Battery having a network communication interface

• US 6,456,036 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thandiwe, Iilonga Pendapala
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr., Gregory J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/675,223
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/112, 320/132, 320/150, 320/162, 320/165, 320/DIG.12
• 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: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• 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 smart battery that has a network communication interface such that the battery can send and receive battery-related data. The battery is in conductive and communicative interface with a device, such as a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or laptop computer, which has a network communication pathway that the battery uses for data exchange. The smart battery can alternately be in conductive and communicative interface with a charger that is interfaced with a computer, and the charger selectively establishes a network communication pathway through the charger-computer interface for the smart battery to exchange data across the network. The smart battery preferably exchanges data with a manufacturer web site across the Internet.

Claims

1. A battery having a network communication interface, the battery being in conductive and communicative interface with a device having a device microprocessor that includes a network communication pathway, the battery comprising:

a battery microprocessor controlling the functions of the battery; and

a battery communication interface in communication with the battery microprocessor and selective communication with the device microprocessor, the battery communication interface selectively communicating across the network communication pathway of the device microprocessor.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery microprocessor monitors the communication pathway for device communication present upon the device communication pathway and idleness of the device communication pathway, and upon the absence of device communication and presence of communication pathway idleness, the battery microprocessor communicating across the network to a site on the network.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein the network is the Internet.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery is interfaced with a charger, and the charger is interfaced with a computer having the network communication pathway.

5. A battery having a network communication interface, the battery being in conductive and communicative interface with a device having a device microprocessor that includes a network communication pathway, the battery comprising:

a battery microprocessor controlling the functions of the battery; and

a battery communication interface in communication with the battery microprocessor and selective communication with the device microprocessor, the battery communication interface selectively communicating and storing the battery-related data at the device microprocessor, and the device microprocessor selectively transmitting the battery-related data across the network communication pathway and receiving data from the network communication pathway for transmission to the battery microprocessor.

6. The battery of claim 5, wherein the battery is interfaced with a charger, and the charger is interfaced with a computer having the network communication pathway, and the device processor is a charger control processor storing the battery-related data and selectively transmitting the battery-related data across the network communication pathway and receiving data from the network communication pathway for transmission to the battery microprocessor.

7. The battery of claim 5, wherein the device microprocessor selectively communicating across the network communication pathway to a manufacturer website and