BATTERY TESTER

• US 20090289635A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nu Flow Technologies (2000) Incorporated (Nu Flow)
• Original Assignee: Nu Flow Technologies (2000) Incorporated (Nu Flow)
• Inventors: Coccio, Damian
• Granted Patent: US 8,193,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/427
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/387 Determining ampere-hour charge capacity or SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/035 Power management, i.e. specific power supply solutions for electrophonic musical instruments, e.g. auto power shut-off, energy saving designs, power conditioning, connector design, avoiding inconvenient wiring
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/186 Means for processing the signal picked up from the strings filtering G10H1/12

Abstract

A battery tester determines a remaining level of charge of a battery mounted within a separate electronic device having an audio jack. The battery tester includes a plug and a circuit having a high impedance input amplifier. At least one electrical contact of the plug is electrically coupled to an input of the high impedance input amplifier. The plug is removably insertable within the audio jack such that the battery of the separate electronic device is electrically connected to the input of the high impedance input amplifier. When electrically coupled to the battery, an output of the high impedance input amplifier provides a signal proportional to the remaining level of charge of the battery, whereby the remaining level of charge of the battery is obtainable by the battery tester without having to remove the battery from the electronic device.

Claims

1. A battery tester for determining a remaining level of charge of a battery mounted within a separate electronic device having an audio jack, comprising a circuit including a high impedance input amplifier and a plug having a contact that is electrically coupled to an input of said high impedance input amplifier, said plug being removably insertable within the audio jack such that said contact of said plug electrically connects the battery to said input of said high impedance input amplifier, said high impedance input amplifier having an output that produces a signal proportional to the remaining level of charge of the battery, whereby the remaining level of charge of the battery is obtainable by said battery tester without having to remove the battery from the electronic device.

2. A battery tester according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator electrically connected to said output of said high impedance input amplifier, said indicator producing an audible or visible indication of the remaining level of charge of the battery based on the output signal of said high impedance input amplifier.

3. A battery tester according to claim 2, wherein said indicator includes at least one of a microprocessor, A/D converter, digital display, and bargraph indicator.

4. A battery tester according to claim 2, further comprising a power source that powers said indicator and said high impedance input amplifier, a housing within which said high impedance input amplifier and power source are contained, and in which said indicator comprises a visual display on said housing for providing said visible indication of the remaining level of charge in the battery.

5. A battery tester according to claim 2, wherein said indicator includes a microprocessor that calculates the remaining level of charge of the battery based on at least one of steady state charge, initial peak, and decay of charge.

6. A battery tester according to claim 2, including a housing within which said high impedance input amplifier and power source are contained, wherein said plug extends rigidly from said housing and includes at least two electrically isolated contacts.

7. A battery tester according to claim 2, including a housing within which said high impedance input amplifier and power source are contained, wherein said plug is a stereo plug including a base cylindrical contact, an intermediate cylindrical contact, and a tip contact that are insulated from one another.

8. A combination electronic device having an audio output jack, and a battery tester for use in testing the charge level of an internal battery mounted within said electronic device;

wherein the audio output jack has a first contact connected to a terminal of the internal battery the other terminal of which is connected to deliver operating power to a tone control circuit contained within said electronic device, wherein the audio output jack has a second contact connected to an output of said tone control circuit, and a third contact connected to the tone control circuit and connectible to complete a circuit for delivering operating power from the first contact to the tone control circuit when the first contact is connected to the third contact by a conductive part of an audio plug inserted into said jack; and

wherein the battery tester comprises a plug insertable into said audio output jack, said plug having two conductors isolated from each other and connectible respectively to said first and third contacts, and a battery charge measuring device connected to said first and third contacts.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the tone control circuit presents an impedance between said other terminal of the internal battery and said third contact, and wherein the battery charge indicator comprises an amplifier having an input connectible to said first and third contacts, whereby the input to said amplifier is taken from a circuit branch comprising said battery and said impedance in series.

10. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said plug is a stereo plug including a base contact, an intermediate contact, and a tip contact that are insulated from one another.

11. A combination according to claim 10, wherein said battery tester is contained in a housing that houses additional audio processing circuitry, and wherein said audio processing circuitry is connected to said tip contact.

12. A combination according to claim 11, wherein said housing includes a switching means for turning on said tone control circuit when the remaining charge level in said battery is determined by the battery charge measuring device to be within acceptable limits.

13. A combination according to claim 8, including a visual indicating means responsive to the battery charge measuring device for indicating the level of charge in said battery.

14. A method of deterring the remaining level of charge of at least one battery contained within a battery compartment of an electric musical instrument, comprising the steps of:

inserting a plug of a battery tester into an audio jack of the instrument to electrically couple the at least one battery to the battery tester without removing the batteries from within the instrument; and

observing an indication of the remaining level of charge produced by the battery tester in response to said inserting step.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said inserting step includes electrically coupling the effective circuit impedance of an on-board tone control circuit of the instrument and the at least one battery in series to an input of an amplifier in the battery tester.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the observed indication is produced by an indicator circuit of the battery tester that is electrically coupled to an output of said input amplifier, the output being proportional to the remaining level of charge of the at least one battery.