Fast battery charging system and method
First Claim
1. A means for charging a battery contained within a housing of a device, where the battery is connected to a varying load and charging current for a given time is provided by charging current means, said battery charging means comprising:
- connection means for communicating the charging current from the charging current means to the battery;
switching means positioned in the connection means for converting the charging current from the charging current means into a pulsed current consisting of successive pulses having a duty cycle and a net value of charging current for a given time;
monitoring means associated with the battery for sensing the net value of the charging current for a given time at the battery;
control means for receiving the net value of charging current at the battery for a given time, comparing it to a target net value for and adjusting operation of the switching means to vary the duty cycle of the pulsed current to maintain the target net value at the battery regardless of the varying load; and
said charging current means comprising a current regulation means to produce the charging current.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an exemplary fast charging system, a hand-held computerized terminal with rechargeable batteries therein may be bodily inserted into a charger receptacle. The terminal may have volatile memory and other components requiring load current during charging. The system may automatically identify battery type and progressively increase charging current while monitoring for an increase in battery terminal voltage to ascertain the level of load current. The battery temperature may be brought into a relationship to surrounding temperature such that by applying a suitable overcharge current value and observing any resultant temperature increase, the level of remaining battery charge can be determined. For example, if the battery is found to be relatively fully discharged, a relatively high fast-charge rate may be safely applied while monitoring battery temperature. If the battery is initially relatively fully charged or reaches such a state during fast charge, the system may automatically switch to a lower sustainable overcharge rate selected according to battery type and temperature. A preferred system may automatically recharge the battery of a portable device according to an optimum schedule of essentially maximum safe charging rates as a function of battery temperature. The system may also convert a regulated charging current to a pulsed and modulated waveform to provide efficient net charging to the battery. The source of charging current can optionally be placed outside the terminal housing to eliminate any heat dissipation effects of the current source.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A means for charging a battery contained within a housing of a device, where the battery is connected to a varying load and charging current for a given time is provided by charging current means, said battery charging means comprising:
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connection means for communicating the charging current from the charging current means to the battery; switching means positioned in the connection means for converting the charging current from the charging current means into a pulsed current consisting of successive pulses having a duty cycle and a net value of charging current for a given time; monitoring means associated with the battery for sensing the net value of the charging current for a given time at the battery; control means for receiving the net value of charging current at the battery for a given time, comparing it to a target net value for and adjusting operation of the switching means to vary the duty cycle of the pulsed current to maintain the target net value at the battery regardless of the varying load; and said charging current means comprising a current regulation means to produce the charging current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21)
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16. A method of insuring a minimum level of charging current to a battery inside a housing of a device while minimizing heat dissipation inside the housing where the device draws a varying load from the battery comprising:
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connecting the battery to a source of charging current located externally of the housing; modifying the charging current between the source of charging current and the battery by pulsing the charging current in repeating pulses of a defined duty cycle; continuously sensing the charging current at the battery;
determining net charging current to the battery for a given time; andcontrolling the duty cycle of the repeating pulses by a pulse with modulator means to maintain at least a minimum level of net charging current to the battery. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for providing charging current to a rechargeable battery inside a housing of a device which presents a varying load to the battery during recharging comprising:
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connection means for electrically communicating the device to a source of charging current which is located externally of the housing of the device; conduit means for electrically communicating the connection means to the battery; pass means operatively positioned in the conduit means between the connection means and the battery for selectively passing the charging current to the battery according to a control signal; control means in communication with the battery and the pass means for monitoring the amount of the charging current received by the battery and generating the control signal based on the amount of the charging current received by the battery; and so that the control signal can increase and decrease a net amount of the charging current passing the pass means for a given time to control the net amount of the charging current received by the battery for a given time. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for providing adequate charging current to a battery without heat dissipation problems within a housing of a device, where the device presents a varying load to the battery during charging comprising:
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providing a regulated charging current to the device from a charging current source located externally of the housing so that heat from the charging current source is dissipated outside the housing; pulsing the regulated charging current to the battery so that the battery receives a net charging current over successive periods of time; monitoring the net charging current for selected time intervals; and adjusting the pulsing of the regulated charging current in a manner that provides adequate charging current to the battery regardless of varying load on the battery. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A means for charging a battery contained within a housing of a device, where the battery is connected to a varying load and charging current is provided by charging current means positioned externally of the housing, comprising:
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connection means for communicating the charging current from the charging current means to the battery; switching means positioned ill the connection means for converting the charging current from the charging current means into a pulsed current consisting of successive pulses having a duty cycle and a net value of charging current for a given time; monitoring means associated with the battery for sensing the net value of the charging current at the battery; and control means for receiving at the battery the net value of charging current for a given time, comparing it to a target net value, and adjusting operation of the switching means to vary the duty cycle of the pulsed current to maintain the target net value at the battery regardless of the varying load. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of insuring a minimum level of charging current to a battery inside a housing of a device while minimizing heat dissipation inside the housing where the device draws a varying load from the battery comprising:
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connecting the battery to a source of charging current located externally of the housing; modifying the charging current between the source of charging current and the battery by pulsing the charging current in repeating pulses of a defined duty cycle; continuously sensing the charging current at the battery; determining net charging current to the battery for a given time; and controlling the duty cycle of the repeating pulses to maintain at least a minimum level of net charging current to the battery. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification