Means of communication between a battery pack and a battery powered device

• US 5,889,381 A
• Filed: 03/14/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Wakefield, Ivan Nelson
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US08/818,246
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/110, 320/112, 320/114, 320/126, 320/132, 320/101, 320/142, 320/147
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/001 Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus enabling communication and control between a battery powered device, such as a cellular telephone, and a battery pack through a two-pin interface between the battery pack and the battery powered device is disclosed. A battery powered device includes means for selectively switching a load across the two-pin interface for the device. By selectively switching the load across the terminal of the interface, a voltage varying signal is generated. The creation of the voltage varying signal is controlled in such a manner that alterations in the voltage represent a binary-encoded signal. The voltage changes representing the binary-encoded signal are detected within a battery pack interconnected with the battery powered device and used to provide instructions to a controller controlling an apparatus associated with the battery pack device, such as vibrator alarm.

Claims

1. A system for communicating between a battery pack and a battery powered device connected through an interface having at least two terminals, comprising:

means within the battery powered device for selectively altering a voltage across the interface terminals between the battery pack and the battery powered device, the altered voltage across the interface terminals representing a binary-encoded signal; and

means within the battery pack responsive to the binary-encoded signal for controlling a device associated with the battery pack.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively altering comprises:

a load element for altering the voltage across the interface terminals; and

means for selectively connecting the load element across the interface terminals to selectively alter the voltage across the interface terminals.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for selectively connecting comprises:

a controller for generating control signals to generate a desired binary-encoded signal; and

a switch connected in series with the load element and responsive to the control signals.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the means responsive to the binary-coded signal comprises:

means for detecting the binary-encoded signal; and

a controller responsive to the binary-encoded signal for controlling the device associated with the battery pack.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for detecting comprises:

a differential amplifier having inputs connected across the interface terminals for detecting the voltage changes across the interface terminals and generating an analog output indicative thereof; and

an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital representation of the binary-encoded signal from the analog signal.

6. The system of claim 1 further including second means within the battery pack for selectively altering a voltage across the interface terminals, the altered voltage across the interface terminals representing a binary-encoded signal.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the second means for selectively altering comprises:

a load element for altering the voltage across the interface terminals; and

means for selectively connecting the load element across the interface terminals to selectively alter the voltage across the interface terminals.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for selectively connecting comprises:

a controller for generating control signals to generate a desired binary-encoded signal; and

a switch connected in series with the load element and responsive to the control signals.

9. The system of claim 6 further including:

means for detecting the binary-encoded signals from the second means for selectively altering; and

a controller responsive to the binary-encoded signals.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for detecting comprises:

a differential amplifier having inputs connected across the interface terminals for detecting the voltage changes across the interface terminals and generating an analog output indicative thereof; and

an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital representation of the binary-encoded signal from the analog signal.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the device associated with the battery pack comprises a vibrator alarm.

12. A system for communicating between a battery pack and a battery powered device connected by at least two interface terminals, comprising:

a load element connected across the interface terminals for altering the voltage across the interface terminals, the altered voltage across the interface terminals representing a binary-encoded signal;

means for selectively connecting the load element across the interface terminals;

means within the battery pack for detecting the binary-encoded signal; and

a controller responsive to the binary-encoded signal for controlling a device associated with the battery pack.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for selectively connecting comprises:

a controller for generating control signals to generate a desired binary-encoded signal; and

a switch connected in series with the load element and responsive to the control signals.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for detecting comprises:

a differential amplifier having inputs connected across the interface terminals for detecting the voltage changes across the interface terminals and generating an analog output indicative thereof; and

an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital representation of the binary-encoded signal from the analog signal.

15. The system of claim 12 further including second means within the battery pack for selectively altering a voltage across the interface terminals, the altered voltage across the interface terminals representing a binary-encoded signal.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the second means for selectively altering comprises:

a load element for altering the voltage across the interface; and

means for selectively connecting the load element across the interface terminals to selectively alter the voltage across the interface terminals.

17. The system of claim 15 further including:

means for detecting the binary-coded signals from the second means for selectively altering; and

a controller responsive to the binary-coded signal.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the device associated with the battery pack comprises a vibrator alarm.

19. A battery pack capable of communicating with a battery powered device through a dual pin interface comprising:

means for detecting voltage changes across the dual pin interface, the voltage changes representing a binary-encoded signal;

a device associated with the battery pack; and

a controller responsive to the binary-encoded signal for controlling the device associated with the battery pack.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for detecting comprises:

a differential amplifier having inputs connected across the dual-pin interface for detecting the voltage changes across the dual-pin interface and generating an analog output indicative thereof; and

an analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital representation of the binary-coded signal from the analog signal.

21. The system of claim 19 further including means for selectively altering the voltage across the dual pin interface.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively altering comprises:

a load element for altering the voltage across the dual-pin interface terminals; and

means for selectively connecting the load element across the dual-pin interface to selectively alter the voltage across the dual-pin interface.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for selectively connecting comprises:

a controller for generating control signals to generate a desired binary-encoded signal; and

a switch connected in series with the load element and responsive to the control signals.

24. A battery powered device capable of communicating with a battery pack through a dual pin interface, comprising:

a load element for altering the voltage across the dual pin interface, the voltage changes representing a binary-encoded signal;

a controller for generating control signals to generate the desired binary-encoded signal; and

a switch connected in series with the load element and responsive to the control signal.