Portable battery recharge station

• US 7,405,535 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frerking, Melvin D., Watts, Alonzo L., Parker, John Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US10/615,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20040104705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 320/162, 320/103, 320/106, 320/125, 320/137, 320/138, 320/140, 320/107, 320/110, 320/112, 710/72, 710/101, 710/103, 710/104
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

A system and method for recharging secondary batteries. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a supervisory circuit, a voltage converter, a portable power source, and one or more of a holder and a socket. The holder is adapted to receive a specific type of secondary battery of a portable device. The socket is adapted to mate with a plug of a device-specific charging cord connected to the portable device. Each of the holder and the plug can be associated with a programming resistor that provides a voltage requirement of the secondary battery. When the secondary battery is either placed in the holder or is connected to the socket, the supervisory circuit communicates with the voltage converter to supply the appropriate voltage required to recharge the secondary battery. The voltage converter receives power from the portable power source. The voltage converter can convert the voltage of the portable power source up (i.e., increasing the voltage) or down (i.e., decreasing the voltage) as appropriate to recharge the secondary battery as instructed by the supervisory circuit. The portable power source of the portable battery recharge station can be one of several types of power sources. For example, the portable power source can be replaceable, rechargeable, or renewable.

Claims

1. A portable battery recharge station comprising:

a charging cord having a first end that is configured to mate with a device having a secondary battery and a second end configured to mate with the portable battery recharge station, wherein the charging cord includes a programming resistor;

a supervisory circuit associated with a voltage requirement of the secondary battery wherein the supervisory circuit determines the voltage requirement of the secondary battery based on a resistance value of the programming resistor; and

a voltage converter in communication with the supervisory circuit, wherein when the secondary battery is in contact with the supervisory circuit, the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply a voltage to the secondary battery in accordance with the voltage requirement.

2. The station of claim 1, further comprising a holder configured to receive the secondary battery.

3. The station of claim 1, further comprising a socket configured to receive the secondary battery.

4. The station of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter is configured to receive power from a power source, converts the power in accordance with the voltage requirement, and supplies the converted power to the secondary battery.

5. The station of claim 4, wherein the power source is an alternating current power source.

6. The station of claim 4, wherein the power source is a direct current power source.

7. The station of claim 4, wherein the power source is one of a replaceable battery, a rechargeable battery, a renewable battery, and a renewable fuel cell.

8. The station of claim 7, wherein the replaceable battery is one of an alkaline battery, a lithium battery, and a zinc-air battery.

9. The station of claim 7, wherein the rechargeable battery is one of a NiCd battery, a NiH₂ battery, a NiMH battery, a Li-ion battery, a Li-polymer battery, a zinc-air battery, and a lead acid battery.

10. The station of claim 9, further comprising a recharger connected to the power source, wherein the recharger is adapted to receive energy from an external power source.

11. The station of claim 7, wherein the renewable fuel cell is one of a methanol fuel cell and a renewable electrolyte type cell.

12. The station of claim 11, further comprising a reservoir adapted to contain fuel of the renewable battery.

13. The station of claim 12 further comprising a gauge adapted to measure a level of the fuel.

14. A battery charging system comprising:

a charging cord having a first end that is configured to mate with a device having

a secondary battery and having a second end, the charging cord being a device-specific charging cord whereby a voltage requirement of the secondary battery is determined based on an impedance of an electronic component within the device-specific charging cord; and

a portable battery recharge station having a voltage converter and a supervisory circuit, the portable battery recharge station being configured to receive the second end of the charging cord, wherein when the charging cord is connected to the device and the portable battery recharge station, the supervisory circuit determines a voltage requirement of the secondary battery, and the supervisory circuit then instructs the voltage converter to supply a voltage to the secondary battery in accordance with the voltage requirement.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the voltage converter receives power from a power source, converts the power in accordance with the voltage requirement, and supplies the converted power to the secondary battery.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the power source is an alternating current power source.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the power source is a direct current power source.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the power source is one of a replaceable battery, a rechargeable battery, a renewable battery, and a renewable fuel cell.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the replaceable battery is one of an alkaline battery, a lithium battery and a zinc-air battery.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the rechargeable battery is one of a NiCd battery, a NiH₂ battery, a NiMH battery, a Li-ion battery, a Li-polymer battery, a zinc-air battery, and a lead acid battery.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a recharger connected to the portable power source, wherein the recharger is adapted to receive power from an external power source.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the renewable battery is one of a methanol fuel cell and a renewable electrolyte type cell.

23. A portable battery recharge station comprising:

a charging cord having a first end that is configured to mate with a device having a secondary battery and having a second end configured to mate with the portable battery recharge station, the charging cord being a device-specific charging cord whereby a voltage requirement of the secondary battery is determined based on an impedance of an electronic component within the device-specific charging cord;

a supervisory circuit associated with the voltage requirement of the secondary battery; and

a voltage converter in communication with the supervisory circuit, wherein when the secondary battery is in contact with the supervisory circuit, the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply a voltage to the secondary battery in accordance with the voltage requirement.

24. The portable battery recharge station of claim 23, wherein the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply a discrete voltage to each of a plurality of secondary batteries.

25. The portable battery recharge station of claim 24, wherein the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply the discrete voltage to each of the plurality of secondary batteries concurrently.

26. The portable battery recharge station of claim 25 further comprising a portable power source supplying an output voltage, wherein the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply the voltage to each of a plurality of secondary batteries that is one of higher, equal to, or lower than the output voltage.

27. The portable battery recharge station of claim 23 further comprising a portable power source supplying an output voltage, wherein the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply the voltage to the secondary battery that is one of higher, equal to, or lower than the output voltage.

28. The portable battery recharge station of claim 23, wherein the supervisory circuit instructs the voltage converter to supply an AC voltage to the secondary battery.

29. A method for recharging secondary batteries comprising:

obtaining a voltage requirement of a secondary battery, wherein the obtaining involves a supervisory circuit in communication with the secondary battery and a programming resistor associated with a device-specific charging cord that is connected to a device housing the secondary battery; and

instructing a voltage converter to receive power from a power source, to convert the power to meet the voltage requirement, and to supply the converted power to the secondary battery.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the programming resistor is associated with the secondary battery.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the supervisory circuit determines the voltage requirement by employing a lookup table.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the supervisory circuit determines the voltage requirement by employing an equation.

33. A battery charging system comprising:

a charging cord having a first end that is configured to mate with a device having

a secondary battery and a second end, wherein the charging cord includes a programming resistor and wherein further a supervisory circuit determines a voltage requirement of the secondary battery based on a resistance value of the programming resistor; and

a portable battery recharge station including a voltage converter and the supervisory circuit, the portable battery recharge station being configured to receive the second end of the charging cord, wherein when the charging cord is connected to the device and the portable battery recharge station, the supervisory circuit determines a voltage requirement of the secondary battery, and the supervisory circuit then instructs the voltage converter to supply a voltage to the secondary battery in accordance with the voltage requirement.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising a portable power source, wherein the portable power source provides power to the voltage converter.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the power source is one of a methanol fuel cell and a renewable electrolyte type cell wherein the cell fuel is stored in a reservoir.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the level in the reservoir is indicated by one of a sight glass, a mechanical measuring apparatus and an electronic measuring apparatus.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the electronic measuring apparatus provides one of a meter readout and a light display.