Apple Inc.

Texas Instruments Northern Virginia Limited

Protel, Inc.

Texas Instruments Corporation

Gary Lee Stirk

John Houldsworth

Karthik Kadirvel

Stephen J Hayes

Jong-Dii Jiang

Rolf Meyer

Kenneth L Bryan

Raymond F Felch

Tony L McBride

Saroj Kumar Sahu

Thomas Charles Greening

Bertan Bakkaloglu

Umar Jameer Lyles

Brian Lum-Shue-Chan

Kamran M Hasan

Brian Allen

Jun J Hua

This disclosure describes a battery pack that includes a plurality of asymmetrical banks, with different capacities and/or voltages, and multiple taps, coupled to the corresponding banks, to power electrical loads. The battery pack also comprise a balancing circuit and a battery management unit. The battery pack may regulate voltages among the banks and/or balance the states of charge among the asymmetrical banks, by moving charges among the banks, by controlling one or more converters. The battery pack monitors the status of its banks and communicate with a host system via the battery management unit. Based on the monitored information and/or communication, the battery management unit generates control signals to drive the one or more converters.

Systems and methods for management of asymmetrical multi-tapped battery packs

An apparatus may include one or more registers configured to store a plurality of values, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Each value of the plurality of values may correspond to a characteristic of a transistor at a respective temperature value. The ADC may be configured to generate a digital value corresponding to a difference in voltage levels between a first terminal and a second terminal of the transistor. The apparatus may further include a sensor configured to measure a temperature, and control logic configured to generate a first voltage level at a control terminal of the transistor and receive the digital value from the ADC. The control logic may be further configured to determine, during a first operational mode, a current passing through the transistor dependent upon the digital value, at least one value of the plurality of values, and the temperature.

Method of using a field-effect transistor as a current sensing device

An apparatus may include an energy monitoring circuit configured to generate a bitstream dependent upon an amount of charge passing through a sensing unit. The apparatus may also include a control unit configured to receive the bitstream from the energy monitoring circuit, and modify a count value in response to a determined state of each bit of the bitstream. The control unit may also read a first value of the count value at a first time and at a later second time read a second value of the count value. The control unit may assert a wake-up signal in response to a determination that a difference between the first value and the second value is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Apparatus for a reduced current wake-up circuit for a battery management system

A system may include a plurality of devices, wherein each device of the plurality of devices has a respective clock source. A first device of the plurality of devices may be configured to generate a first clock signal. A second device of the plurality of devices may be configured to generate a second clock signal, receive the first clock signal from the first device, and modify a first frequency of the first clock signal. The second device may be further configured to adjust a second frequency of the second clock signal dependent upon the modified first frequency of the first clock signal.

Method for clock calibration

A system may include a plurality of units, wherein each unit has a respective common mode voltage terminal, communication up terminal, and communication down terminal. A first unit of the plurality of units may be configured to generate a first plurality of currents on its communication up terminal, wherein the first plurality of currents corresponds to a first plurality of bits. A second unit of the plurality of units may be configured to receive the first plurality of currents on its respective communication down terminal, and maintain a voltage level at its respective communication down terminal during reception of the first plurality of currents. The voltage level may be equal to a common mode voltage of the respective common mode voltage terminal of the second unit.

Method for communication across voltage domains

A device and method for dc isolation and level shifting includes a driver circuit powered by a first voltage range, a capacitor connected to the driver circuit, and a latching circuit connected to the capacitor. The latching circuit is powered by a second voltage range and is configured to restore and/or minimize charge loss of the capacitor during a voltage transition at the capacitor. A device and method for analog isolation and measurement configured to measure an analog voltage at a second potential without requiring analog circuits at the second potential.

High voltage latching and DC restoration isolation and level shifting method and apparatus

A voltage regulator, according to the present invention, can operate with or without an external power transistor to generate a regulated output voltage. The voltage regulator determines whether an external power transistor is connected thereto. The voltage regulator then automatically sets a frequency compensation scheme that depends on whether an external power transistor has been detected.

Voltage regulator that can operate with or without an external power transistor

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a voltage. A level shifter is configured to generate a current proportional to the voltage of the battery cell. A delta-sigma modulator is configured to convert the current into a first density modulated bitstream representing the voltage of the battery cell. A first reference source is configured to provide a second density modulated bitstream representing a first threshold voltage. A first comparator is configured to compare the first density modulated bitstream and the second density modulated bitstream.

Voltage monitoring using bitstream signal processing

A system for managing energy stored in a plurality of series connected energy storage units has a plurality of energy storage unit controllers, each controller being associated with one of the plurality of energy storage units, a balancing circuit between two of the energy storage units, the balancing circuit being controlled by at least one of the energy storage unit controllers, a serial electrical interface between the energy storage unit controllers for providing voltage isolated bi-directional communication, and a central controller in electrical communication with the energy storage unit controllers. A method for managing charge in a plurality of series connected energy storage units forming an energy storage device includes monitoring a current supplied to the energy storage device, determining at least one of a charging rate and a capacity of a first energy storage unit and a second energy storage unit in the energy storage device, and diverting current from the first energy storage unit to the second energy storage unit in response to the steps of monitoring and determining.

Method and apparatus for managing energy in plural energy storage units

Circuit configurations designed for use with public telephones to provide standard telephone functions with higher reliability, lower cost, and lower packaging densities, include first and second channel means for providing both transmit and receive multiplexing control, a one-wire compatible user interface, and embedded PIC microcontroller for both digital control and monitoring of analog measurement and multiplexing circuits, and bitstream format conversion techniques.

Integrated circuit configurations and methods for providing functions for public telephones

An intelligent vending system such as a pay telephone provides local/remote diagnostics, fraud prevention, capability of facilitating local coin overtime operation, complete cash box accounting, and detailed reporting. Information regarding each transaction is recorded and is useful in verification, by way of example. The system includes a delta-sigma driver for reducing circuit complexity and improving circuit reliability, and a one-wire, high speed communication controller which facilitates high speed downloading and uploading of data, records, and operating program code. Battery management techniques, memory management, and coin detection circuits add to the system's capabilities and reliability. Firmware security techniques and operating system formats also promote product firmware security and configuration control.

Intelligent vending system and method

An intelligent pay telephone provides local/remote diagnostics, fraudulent call prevention, capability of facilitating local coin overtime operation, complete cash box accounting, and call detail reporting. Information regarding each call placed from the telephone is recorded and is useful in verifying operator service provider communications, long distance bills, local measured usage charges, and call volume discounts, by way of example. The intelligent pay telephone includes a delta-sigma voice driver for reducing circuit complexity and improving circuit reliability, and a one-wire, high speed communication controller facilitates high speed downloading and uploading of pay telephone data, records, and operating program code. The pay telephone also includes a low impedance, low power hookswitch for resisting damage from weather, as well as a pin fraud prevention circuit for deterring fraud. Battery management techniques, memory management, and coin detection circuits add to the pay telephone intelligence and serve to improve system reliability. And, firmware security techniques and operating system formats promote product firmware security and configuration control.

Growing community of inventors

West Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Gary Lee Stirk