Apparatus for charging batteries and supplying backup power

• US 5,801,513 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, James D., Lundell, Louis, Smith, Sybren Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIN, KYUNG E
• Application Number:
  US08/775,324
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/5, 320/6, 320/15, 320/112, 320/113, 320/107, 429/96.1-100, 307/66
• US Class Current: 320/113
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for an electronic system (106), which includes a portable unit (102) and a base unit (104), supplies backup power to the base unit (104) and is capable of recharging at least one battery (121) that operates the portable unit (102). The apparatus (100) is connected in series between the base unit (104) and a main power supply (148) and includes at least one slot (131) configured to receive the at least one battery (121). When power from the main power supply (148) is available, the apparatus (100) supplies power to the base unit (104) from the main power supply (148) and is capable of recharging the at least one battery (121). When power is not available from the main power supply (148) and the at least one battery (121) is received within the at least one slot (131), the apparatus (100) supplies power to the base unit (104) from the at least one battery (121).

Claims

1. An apparatus for charging batteries and supplying backup power for an electronic system, the electronic system including a portable unit configured to receive and operate with a first battery and configured to receive and operate with a second battery, said apparatus comprising:

a housing, said housing defining a first slot configured to receive the first battery and a second slot configured to receive the second battery, said housing constructed separate and apart from the electronic system;

a first electrical interface, said first electrical interface carried on said housing and configured for coupling to a main power supply;

a second electrical interface, said second electrical interface carried on said housing and configured for coupling and conducting electrical energy to the electronic system; and

electrical circuitry disposed within said housing, said electrical circuitry operative to recharge the first and the second batteries when received on said housing and to provide electrical energy from the main power supply to the electronic system for operation when the electrical energy is available, said electrical circuitry operative to serially couple the first and the second batteries and to provide electrical energy from the first and the second batteries to the electronic system for operation in response to a power failure at the main power supply.

2. An apparatus for charging batteries and supplying backup power for an electronic system, the electronic system including a portable electronic device configured to receive and operate with at least one of a first rechargeable battery and a second rechargeable battery, said apparatus comprising:

a housing, said housing configured to simultaneously receive the first and the second rechargeable batteries;

a first electrical interface, said first electrical interface carried on said housing and configured for coupling to a main power supply;

electrical circuitry disposed in said housing, said electrical circuitry including;

sensing circuitry, said sensing circuitry coupled to said first electrical interface and operative to detect whether sufficient power from the main power supply is available to operate the electronic system;

battery charging circuitry, said battery charging circuitry operative to recharge the first and the second rechargeable batteries when sufficient power from the main power supply is available, the first and the second rechargeable batteries being coupled in parallel during the recharge; and

switching circuitry, said switching circuitry coupled and operative in response to said sensing circuitry, said switching circuitry operative to conduct electrical energy to the electrical system from the main power supply when sufficient power from the main power supply is available, said switching circuitry operative to conduct electrical energy to the electrical system from the first and the second rechargeable batteries in response to sufficient power from the main power supply being unavailable, the first and the second rechargeable batteries being coupled in series during the unavailability.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said housing is constructed separate and apart from the electronic system, said apparatus further comprising:

a second electrical interface, said second electrical interface carried on said housing and configured for coupling to the electronic system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electronic system and the portable unit include electrical circuitry operative to provide radio frequency (RF) communication therebetween.