes determining a corresponding battery capacity based on identification information received from the rechargeable battery, determining a charging current level to apply to the rechargeable battery based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less, and applying a charging current having substantially about the determined current level to the battery.

Claims

1. A method for charging a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

determining a corresponding battery capacity based on identification information received from the rechargeable battery;

determining a charging current level to apply to the rechargeable battery based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less; and

applying a charging current having substantially about the determined current level to the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the corresponding battery capacity comprises:

applying a test current to an identification resistor of the rechargeable battery, the identification resistor representative of the corresponding battery capacity; and

measuring an identifying voltage drop at the identification resistor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the charging current comprises;

retrieving from a lookup table a value corresponding to the charging current level to apply to the rechargeable battery based on the identifying voltage drop.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the charging current comprises:

computing a resistance value based on the measured identifying voltage drop and the test current; and

selecting from a lookup table the charging current level to be applied to the rechargeable battery based on the computed resistance value.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a temperature of the rechargeable battery; and

adjusting the charging current based on the determined temperature.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

terminating the charging current after a period of charging time substantially equal to the charging period of time has elapsed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined charge of the battery is at least 90% of the battery capacity of the battery, and wherein the charging period of time is approximately 5 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the charging current includes applying a charging current to the rechargeable battery through a first set of terminals of a charger device, the first set of terminals configured to apply currents.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

monitoring the voltage at terminals of the rechargeable battery through a second set of sensing terminals of the charger device, the second set of terminals configured to measure voltages.

10. A method for charging a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

applying a charging current to the rechargeable battery through a first set of charging terminals of a charger device, the first set of terminals configured to apply currents; and

monitoring the voltage at terminals of the rechargeable battery through a second set of sensing terminals of the charger device, the second set of terminals configured to measure voltages.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving from an identification mechanism of the rechargeable battery an identification information representative of a corresponding battery capacity of the rechargeable battery;

determining the corresponding battery capacity for the rechargeable battery based on the received identification information; and

determining the charging current level based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the rechargeable battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the corresponding battery capacity comprises:

applying a test current to an identification resistor of the rechargeable battery, the identification resistor representative of the corresponding battery capacity; and

measuring an identifying voltage drop at the identification resistor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the pre-determined charge of the battery is at least 90% of the battery capacity of the battery, and wherein the charging period of time is approximately 5 minutes.

14. A charger device configured to charge a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell, the rechargeable battery including a battery identification mechanism configured to communicate identification information representative of a corresponding battery capacity associated with the rechargeable battery, the device comprising:

a charging compartment configured to receive the rechargeable battery, the charging compartment including;

charging terminals configured to be coupled to respective battery terminals of the rechargeable battery, and

a battery identification read mechanism configured to communicate with the battery identification mechanism of the rechargeable battery, and to receive the identification information; and

a controller configured to;

determine the corresponding battery capacity based on the communicated identification information of the rechargeable battery;

determine a charging current level to be applied to the rechargeable battery based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less; and

apply a charging current having substantially about the determined current level to the rechargeable battery.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the battery identification read mechanism comprises:

an ID-sensing terminal configured to apply a test current to an identification resistor of the rechargeable battery, the identification resistor representative of the corresponding battery capacity; and

a voltage sensor configured to measure an identifying voltage drop at the identification resistor.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to:

select from a lookup table stored on a memory module of the controller the charging current level to be applied to the rechargeable battery based on the measured identifying voltage drop.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to:

compute a resistance value based on the measured identifying voltage drop and the sensing current; and

select from a lookup table stored on a memory module of the controller the charging current level to be applied to the rechargeable battery based on the computed resistance value.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the identification resistor is a thermistor having a variable resistance based on a temperature of the rechargeable battery, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine the temperature of the rechargeable battery based on varying resistance of the thermistor; and

adjust the charging current based on the determined temperature.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

terminate the charging current after a period of time substantially equal to the charging period of time has elapsed.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the pre-determined charge of the rechargeable battery is at least 90% of the battery capacity of the rechargeable battery, and wherein the charging period of time is approximately 5 minutes.

21. The device of claim 14, further comprising the rechargeable battery.

22. A charger device configured to charge a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell, the device comprising:

a charging compartment configured to receive the rechargeable battery, the charging compartment including;

a first set of charging terminals configured to apply electric currents to respective terminals of the rechargeable battery, and

a second set of sensing terminals configured to measure voltages of the rechargeable battery;

, and

a controller configured to;

apply a charging current to the rechargeable battery through the first set of charging terminals; and

monitor the voltage between terminals of the rechargeable cells through the second set of sensing terminals.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising:

a battery identification read mechanism configured to communicate with a battery identification mechanism of the rechargeable battery, and to receive from an identification mechanism of the rechargeable battery identification information representative of a corresponding battery capacity;

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine the corresponding battery capacity based on the received identification information of the rechargeable battery; and

determine the charging current level to be applied to the rechargeable battery based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the battery identification read mechanism includes:

an ID-sensing terminal configured to apply a test current to an identification resistor of the rechargeable battery, the identification resistor representative of the corresponding battery capacity; and

a voltage sensor device configured to measure an identifying voltage drop at the identification resistor.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the pre-determined charge of the rechargeable battery is at least 90% of the battery capacity of the rechargeable battery, and wherein the charging period of time is approximately 5 minutes.

26. The device of claim 22, further comprising the rechargeable battery.

27. A charger apparatus comprising:

a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell the rechargeable battery having a battery identification mechanism configured to communicate identification information representative of a corresponding battery capacity associated with the rechargeable battery;

a charging compartment configured to receive the rechargeable battery, the charging compartment including;

charging terminals configured to be coupled to respective terminals of the rechargeable battery, and

a battery identification read mechanism configured to communicate with the battery identification mechanism of the rechargeable battery, and to receive the identification information; and

a controller configured to;

determine the corresponding battery capacity based on the identification information of the rechargeable battery;

determine a charging current level to be applied to the rechargeable battery based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less; and

apply a charging current having substantially about the determined current level to the battery.

28. A docking station system comprising;

a charging compartment configured to receive a battery-operable device having at least one rechargeable battery, the charging compartment including;

connections to connect to respective connections of the battery-operable device, and

an identification read mechanism configured to communicate with an identification mechanism of the battery-operable device, the identification mechanism configured to communicate identification information representative of a battery capacity associated with the at least one rechargeable battery; and

a controller configured to;

determine the corresponding battery capacity based on the communicated identification information; and

determine a charging current level to be applied to the at least one rechargeable battery of the battery-operable device based on the determined corresponding battery capacity such that the at least one rechargeable battery achieves a pre-determined charge that is reached within a charging period of time of 15 minutes or less.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising the battery-operable device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the battery-operable device includes one of:

a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a digital camera, an audio device and a multimedia device.