Serial communication interface system having programmable microcontroller for use in a battery pack
US5841996A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 1995 |
| Grant date | Nov 24, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02J7/0032
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A microcontroller for use in battery charging and monitoring applications is disclosed. The microcontroller includes a microprocessor and various front-end analog circuitry such as a slope A/D converter and a multiplexer for allowing a plurality of analog input signals to be converted to corresponding digital counts indicative of signal level. The microcontroller also includes an I.sup.2 C interface for supporting a bi-directional two wire bus and data transmission protocol that is useful for serially communicating with other peripheral or microcontroller devices. By making use of the I.sup.2 C interface, the microcontroller can be programmed while in the end application circuit. Such a feature allows customers to manufacture boards with unprogrammed devices and then program the microcontroller just before shipping the product. This allows the most recent firmware or a custom firmware to be programmed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.