PATCHES FOR BATTERY-INTERFACING DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110093840A1
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Micro Power Electronics, Inc. (Electrochem Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Micro Power Electronics, Inc. (Electrochem Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pynenburg, Rory A. J., Bulai, Claudiu, Planck, William A.
• Application Number:
  US12/909,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Patches for battery-interfacing devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A patch device in accordance with one embodiment includes a storage medium having a patch, the patch including information that is not specific to only the patch device. The patch device can further include a data terminal coupled to the storage medium and coupleable to a corresponding data terminal of a battery port of a host device. The patch is transmissible away from the storage medium via the data terminal. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes powering a host device by connecting a battery pack to the host device via a power terminal and a data terminal of the battery pack and corresponding power terminal and data terminal of the host device. Information is conveyed to the host device via the data terminal of the battery pack that is specific to just the battery pack. The battery pack is then removed from the host device and a patch device is connected to the host device via a data terminal of the patch device and the corresponding data terminal of the host device. The method further includes transmitting a patch from a storage medium of the patch device to the host device via the data terminal of the patch device and the data terminal of the host device, with the patch including information that is not specific to just the patch device.

Claims

1. A battery system, comprising:

a battery charger, including;

a first power terminal through which the battery charger transmits electrical current;

a first data terminal through which the battery charger receives, transmits, or both receives and transmits data; and

a first storage medium coupled to the first data terminal; and

a battery pack, including;

a battery cell;

a second power terminal coupled to the battery cell and releasably coupleable to the first power terminal to receive current from the charger;

a second storage medium having a patch, the patch including information that is not specific to only the battery pack; and

a second data terminal coupled to the second storage medium and coupleable to the first data terminal of the battery charger, the patch being communicable to the battery charger via the first and second data terminals.

2. The battery system of claim 1 wherein the battery charger further includes a processor and wherein the patch modifies instructions executed by the processor.

3. The battery system of claim 1 wherein the charger includes firmware and wherein the patch modifies instructions executed by the firmware.

4. The battery system of claim 1 wherein the battery cell has a first chemistry, and wherein the patch includes a charging algorithm for charging a battery cell having a second chemistry different than the first chemistry.

5. A system, comprising:

a host device that includes;

a power terminal positioned to releasably couple to a corresponding power terminal of a battery pack; and

a first data terminal positioned to releasably couple to corresponding data terminal of the battery pack; and

a patch device that includes;

a second data terminal coupleable to the first data terminal of the host device; and

a storage medium having a having a patch that is communicable to the host device via the first and second data terminals, the patch including information that is not specific to just the patch device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the host device includes a battery charger.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the host device includes a medical device.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the patch device includes a battery cell.

9. The system of claim 5, further comprising the battery pack, and wherein:

the host device is a battery charger;

the battery pack is a first battery pack having a first chemistry;

the patch device forms a portion of a second battery pack having the first chemistry;

the patch device includes at least a portion of an algorithm for charging a battery pack having a second chemistry different than the first chemistry.

10. A battery pack, comprising:

a battery cell;

a power terminal coupled to the battery cell and coupleable to a corresponding power terminal of a host device;

a storage medium having a patch, the patch including information that is not specific to only the battery pack; and

a data terminal coupled to the storage medium and coupleable to a corresponding data terminal of the host device, the patch being transmissible away from the storage medium via the data terminal.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the patch includes machine-readable instructions to be executed by the host device.

12. The battery pack of claim 11 wherein the instructions include instructions that, when executed by the host device, control a process by which the host device recharges battery cells.

13. A patch device, comprising:

a storage medium having a patch, the patch including information that is not specific to only the patch device; and

a data terminal coupled to the storage medium and coupleable to a corresponding data terminal of a battery port of a host device, the patch being transmissible away from the storage medium via the data terminal.

14. The patch device of claim 13, further comprising:

a battery cell; and

a power terminal coupled to the battery cell and coupleable to a corresponding power terminal of the battery port of the host device simultaneously with the data terminal coupling to the corresponding data terminal of the host device.

15. The patch device of claim 13, further comprising a power transmitter releasably coupleable between the host device and a power source.

16. The patch device of claim 13 wherein the patch includes instructions for changing a manner in which the host device accepts subsequent patches.

17. A method of updating a battery-powered host device, comprising:

powering the host device by connecting a first battery pack to the host device, wherein connecting the first battery pack includes connecting a power terminal of the first battery pack to a corresponding power terminal of the host device, and connecting a data terminal of the first battery pack to a corresponding data terminal of the host device;

conveying information to the host device via the data terminal of the first battery pack that is specific to the first battery pack;

removing the first battery pack from the host device;

connecting a second battery pack to the host device, wherein connecting the second battery pack includes connecting a power terminal of the second battery pack to the corresponding power terminal of the host device, and connecting a data terminal of the second battery pack to the corresponding data terminal of the host device; and

transmitting a patch from a storage medium of the second battery pack to the host device via the data terminal of the second battery pack and the data terminal of the host device, wherein the patch includes information that is not specific to just the second battery pack and further includes an algorithm or a change for an algorithm executed by the host device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the host device is a first host device and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the patch from the first host device to a third battery pack different than the second battery pack; and

transmitting the patch from the third battery pack to a second host device different than the first host device.

19. A method for updating a battery-powered host device, comprising:

powering the host device by connecting a battery pack to the host device, wherein connecting the battery pack includes connecting a power terminal of the battery pack to a corresponding power terminal of the host device, and connecting a data terminal of the battery pack to a corresponding data terminal of the host device;

conveying information to the host device via the data terminal of the battery pack that is specific to just the battery pack;

removing the battery pack from the host device;

connecting a patch device to the host device, wherein connecting the patch device includes connecting a data terminal of the patch device to the corresponding data terminal of the host device; and

transmitting a patch from a storage medium of the patch device to the host device via the data terminal of the patch device and the data terminal of the host device, wherein the patch includes information that is not specific to just the patch device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising automatically verifying that the operation of transmitting the patch was completed.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising authorizing the patch device prior to transmitting the patch.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein transmitting the patch is performed independent of whether the patch device is authorized or not.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the host device is a first host device and the patch device is a first patch device and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the patch from the first host device to a second patch device different than the first patch device; and

transmitting the patch from the second patch device to a second host device different than the first host device.

24. A method of manufacture, comprising:

storing a patch on a storage medium of a patch device, the patch including information that is not specific to just the patch device;

connecting the storage medium to a data terminal of the patch device that is releasably engagable with a corresponding data terminal of a host device, wherein the corresponding data terminal is also releasably engagable with a battery pack data terminal carried by a battery pack that provides power to the host device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein providing the storage medium with a patch includes providing the storage medium with the patch via the first data terminal after connecting the storage medium to the first data terminal.