Method and apparatus for charging a battery to an enhanced capacity
First Claim
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1. A method of charging a battery to provide enhanced capacity, comprising:
- receiving, at a portable device, a wireless control command, from a base station, to use an enhanced capacity charge mode;
selecting, in response to the receiving, the enhanced capacity charge mode for a battery coupled to the portable device,wherein the enhanced capacity charge mode comprises charging the battery with a constant charging current until a battery voltage reaches an enhanced voltage limit that is higher than a normal voltage limit, and then charging the battery at a constant voltage substantially equal to the enhanced voltage limit; and
recording when the battery voltage passes the normal voltage limit in a memory associated with the battery.
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Abstract
A lithium-ion battery (126) is normally charged using a constant current/constant voltage charge regime (206, 210), where the battery is charged to a preselected normal voltage level (210) whereupon the voltage is maintained at the limit while the charging current diminishes. The battery charge capacity can be selectively increased by charging the battery to an enhanced voltage level (212). The enhanced charging mode is selected by a user via a device user interface (112), or alternatively by a broadcast command (304) transmitted to the device.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of charging a battery to provide enhanced capacity, comprising:
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receiving, at a portable device, a wireless control command, from a base station, to use an enhanced capacity charge mode; selecting, in response to the receiving, the enhanced capacity charge mode for a battery coupled to the portable device, wherein the enhanced capacity charge mode comprises charging the battery with a constant charging current until a battery voltage reaches an enhanced voltage limit that is higher than a normal voltage limit, and then charging the battery at a constant voltage substantially equal to the enhanced voltage limit; and recording when the battery voltage passes the normal voltage limit in a memory associated with the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A portable device system, comprising:
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a portable device; a battery, coupled to the portable device, and having a battery voltage; a receiver, of the portable device, for receiving a wireless control command including an emergency notification, from a base station, to use at least one of a normal charge regime and an enhanced charge regime; and a charge controller, coupled to the battery, which charges the battery according to either the normal charge regime or the enhanced charge regime based on the received wireless control command; wherein the normal charge regime comprises charging the battery with a constant charging current until the battery voltage reaches a normal voltage limit and then charging the battery at a constant voltage substantially equal to the normal voltage limit; wherein the enhanced charge regime comprises charging the battery with a constant charging current until the battery voltage reaches an enhanced voltage limit that is higher than the normal voltage limit, and then charging the battery at a constant voltage substantially equal to the enhanced voltage limit; and wherein the battery includes a writeable memory in which each instance of the battery voltage exceeding the normal voltage limit is recorded. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification