Method and apparatus for communicating battery pack information
First Claim
1. A method for communicating information about a battery pack for a wireless communications device, comprising:
- a) generating, at said battery pack, a repeating information signal having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value; and
b) determining one or more characteristics of said battery pack based on said information signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Information about a battery pack, such as the battery pack type of the battery pack, is communicated to a recharging device, preferably a wireless communications device such as a cellular telephone, via an information signal generated by the battery pack so that the recharging device may automatically distinguish between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of an attached battery pack. The identification signal may be a repeating type having a fixed frequency between a low voltage level and a high voltage level and a dwell time at the high value. The identification signal is communicated to the recharging device and averaged over time. The averaged identification signal is compared against a reference signal, such as the voltage level of the battery, to determine a ratio therebetween. A logic circuit portion of the recharging device, such as a microprocessor, then identifies the battery pack type of the battery pack based on this ratio by comparing the ratio to one or more predetermined values where each of the predetermined values is associated with a battery pack type. Based on the battery pack type identified, the recharging device adjusts its charging profile or otherwise optimizes its operational characteristics. Further, the identification may instead be based on some characteristic of the identification signal itself, such as duty cycle or time at a particular voltage level. In addition, the identification signal may be continuously generated or may be generated periodically, or for some short period of time following certain events such a power-up or battery pack changeover. In some embodiments, the identification signal may contain additional or alternative information concerning the battery pack such as an indication of the number of recharge cycles the battery pack has been through.
45 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A method for communicating information about a battery pack for a wireless communications device, comprising:
-
a) generating, at said battery pack, a repeating information signal having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value; and b) determining one or more characteristics of said battery pack based on said information signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for distinguishing between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of a battery pack, comprising:
-
a) generating, at said battery pack, a repeating identification signal having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value; and b) identifying the battery pack type of said battery pack based on said identification signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for distinguishing between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of battery pack, comprising:
-
a) generating, at said battery pack, a repeating identification signal having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value; b) generating a reference signal; c) determining the ratio of said identification signal to said reference signal; and d) identifying the battery pack type of said battery pack based on said ratio by comparing said ratio to one or more predetermined values;
each of said predetermined values being associated with a different one of said plurality of different battery pack types. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for a recharging device to distinguish between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of battery pack, comprising:
-
a) generating, at said battery pack, a repeating identification signal having a fixed frequency between a low voltage level and a high voltage level and a dwell time at said high voltage level; b) generating, at said battery pack, a reference signal representing a present voltage level of said battery; c) averaging said identification signal; d) comparing, by a recharging device, said averaged identification signal to said reference signal to determine the ratio of said averaged identification signal to said reference signal; and e) identifying, by said recharging device, the battery pack type of said battery pack based on said ratio by comparing said ratio to one or more predetermined values;
each of said predetermined values being associated with a battery pack type. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A device for communicating information about a battery pack for a wireless communications device, comprising:
-
a) a battery identification circuit;
said battery identification circuit generating a repeating information signal at said battery pack having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value; andb) a logic circuit external to said battery pack;
said logic circuit monitoring said information signal and determining one or more characteristics of said battery pack based on said information signal. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
-
27. A battery pack type identifier for distinguishing between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of a battery pack, comprising:
-
a) a battery identification circuit;
said battery identification circuit generating a repeating identification signal at said battery pack having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value; andb) a logic circuit external to said battery pack;
said logic circuit monitoring said identification signal and identifying the battery pack type of said battery pack based on said identification signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
-
30. A battery pack type identifier for distinguishing between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of a battery pack, comprising:
-
a) a battery pack including a battery identification circuit;
said battery identification circuit generating a repeating identification signal at said battery pack having a frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value;b) a reference signal; and c) a logic circuit external to said battery pack;
said logic circuit monitoring said identification signal and said reference signal and computing a relative ratio thereof; andd) wherein the battery pack type of said battery pack is identified by said logic circuit based on said ratio. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A battery pack type identifier for distinguishing between a plurality of different battery pack types to identify the type of a battery pack, comprising:
-
a) a battery pack including; i) a battery identification circuit;
said battery identification circuit generating an identification signal having a fixed frequency between a low value and a high value and a dwell time at said high value;ii) a first positive power terminal, a first ground terminal, and a first identification terminal; b) a reference signal; c) a recharging device including; i) a filtering circuit;
said filtering circuit generating an average of said identification signal;ii) a microprocessor logic circuit for comparing said average identification signal to said reference signal and generating a ratio thereof; iii) a second positive power terminal, a second ground terminal, and a second identification terminal; d) wherein said first positive power terminal is connected to said second positive power terminal, said first ground terminal is connected to said second ground terminal, said first identification terminal is connected to said second identification terminal; e) wherein said identification signal is communicated from said battery pack to said recharging device via said first identification terminal; and f) wherein said battery pack type is identified based on said ratio by comparing said ratio to one or more predetermined values;
each of said predetermined values being associated with a battery pack type. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
Specification