Battery coupled to adapter and tip

• US 7,145,312 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Systems LLC (AppBrilliance, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/314,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20040108833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 320/114, 320/112, 320/107, 320/115, 320/125, 320/162, 307/38, 307/42, 307/155, 429/9, 361/600, 361/707
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• 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

Abstract

A system has an adapter/charger to receive power from a power source and output a first DC power signal. A universal battery receives the first DC power signal directly from the adapter/charger and to supplies a second DC power signal, and the universal battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal. A power tip receives the second DC power signal and outputs a third DC power signal useable by an electronic device. The power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal to program a magnitude of the first DC power signal.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an adapter to receive power from a power source and output a first DC power signal;

a battery to receive the first DC power signal from the adapter and to supply a second DC power signal in response to the first DC power signal, wherein the battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal; and

a power tip to receive the second DC power signal from the battery and output a third DC power signal useable by an electronic device, wherein the power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal, wherein a power junction device in the battery receives the programming signal from the power tip and sets the second DC power signal in response to the programming signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source provides A/C power.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source provides DC power.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry and the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry, the passive circuitry including at least one resistor.

12. The system of claim 1, further including a cable to couple the battery to the power tip.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery has an input port that receives the first DC power signal from the adapter and also sends the programming signal to the adapter.

13. A rechargeable battery, comprising:

an input port to receive a first DC power signal from an adapter, and output a programming signal to the adapter;

at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal;

an output port to receive the programming signal from a cower tip and supply a second DC power signal to an electronic device via the power tip; and

a power junction device to receive the programming signal from the output port and to set the second DC power signal in response to the programming signal.

14. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

15. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

16. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

17. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

18. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

19. The rechargeable battery of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

20. A method of using a battery, comprising:

coupling an adapter to a power source, wherein the adapter outputs a first DC power signal;

coupling the adapter to the battery, wherein the battery includes at least one battery cell chargeable by the first DC power signal, and the battery supplies a second DC power signal;

coupling the battery to a power tip, wherein the power tip includes control circuitry to output a programming signal and

coupling the power tip to an electronic device,

wherein the battery receives the programming signal and sets the second DC power signal based on the programming signal.

21. The method of claim 20, further including coupling the battery to the power tip via a cable.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the power source provides A/C power.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the power source provides DC power.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a laptop computer.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a digital camera.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a digital camcorder.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a battery operated consumer device.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the control circuitry includes active circuitry, and the active circuitry includes a voltage regulator.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the control circuitry includes passive circuitry, and the passive circuitry includes at least one resistor.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the battery also sends the programming signal to the adapter.