Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Cell or battery charger structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-02
2001-07-24
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Cell or battery charger structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06265844
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to a battery pack for providing electrical power to a portable electronic device including a photodetector for enabling integral circuitry.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Portable electronic devices such as, for example, mobile cellular telephones, include a removable battery pack providing electrical power. Such battery packs consist of more than simply a case and battery cells. Indeed, such battery packs may include built-in microprocessor controllers and/or memory circuits used for controlling the charging and discharging of the battery cells.
As battery capacity increases and various battery chemistries require circuitry for safety and performance, the need for better communication with the battery, control of the battery, and reduced power drain internal to the battery pack increases. Some of these features have been addressed with prior battery pack designs. These designs utilize numerous electrical and mechanical contacts which connect to the electronic device or a separate charger. Prior solutions were effective in larger products but become more difficult to implement as the electronic devices and battery packs shrink in size. Also, these functions are not operative when the battery pack is separated from the electronic device. As a result, a charger or device cannot interrogate a battery for its state of charge and warn the user if the battery has been sitting unused for an extended period if it is not connected to the charger or electronic device.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems discussed above in a novel and simpler manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a battery pack with a photodetector for enabling integral circuitry.
Broadly, there is disclosed herein a battery pack for providing electrical power to an electrical or electronic device. The battery pack includes a case removably receivable on an electrical or electronic device. A battery cell is disposed in the case. Battery terminals are mounted to the case and are operatively connected to the cell for mating with corresponding terminals on the device, in use, to connect the cell to the device. A photodetector is mounted to the case for receiving a wireless control signal. A control circuit is operatively connected to the photodetector and the battery cell for controlling operation of the battery pack responsive to the wireless control signal.
It is a feature of the invention that a switch is connected between the battery cell and the terminals for selectively connecting the cell to the terminals. The control circuit controls operation of the switch to selectively enable or disable the battery pack. A bypass circuit can be connected across the switch to supply a low current level to the terminals.
It is a further feature of the invention to provide an operating element housed in the case and the control circuit controls operation of the operating element. The operating element may comprise an indicator light, a vibrator, a display displaying information about the battery pack and/or a photo emitter for transmitting a wireless signal regarding information about the battery pack.
It is another feature of the invention that the photodetector decodes the wireless control signal.
More particularly, in accordance with the invention the portable electronic device or charger can control the functions of a battery pack, including its internal circuitry. Charging and discharging currents can be regulated by externally controlling the internal battery pack circuitry, simplifying charger circuitry. The battery pack can be turned off, or put in a limited power output mode, as might be desirable for a lithium-ion battery, so that excessive current draw could be prevented when the battery is removed from the phone or if a fault is detected in the phone or battery. Circuitry in the battery pack can be powered on or off by an analog or digital signal, or a serial signal could put the battery pack in a pre-defined mode to perform a function or provide information. For example, the battery could be requested to provide its chemical type or size, or data about capacity, cycles, state of discharge or temperature. It could also control some operating element in the battery pack such as a vibrator, a separate infrared link, or a latching or locking mechanism.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5206097 (1993-04-01), Burns et al.
patent: 6002236 (1999-12-01), Trant et al.
Ericsson Inc.
Tibbits Pia
Wong Peter S.
Wood Phillips VanSanten Clark & Mortimer
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