Patent · US Expired

System and method for efficiently charging a battery over a linear or nonlinear interface

US6175215A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
2References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 29, 1999
Grant dateJan 16, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 29, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/13
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system for charging a battery over a linear or nonlinear circuit. The system includes a first mechanism for receiving a feedback signal and providing a charging signal to the battery over a first electrical path when the feedback signal indicates that the battery is not fully charged. A second mechanism measures a voltage state of the battery via second and third electrical paths and provides the voltage state as the feedback signal to the first mechanism in response thereto. The voltage state accounts for voltage drops occurring over the circuit. In the specific embodiment, the first mechanism is a controllable power supply and the second mechanism is a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit includes a subtractor circuit that subtracts the voltage on the second electrical path from the voltage on the third electrical path and provides the feedback signal in response thereto. The second electrical path includes a wire connected between a first terminal of the subtractor circuit and a positive terminal of the battery. The second electrical path also includes a first sensing resistor connected between an output of the power supply and the first terminal of the subtractor circuit. The…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.