Battery power supply with automatic load sensing

• US 9,300,203 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClevX LLC
• Original Assignee: ClevX LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US13/785,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20130285633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

A battery power supply with extended shelf-life is composed of a plurality of batteries connected in series with a switching element and voltage booster. The switching element is composed of a transistor in parallel with a passive component that produces a voltage drop when the transistor is off. The voltage booster maintains an output voltage at set value when battery capacity deteriorates. A micro-controller is used to monitor voltage potentials to detect the presence of an external load. When no load is detected, all active components are disabled to conserve energy and avoid self-discharge.

Claims

1. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing, for extending battery life in an auxiliary power supply which can be connected to a load, comprising:

a battery portion having a positive side and a negative side;

a controllable ON-OFF portion;

said controllable ON-OFF portion being in series with said positive side of said battery portion, and having an ON state and an OFF state;

a voltage booster having an inductor, said voltage booster being in series with said controllable ON-OFF portion;

a pair of voltage dividers respectively disposed on opposite sides of said controllable ON-OFF portion, for providing first and second sense voltages before and after said controllable ON-OFF portion;

a micro-controller having inputs receiving said first and second sense voltages, and said micro-controller having a booster enable output for controlling said voltage booster and an FET control output for controlling said controllable ON-OFF portion;

said micro-controller having an active mode and a sleep mode; and

said micro-controller being capable of switching itself between said sleep mode and said active mode, and between said active mode and said sleep mode.

2. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controllable ON-OFF portion comprises a MOSFET transistor having an internal body diode.

3. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a regulated voltage serving as a voltage reference, for powering said micro-controller.

4. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

said micro-controller being capable of creating a sleep state by turning OFF said controllable ON-OFF portion, turning OFF said voltage booster, and by placing itself in said sleep mode, thereby reducing battery consumption to micro-amps.

5. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

said micro-controller, in response to connection of the load, creating an active state by activating itself, turning on said controllable ON-OFF portion, and turning ON said voltage booster, thereby providing power to the load;

said micro-controller causing entering of said sleep state when said micro-controller detects existence of a relatively small voltage drop across said body diode which occurs when the load is disconnected; and

said micro-controller causing entering said active state when said micro-controller detects a relatively large voltage drop across said body diode which occurs when the load is connected.

6. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controllable ON-OFF portion comprises a passive component selectable from one of a discrete diode and a resistor, in parallel with a bipolar transistor.

7. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery portion includes at least one battery, and wherein said at least one battery comprises a lithium polymer battery.

8. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery portion includes at least one battery, and wherein said at least one battery comprises an alkaline battery.

9. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery portion includes at least one battery, and wherein said at least one battery comprises a nickel-metal-hydride battery.

10. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery portion includes at least one battery, and wherein said at least one battery comprises a nickel-cadmium battery.

11. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing for extending battery life in an auxiliary power supply which can be connected to a load, comprising:

a battery portion having a positive side and a negative side;

a controllable ON-OFF portion;

said controllable ON-OFF portion being in series with said positive side of said battery portion, and having an ON state and an OFF state;

a voltage booster having an inductor, said voltage booster being in series with said controllable ON-OFF portion;

a pair of voltage dividers respectively disposed on opposite sides of said controllable ON-OFF portion, for providing first and second sense voltages before and after said controllable ON-OFF portion;

a micro-controller having inputs receiving said first and second sense voltages, and said micro-controller having a booster enable output for controlling said voltage booster and an FET control output for controlling said controllable ON-OFF portion;

said micro-controller having an active mode and a sleep mode; and

said micro-controller being capable of switching itself between said sleep mode and said active mode, and between said active mode and said sleep mode;

a regulated voltage serving as a voltage reference, for powering said micro-controller;

said micro-controller being capable of creating a sleep state by turning OFF said controllable ON-OFF portion, turning OFF said voltage booster, and by placing itself in said sleep mode, thereby reducing battery consumption to micro-amps;

said micro-controller, in response to connection of the load, creating an active state by activating itself, turning on said controllable ON-OFF portion, and turning ON said voltage booster, thereby providing power to the load;

said micro-controller causing entering of said sleep state when said micro-controller detects existence of a relatively small voltage drop across said body diode which occurs when the load is disconnected; and

said micro-controller causing entering said active state when said micro-controller detects a relatively large voltage drop across said body diode which occurs when the load is connected.

12. A battery power supply with automatic load sensing as claimed in claim 11, wherein said controllable ON-OFF portion comprises a MOSFET transistor having an internal body diode.

13. A battery power supply with extended shelf life, comprising:

a power supply including one or more batteries in series;

a MOSFET transistor having a body diode, said MOSFET transistor being in series with a positive side of said plurality of batteries;

a voltage booster having an inductor, said voltage booster being in series with said MOSFET transistor;

a pair of voltage dividers respectively disposed in series on opposite sides of said MOSFET transistor, for providing first and second sense voltages before and after said MOSFET transistor;

a micro-controller having inputs receiving said first and second sense voltages, and said micro-controller having a booster enable output and an FET control output;

said micro-controller having an active mode and a sleep mode; and

said micro-controller being capable of switching itself between said sleep mode and said active mode, and between said active mode and said sleep mode;

a regulated voltage serving as a voltage reference, for powering said micro-controller;

said micro-controller being capable of creating a sleep state by turning off said MOSFET transistor, turning off said voltage booster, and by placing itself in said sleep mode, thereby reducing battery consumption to micro-amps;

said micro-controller, in response to connection of a load, creating an active state by activating itself, turning on said MOSFET transistor, and turning on said voltage booster, thereby providing power to the connected load;

said micro-controller causing entering of said sleep state when said micro-controller detects existence of a relatively small voltage drop across said body diode which occurs when the load is disconnected; and

said micro-controller causing entering said active state when said micro-controller detects a relatively large voltage drop across said body diode which occurs when a load is connected.

14. A battery power supply as claimed in claim 13 further providing:

a passive component, such as a discrete diode or resistor, in parallel with a bipolar transistor as an alternative to said MOSFET transistor.

15. A battery power supply as claimed in claim 13 further providing:

a Lithium Polymer battery as a type of battery.

16. A battery power supply as claimed in claim 13 further providing:

one or more alkaline batteries as a type of battery.

17. A battery power supply as claimed in claim 13 further providing:

a Nickel-Metal-Hydride battery as a type of battery.

18. A battery power supply as claimed in claim 13 further providing:

a Nickel-Cadmium battery as a type of battery.