Intelligent battery system
First Claim
1. A battery system comprising a battery pack, said battery pack including:
- a plurality of battery cells;
positive and negative terminals serially coupled to said battery cells, said positive terminal delivering output current to a load and receiving input current in the direction of charging current;
sensing means for sensing current and data pulses flowing through said battery cells and said positive and negative terminals;
an output port outputting data from said battery pack;
memory means for storing battery parameter data; and
electronic means, coupled to the sensing means and said memory means, for transmitting said battery parameter data to said output port in response to said sensing means sensing said current input through said positive terminal in the direction of charging current.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent battery system senses current flowing in the direction of charge current through positive and negative terminals and battery cells of a battery pack. In response, a processor within the battery pack transmits battery parameter data to a separate output port of the battery pack. The battery parameter data includes the state of charge of the battery cells, temperature data and the type of battery pack. The processor also responds to specific data requests transmitted into the battery terminals by transmitting the requested battery parameter data. The battery pack is also designed to minimize power dissipation of the processor. When the battery pack is not subjected to either charge or discharge for a predetermined period, the processor is rendered into a "light-sleep" mode in which power dissipation is substantially reduced. The processor is awakened from the light-sleep either by a timer or by charge or discharge activity to monitor the amount of charge or discharge and other battery parameters.
316 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A battery system comprising a battery pack, said battery pack including:
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a plurality of battery cells; positive and negative terminals serially coupled to said battery cells, said positive terminal delivering output current to a load and receiving input current in the direction of charging current; sensing means for sensing current and data pulses flowing through said battery cells and said positive and negative terminals; an output port outputting data from said battery pack; memory means for storing battery parameter data; and electronic means, coupled to the sensing means and said memory means, for transmitting said battery parameter data to said output port in response to said sensing means sensing said current input through said positive terminal in the direction of charging current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; wherein said flow of current is due to discharge of said battery cells, and said processor means determines the state of charge based at least in part on the amount of ampere-hours of the discharge current.
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10. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; wherein said flow of current is due to charging of said battery cells, and said processor means determines the state of charge based at least in part on the amount of ampere-hours of the charge current.
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11. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; wherein said second rendering means renders said processor means into said relatively low power consumption mode when said current does not flow through said battery pack for a predetermined period.
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12. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; wherein the first rendering means comprises a timer which periodically renders said processor means functional.
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13. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; further comprising third means for rendering said microprocessor means into a still lower power consumption mode when the voltage of said battery cells falls below a predetermined level.
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14. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; wherein said second rendering means comprises a timer.
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15. A battery pack comprising:
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a plurality of battery cells having a state of charge; sensing means for sensing current flowing through said battery cells; processor means coupled to the sensing means, said processor means powered by said battery cells and functional in a relatively high power consumption mode to determine the state of charge of said battery cells based on the amount of current flowing through said battery cells; first means for rendering said processor means into the functional, relatively high power consumption mode at times when the battery is being charged or discharged to monitor the amount of current flow and determine the state of charge of said battery cells; and second means for automatically rendering said processor means into a non-functional relatively low power current consumption mode at other times to conserve power; wherein said processor means when functional also monitors battery temperature.
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16. In a battery system comprising a battery pack and a battery charger, said battery pack including a battery and electronic circuitry monitoring battery parameters, a method of minimizing power dissipation by the electronic circuitry, comprising:
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providing a battery pack including a battery and electronic circuitry, said battery having an instantaneous state of charge or discharge; connecting a battery charger to the battery pack for providing a charging current to the battery; connecting, in the battery pack, a resistor in series with the battery for developing a voltage drop across the resistor indicative of charge current flowing into or discharge current flowing out of the battery; causing a first portion of the electronic circuitry to enter into a "light-sleep" mode when there is neither charging nor discharging activity sensed for a predetermined period of time; providing non-volatile memory for storing battery parameter data sensed or calculated by the first portion of the electronic circuitry; during the light-sleep mode of the first portion of the electronic circuitry, supplying power to a timer in a second portion of the electronic circuitry, said timer periodically "waking-up" the first portion of the electronic circuitry; in the first portion of the electronic circuitry, sensing the instantaneous state of charge or discharge upon waking-up, reading and calculating other battery parameter data during the wake-up period, storing said battery parameter data in the non-volatile memory, and then re-entering the light-sleep mode in preparation for the next periodic wake-up by the timer; and continuously repeating the cycles of light-sleep and periodic waking-up until either charging or discharging activity above a threshold is detected or the battery voltage drops below a predetermined level, at which time the first portion of the electronic circuitry enters a fully functional mode; further comprising; providing an output port in the battery pack; and transmitting the stored battery parameter data out of the output port to the charger in response to sensed charge current; wherein the battery includes a series of cells, and further comprising; sensing the voltage across a fractional portion of the battery cells.
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17. In a battery system comprising a battery pack and a battery charger, said battery pack including a battery and electronic circuitry monitoring battery parameters, a method of minimizing power dissipation by the electronic circuitry, comprising:
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providing a battery pack including a battery and electronic circuitry, said battery having an instantaneous state of charge or discharge; connecting a battery charger to the battery pack for providing a charging current to the battery; connecting, in the battery pack, a resistor in series with the battery for developing a voltage drop across the resistor indicative of charge current flowing into or discharge current flowing out of the battery; causing a first portion of the electronic circuitry to enter into a "light-sleep" mode when there is neither charging nor discharging activity sensed for a predetermined period of time; providing non-volatile memory for storing battery parameter data sensed or calculated by the first portion of the electronic circuitry; during the light-sleep mode of the first portion of the electronic circuitry, supplying power to a timer in a second portion of the electronic circuitry, said timer periodically "waking-up" the first portion of the electronic circuitry; in the first portion of the electronic circuitry, sensing the instantaneous state of charge or discharge upon waking-up, reading and calculating other battery parameter data during the wake-up period, storing said battery parameter data in the non-volatile memory, and then re-entering the light-sleep mode in preparation for the next periodic wake-up by the timer; and continuously repeating the cycles of light-sleep and periodic waking-up until either charging or discharging activity above a threshold is detected or the battery voltage drops below a predetermined level, at which time the first portion of the electronic circuitry enters a fully functional mode; further comprising; providing an output port in the battery pack; and transmitting the stored battery parameter data out of the output port to the charger in response to sensed charge current; further comprising; transmitting a coded signal, in the form of current pulses, from the battery charger to the battery pack, via at least one of the battery terminals used for providing charging current to the battery. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification