Supply component of the credit card type

• US 5,449,994 A
• Filed: 10/08/1992
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ACEP Inc., Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse
• Original Assignee: ACEP Inc., Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble
• Inventors: Armand, Michel, Balme, Louis, Silvy, Carole
• Primary Examiner(s): KINCAID, KRISTINE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US07/937,900
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 320/43, 320/44, 320/48, 320/2, 320/14, 324/426, 324/427
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0704 the battery being rechargeable, e.g. solar batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable autonomous electronic component of the credit card format comprising an accumulator (1) constituted of an association of sheets or planar layers, the surface of which is approximately equal to that of the credit card, at least a charging circuit (2,4), and state indicators (6) controlled by a micro-controller (5).

Claims

1. A self-contained portable electronic power supply component having a credit card format comprising:

at least an accumulator made of a pile of sheets or planar layers the surface of which is substantially equal to the surface of a credit card,

at least a charge circuit,

output supply terminals,

a microcontroller associated with means for measuring at short and regular time intervals Δ

t a positive or negative current I in the accumulator and means for calculating, storing and summing charge variations (Δ

Q =IΔ

t),

an indicator of a residual number of possible recharge, using the result (Q) of the sum of the charge variations during discharge phases and displaying the result of the relation 1-Q/NQ_max,

a charge ratio indicator using the result (Σ

Δ

Q_i) of the summation of the charge variation during the charge and discharge phases and displaying the result of a relation characterized by η

=100[1+Σ

Δ

Q_i /Q_max ], in %,

where Q_max designates a predetermined value of a maximum charge of the accumulator and N designates a predetermined value of its maximum number of full recharge,

above the pile of sheets forming the accumulator, at least one printed circuit board, one of said at least one board being provided with apertures, wherein within said apertures of said one board are placed at least one electronic circuit element necessary to the operation of the component, an upper board being provided with apertures, wherein within said apertures of said upper board are placed state indicators apparent from the outside.

2. A component according to claim 1, comprising means for connecting the state indicators to an external accumulator, for testing the latter.

3. A self-contained portable electronic power supply component having a credit card format comprising:

at least an accumulator made of a pile of sheets or planar layers, the surface of which is substantially equal to the surface of a credit card,

at least a charge circuit,

output supply terminals,

a microcontroller associated with means for measuring at short and regular time intervals Δ

t a positive or negative current I in the accumulator and means for calculating, storing and summing charge variations (Δ

Q=IΔ

t),

an indicator of a residual number of possible recharge, using the result (Q) of the sum of the charge variations during discharge phases and displaying the result of the relation 1-Q/NQ_max,

a charge ratio indicator using the result (Σ

Δ

Q_i) of the summation of the charge variation during the charge and discharge phases and displaying the result of a relation characterized by η

=100[1+Σ

Δ

Q_i /Q_max ], in %,

where Q_max designates a predetermined value of a maximum charge of the accumulator and N designates a predetermined value of its maximum number of full recharge,

means for inhibiting an output of the accumulator when its charging state is lower than a predetermined threshold.

4. A self-contained portable electronic power supply component having a credit card format comprising:

at least an accumulator made of a pile of sheets or planar layers, the surface of which is substantially equal to the surface of a credit card,

at least a charge circuit, and

output supply terminals,

wherein one of said sheets or layers is an anode,

a first printed circuit board disposed adjacent a side surface of said accumulator and establishing a contact with said anode.