Motorola Corporation

Other

Francis P Malaspina

Rachid M Alameh

Michael P Metroka

Charles P Schultz

Scott M Garrett

George Thomas

Simon Thomas

Sathya S Prasad

A portable electronic device (10) comprises a radio circuit (150) contained in a housing (152) having positive (156) and negative (158) contacts electrically coupled to the radio circuit (150). A substantially flat, elongated, flexible battery cell, forming a compliant energy storage device (32), provides a single, continuous wrist band (30) and has positive (160) and negative (162) terminals. A latch mechanism (176) releasably secures the housing (152) to the wrist band (30) between opposite ends (172, 174) of the wrist band (30), and permits the contacts (156, 158) of the housing (152) to align with and abut the respective terminals (160, 162) of the wrist band (30) while the wrist band (30) is worn on the user's wrist. Multiple housings (152, 180) may be stacked to add electrical functions. The contacts (156, 158) of the housing (152) and the terminals (160, 162) of the compliant energy storage device (32) are positioned to be substantially protected from contamination by the external environment and from contact with the user's wrist when the housing (152) is carried on the wrist band (30) and while the wrist band (30) is worn on the user's wrist.

Wrist carried electronic device

In a circuit having an electromechanical transducer, such as a motor (22), a control switch (24) is controlled by a control circuit (26) to connect the motor to, and disconnect from, a battery (12). When control switch opens, thereby disconnecting the motor from the battery, the momentum achieved by the motor tends keep the motor turning, causing the motor to behave like a generator. A switch network (28) connects a first capacitor (30), which is initially discharged, across the motor at the same time the control switch disconnects it from the battery. The momentum of the motor, and any attached mechanical system (32), generates a transient charge which is collected by the first capacitor. When the voltage produced by the collected charge reaches a peak, the switch network disconnects the first capacitor from the motor, reorients the first capacitor, and waits to apply the voltage to the motor. A charge pump connected between the first capacitor and the battery may be activated to transfer the collected charge back to the battery if the motor is not to be started for some time.

Transient charge recovery circuit

A system for charging a battery (22) including a power supply (70) and a vibration device (48) to enhance charging. The vibration device (48) may be the speaker of an electronic communication device (30).

Rechargeable battery-powered communication device having integral

A vending machine (10) for vending a rechargeable battery pack has a interface unit (12), new battery reservoir (14), battery dispensing unit (16), and a control unit (18). A customer interested in purchasing a new battery insets a payment in the money handling unit (30). A display (32) is provided and prompts the customer for a response. The customer responds by use of an entry pad (3), and the machine dispenses a new battery. Alternatively, if the customer is interested in exchanging a discharged battery for a fully charged one of similar condition, a battery pack received unit (20) is provided with a receiver port (42) for the customer to insert the spent battery. The spent battery is quickly analyzed by a battery test unit (22) and assigned a grade. If the spent battery is in usable condition, it is passed to a battery recharger, and the customer is prompted to choose between a new battery and one of similar grade to that deposited. If a new battery is selected, one is dispensed, as before. If a similar battery is requested, then one is located in the recharged battery reservoir (26), and dispensed. The price charged to the customer is proportional to the difference in grade between the battery deposited and the battery dispensed. If the battery is in an unusable condition, the customer may choose to have it returned, or may choose for the machine to retain the battery in an internal recycle bin so that the battery may be collected for recycling. Additionally, the machine may have a communications relay station mounted on it for short range wireless communications systems.

Rechargeable battery vending machine

A communication system (200) includes a portable radio (100) which has environmental detection capabilities. The radio (100) upon detecting the presence of an environmental condition such as smoke above a predetermined threshold, transmits an information signal to a communication station (202). Once the signal is received by communication station (202), it is decoded and a message is annunciated. The communication station (202) can transmit a message to radio (100) in response to the information signal. Optionally, before radio (100) transmits an information signal to the communication station (202), it first determines if the environmental condition (e.g. smoke) has been detected for a predetermined period of time.

Communication system with environmental condition detection capability

An electrode (34) for use in supercapacitors is provided, comprising a sheet of a first active electrode (30) comprising metal oxides, chlorides, bromides, sulfates, nitrates, sulfides, hydrides, nitrides, phsophides, or selenides (22) coated onto porous carbon particles (20). The coated carbon particles are bound together in a matrix (24) of a fluorocarbon resin. The first electrode (30) is laminated to a dielectric separator (32), and a second active electrode (30) similar in composition to the first is laminated to the other side of the dielectric separator (32).

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Gainesville, GA, United States of America

Francis P Malaspina