APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING ALTERNATIVE CELL CHEMISTRIES FOR BATTERIES

• US 20140276487A1
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Inventors: Locke, Christopher Brian, Coulthard, Richard Daniel John, Blandford, David Robson
• Granted Patent: US 10,159,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/71 Suction drainage systems containers therefor A61M1/60, A61M1/64; negative pressure wound therapy systems A61M1/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/732 Visual indicating means for vacuum pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/80 Suction pumps A61M1/64, A61M1/71, A61M60/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/91 Suction aspects of the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/966 having a pressure sensor on or near the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 on the body
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/378 specially adapted for the type of battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4221 with battery type recognition
• 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

Abstract

New and useful systems, methods, and apparatuses for automatically identifying alternative cell chemistries of batteries that power portable electric devices and adjusting the characteristics of such devices in response to the identification of such cells in a reduced-pressure therapy environment are set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for identifying the cell chemistry of a battery inserted into an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a battery has been inserted into the electronic device;

determining whether the electronic device has been powered up by the battery having an open circuit voltage (V_O);

measuring the open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery;

connecting a resistor across the battery, the battery having a load voltage (V_L) based on the resistance of the resistor and measuring the load voltage (V_L);

calculating a percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) resulting from connecting the resistor to the battery; and

using the resulting values of the open circuit voltage (V_O), the load voltage (V_L), and the percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) in connection with an algorithm to determine the cell chemistry of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a lithium cell chemistry if V_O is greater than or equal to 1.65V and V_L is greater than or equal to 0.55V_O.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a zinc carbon cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.45V_O.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having an alkaline cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.55V_O but greater than 0.45V_O.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises one or more cells (n cells) and the resistor has a resistance of 0.25 R(n).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the resistor is a discrete component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the load voltage (V_L) of the battery is measured only once.

8. A method for identifying the cell chemistry of a battery inserted into an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a battery has been inserted into the electronic device;

determining whether the electronic device has been powered up by the battery having an open circuit voltage (V_O);

measuring the open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery;

connecting a resistor across the battery, the battery having a load voltage (V_L) based on the resistance of the resistor and measuring the load voltage (V_L);

calculating a percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) resulting from connecting the resistor to the battery; and

adjusting a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a lithium cell chemistry if V_O is greater than or equal to 1.65V and V_L is greater than or equal to 0.55V_O.

9. A method for identifying the cell chemistry of a battery inserted into an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a battery has been inserted into the electronic device;

determining whether the electronic device has been powered up by the battery having an open circuit voltage (V_O);

measuring the open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery;

connecting a resistor across the battery, the battery having a load voltage (V_L) based on the resistance of the resistor and measuring the load voltage (V_L);

calculating a percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) resulting from connecting the resistor to the battery; and

adjusting a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a zinc carbon cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.45V_O.

10. A method for identifying the cell chemistry of a battery inserted into an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a battery has been inserted into the electronic device;

determining whether the device has been powered up by the battery having an open circuit voltage (V_O);

measuring the open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery;

connecting a resistor across the battery, the battery having a load voltage (V_L) based on the resistance of the resistor and measuring the load voltage (V_L);

calculating a percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) resulting from connecting the resistor to the battery; and

adjusting a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having an alkaline cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.55V_O but greater than 0.45V_O.

11. Apparatus for identifying the cell chemistry of a battery inserted into an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a test circuit including a resistor and a switch electrically connected in series and having two electrical contacts adapted to be connected to the battery when inserted into the electronic device, the switch being actionable between an open position to provide an open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery and a closed position to provide a load voltage (V_L) of the battery; and

a computer having a program for determining whether the electronic device has been powered up by the battery, measuring the open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery, measuring the load voltage (V_L), calculating a percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) resulting from connecting the resistor to the battery, and using these three values in connection with an algorithm to determine the cell chemistry of the battery and provide a battery-identifier output signal; and

a controller responsive to the battery-identifier output and adapted to selectively adjust a characteristic of the electronic device to function with the battery having a cell chemistry as identified by the battery-identifier output signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller adjusts a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a lithium cell chemistry if V_O is greater than or equal to 1.65V and V_L is greater than or equal to 0.55V_O.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller adjusts a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a zinc carbon cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.45V_O.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller adjusts a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having an alkaline cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.55V_O but greater than 0.45V_O.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the battery comprises one or more cells (n cells) and the resistor has a resistance of 0.25 R(n).

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the resistor is a discrete component.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the load voltage (V_L) of the cell is measured only once.

18. A system for treating a tissue site with reduced pressure, the system comprising:

a dressing including a manifold for providing a reduced-pressure treatment space to the tissue site, a sealing member for sealing the manifold within the reduced-pressure treatment space, and a reduced-pressure interface coupled to the sealing member for providing reduced pressure to the manifold;

a reduced-pressure source fluidly coupled to the reduced-pressure interface to provide reduced pressure to the manifold; and

a test circuit including a resistor and a switch electrically connected in series and having to electrical contacts adapted to be connected to the battery when inserted into the electronic device, the switch being actionable between an open position to provide an open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery and a closed position to provide a load voltage (V_L).

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the test circuit further comprises a computer having a program for determining whether the electronic device has been powered up by the battery, measuring the open circuit voltage (V_O) of the battery, measuring the load voltage (V_L) of the resistor, calculating a percent voltage drop (V_L/V_O) resulting from connecting the resistor to the battery, and using these three values in connection with an algorithm to determine the cell chemistry of the battery and provide a battery-identifier output signal.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a controller responsive to the battery-identifier output and adapted to selectively adjust a characteristic of the electronic device to function with the battery having a cell chemistry as identified by the battery-identifier output signal.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller adjusts a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a lithium cell chemistry if V_O is greater than or equal to 1.65V and V_L is greater than or equal to 0.55V_O.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller adjusts a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having a zinc carbon cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.45V_O.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller adjusts a characteristic of the electronic device to function with a battery having an alkaline cell chemistry if V_L is less than 0.55V_O but greater than 0.45V_O.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the battery comprises one or more cells (n cells) and the resistor has a resistance of 0.25 R(n).

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the load voltage (V_L) of the resistor is measured only once.