Communication and monitoring of a battery via a single wire
First Claim
1. A power-management unit, comprising:
- a battery connector configured to couple to a signal line from a battery pack;
an integrated-circuit connector configured to couple to an integrated circuit that communicates with a battery-monitoring mechanism located in the battery pack;
an interface circuit configured to receive a control signal from the integrated circuit;
a temperature-monitoring circuit external to the battery pack and configured to monitor a temperature state of the battery pack via the signal line; and
a multiplexer, coupled to the battery connector, the integrated-circuit connector, the interface circuit, and the temperature-monitoring circuit, configured to selectively couple, based on the control signal, one of;
the battery connector and the integrated-circuit connector, and the battery connector and the temperature-monitoring circuit, so that, at a first time, the signal line conveys a signal representing the temperature state and at a second time the signal line conveys the communication between the integrated circuit and the battery-monitoring mechanism.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power-management unit is described. This power-management unit allows a common signal line to communicate data between an integrated circuit (which may be external to the power-management unit) and a battery-monitoring mechanism in a battery pack, and to convey a signal that represents a temperature state of the battery pack to a temperature-monitoring circuit or mechanism that monitors the temperature state of the battery pack. In particular, the power-management unit may include a single-wire interface or a multiplexer that, at a given time, selectively couples the signal line from the battery pack either to the integrated circuit or the temperature-monitoring circuit based on a control signal provided by the integrated circuit (for example, via an I2C bus or interface). In this way, the power-management unit may reduce the number of signal lines needed to communicate with the battery-monitoring mechanism and to convey the signal.
42 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A power-management unit, comprising:
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a battery connector configured to couple to a signal line from a battery pack; an integrated-circuit connector configured to couple to an integrated circuit that communicates with a battery-monitoring mechanism located in the battery pack; an interface circuit configured to receive a control signal from the integrated circuit; a temperature-monitoring circuit external to the battery pack and configured to monitor a temperature state of the battery pack via the signal line; and a multiplexer, coupled to the battery connector, the integrated-circuit connector, the interface circuit, and the temperature-monitoring circuit, configured to selectively couple, based on the control signal, one of;
the battery connector and the integrated-circuit connector, and the battery connector and the temperature-monitoring circuit, so that, at a first time, the signal line conveys a signal representing the temperature state and at a second time the signal line conveys the communication between the integrated circuit and the battery-monitoring mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17)
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9. A method for conveying a signal representing a temperature state of a battery pack and communicating data between an integrated circuit and the battery pack on a signal line, the method comprising:
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receiving a control signal from the integrated circuit; selectively coupling, based on the control signal, the signal line to the integrated circuit that communicates with a battery-monitoring mechanism inside the battery pack; and selectively coupling, based on the control signal, the signal line to a temperature-monitoring circuit external to the battery pack that determines a temperature state of the battery pack; such that at a first time, the signal line conveys a signal representing the temperature state and at a second time the signal line conveys the communication between the integrated circuit and the battery-monitoring mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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10. An electronic device, comprising:
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a battery pack, wherein the battery pack includes; a battery; a battery-monitoring mechanism, coupled to the battery, located in the battery pack and configured to monitor characteristics of the battery; a temperature sensor; and a signal line coupled to the battery-monitoring mechanism and the temperature sensor; an integrated circuit configured to provide a control signal and to communicate with the battery-monitoring mechanism; and a power-management unit, wherein the power-management unit includes; an interface circuit, coupled to the integrated circuit, configured to receive the control signal; a temperature-monitoring circuit configured to monitor a temperature state of the battery pack via the signal line; and a multiplexer, coupled to the signal line, the integrated circuit, the interface circuit and the temperature-monitoring circuit, configured to selectively couple, based on the control signal, one of;
the signal line and the integrated circuit, and the signal line and the temperature-monitoring circuit, so that, at a first time, the signal line conveys a signal representing the temperature state and at a second time the signal line conveys a signal representing the communication between the integrated circuit and the battery-monitoring mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19)
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Specification