External universal battery charging apparatus and method

• US 6,191,552 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Fiebrich, Greg R., Kates, Barry K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Shawn
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/237,009
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/107, 320/115, 320/125, 320/162, 320/114, 307/38, 307/42, 307/155, 429/9
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

An external universal battery charging apparatus which can include external universal battery charger circuitry having at least one universal battery charger circuitry input and at least one universal battery charger circuitry output. The universal battery charger circuitry output can include at least one battery charger output, which itself can include at least one universal battery connector and at least one universal battery charger cable. The at least one universal battery charger circuitry output can include at least one adapter pass through output, which itself can include at least one connector adapted to operably connect to an electronic device. The external universal battery charger circuitry can include at least one battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, battery current parameter adjustment circuit, charged voltage parameter adjustment circuit, and maximum power draw parameter adjustment circuit. The external universal battery charging apparatus can include a maximum rated power supply determination unit. The method can include detecting a battery, identifying characteristics of the battery, and adjusting at least one parameter in universal battery charger circuitry in response to the characteristics of the battery such that optimum battery charging is achieved.

Claims

1. An external universal battery charging apparatus comprising:

external universal battery charger circuitry having at least one universal battery charger circuitry input and at least one universal battery charger circuitry output; and

said at least one universal battery charger circuitry output comprising at least one battery charger output and at least one power line output, said external universal battery charger circuitry having continuously adaptive power draw circuitry structured such that an amount of power rendered available to the at least one battery charger output is substantially equal to a maximum source power draw, specified by a maximum-source-power-draw control line of a battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, less power sensed substantially simultaneously drawn by the at least one power line output.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery charger output further includes:

at least one universal battery connector.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one universal battery connector further includes:

at least one battery specific connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said at least one universal battery connector further includes:

at least one vendor specific connector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery charger output further includes:

at least one universal battery charger cable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one universal battery charger circuitry output further includes:

at least one adapter pass through output.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one adapter pass through output further includes:

at least one connector adapted to operably connect to an electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one connector adapted to operably connect to an electronic device further includes:

a DC output connector adapted to supply power to a portable computer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a maximum rated power supply determination unit operably connected to said battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit.

10. The external universal power supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuously adaptive power draw circuitry structured such that an amount of power rendered available to the at least one battery charger output is substantially equal to a maximum source power draw, specified by a maximum-source-power-draw control line of a battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, less power sensed substantially simultaneously drawn by the at least one power line output further includes:

the continuously adaptive power supply circuitry structured to limit power drawn from the amount of power rendered available such that a maximum battery charging current, specified by a maximum-battery-charging-current control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, is not exceeded.

11. The external universal power supply apparatus of claim 10, wherein the continuously adaptive power supply circuitry structured to limit power drawn from the amount of power rendered available such that a maximum battery charging current, specified by a maximum-battery-charging-current control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, is not exceeded further includes:

a maximum-battery-charging-current sensing amplifier operably coupled to the maximum-battery-charging-current control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit.

12. The external universal power supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuously adaptive power draw circuitry structured such that an amount of power rendered available to the at least one battery charger output is substantially equal to a maximum source power draw, specified by a maximum-source-power-draw control line of a battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, less power sensed substantially simultaneously drawn by the at least one power line output further includes:

the continuously adaptive power supply circuitry structured to limit power drawn from the amount of power rendered available such that a maximum charged battery voltage, specified by a maximum-charged-battery-voltage control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, is not exceeded.

13. The external universal power supply apparatus of claim 12, wherein the continuously adaptive power supply circuitry structured to limit power drawn from the amount of power rendered available such that a maximum charged battery voltage, specified by a maximum-charged-battery-voltage control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, is not exceeded further includes:

a maximum-charged-battery-voltage sensing amplifier operably coupled to the maximum-charged-battery-voltage control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit.

14. The external universal power supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuously adaptive power draw circuitry structured such that an amount of power rendered available to the at least one battery charger output is substantially equal to a maximum source power draw, specified by a maximum-source-power-draw control line of a battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit, less power sensed substantially simultaneously drawn by the at least one power line output further includes:

a maximum-source-power-drawn sensing amplifier operably coupled to the maximum-source-power-draw control line of the battery recognition and parameter adjustment circuit.

15. The external universal power supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an external charger body enclosing said external universal battery charger circuitry.