Battery packs including rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries and related systems and methods

• US 5,973,476 A
• Filed: 07/09/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Irvin, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIN, KYUNG E
• Application Number:
  US08/890,178
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 320/135, 320/136, 320/127, 320/128, 320/118, 320/107, 320/112, 320/114, 320/125, 320/126, 320/124, 429/96, 429/97, 429/98, 429/99, 429/100, 307/65, 307/66, 307/149, 307/150
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit

Abstract

A battery pack for an electronic device includes a housing separate from the electronic device wherein the housing can be mechanically connected to the electronic device. Electrical contacts on the housing provide electrical contact with the electronic device when connected thereto. A first battery interface in the housing receives a first battery, and a second battery interface in the housing receives a second battery. A switch in the housing connects either the first battery interface or the second battery interface to the electrical contacts in response to a selection by a user of the electronic device. Related systems and methods are also discussed.

Claims

1. A battery pack for an electronic device, said battery pack comprising:

a housing separate from the electronic device wherein said housing can be mechanically connected to the electronic device;

electrical contacts on said housing wherein said electrical contacts provide electrical contact with the electronic device when connected thereto;

a first battery interface in said housing wherein said first battery interface receives a first battery;

a second battery interface in said housing wherein said second battery interface receives a second battery; and

a switch in said housing wherein said switch connects either said first battery interface or said second battery interface to said electrical contacts in response to a selection by a user of the electronic device.

2. A battery pack according to claim 1 wherein the first battery is rechargeable and the second battery is non-rechargeable.

3. A battery pack according to claim 2 wherein the first battery is integrated within said housing and wherein the second battery can be removed from said housing.

4. A battery pack according to claim 2 further comprising:

a charge detection circuit coupled to said first battery interface wherein said charge detection circuit determines a charge of the first rechargeable battery; and

a charge indicator coupled to said charge detection circuit wherein said charge indicator provides an indication of a charge of said first battery.

5. A battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said housing is separable from the electronic device.

6. A battery pack according to claim 1 further comprising a manual selector on said housing coupled to said switch wherein said manual selector provides user input of a battery selection.

7. A battery pack according to claim 6 wherein said manual selector has a first setting indicating selection of the first battery, and a second setting indicating selection of the second battery.

8. A battery pack according to claim 7 wherein said manual selector has a third setting indicating the disconnection of both batteries.

9. A battery powered electronic device comprising:

a first battery interface wherein said first battery interface receives a first battery;

a second battery interface wherein said second battery interface receives a second battery;

an electrical load; and

a switch wherein said switch connects either said first battery interface or said second battery interface to said electrical load in response to a selection by a user of the electronic device.

10. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 9 wherein said first and second battery interfaces are contained in a common battery housing separable from said battery powered device and wherein said first and second battery interfaces comprise separable electrical connections between the common battery housing and said switch wherien said switch is outside the common battery housing.

11. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the first battery is rechargeable and the second battery is non-rechargeable.

12. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 11 further comprising:

a charge detection circuit coupled to said first battery interface wherein said charge detection circuit determines a charge of the first rechargeable battery; and

a charge indicator coupled to said charge detection circuit wherein said charge indicator provides an indication of a charge of the first battery.

13. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 9 further comprising a manual selector on said electronic device coupled to said switch wherein said manual selector provides user input of a battery selection.

14. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 9 wherein said manual selector has a first setting indicating selection of the first battery, and a second setting indicating selection of the second battery.

15. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 14 wherein said manual selector has a third setting indicating the disconnection of both batteries.

16. A battery pack for a radiotelephone including a transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio communications to and from a radio base station, said battery pack comprising:

a housing separate from the radiotelephone wherein said housing can be mechanically connected to the radiotelephone;

electrical contacts on said housing wherein said electrical contacts provide electrical contact with the radiotelephone when connected thereto;

a first battery interface in said housing wherein said first battery interface receives a first battery;

a second battery interface in said housing wherein said second battery interface receives a second battery; and

a switch in said housing wherein said switch connects either said first battery interface or said second battery interface to said electrical contacts in response to a selection by a user of the radiotelephone.

17. A battery pack according to claim 16 wherein the first battery is rechargeable and the second battery is non-rechargeable.

18. A battery pack according to claim 17 wherein the first battery is integrated within said housing and wherein the second battery can be removed from said housing.

19. A battery pack according to claim 17 further comprising:

a charge detection circuit coupled to said first battery interface wherein said charge detection circuit determines a charge of the first rechargeable battery; and

a charge indicator coupled to said charge detection circuit wherein said charge indicator provides an indication of a charge of said first battery.

20. A battery pack according to claim 16 wherein said housing is separable from the electronic device.

21. A battery pack according to claim 16 further comprising a manual selector on said housing coupled to said switch wherein said manual selector provides user input of a battery selection.

22. A battery pack according to claim 21 wherein said manual selector has a first setting indicating selection of the first battery, and a second setting indicating selection of the second battery.

23. A battery pack according to claim 22 wherein said manual selector has a third setting indicating the disconnection of both batteries.

24. A battery powered radiotelephone comprising:

a transceiver wherein said transceiver transmits and receives radio communications to and from a radio base station;

a first battery interface wherein said first battery interface receives a first battery;

a second battery interface wherein said second battery interface receives a second battery;

a switch wherein said switch connects either said first battery interface or said second battery interface to said transceiver in response to a selection by a user of the electronic device.

25. A battery powered radiotelephone according to claim 24 wherein said first and second battery interfaces are contained in a common battery housing separable from said radiotelephone and wherein said first and second battery interfaces comprise separable electrical connections between the common battery housing and said switching circuit wherein said switching circuit is outside the common battery housing.

26. A battery powered radiotelephone according to claim 24 wherein the first battery is rechargeable and the second battery is non-rechargeable.

27. A battery powered radiotelephone according to claim 26 further comprising:

a charge detection circuit coupled to said first battery interface wherein said charge detection circuit determines a charge of the first rechargeable battery; and

a charge indicator coupled to said charge detection circuit wherein said charge indicator provides an indication of a charge of the first battery.

28. A battery powered radiotelephone according to claim 24 further comprising a manual selector on said radiotelephone coupled to said switch wherein said manual selector provides user input of a battery selection.

29. A battery powered radiotelephone according to claim 24 wherein said manual selector has a first setting indicating selection of the first battery, and a second setting indicating selection of the second battery.

30. A battery powered radiotelephone according to claim 29 wherein said manual selector has a third setting indicating the disconnection of both batteries.

31. A battery powered electronic device which receives battery power from a battery housing separable from the battery powered device wherein the battery housing includes a first battery interface that receives a first battery and a second battery interface that receives a second battery, the battery powered electronic device comprising:

an electrical load;

a coupling that receives the battery housing wherein the coupling includes first and second separable connections that provide electrical coupling to the respective first and second battery interfaces of the battery housing when the battery housing is received in the coupling; and

a switch wherein said switch connects either the first separable connection or the second separable connection to said electrical load in response to a selection by a user of the electronic device.

32. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 31 wherein the first battery is rechargeable and the second battery is non-rechargeable.

33. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 32 further comprising:

a charge detection circuit coupled to said first separable connection wherein said charge detection circuit determines charge of the first rechargeable battery when the battery housing is received in the coupling; and

a charge indicator coupled to said charge detection circuit wherein said charge indicator provides an indication of a charge of the first battery when the battery housing is received in the coupling.

34. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 31 further comprising:

a manual selector on said electronic device coupled to said switch wherein said manual selector provides user input of a battery selection.

35. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 34 wherein said manual selector has a first setting indicating selection of the first battery, and a second setting indicating selection of the second battery.

36. A battery powered electronic device according to claim 35 wherein said manual selector has a third setting indicating the disconnection of both batteries.