Battery discriminating method, dry cell battery pack, and electronic device

• US 20010005122A1
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Published: 06/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Yoshinari
• Granted Patent: US 6,437,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/06 Dry cells, i.e. cells wherein the electrolyte is rendered non-fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/50 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance, e.g. for maintaining operating temperature constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5044 Cells or batteries structurally combined with cell condition indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/12 Precharging analysis, e.g. determining presence of battery

Abstract

A battery discriminating method discriminates between smart battery packs and dry battery cell packs with a simple structure. A dry battery cell pack is composed of a case for storing a plurality of dry batteries connected in series, plus and minus electrodes which are provided in the case and connected to the poles of the series-connected dry batteries, and a resistance element of which one end is connected to a predetermined connecting point of the series-connected dry batteries and the other end is connected to a terminal provided in the case. A predetermined voltage is supplied to a terminal for discriminating the battery of a battery pack via a resistor, and the voltage value of this terminal is detected to discriminate the type of the battery pack according to the detected voltage value.

Claims

1. A battery discriminating method for discriminating the type of battery pack which has at least, first and second terminals being plus and minus electrodes and a third terminal, wherein:

a predetermined voltage is supplied to said third terminal via a resistor;

the voltage value of said third terminal is detected; and

the type of said battery pack is discriminated according to the detected voltage value.

4. The battery discriminating method according to

claim 1

, wherein

said battery pack is a dry battery cell, and said predetermined voltage is a part of output voltage of a plurality of dry batteries which are connected in series.

5. The battery discriminating method according to

claim 4

, wherein

the part of said output voltage is the voltage of a piece of dry battery cell.

6. The battery discriminating method according to

claim 1

, wherein

said battery pack is a smart battery, and said predetermined voltage is an output voltage of a voltage adjuster.

7. The battery discriminating method according to

claim 1

, further comprising

a step of determining whether or not communication is practicable.

2. A dry battery cell pack comprising:

a case for storing a plurality of dry batteries connected in series;

plus and minus electrodes provided in said case, and connected to the poles of said series-connected dry batteries; and

a resistance element of which one end is connected to a predetermined connecting point of said series-connected dry batteries and the other end is connected to a terminal provided in said case.

9. The dry battery cell pack according to

claim 2

, wherein

said predetermined connecting point is an output of a piece of dry battery cell.

3. An electronic device driven by a battery pack which has at least, first and second terminals being plus and minus electrodes and a third terminal, including:

means for supplying a predetermined voltage to said third terminal via a resistor;

means for detecting the voltage value of said third terminal; and

means for comparing the detected voltage value with a predetermined reference voltage;

wherein

said electronic device discriminates the type of said battery pack according to said comparison result.

8. The electric device according to

claim 3

, wherein

said battery pack is a dry battery cell.

10. The electric device according to

claim 3

, further comprising

a means of determining whether or not communication is practicable.