Method and an apparatus for storing and communicating battery information

• US 6,291,966 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wendelrup, Heino, Bengtsson, Jonas, Forsberg, Charles, Ptasinski, Kristoffer, Kellerman, Michael, Mercke, Johan, Rubbmark, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/491,954
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/DIG.12, 702/63
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery system and method are disclosed. The battery system and method include battery means for supplying operating power during battery operation of a battery power receiving device (e.g. a mobile phone). The battery system and method further includes a battery information circuit carried as a unit together with the battery means (e.g. in the form of a so-called battery pack for a mobile phone) for assembly with the battery power receiving device. The battery information circuit includes memory cells and is capable of communicating information with the battery power receiving device. The memory cells include bits encoded to represent an index for a table including battery information; and the battery power receiving device includes a memory capable of storing the table.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a battery operable to supply operating power during battery operation of a battery power receiving device; and

a battery information circuit carried as a unit with the battery for assembly with the battery power receiving device, said battery information circuit having memory cells and being operable to communicate information with the battery power receiving device, wherein the memory cells include bits encoded to represent an index for a table including battery information, and the battery power receiving device comprises a memory including the table.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the index is changeable due to information from the battery power receiving device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the battery information circuit comprises a monitoring unit operable to monitor the battery and select an index for battery information which represents a state of the battery.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the index is changeable due to information from the monitoring unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the index is used to identify battery information representing the capacity of the battery by having stored information representing a capacity of the battery in the table.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the index is represented by a number of bits providing a number of binary combinations, the number of binary combinations corresponding to a number of entries in the table.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the memory cells include bits encoded to represent a number of indexes for identifying battery information in a number of tables.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the index is capable of identifying parameters for a charging algorithm by having stored information representing the capacity of the battery in the table.

9. A battery comprising:

a battery unit operable to supply operating power during battery operation of a battery power receiving device; and

a battery information circuit carried as a unit with the battery unit, said battery information circuit having memory cells and being operable to communicating information with the battery power receiving device, wherein the memory cells include bits encoded to represent an index for a table including battery information.

10. The battery according to claim 9, wherein the battery information circuit comprises a monitoring unit operable to monitor the battery and select an index for battery information which represent a state of the battery.

11. The battery according to claim 10, wherein the index is changeable due to information from at least one of the monitoring unit and from the battery power receiving device.

12. The battery according to claim 9, wherein the index is used to identify battery information representing capacity of the battery.

13. The battery according to claim 9, wherein the index is represented by a number of bits providing a number of binary combinations, the number of binary combinations corresponding to a number of entries in the table.

14. A method of storing information in a battery information circuit carried as a unit with a battery for assembly with a battery power receiving device and of communicating information between the battery information circuit and the battery power receiving device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing an index for a table in the battery information circuit, said table including battery information and being stored in the battery power receiving device.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

transferring the index from the battery information circuit to the battery power receiving device.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

using said index to identify battery information in the table.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

selecting said index to identify battery information in the table, said index representing an actual state of the battery.