Multi-use battery

• US 6,246,600 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thandiwe, lilonga Pendapala
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/627,875
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 363/144, 363/146, 363/147, 320/103, 320/114, 320/116, 320/119
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An adapter for interfacing a battery for a portable computer to an electronic device of a type that is not normally compatible with the battery for the portable computer includes a power adapter, a device-specific module and a delivery circuit. The power adapter is removably couplable to a portable computer battery and includes a power conversion circuit that converts a first electrical voltage received from the battery to a second electrical voltage. The device-specific module is removably couplable to the power adapter. The device-specific module receives the second electrical voltage from the power adapter and converts the second electrical voltage to a device-specific electrical voltage. The delivery circuit couples the device-specific module to the electronic device, thereby allowing delivery of the device-specific electrical voltage to the electronic device.

Claims

1. An adapter for interfacing a battery for a portable computer to an electronic device of a type that is not normally compatible with the battery for the portable computer, comprising:

a. a power adapter that is removably couplable to a portable computer battery, the power adapter including a power conversion circuit that converts a first electrical voltage received from the battery to a second electrical voltage;

b. a device-specific module that is removably couplable to the power adapter that receives the second electrical voltage from the power adapter and that converts the second electrical voltage to a device-specific electrical voltage; and

c. a delivery circuit that couples the device-specific module to the electronic device, thereby allowing delivery of the device-specific electrical voltage to the electronic device.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the battery includes a first contact bank electrically coupled to at least one battery cell and coupled to at least one battery logic circuit and wherein the power adapter comprises:

a. a second contact bank that is complimentary to the first contact bank; and

b. a power converter that converts the first electrical voltage from the battery cell to the second electrical voltage.

3. The adapter of claim 2, wherein the power adapter further comprises a first data converter, receptive to data from the battery logic circuit via the first contact bank and the second contact bank, that generates a first data signal that is compatible with a data protocol expected by the battery logic circuit and that communicates the first data signal to the battery logic circuit.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the device-specific module comprises:

a. a second contact bank that is complimentary to the first contact bank; and

b. a power converter that converts the first electrical voltage from the battery cell to the second electrical voltage.

5. The adapter of claim 4, wherein the device-specific module further comprises a second data converter, receptive to data from the electronic device, that generates a second data signal that is compatible with a data protocol expected by the electronic device and that communicates the second data signal to the electronic device.

6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the delivery circuit comprises a wire, electrically coupled to and extending from the device-specific module and terminating in a device-specific connector, the device-specific connector being complementary to a power jack of a preselected type of electronic device.