Battery conditioning system having communication with battery parameter memory means in conjunction with battery conditioning
First Claim
1. In a battery conditioning system,rechargeable battery means for supplying operating current during a number of hours of portable operation so as to become progressively discharged as a result,memory and communications means for operative association with the rechargeable battery means and receiving power from the rechargeable battery means during portable operation, andbattery conditioning system means for coupling with said rechargeable battery means and with said memory and communications means, for conditioning of the battery means after a period of portable operation and for the transmission of data concerning said rechargeable battery means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an exemplary embodiment, a battery conditioning system monitors battery conditioning and includes a memory for storing data based thereon; for example, data may be stored representative of available battery capacity as measured during a deep discharge cycle. With a microprocessor monitoring battery operation of a portable unit, a measure of remaining battery capacity can be calculated and displayed. Where the microprocessor and battery conditioning system memory are permanently secured to the battery so as to receive operating power therefrom during storage and handling, the performance of a given battery in actual use can be accurately judged since the battery system can itself maintain a count of accumulated hours of use and other relevant parameters. In the case of a nonportable conditioning system, two-way communication may be established with a memory associated with the portable unit so that the portable unit can transmit to the conditioning system information concerning battery parameters (e.g. rated battery capacity) and/or battery usage (e.g. numbers of shallow discharge and recharge cycles), and after a conditioning operation, the conditioning system can transmit to the portable unit a measured value of battery capacity, for example.
186 Citations
48 Claims
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1. In a battery conditioning system,
rechargeable battery means for supplying operating current during a number of hours of portable operation so as to become progressively discharged as a result, memory and communications means for operative association with the rechargeable battery means and receiving power from the rechargeable battery means during portable operation, and battery conditioning system means for coupling with said rechargeable battery means and with said memory and communications means, for conditioning of the battery means after a period of portable operation and for the transmission of data concerning said rechargeable battery means.
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12. In a hand-held device,
battery means for supplying operating current during a number of hours of portable operation so as to become progressively discharged as a result, battery current sensing means coupled with said battery means for sensing battery current during use, and computer means coupled with said battery current sensing means and receiving data therefrom during portable operation, said computer means having memory means for storing data which is a function of the integral of battery current with respect to time during portable operation, such that an estimate of remaining useful life of the battery means is available from said computer means during portable operation.
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17. In a battery conditioning system,
a portable battery powered utilization device of size and weight to be held in one hand during use, and operating from battery power during portable operation thereof, battery means operatively coupled with said utilization device for supplying operating power thereto during portable operation, battery conditioning system means coupled with said utilization device during conditioning operation and operatively coupled with said battery means and comprising battery conditioning means for effecting conditioning of said battery means, and battery parameter sensing means for sensing a battery parameter, said battery conditioning system means including computer operating means operatively coupled with said battery conditioning means and controlling conditioning of said battery means in conjunction with said battery parameter sensing means.
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30. A portable battery powered system comprising
a portable battery powered utilization device operating from battery power during portable operation, battery means operatively coupled with said utilization device for supplying operating power thereto during portable operation, and conditioning control means comprising computer operating means having computer output means for coupling with an external battery conditioning circuit during conditioning of the battery means.
- 41. The method of conditioning a portable utilization device containing rechargeable battery means and computer operating means, which comprises generating data which is a function of said battery means with the use of said computer operating means, coupling said portable utilization device with a conditioning circuit for supplying charging current to the rechargeable battery means during a conditioning operation, and controlling the rate of charging of the battery means during a conditioning operation in accordance with the data generated by said computer operating means.
Specification