System for determining battery charge states and charging sequence for a battery charger
First Claim
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1. A battery charging system for determining battery charge states of a plurality of batteries positioned in a battery charger, said system comprising:
- means for applying a fast charging current to selected ones of the batteries positioned in the battery charger, wherein said charging current is applied to each of the selected ones of the batteries during at least a portion of a charge state determination period; and
means for determining battery charge states of each of the selected ones of the batteries after application of said charging current thereto.
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Abstract
A battery charging system for determining battery charge states of batteries positioned to be charged by a battery charger. A fast charging current is supplied for short intervals to each of the batteries during a charge state determination period. After the end of the charge state determination period, the battery charge states of each of the batteries is determined. The determined battery charge states may be utilized to form a battery charging priority sequence for sequentially charging the batteries.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A battery charging system for determining battery charge states of a plurality of batteries positioned in a battery charger, said system comprising:
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means for applying a fast charging current to selected ones of the batteries positioned in the battery charger, wherein said charging current is applied to each of the selected ones of the batteries during at least a portion of a charge state determination period; and means for determining battery charge states of each of the selected ones of the batteries after application of said charging current thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for determining battery charge states of a plurality of batteries positioned in a battery charger, said method comprising the steps of:
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applying a charging current to selected ones of the batteries positioned in the battery charger wherein said charging current is applied to each of the selected ones of the batteries during at least a portion of a charge state determination period; and determining battery charge states of each of the selected ones of the batteries after application of said charging current thereto. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A two-pocket battery charging system for determining battery charge states of batteries positioned at a first battery charging pocket and at a second battery charging pocket, said charging system comprising:
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means for applying a fast charging current alternately to a first battery positioned in the first battery charging pocket and to a second battery positioned in the second battery charging pocket during a charge state determination period; and means for determining battery charge states of the first battery positioned in the first battery charging pocket and the second battery positioned in the second battery charging pocket after application of said charging current thereto.
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34. A two-pocket battery charging system for determining priority of charging sequence in a sequential battery charger having a first battery charging pocket and a second battery charging pocket, said charging system comprising:
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means for applying a fast charging current alternately to a first battery positioned in the first battery charging pocket and to a second battery positioned in the second battery charging pocket during a charge state determination period; means for determining battery charge states of the first battery positioned in the first charging pocket and the second battery positioned in the second charging pocket after application of said charging current thereto; and means for forming priority of charging sequence responsive to to the battery charge states determined by the means for determining. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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35. The two-pocket charging system of claim 40 wherein application of said fast charging current to the first battery positioned in the first battery charging pocket and the second battery positioned in the second battery charging pocket is alternated a multiplicity of times during said charge state determination period.
Specification