Method and apparatus for controlling access to a logic circuit in a battery by multiple components connected to the battery

• US 9,553,341 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Kerfoot, Roy L Jr., Herrmann, John E
• Primary Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US14/189,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20150244183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/137, 320/106, 320/109, 320/112, 320/118, 320/134, 320/136, 320/103, 320/104, 320/110, 320/113, 320/116, 307/140, 307/64, 307/80, 307/9.1, 323/234, 327/108, 327/434, 340/636.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling access to a logic circuit in a battery by one or more components connected to the battery includes the components initially providing no voltage to a data contact, and sampling a voltage level at the data contact to determine if another component is presently connected to the logic circuit. When the sampled voltage indicates no other component is presently accessing the logic circuit, the component applies a voltage to the logic circuit via the data contact and access the logic circuit. When the sampled voltage indicates that a prior-connected component is connected to the battery, the component uses a voltage level provided by the prior-connected component to access the logic circuit.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery system, comprising:

a battery including a logic circuit; and

a component connected to the battery, the component comprising;

a set of contacts for connecting to the battery, including a data contact;

a high side switch that is electrically in series with a pull up resistance between the data contact and a voltage source in the component, and that is in a normally open state;

a low side switch that is electrically in series with a pull down resistance between the data contact and an electrical ground in the component, and that is in a normally closed state;

an interface circuit connected to the data contact that, when the high side switch is in an open state and the low side switch is in a closed state, samples a voltage level at the data contact to determine whether another component is connected to the battery; and

wherein when the interface circuit determines that the voltage at the data contact indicates no other device is connected to the battery, the component changes the high side switch to a closed state and the low side switch to an open state, and thereafter the interface circuit communicates with the logic circuit in the battery through the data contact.

2. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein, upon the interface circuit completing communication with the logic circuit, the component opens the high side switch and closes the low side switch.

3. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein the interface circuit communicates with the logic circuit using a single wire communication protocol.

4. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein the component is a portable device that is powered by the battery, and wherein the voltage source is derived from a battery voltage provided by the battery.

5. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein the component is a charger and wherein the charger further provides a voltage to a different contact that is not the data contact to close a switch in the battery that is electrically in series between the logic circuit and the data contact.

6. The rechargeable battery system of claim 5, wherein the different contact is a thermistor contact.

7. The rechargeable battery system of claim 6, wherein, while the interface circuit communicates with the logic circuit, the charger determines a present temperature of the battery over the thermistor contact.

8. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein the interface circuit determines whether another component is connected to the battery by detecting a low voltage at the data contact for a preselected period of time.

9. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein the component is a portable device that is powered by the battery, and wherein the another component is a charger for the battery of the portable device.

10. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery system is a rechargeable battery system for portable devices.

11. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein when the battery is connected to a component comprising a portable device and not connected to a charger, Galvanic corrosion of a charger data contact is prevented by disconnecting a logic circuit of the battery with a normally open switch within the battery.