Method and apparatus for controlling access to one or more memories in a rechargeable battery
First Claim
1. A rechargeable battery pack, comprising:
- a set of charger contacts that interface with a battery charger to facilitate recharging of the rechargeable battery pack, and including a charger data contact;
a set of device contacts that interface with a device and to power the device, and including a device data contact;
a first memory that is writeable, and which also contains static battery data, wherein the device and battery charger lack functionality to coordinate communications control with the first memory; and
a switch circuit that alternately connects the first memory to either the charger data contact or the device data contact based on a state of a switch signal provided to the switch circuit, the switch circuit thereby preventing the device and charger from accessing the first memory at the same time, the switch circuit thereby alleviating communication conflicts and electrical conflicts that occur in response to the battery charger and the device being simultaneously connected to the first memory of the rechargeable battery pack.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling access to one or more memories in a rechargeable battery includes a switching circuit that connects the memory to a device data contact, and disconnects the memory from a charger data contact, when the rechargeable battery is connected only to a device powered by a battery. The switching circuit, however, connects the memory to the charger data contact and disconnects it from the device data contact. In some embodiments a second memory that contains a subset of the data in the first memory is connected to the device data contact when the first memory is connected to the charger data contact.
21 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A rechargeable battery pack, comprising:
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a set of charger contacts that interface with a battery charger to facilitate recharging of the rechargeable battery pack, and including a charger data contact; a set of device contacts that interface with a device and to power the device, and including a device data contact; a first memory that is writeable, and which also contains static battery data, wherein the device and battery charger lack functionality to coordinate communications control with the first memory; and a switch circuit that alternately connects the first memory to either the charger data contact or the device data contact based on a state of a switch signal provided to the switch circuit, the switch circuit thereby preventing the device and charger from accessing the first memory at the same time, the switch circuit thereby alleviating communication conflicts and electrical conflicts that occur in response to the battery charger and the device being simultaneously connected to the first memory of the rechargeable battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30)
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9. A method of controlling access by multiple masters to memory devices in a rechargeable battery, comprising:
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providing a switch signal line to a switch circuit from at least one contact of a set of charger contacts the rechargeable battery, wherein a switch signal is provided to the switch circuit via the switch signal line when the rechargeable battery is connected to a charger at the set of charger contacts; when the rechargeable battery is only connected to a device at a set of device contacts, the switch circuit connecting a first memory of the rechargeable battery to a device data contact of the set of device contacts, and connecting a second memory to a null, wherein the first memory is writeable and contains both dynamic and static battery data, and wherein the second memory contains at least a subset of the static battery data, the switch circuit thereby preventing the device and charger from attempting to access the first memory at the same time via the switch circuit; when the rechargeable battery is connected to either only the charger at the set of charger contacts, or both the charger at the set of charger contacts and a device at the set of device contacts, responsive to receiving the switch signal from the charger the switch circuit connecting the first memory to a charger data contact of the set of charger contacts, and switching the second memory to the device data contact; and wherein the device and charger lack functionality to coordinate communications control with the first and second memories, the switch circuit thereby alleviating communication conflicts and electrical conflicts that occur in response to the charger and the device being simultaneously connected to the first and second memories of the rechargeable battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 31)
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17. A rechargeable battery system, comprising:
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a rechargeable battery having; a set of device contacts including a device data contact and a set of charger contacts including a charger data contact; a first memory and a second memory, wherein the first memory is a writable memory that contains both dynamic battery data and static battery data, the second memory containing at least a subset of the static battery data; a switch circuit that, switches the first memory to either the charger data contact or the device data contact, and switches the second memory to either the device data contact or a null, respectively, based on a state of a switch signal provided to the switch circuit, the switch circuit thereby preventing the device data contact and the charger data contact from accessing the first memory at the same time; a charger that, when connected to the rechargeable battery, provides the switch signal, causing the switch circuit of the rechargeable battery to switch the first memory to the charger data contact and the second memory to the device data contact; a device powered by the rechargeable battery that, when the rechargeable battery is not connected to the charger, accesses the first memory, and when the rechargeable battery is connected to the charger accesses the second memory; and wherein the device and charger lack functionality to coordinate communications control with the first and second memories, the switch circuit thereby alleviating communication conflicts and electrical conflicts that occur in response to the charger and the device being simultaneously connected to the first and second memories of the rechargeable battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32)
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Specification