Battery charging system having remotely located charging units
First Claim
1. A battery charging system, comprising:
- a battery pack including at least one battery cell and a battery identification means;
a system controller having a memory containing charge instructions corresponding to said battery pack;
at least one battery charging unit for charging said battery pack; and
means for affecting communication between said system controller and said at least one battery charging unit via a common power line to which each battery charging unit and said system controller is connected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for charging batteries having a system controller (12) and battery charging units (16) powered by a common power line (14). The system controller (12) contains charge instructions corresponding to various types of batteries and the battery packs (18) have an identifier to identify which set of instructions are used to charge the battery pack (18). Further, the battery charging units (16) and the system controller communicate over the common power line (14) by power line carrier communications. When a battery pack (18) is inserted into one of the battery charging units (16), it obtains the battery identification and sends it to the system controller (12). The system controller (12) alternatively sends the corresponding charge instructions to the charger, or begins to run the charge instructions and controls the charger remotely. In either case, the battery pack (18) is charged according to the charge instructions.
67 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A battery charging system, comprising:
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a battery pack including at least one battery cell and a battery identification means; a system controller having a memory containing charge instructions corresponding to said battery pack; at least one battery charging unit for charging said battery pack; and means for affecting communication between said system controller and said at least one battery charging unit via a common power line to which each battery charging unit and said system controller is connected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A battery charging system, comprising:
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a battery pack including at least one battery cell and a battery identification means for identifying a preferred charge regime for said at least one battery cell; a system controller having a memory containing charge instructions corresponding to said battery pack, and a 1st PLC communications circuit; at least one battery charging unit for charging said battery pack having a second PLC communications circuit; and wherein said at least one battery charging unit and said system controller communicate via a common power line by said first and second PLC communication circuits such that said battery pack is charged in accordance with said charge instructions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification