Battery charging system and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for determining whether a battery is electrically and physically connected to a battery charger, said method comprising:
- providing an electric device that includes a battery and a superimposed signal detector circuit;
connecting a battery charger to the electric device across at least one connector;
monitoring, using the superimposed signal detector circuit, a battery charging voltage supplied to the electric device across the at least one connector by the battery charger, wherein the battery charger has superimposed a known signal on the battery charging voltage using a shunt to reduce the battery charging voltage for a predetermined interval of time;
determining that the battery charger is connected when the known superimposed signal is present and that the battery charger is not connected when the known superimposed signal is absent; and
opening a switch upon detection of the known superimposed signal to enable executing an output.
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Abstract
A method for determining whether a battery is electrically and physically connected to a battery charger includes monitoring a battery charging voltage supplied by a battery charger that has superimposed a known signal on the battery charging voltage, and determining that the battery charger is connected when the known superimposed signal is present and that the battery charger is not connected when the known superimposed signal is absent.
33 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for determining whether a battery is electrically and physically connected to a battery charger, said method comprising:
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providing an electric device that includes a battery and a superimposed signal detector circuit; connecting a battery charger to the electric device across at least one connector; monitoring, using the superimposed signal detector circuit, a battery charging voltage supplied to the electric device across the at least one connector by the battery charger, wherein the battery charger has superimposed a known signal on the battery charging voltage using a shunt to reduce the battery charging voltage for a predetermined interval of time; determining that the battery charger is connected when the known superimposed signal is present and that the battery charger is not connected when the known superimposed signal is absent; and opening a switch upon detection of the known superimposed signal to enable executing an output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A battery charger comprising:
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a DC charging circuit configured to provide a DC charging voltage; a signal superimposing circuit configured to superimpose a known signal on the DC charging voltage using a shunt to reduce the battery charging voltage for a predetermined interval of time; at least one connector for connecting said battery charger to an electric device that includes a superimposed signal detector circuit, said battery charger configured to transmit the supcrimposed signal across said at least one connector to be detected by the superimposed signal detector circuit; and a switch configured to open upon detection of the superimposed signal to enable execution of an output. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A battery charger system comprising:
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a battery charger comprising a DC charging circuit and a signal superimposing circuit; a superimposed signal detector circuit positioned within an electric device including a chargeable battery; and at least one connector connecting said battery charger to the electric device, said DC charging circuit configured to provide a battery charging voltage across said at least one connector to the electric device, said signal superimposing circuit configured to superimpose a known signal on the battery charging voltage using a shunt to reduce the battery charging voltage for a predetermined interval of time, said superimposed signal detector circuit configured to detect the known superimposed signal; and a switch configured to open upon detection of the known superimposed signal, said switch further configured to signal that said battery charger is connected to the electric device and inhibit operation of the electric device when said battery charger is connected to the electric device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification