Rechargeable battery and method for its operation
First Claim
1. A rechargeable battery for operation with an external voltage which is applied at least at times to the output of the rechargeable battery and is below the output voltage of the rechargeable battery when in its fully charged state, comprisingat least one chargeable electrochemical cell,an electrical connection to the output of the rechargeable-battery for inputting and/or outputting electrical energy,a housing which surrounds the at least one chargeable electrochemical cell, anda control circuit for controlling the charging process of the rechargeable battery and/or the production of the rechargeable-battery voltage at the output of the rechargeable battery, the control circuit being adapted to disconnect the rechargeable-battery voltage from the output of the rechargeable battery at cyclic time intervals in order to check whether the external voltage is applied to the output of the rechargeable battery.
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method are disclosed relating to a rechargeable battery for operation with an external voltage which is applied at least at times to the output of the rechargeable battery and is below the output voltage of the rechargeable battery when in its fully charged state, which has at least one chargeable electrochemical cell, an electrical connection to the output of the rechargeable-battery for inputting and/or outputting electrical energy, a housing which surrounds the at least one chargeable electrochemical cell, and a control circuit for controlling the charging process of the rechargeable battery and/or the production of the rechargeable-battery voltage at the output of the rechargeable battery. The disclosed battery offers better characteristics, in particular for mobile electrical appliances, and is useable in appliances that are designed for use with rechargeable batteries of a different type, in particular with cells with a different cell voltage.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A rechargeable battery for operation with an external voltage which is applied at least at times to the output of the rechargeable battery and is below the output voltage of the rechargeable battery when in its fully charged state, comprising
at least one chargeable electrochemical cell, an electrical connection to the output of the rechargeable-battery for inputting and/or outputting electrical energy, a housing which surrounds the at least one chargeable electrochemical cell, and a control circuit for controlling the charging process of the rechargeable battery and/or the production of the rechargeable-battery voltage at the output of the rechargeable battery, the control circuit being adapted to disconnect the rechargeable-battery voltage from the output of the rechargeable battery at cyclic time intervals in order to check whether the external voltage is applied to the output of the rechargeable battery.
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14. A method for operation of a rechargeable battery with a rechargeable-battery voltage which is applied switchably to the output of the rechargeable battery, and with an external voltage which is applied at least at times to the output of the rechargeable battery and is below the rechargeable-battery voltage when the rechargeable battery is fully charged, the method comprising:
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monitoring the voltage at the output of the rechargeable battery, producing the rechargeable-battery voltage at the output of the rechargeable battery as a function of the monitored voltage, charging the rechargeable battery by the external voltage, which is applied to the output of the rechargeable battery, as a function of the monitored voltage, and disconnecting the rechargeable-battery voltage from the output of the rechargeable battery at cyclic time intervals in order to check whether the external voltage is applied to the output of the rechargeable battery. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification