Systems and Methods For A Battery Life Extender

• US 20150171745A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 2Nd Life Tech. LLC
• Original Assignee: 2Nd Life Tech. LLC
• Inventors: Smith, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,473,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/145 Applications of charge pumps; Boosted voltage circuits; Clamp circuits therefor G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/50 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance, e.g. for maintaining operating temperature 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: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/18 The network being internal to a power source or plant
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1563 without using an external clock H02M3/158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel

Abstract

Systems and methods for a battery life extender are disclosed. One disclosed system includes: a switching circuit configured to be coupled to a battery; a first voltage booster coupled to the switching circuit; a second voltage booster coupled to the switching circuit, the switching circuit configured to apply power to the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster; and a capacitor coupled to each of the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a switching circuit configured to be coupled to a battery;

a first voltage booster coupled to the switching circuit;

a second voltage booster coupled to the switching circuit, the switching circuit configured to apply power to the first voltage booster or the second voltage booster; and

a capacitor coupled to each of the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an on/off switch, and wherein the switching circuit is configured to be coupled to a battery through the on/off switch.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the battery comprises one of:

a AA cell battery, a AAA cell battery, a C cell battery, a D cell battery, a 9V battery, a lantern battery, a camera battery, or a button cell battery.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster are configured to operate with an input voltage of less than 1.5 Volts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster comprise oscillating voltage converters.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage booster comprises:

a transformer, a transistor, and a diode.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second voltage booster comprises:

an inductor, a transistor, and a diode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit comprises:

a transistor and a zener diode.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch from supplying power to the first voltage booster to the second voltage booster.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the switching circuit;

the first voltage booster, the second voltage booster, and the capacitor are configured to be positioned in a housing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the housing approximates the shape of a battery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the battery comprises an AA cell battery, an AAA cell battery, a C cell battery, a D cell battery, a 9V battery, a lantern battery, a camera battery, or a button cell battery.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the housing is configured to replace one or more batteries in a power consuming device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the switching circuit;

first voltage booster, the second voltage booster, and the capacitor are configured to be positioned in a power consuming device.

15. A method comprising:

providing a switching circuit configured to be coupled to a battery;

providing a first voltage booster coupled to the switching circuit;

providing a second voltage booster coupled to the switching circuit, the switching circuit configured to apply power to the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster; and

providing a capacitor coupled to each of the first voltage booster and the second voltage booster.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a housing and wherein each of the switching circuit;

first voltage booster, the second voltage booster, and the capacitor are configured to positioned in the housing.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the housing approximates the shape of a battery.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the battery comprises an AA cell battery, an AAA cell battery, a C cell battery, a D cell battery, a 9V battery, a lantern battery, a camera battery, or a button cell battery.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the housing is configured to replace one or more batteries in a power consuming device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the switching circuit;

first voltage booster, the second voltage booster, and the capacitor are configured to positioned in a power consuming device.