SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED DETECTION OF BATTERY INSERT

• US 20120277642A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Richard, Resnick, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,825,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2011/005 with belt or strap expanding and contracting around an encircled body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/006 Power driven
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/67 Testing the correctness of wire connections in electric apparatus or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence

Abstract

A rechargeable power cell having no voltage across its positive and negative power terminals unless the power cell is inserted into a device configured to accept the power cell is described. The power cell includes a battery management processor and battery insertion detection circuitry that cooperate to determine when the power cell is inserted into the device and then drive an electronic switch to provide for conduction of current from the power cell to the positive terminal of the cell.

Claims

1. A battery connection detection circuit, comprising:

a first reference voltage source and a second reference voltage source;

a detection line driven high by the first reference voltage source;

a comparison circuit for comparing a signal from the second voltage source to a signal on the detection line, wherein an output for the comparison circuit goes low when the signal on the detection line goes low.

2. A rechargeable battery for use in a medical device, comprising:

a battery pack having at least one battery cell;

a connector disposed on the battery pack, the connector having a positive terminal and a negative terminal in electrical communication with a positive side and a negative side of the at least one battery cell respectively, the connector also have a detection terminal configured to engage a corresponding terminal in a device to be powered by the battery pack;

a switch disposed between the positive side of the at least one battery cell and the positive terminal of the connector;

a battery management processor in electrical communication with the battery cell and the switch means;

a battery detection circuit in electrical communication with the detection terminal, the battery detection circuit configured to provide a battery detection signal to the battery management processor when the battery pack is inserted into a device configured to accept the battery pack; and

wherein the battery management processor provides a signal to the switch means to control the switch means in response to the battery detection signal to allow current to flow through the switch means from the positive side of the at least one battery cell to the positive terminal of the connector.

3. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the at least one battery cell is based on Lithium-Ion chemistry.

4. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the switch is a n-FET MOSFET device.

5. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein an output of the battery detection circuit is biased high when the battery pack is not inserted into the device configured to accept the battery pack.

6. The rechargeable battery of claim 5, wherein insertion of the battery pack into the device configured to accept the battery pack drives the output of the battery detection circuit low.

7. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the battery detection signal has an edge that serves as an interrupt when the edge is received by the battery management processor.

8. The rechargeable battery of claim 7, wherein the edge is a falling edge formed as the detection signal drops from a high condition to a low condition.

9. The rechargeable battery of claim 8, wherein the detection signal drops from the high condition to the low condition when the detection terminal of the connector engages the corresponding terminal in the device configured to accept the battery pack.

10. The rechargeable battery of claim 9, wherein the corresponding terminal in the device configured to accept the battery pack is connected to ground.

11. The rechargeable battery of claim 7, wherein the battery management processor receives the interrupt and analyzes the detection signal to determine whether the signal has a high condition or a low condition.

12. The rechargeable battery of claim 11, wherein the battery management processor provides a signal to the switch to allow current to flow through the switch if the detection signal has the low condition.

13. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the battery detection circuit includes a detection line biased with a first voltage and a reference line biased with a second voltage, and also having a comparison circuit for comparing the first voltage to the second voltage, the comparison circuit having an output having a first condition when the first voltage is greater than the second voltage and a second condition when the first voltage is less than the second voltage.

14. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, where the second condition indicates that the battery pack has been inserted into the device configured to accept the battery pack.

15. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the comparison circuit includes an operational amplifier configured as a comparator.

16. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the battery detection circuit includes static electricity protection means.

17. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch or interlock.

18. The rechargeable battery of claim 2, wherein the battery management processor is configured to provide a handshaking signal through the connector to the device to be powered.

19. The rechargeable battery of claim 18, wherein the handshaking signal is encrypted.