Battery with electronic compartment

• US 9,774,210 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Inventors: Wright, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Piggush, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US14/529,707
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 320106, 320107, 320108, 320110, 320115, 429 96, 429 98, 429100
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0219 Circuit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic module includes wireless data transmission circuitry configured to receive from a base station a signal corresponding uniquely to a battery device, wireless charging circuitry coupled with the wireless data transmission circuitry and configured to receive energy wirelessly transmitted from the base station, and a controller configured to, in response to the wireless data transmission circuitry receiving the signal, cause the wireless charging circuitry to charge a battery module of the battery device corresponding to the signal using the received wirelessly transmitted energy.

Claims

1. An electronic module, comprising:

wireless data transmission circuitry configured to receive from a base station a signal corresponding uniquely to one battery device of a plurality of battery devices;

wireless charging circuitry coupled with the wireless data transmission circuitry and configured to receive energy wirelessly transmitted from the base station;

a controller configured to, in response to the wireless data transmission circuitry receiving the signal, cause the wireless charging circuitry to charge a battery module of the battery device corresponding to the signal using the received wirelessly transmitted energy; and

sensing circuitry coupled with the wireless data transmission circuitry and configured to measure a voltage level and a current level of the battery module, wherein the wireless data transmission circuitry is further configured to transmit the measured voltage level and current level, and to transmit status information of the battery module in response to a charge level of the battery module crossing a low charge threshold.

2. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the wireless data transmission circuitry, the wireless charging circuitry, and the controller are located within a same container as the battery module.

3. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the wireless data transmission circuitry is configured to transmit the measured voltage level and current level in response to receiving a battery charge query signal from the base station.

4. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor an amount of current provided to a host device by the battery module; and

in response to the amount of current rising above a preset threshold, disconnect the wireless charging circuitry from the battery module.

5. A battery device, comprising:

a battery module; and

an electronic module coupled with the battery module, wherein the electronic module comprises;

wireless data transmission circuitry configured to receive from a base station a signal identifying the battery device,

charging circuitry coupled with the wireless data transmission circuitry and configured to receive energy wirelessly transmitted from the base station, and

a controller coupled with the charging circuitry and configured to;

in response to receiving the signal identifying the battery device, cause the charging circuitry to charge the battery module of the battery device using the received wirelessly transmitted energy;

monitor an amount of current provided to a host device by the battery module; and

in response to the amount of current rising above a preset threshold, disconnect the charging circuitry from the battery module.

6. The battery device of claim 5, wherein the signal identifying the battery device comprises a serial number of the battery device transmitted wirelessly from a base station.

7. The battery device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to cause the charging circuitry to charge the battery module by operating one or more switches to connect the charging circuitry to the battery module.

8. The battery device of claim 5, wherein a shape of the electronic module combined with a shape of the battery module corresponds to a battery form factor that is insertable into a battery compartment of a host device.

9. The battery device of claim 8, wherein the electronic module is located within a same container as the battery module.

10. A system, comprising:

a plurality of battery devices, wherein each of the plurality of battery devices has a shape corresponding to a battery form factor that is insertable into a battery compartment of a host device, and wherein each of the plurality of battery devices comprises;

a battery module, and

an electronic module coupled with the battery module, wherein the electronic module is configured to receive wirelessly transmitted energy and charge the battery module using the received wirelessly transmitted energy;

a charging device configured to selectively charge any battery device of the plurality of battery devices by transmitting a signal uniquely identifying the battery device apart from the other battery devices of the plurality of battery devices and by transmitting the wirelessly transmitted energy; and

wireless data transmission circuitry configured to transmit an identifier of the battery device to the charging device; and

a display module coupled with the charging device and configured to, for each battery device of the plurality of battery devices, display an identifier of the battery device with battery status information for the battery device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the charging device is configured to selectively charge any battery device of the plurality of battery devices by causing a controller of the battery device to connect the battery module of the battery device to the electronic module of the battery device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the charging device is configured to charge the battery device when a current drain of the battery module of the battery device is less than a preset threshold.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein for each battery device of the plurality of battery devices, the battery status information for the battery device comprises battery level information for the battery device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein each battery device of the plurality of battery devices further comprises sensing circuitry in the electronic module of the battery device, wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to monitor a voltage level and a current level of the battery module of the battery device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic module of each battery device of the plurality of battery devices is further configured to transmit the voltage level and current level of the battery module of the battery device in response to receiving a battery charge query signal.