Battery protection circuit

• US 6,961,592 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: O'Connor, Gavin Paul
• Original Assignee: O'Connor, Gavin Paul
• Inventors: O'Connor, Gavin Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/467,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20040062387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 455/67, 455/11, 379/412, 379/413, 379/413.02, 379/413.03, 379/413.05, 320/134, 320/136, 320/137
• US Class Current: 455/572
• 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: H01M 2200/103 Fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A protection circuit for a cellular telephone battery includes a first memory for storing battery identification data and a second memory associated with the telephone includes data relating to which battery type may be used by this telephone. When the battery is connected to the telephone, the battery identification data is compared to the battery type data stored in the telephone. The battery is automatically disconnected from the telephone if the two sets of data do not correspond to each other.

Claims

1. A protection circuit (10) for a battery (14) used with a cellular telephone, the protection circuit comprising:

a first memory (28) storing first data which identifies the battery;

a second memory (32) for storing second data associated with the telephone and which identifies a battery which is permitted to be used with the telephone;

a first software driven controller (26) for comparing the first data to said second data; and

a switch responsive to the controller (38) for connecting the battery to the telephone;

wherein the protection circuit (110) is encapsulated in an insulating material, is provided in combination, as an integral unit with the battery (14) and is electrically connected to the battery (14) by means of a thermal fuse (16),

wherein the first controller (26) causes the switch to connect the battery to the telephone only if the first data corresponds to the second data.

2. The protection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor (30) for monitoring the temperature of a charger (42) which is used for recharging the battery (14), and for monitoring the temperature of the battery (14);

wherein the first controller (26) is responsive to the sensor and is operable, when either of the monitored temperatures exceeds a predetermined temperature, to carry out at least one of disconnecting the battery from the charger, and disconnecting the battery from the telephone.

3. The protection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a second controller (24) operable to disconnect the battery from the telephone upon the occurrence of at least one of

the battery voltage exceeding a predetermined voltage;

and

the current drawn from the battery exceeds a predetermined current.

4. A protection circuit in combination with a cellular telephone battery comprising:

a cellular telephone battery;

a protection circuit having a first memory for storing first data identifying the battery and

a first controller for comparing the first data to second data stored in a second memory,

the second data relating to the telephone and identifying a battery type permitted to be used with the telephone, and a switch responsive to the controller for connecting the battery to the telephone, said first controller causing said switch to connect the battery to the telephone when said first data corresponds to said second data;

wherein the protection circuit (110) and the battery (14) are combined as an integral unit and encapsulated in an insulating material.

5. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising a thermal fuse electrically connecting said battery and said protection circuit.

6. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising a second controller operable to disconnect the battery from the telephone upon the occurrence of at least one of:

the battery voltage exceeding a predetermined voltage, and the current drawn from the battery exceeds a predetermined current.