Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Battery or cell discharging – With charging
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-31
2002-02-26
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Battery or cell discharging
With charging
C320SDIG011
Reexamination Certificate
active
06351099
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery monitoring circuitry and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a battery monitoring system that includes an integrated battery holder.
2. Background of the Problem and Related Art
It is well known that a primary battery is a convenient source of power for portable electric and electronic devices. Small size, ease of use, low maintenance and good shelf life are just a few of the reasons that primary batteries are frequently used in modern electronics. For example, primary batteries are regularly used in PCS and servers to keep a time of day clock running even when the particular device is not otherwise powered.
Because the primary battery is such a convenient and reliable source of power, many electronic devices also use the primary battery as a source of backup power, such as for CMOS memory—thereby preserving the contents of the memory even when the memory is not otherwise powered. In fact, the computer and electronic industry has incorporated the coin-shaped primary battery into the majority of devices that require a backup power source.
Because the primary battery often protects critical data from corruption and loss, a user cannot allow the battery to fail. The failure of a primary battery could mean disastrous data corruption, data loss and/or system downtime—all of which are unacceptable in today's information critical systems. Accordingly, it is vital that a user or system administrator be able to easily and accurately determine when a primary battery is nearing failure (but not yet completely depleted) and should be replaced.
Furthermore, it is vital that a primary battery be replaceable without corrupting the data it is backing up. In existing devices, replacing a primary cell allows voltage at the backed-up device to float. For example,
FIG. 1
illustrates a block diagram of a battery backed, device
105
connected to a primary battery
110
through a supply voltage line
115
and a battery output line
120
. The primary battery
110
is also grounded at ground
125
. In this device, when the primary battery
110
is removed or inserted, the voltage on line battery output
120
momentarily changes, i.e., floats, and likely creates a condition in the battery backed device
105
that results in data corruption or other damage.
In light of the above-described and other deficiencies in the existing art, a device is needed that accurately monitors the characteristics of a battery, particularly the characteristics of a primary battery used in electronic systems. Furthermore, a device is needed that prevents the voltage on the primary battery's output line from floating when the battery is replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To remedy the deficiencies of existing systems and methods, the present invention provides, among other things, an apparatus to accurately monitor the characteristics of a battery. Furthermore, the present device prevents the voltage on the primary battery's output line from floating when the battery is replaced.
In an exemplary embodiment, but by no means the only embodiment, the invention includes a battery clip that is used to secure a battery to a battery connection and a battery monitoring integrated circuit (IC). The battery monitoring IC takes a “load vs. no-load measurement” and the results are recorded in a register. When the battery reaches a certain low voltage state, register bits are set and a low battery signal is generated. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment includes a removal detection circuit both for detecting removal and replacement of the battery and for preventing voltage float on the battery output line.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4709202 (1987-11-01), Koenck et al.
patent: 5262868 (1993-11-01), Kaneko et al.
patent: 5365221 (1994-11-01), Fennell et al.
patent: 5764034 (1998-06-01), Bowman et al.
patent: 5814973 (1998-09-01), Liu
patent: 5955869 (1999-09-01), Rathmann
Jones Brian W.
Jones Scott E.
Dallas Semiconductor Corporation
Jenkens & Gilchrist P.C.
Tso Edward H.
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