Apparatus and method for identifying and charging batteries of different types
First Claim
1. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising:
- (a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
(b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising;
(1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery;
(2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and
(3) at least one sensing contact positioned within said support; and
(c) a circuit for identifying the particular type of said received battery by whether said positive terminal of said received battery contacts said sensing contact in addition to said positive contact and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for charging batteries of different types is disclosed as including support means for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, a battery interface for electrically coupling the battery charging apparatus to the received battery, and a circuit for identifying the particular type of the received battery and supplying a charging current to the received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type. The battery interface includes a positive contact positioned within the support means so as to engage the positive terminal of the received battery, a negative contact positioned within the support means so as to engage the negative terminal of the received battery, and at least one sensing contact positioned within the support means which senses a voltage from the received battery indicative of a particular battery type. The circuit identifies the particular battery type by whether or not the sensing contact is engaged by one of the battery terminals, by whether the voltage sensed by the sensing contact is substantially equivalent or not to a voltage received by one of the battery terminals, by whether the voltage sensed by the sensing contact creates a high or low logic level in the circuit, or by which combination of logic pins is engaged by the battery terminals.
67 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising:
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(a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; (b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising; (1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery; (2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and (3) at least one sensing contact positioned within said support; and (c) a circuit for identifying the particular type of said received battery by whether said positive terminal of said received battery contacts said sensing contact in addition to said positive contact and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising:
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(a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; (b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising; (1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery; (2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and (3) at least one sensing contact positioned within said support; and (c) a circuit for identifying the particular battery type by whether said negative terminal of said received battery contacts said sensing contact in addition to said negative contact and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising:
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(a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; (b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising; (1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery; (2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and (3) at least one logic pin located within said support adjacent said positive and negative contacts; and (c) a logic circuit for identifying the particular type of said received battery from each logic pin engaged by said received battery and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A battery pack for a handheld mobile telephone, comprising:
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(a) a housing; (b) a battery positioned within said housing; and (c) an interface for electrically coupling said battery to a battery interface in said handheld mobile telephone having a positive contact, a negative contact, and a sensing contact, said interface further comprising; (1) a positive terminal connected to said battery at a first end; and (2) a negative terminal connected to said battery at a second end; wherein the type of battery positioned within said housing is distinguished by means of the size and location of at least one of said positive and negative terminals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A handheld mobile telephone, comprising:
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(a) a main housing; (b) a signal processing circuit located within said main housing for operating said handheld mobile telephone in a particular mode of communication; (c) a battery pack attached to said main housing for powering said handheld mobile telephone, said battery pack including a positive terminal and a negative terminal; (d) an interface for electrically coupling said battery pack with said signal processing circuit, said interface including; (1) a positive contact positioned so as to engage said positive terminal of said battery pack; (2) a negative contact positioned so as to engage said negative terminal of said battery pack; and (3) at least one sensing contact; and (e) circuitry associated with said signal processing circuit for identifying the particular type of battery in said battery pack from whether said positive and/or negative terminal of said battery pack engages said sensing contact in addition to said positive and negative contacts, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method of charging different types of batteries in an apparatus according to a charging algorithm applicable thereto, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) providing each battery with an interface having a positive terminal and a negative terminal sized and positioned so as to be indicative of the particular battery type; (b) electrically coupling said battery interface to said apparatus; (c) determining whether one of said positive and negative terminals engages a sensing contact in addition to its respective contact on said apparatus; (d) identifying the particular type of said battery from the engagement of said sensing contact by said positive and negative terminals; and (e) supplying a charging current to said battery in accordance with a charging algorithm applicable to the particular type of said battery identified. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A method of charging different types of batteries in an apparatus according to a charging algorithm applicable thereto, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) providing each battery with an interface having a positive terminal and a negative terminal sized and positioned so as to be indicative of the particular battery type; (b) electrically coupling said battery interface to said apparatus; (c) determining which logic pins located on said apparatus are engaged by said positive and negative terminals in addition to its respective contact on said apparatus; (d) identifying the particular type of said battery from the combination of logic pins engaged by said positive and negative terminals of said battery; and (e) supplying a charging current to said battery in accordance with a charging algorithm applicable to the particular type of said battery identified.
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45. An apparatus for identifying batteries of different types, comprising:
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(a) a positive contact positioned so as to engage a positive terminal of a battery; (b) a negative contact positioned so as to engage a negative terminal of said battery; (c) at least one sensing contact; and (d) a microcomputer connected to said positive, negative, and sensing contacts, wherein said microcomputer identifies the particular type of said battery by whether a voltage received by said sensing contact is substantially equivalent to a voltage received by one of said positive and negative contacts. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A method of identifying different types of batteries, comprising the following steps:
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(a) providing each battery with an interface including a positive terminal and a negative terminal; (b) electrically coupling said battery interface to a microcomputer by means of a positive contact, a negative contact, and a sensing contact; (c) sensing a voltage received by said sensing contact from said battery interface; and (d) identifying the particular type of said battery from whether the voltage received by said sensing contact is substantially equivalent to a voltage received by one of said positive and negative contacts. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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Specification