Battery charge controlled as function of operating mode

• US 6,225,783 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Naoki, Koyama, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/296,949
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/128, 320/165, 320/152, 320/161, 320/162
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule

Abstract

There is disclosed a battery charging device for charging a battery pack having a battery cell, the battery pack being capable of storing an information for a maximum charging current and a maximum charging voltage of the battery cell and communicating the information with the battery charging device, which includes a communication means for receiving the information indicative of the maximum charging current and the information indicative of the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell which is transmitted from the battery pack, and a control means for controlling charging current and voltage upon charging so as not to exceed the maximum charging current and the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell. Further, in accordance with the present invention, there are disclosed a method for charging the battery pack, and the battery pack capable of being mounted to various electronic apparatuses.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

at least one battery cell;

detection means electrically connected to said battery cell for detecting a charging or discharging current of said battery cell; and

a control circuit electrically connected to said detection means for determining whether an operating mode of said battery cell is a normal operating mode or a power consumption mode in response to the charging or discharging current, wherein said detection means changes a detection gain in accordance with said normal operating mode and said power consumption mode.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit includes a microcomputer.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said detection means decreases said detection gain in said normal operating mode.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said detection means increases said detection gain in said power consumption mode.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit determines that the operating mode is the normal operating mode if said charging or discharging current is more than a predetermined value during the power consumption mode.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit determines that the operating mode is the power consumption mode if said charging or discharging current is less than a predetermined value during the normal operating mode.

7. A method for controlling a battery pack including at least one battery cell and a control circuit which operates in normal operating mode or power consumption mode, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a charging or discharging current of said battery cell;

determining whether an operating mode is the normal operating mode or the power consumption mode in response to the charging or discharging current; and

changing a detection gain in accordance with said normal operating mode and said power consumption mode.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the detection gain is decreased in said normal operating mode.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the detection gain is increased in said power consumption mode.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of determining determines that the operating mode is the normal operating mode if said charging or discharging current is more than a predetermined value during the power consumption mode.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of determining determines that the operating mode is the power consumption mode if said charging or discharging current is less than a predetermined value during the normal operating mode.

12. A battery powered system comprising:

a battery powered device electrically connected to a battery cell for operating from said battery cell;

detection means electrically connected to said battery cell for detecting a discharging current of said battery cell;

a control circuit electrically connected to said detection means for determining whether an operating mode of said battery cell is a normal operating mode or a power consumption mode in response to the discharging current; and

wherein said detection means changes a detection gain in accordance with said normal operating mode and said power consumption mode.

13. The battery powered system according to claim 12, wherein said control circuit includes a microcomputer.

14. The battery powered system according to claim 12, wherein said detection means decreases said detection gain in said normal operating mode.

15. The battery powered system according to claim 12, wherein said detection means increases said detection gain in said power consumption mode.

16. The battery powered system according to claim 12, wherein said control circuit determines that the operating mode is the normal operating mode if said discharging current is more than a predetermined value during the power consumption mode.

17. The battery powered system according to claim 12, wherein said control circuit determines that the operating mode is the power consumption mode if said discharging current is less than a predetermined value during the normal operating mode.

18. A battery charging system comprising:

a battery charging device electrically connected to a battery cell for charging said battery cell;

detection means electrically connected to said battery cell for detecting a charging current of said battery cell;

a control circuit electrically connected to said detection means for determining whether an operating mode of said battery cell is a normal operating mode or a power consumption mode in response to the charging current; and

wherein said detection means changes a detection gain in accordance with said normal operating mode and said power consumption mode.

19. The battery charging system according to claim 18, wherein said control circuit includes a microcomputer.

20. The battery charging system according to claim 18, wherein said detection means decreases said detection gain in said normal operating mode.

21. The battery charging system according to claim 18, wherein said detection means increases said detection gain in said power consumption mode.

22. The battery charging system according to claim 18, wherein said control circuit determines that the operating mode is the normal operating mode if said charging current is more than a predetermined value during the power consumption mode.

23. The battery charging system according to claim 18, wherein said control circuit determines that the operating mode is the power consumption mode if said charging current is less than a predetermined value during the normal operating mode.