Battery pack controller
First Claim
1. A battery pack, which can be recharged by an external DC power source, comprising:
- a battery cell;
an input terminal that connects to the external DC power source; and
a battery pack controller coupled between said input terminal and said battery cell, said battery controller comprising;
coupling means for coupling said battery cell to said input terminal so as to receive a DC voltage produced by the DC power source; and
a voltage regulator having a voltage regulator circuit that controls said coupling means to maintain said charge voltage below a predetermined maximum regardless of the voltage produced by the DC power supply.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery pack having a battery pack controller that combines the functions of a battery pack protection circuit, battery charger, current and voltage regulator, and a data monitor circuit. In one embodiment, the battery pack controller is implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC). In another embodiment, two external field effect transistors (FETs) are used along with a single IC battery controller. This combination of functions within one IC allows battery pack manufacturers to construct inexpensive and safe battery pack systems that do not require an external charger or a carefully regulated DC power supply to charge the battery pack. In one embodiment a voltage regulator includes a pulse charging circuit for pulse charging the batteries within the battery pack. Advantageously, the battery pack controller further includes a current regulator that regulates a charge current flowing into the first battery cell. The current regulator advantageously may include a means for trickle charging the battery cell. The battery pack controller also provides a processor interface that receives predetermined messages from and transmits data to an external processor, a charge termination means for terminating a charge current flowing into the first battery cell, and a discharge termination means for terminating a discharge current flowing out of the first battery cell. The battery pack controller monitors the battery and sends information concerning the battery to the external processor. This allows external processor to accurately terminate charge to the battery.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A battery pack, which can be recharged by an external DC power source, comprising:
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a battery cell; an input terminal that connects to the external DC power source; and a battery pack controller coupled between said input terminal and said battery cell, said battery controller comprising; coupling means for coupling said battery cell to said input terminal so as to receive a DC voltage produced by the DC power source; and a voltage regulator having a voltage regulator circuit that controls said coupling means to maintain said charge voltage below a predetermined maximum regardless of the voltage produced by the DC power supply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A battery pack, which can be recharged by an external DC power source, comprising:
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a battery cell; an input terminal that connects to the external DC power source; and a battery pack controller coupled between said input terminal and said battery cell for receiving a DC voltage produced by the DC power source and providing a charge voltage to said battery cell, said battery controller comprising; a voltage regulator for maintaining said charge voltage below a predetermined maximum regardless of the voltage produced by the DC power supply; a processor interface that receives predetermined messages from and transmits data to an external processor; a charge termination means for terminating a charge current flowing into said battery cell; and means for deactivating said charge termination means during a charge cycle, to allow charge current to flow to said battery cell, and for activating said charge termination means when said external processor transmits a predetermined message to said processor interface, to thereby terminate said charge cycle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A battery pack, which can be recharged by an external DC power source, comprising:
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a battery cell; an input terminal that connects to the external DC power source; and a battery pack controller coupled between said input terminal and said battery cell, said battery pack controller comprising; coupling means for coupling said battery cell to said input terminal so as to receive a charging current produced by the DC power source; a current regulator having a current regulator circuit that controls said coupling means so as to regulate said charge current flowing into said battery cell; and a current sensor that senses said charge current and outputs a signal corresponding to said charge current to said current regulator circuit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A battery pack, which can be recharged by an external DC power source, comprising:
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a battery cell; an input terminal that connects to the external DC power source; and a battery pack controller coupled between said input terminal and said battery cell comprising; a current regulator for regulating a charge current flowing into said battery cell; a processor interface that receives predetermined messages from and transmits data to an external processor; a charge termination means for terminating a charge current flowing into said battery cell; and means for deactivating said charge termination means during a charge cycle, to allow charge current to flow to said battery cell, and for activating said charge termination means when said external processor transmits a first predetermined message to said processor interface, to thereby terminate said charge cycle.
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24. A battery pack, which can be recharged by an external DC power source, comprising:
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a battery cell; an input terminal that connects to the external DC power source; and a battery pack controller coupled between said input terminal and said battery cell, said battery back controller comprising; a processor interface to receive predetermined messages from an external processor; a charge termination means for terminating a charge current flowing into said battery cell; and a conductor coupling said processor interface to said charge termination means, wherein when said processor interface receives a given one of said predetermined messages, said processor interface sets a voltage of said conductor to a level that activates said charge termination means, thereby terminating charge current from flowing to said battery cell. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification