Battery pack with monitoring function for use in a battery charging system

• US 6,369,576 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1997
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benchmarq Microelectronics, Inc. (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Matthews, Wallace Edward, Landau, John Edward, Freeman, David Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamdan, Wasseem H.
• Application Number:
  US08/794,727
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/152, 320/125, 320/108, 320/136, 320/124, 320/112, 320/135, 324/426
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3832 without measurement of battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery charging system is provided which is comprised of a battery pack (30) and a charging system (20). The battery pack (30) includes a battery (10) and a battery capacity detect circuit (32). The battery capacity detect circuit (32) having a memory is interfaced with the charging system (20) through a communication link to output a CHG-Bar signal. The battery capacity detect circuit (32) is operable to perform numerous monitoring operations on the battery by detecting the charge input to the battery and detecting charge taken away from the battery in a discharge operation. This operation is performed independent of the charging operation by the charging system (20). However, the charging operation of the charger (22) can be affected with the CHG-Bar signal.

Claims

1. A battery charging system, comprising:

a battery pack having;

a battery having first and second power terminals,

an integrated circuit for generating at least a single battery condition signal that can be utilized during the charging operation of said battery;

a charging system for interfacing with the first and second terminals of said battery in said battery pack, for charging said battery from an external source and controlling the charging operation thereof;

a communication link disposed between said integrated circuit and said charging system;

wherein

said integrated circuit transfers said at least a single battery condition signal to said charging system over said communication link, and the generation of said at least a single charging indication signal being independent of said charging system.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein said integrated circuit is interval with said battery pack.

3. The battery charging system of claim 1 wherein said communication link comprises a single wire, such that said battery packet is comprised of said first and second power terminals and said single wire communication link to provide a three terminal battery pack.

4. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein said integrated circuit transfers at at least a single battery condition signal to said charging system in response to a request generated by said charging system.