Physical key to facilitate an inactive mode for a state-of-charge indicator within a battery
First Claim
1. A battery comprising:
- a connector;
a battery cell stack coupled to the connector, the battery cell stack comprising at least one battery cell;
a state-of-charge indicator coupled to the battery cell stack within the battery and to the connector for selectively operating in an active mode or a hibernation mode as a function of whether a detachable physical key is coupled to the connector, wherein the state-of-charge indicator operates in the hibernation mode when the detachable physical key is coupled to the connector and operates in the active mode when the detachable physical key is not coupled to the connector.
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Abstract
The invention provides a system and battery including a state-of-charge indicator (SOCI) to monitor and display the amount of charge within the battery. The SOCI is capable of operating in a hibernate mode, an active mode, and/or a sleep mode. The battery may be manufactured, shipped and/or stored with the SOCI operating in a power-saving hibernate mode. The SOCI may exit the hibernate mode and begin operating in active mode if a physical key connected to the battery is removed. In addition, the SOCI may operate in a sleep mode while the battery is not being used to conserve power. Furthermore, the invention provides a method of making a battery including a SOCI to monitor and display the state of charge of the battery.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A battery comprising:
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a connector; a battery cell stack coupled to the connector, the battery cell stack comprising at least one battery cell; a state-of-charge indicator coupled to the battery cell stack within the battery and to the connector for selectively operating in an active mode or a hibernation mode as a function of whether a detachable physical key is coupled to the connector, wherein the state-of-charge indicator operates in the hibernation mode when the detachable physical key is coupled to the connector and operates in the active mode when the detachable physical key is not coupled to the connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A battery comprising:
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a connector; a battery cell stack coupled to the connector, the battery cell stack comprising at least one battery cell; a state-of-charge indicator coupled to the battery cell stack within the battery and to the connector for selectively operating in an active mode or a hibernation mode as a function of whether a detachable physical key is coupled to the connector, wherein the state-of-charge indicator operates in the hibernation mode when the detachable physical key is not coupled to the connector and operates in the active mode when the detachable physical key is coupled to the connector. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of making a device to indicate an amount of available charge in at least one battery cell, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a battery with at least one battery cell, a ground signal, and a clock signal, coupling a state-of-charge indicator to the at least one battery cell within the battery, and configuring the state-of-charge indicator to operate in a hibernation mode by decoupling a detachable physical key from the ground signal and the clock signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification