Monitor and control circuitry for charging a battery/cell, and methods of operating same
First Claim
1. A rechargeable battery system which is rechargeable via a charging signal generated during a single recharging cycle, the rechargeable battery system comprising:
- a battery having at least two terminals;
charging circuitry including;
a plurality of controllable switches, fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, to generate a plurality of pulses of the charging signal during the single recharging cycle;
recharge monitor and control circuitry including;
monitor circuitry fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, including;
a current meter to;
(i) measure a current applied to or removed from the battery by the charging signal and (ii) output feedback current data; and
a voltmeter to (i);
measure a voltage between the at least two terminals of the battery and (ii) output feedback voltage data; and
control circuitry, electrically coupled to the monitor circuitry, to;
(i) receive the feedback current data and/or feedback voltage data and, in response thereto, (ii) evaluate the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data, and (iii) generate one or more control signals to adjust an amplitude of the current and/or voltage of the pulses of the charging signal using the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Circuitry and techniques to measure, at the battery'"'"'s terminals, characteristic(s) of the charging signal applied to the battery/cell during the recharging operation and, in response to feedback data which indicates the charging signal is out-of-specification, control or instruct the charging circuitry to adjust characteristic(s) of the recharging signal (e.g., the amplitude of the voltage of and/or current applied to or removed from the battery during the charging operation). For example, a rechargeable battery pack comprising a battery, and controllable switch(es), a current meter and voltmeter, all of which are fixed to the battery. Control circuitry generates control signal(s) to adjust a current and/or voltage of the charging signal using the feedback data from the current meter and/or voltmeter, respectively.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A rechargeable battery system which is rechargeable via a charging signal generated during a single recharging cycle, the rechargeable battery system comprising:
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a battery having at least two terminals; charging circuitry including; a plurality of controllable switches, fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, to generate a plurality of pulses of the charging signal during the single recharging cycle; recharge monitor and control circuitry including; monitor circuitry fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, including; a current meter to;
(i) measure a current applied to or removed from the battery by the charging signal and (ii) output feedback current data; anda voltmeter to (i);
measure a voltage between the at least two terminals of the battery and (ii) output feedback voltage data; andcontrol circuitry, electrically coupled to the monitor circuitry, to;
(i) receive the feedback current data and/or feedback voltage data and, in response thereto, (ii) evaluate the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data, and (iii) generate one or more control signals to adjust an amplitude of the current and/or voltage of the pulses of the charging signal using the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A rechargeable battery pack which is rechargeable via a charging signal output by charging circuitry generated during a single recharging cycle, the rechargeable battery pack comprising:
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a battery having at least two terminals; a plurality of controllable switches of the charging circuitry, fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, to generate a plurality of pulses of the charging signal during the single recharging cycle; and recharge monitor and control circuitry fixed to the battery, the recharge monitor and control circuitry including; monitor circuitry electrically connected to the battery to generate (i) feedback current data by measuring an amplitude of a current of the charging signal applied to or removed from the battery by the plurality of controllable switches of the charging circuitry and/or (ii) feedback voltage data by measuring an amplitude of a voltage of the charging signal applied to the battery by the plurality of controllable switches of the charging circuitry; and control circuitry, electrically coupled to the monitor circuitry, to (i) generate one or more control signals using the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data and (ii) output the one or more control signals to the plurality of controllable switches to adjust a current and/or voltage of the charging signal of the charging circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A rechargeable battery system which is rechargeable via a charging signal output by charging circuitry generated during a single recharging cycle, the rechargeable battery system comprising:
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a battery having at least two terminals; a substrate fixed to the battery; a plurality of controllable switches of the charging circuitry, electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, to generate a plurality of pulses of the charging signal during the single recharging cycle; recharge monitor and control circuitry including; monitor circuitry, fixed to the substrate and electrically connected to the battery, including; a current meter, fixed to the substrate and electrically connected to the battery, to;
(i) measure an amplitude of the current of the charging signal applied to the battery and (ii) output feedback current data; anda voltmeter, fixed to the substrate and electrically connected to the battery, to (i);
measure a voltage and (ii) output feedback voltage data; andcontrol circuitry, electrically coupled to the monitor circuitry, to;
(i) receive the feedback current data and/or feedback voltage data and, in response thereto, (ii) calculate an adjustment of a current and/or voltage of the charging signal using the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification