Apparatus for generating power for use in a communications device

• US 5,631,503 A
• Filed: 09/16/1994
• Issued: 05/20/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wi-LAN USA, Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Access Incorporated (EDCI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cioffi, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/307,933
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 307/43, 307/45, 307/46, 307/64, 307/66, 320/2, 320/3, 320/11, 320/19, 320/39, 363/10, 363/15, 323/207
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34

Abstract

A power generation technique to generate power for use in, for instance, a communication device having a transmitter and a receiver, where communication occurs over atmosphere, or airways (e.g., wireless). The present invention provides a battery-based system that generates power at a high current and high voltage while accommodating the required duty cycles using batteries with sizes that are not prohibitive given the size constraints associated with portable devices in general.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating power for use in an electronic device, said apparatus comprising:

a first power source to supply power at a first wattage;

a first battery to supply power at a second wattage, wherein the second wattage is greater than the first wattage; and

a charging mechanism coupled to the first power source and the first battery to charge the first battery using a voltage derived from the first power source.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 when the first power source comprises a second battery.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the charging mechanism comprises a converter that converts the voltage of the first power source to a voltage large enough to charge the first battery.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the first power source supplies power to the converter.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the charging mechanism comprises a controller that monitors voltage of the first battery and controls flow of current between the first battery and the first battery, wherein the controller causes current to flow from the second battery to the second battery to charge the second battery.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein the controller stops the flow of current between the first battery and the second battery when the first battery has been charged to a predetermined level.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein volume of the first battery is substantially equivalent to volume of the second battery.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the first battery powers a transmitter in the electronic device.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 further comprising a controller that switches the first battery to discharge into the transmitter in the electronic device when transmitting data and prevents the first battery from discharging into the transmitter when the first battery is recharging.

10. An apparatus for generating power for use in a electronic device, said apparatus comprising:

a first battery to supply power at a first voltage and a first current;

a second battery to supply power at a second voltage and second current, wherein the second current and power from the second battery are greater than the first current and power from the first battery respectively; and

a charging mechanism coupled to the first battery and the second battery, wherein the charging mechanism comprises an upconverter to convert the first voltage to a third voltage large enough to charge the second battery and a controller that monitors the second voltage of the second battery and controls flow of current between the first battery and the second battery, wherein the controller causes current to flow from the first battery to the second battery to charge the second battery when the second battery voltage is below a first level and stops the flow of current between the first battery and the second battery when the second battery has been charged to a predetermined level.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the first battery supplies power to the upconverter.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein volume of the second battery is substantially equivalent to volume of the first battery.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the second battery powers a transmitter in the electronic device.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13 further comprising a control mechanism to switch the second battery such that the second battery discharges power into the transmitter portion of the unit when transmitting data and prevents the second battery from discharging into the transmitter portion when the second battery is recharging.

15. A communication unit comprising:

a transmitter;

a switch coupled to the transmitter;

processing circuitry coupled to the transmitter to provide signals to the transmitter for transmission;

a first battery to supply power at a first current to the processing circuitry of the communications unit;

a converter coupled to the first battery to convert voltage from a first level to a charging voltage, wherein the charging voltage is greater than the first level;

a second battery to supply power to the transmitter;

a battery controller unit coupled to the converter and the second battery to monitor the second battery voltage of the second battery and to control flow of current between the first battery and the second battery, wherein the battery controller unit causes current to flow from the first battery to the second battery to charge the second battery when voltage of the second battery is below a predetermined level.

16. The communication unit defined in claim 15 further comprising a switch coupled between the transmitter and the second battery, wherein the switch is opened during charging of the second battery and closed when the transmitter is transmitting.

17. The communication unit defined in claim 16 wherein the switch comprises a field-effect transistor (FET).

18. The communication unit defined in claim 15 wherein the transmitter comprises a modulator and at least one amplifier.

27. The communication unit defined in claim 15 wherein the second battery is operable to discharge power with higher current and voltage than the first battery.

28. The communication unit defined in claim 15 wherein the transmitter comprises:

a modulator;

an amplifier coupled to the second battery and the modulator to amplify modulated paging messages from the modulator for transmission; and

an antenna coupled to the amplifier.

19. An electronic device comprising;

a first portion of device components;

a second portion of device components coupled to the first portion of device components;

a first battery structure coupled to supply power to the first portion of device components; and

a second battery structure coupled to supply power to the second portion of device components, wherein power supplied by the second battery structure is greater than power supplied by the first battery structure, and further wherein volume of the second battery structure is substantially equivalent to volume of the first battery structure.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 further comprising a charging mechanism coupled to the first battery structure and the second battery structure to charge the second battery structure using the first battery structure.

21. A pager comprising:

a battery power generator comprising

a primary battery to generate power at a first voltage,

a secondary battery operable to discharge power at a second voltage higher than the first voltage and at a current higher than that of the primary battery, and

upconverter to convert the first voltage from the primary battery into a charging voltage greater than the second voltage to recharge the secondary battery;

a receiver to receive paging messages, wherein the receiver is coupled to the battery power generator; and

a transmitter to transmit paging messages, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the battery power generator and comprises

a modulator,

an amplifier coupled to the secondary battery and the modulator to amplify modulated paging messages from the modulator for transmission, and

an antenna coupled to the amplifier.

22. The pager defined in claim 21 wherein the modulator and antenna are powered by the primary battery, and the amplifier is powered by the secondary battery.

23. The pager defined in claim 21 further comprising a battery management unit coupled to control current flow between the primary and secondary batteries, wherein the battery management unit allows current to flow between the primary and secondary batteries when the primary battery is charging the secondary battery and stops current flow between the primary and secondary batteries after charging of the secondary battery has been completed.

24. The pager defined in claim 23 further comprising a bus coupled to the battery management unit to communicate charge status of the secondary battery to an external location.

25. The pager defined in claim 21 further comprising a switch coupled between the secondary battery and the transmitter to disconnect the secondary battery from the transmitter when recharging the secondary battery.

26. The pager defined in claim 21 wherein the secondary battery has a lower series resistance than the primary battery.