Telxon Corporation

Lee E Leppo

Clifford P Brake

Mark F Pleso

Martin M Weiss

Prashant A Solanki

James M Cisar

James A Campo

Timothy J Manns

Charles A Rinkes

Dean A Ramsier

Steven Smithberger

Richard A Hamersley

A power distribution system is provided for distributing power in a portable device being coupable to a charging system and including a main battery power and a bridge battery power. The charging system is coupled to a power bus through a diode. The main battery power system and the bridge battery system are also both coupled to the power bus through diodes. The predetermined voltage level is set with respect to the charging system, the main battery and the bridge battery, such that if all three are coupled to the bus, the recharging system both powers the unit and recharges the main battery. If the recharging system is removed, the main battery power system powers the portable device, and if the main battery power system is removed the bridge battery will provide power to the portable device. The distribution system also includes a monitoring system for measuring the predetermined charge level on the battery and disabling a FET switch, so that the main battery stops charging to protect the main battery against overcharging. A monitoring system is also provided for monitoring the voltage level of the main battery utilizing a comparator system.

Power distribution in a portable device

A single button contrast control which can bi-directionally adjust a contrast function in one of two directions so as to increase or decrease the contrast of a display. An interrupt generator generates an interrupt for each user activation of a single button control key. A control circuit incrementally adjusts the contrast function in accordance with the interrupts generated. If no interrupts are generated within a predetermined period of time following a previous interrupt, the control circuit changes the direction in which the contrast is incrementally adjusted so that the next time a user activates the single button control key the control will be adjusted in the other direction.

Single button contrast control

The present invention relates to a battery discrimination system which provides for charging a battery of a mobile terminal where the battery may be any one of a plurality of types of batteries each having different charge characteristics. The system includes a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal including a battery pack housing for storing at least one of a plurality of batteries. The plurality of batteries including batteries of a first battery type and batteries of a second battery type, the batteries of the first battery type having charge characteristics different from the batteries of the second battery type. The system further includes a docking cradle for receiving and storing the mobile terminal. The cradle includes a battery charger for charging the at least one of a plurality of batteries. The battery charger includes a battery discriminator for identifying whether the at least one of a plurality of batteries is of the first battery type or of the second battery type, wherein the battery charger charges the one of a plurality of batteries in accordance with the identification of the battery type determined by the battery discriminator.

Battery discriminating system for charging a battery of a mobile terminal

A secondary battery boost system which includes a primary power supply for a computing device, and a secondary power supply for the computing device. The boost system also includes a boost circuit operative to increase the power output of the secondary power supply applied to the computing device. Upon the output of the primary power supply falling below a level suitable for properly powering the computing device, the boost circuit feeds the computing device power from the secondary power supply. The boost circuit also boosts the power output of the secondary power supply so that the secondary power supply can be smaller and more light weight.

Secondary battery boost circuit

A charging apparatus with multiple charge stations is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single power supply which operates under the control of a microprocessor to charge a plurality of battery packs disposed in respective charging stations. Associated with each charging station is a wiring harness assembly which includes an EEPROM memory chip having one or more stored charging algorithms for the type or types of battery packs to be charged at that charging station. The microprocessor reads the charging algorithm from a charging station's memory chip when a battery pack is inserted in the charging station. The microprocessor utilizes a feedback control loop including a resistor network to regulate the charging current and charging voltage supplied to each battery pack being charged. If a plurality of Li-Ion battery packs are disposed in respective charging stations, each pack is sequentially charged such that the voltage across the pack is raised to the rated output voltage of the pack. Then, all of the Li-Ion battery packs are charged in parallel until each is fully charged. The parallel charging reduces total charging time.

Multiple station charging apparatus with single charging power supply

A monitoring circuit for a Li-Ion battery pack charging apparatus is disclosed. The monitoring circuit modifies charging time for a Li-Ion battery pack inserted in the charging apparatus to compensate for temperature effects on the charging current input to the battery pack. In one embodiment of the monitoring circuit, a comparator is utilized to compare a voltage across the battery pack, V.sub.charge, to a set point voltage value, V.sub.sp. The set point voltage value, V.sub.sp, is taken off a temperature sensor circuit comprising a voltage divider circuit. The voltage divider circuit includes at least one thermistor in a ground connected leg of the divider. In a second embodiment of the monitoring circuit of the present invention, a differential amplifier is coupled to opposite ends of a low resistance sensor resistor. The sensor resistor is coupled between charging circuitry and the Li-Ion battery pack to be charged. The voltage differential across the resistor, V.sub.sensor, is amplified by a gain of the differential amplifier. A gain adjusted differential voltage, V.sub.gsensor, is compared by a microprocessor to a set point voltage value, V.sub.sp. The set point voltage value, V.sub.sp, is generated by a temperature sensor circuit. The temperature sensor circuit includes a voltage divider circuit and the set point voltage value, V.sub.sp, is taken off the voltage divider which includes at least one thermistor in a ground connected leg of the divider.

Temperature compensation monitoring circuit for a battery pack charging

A battery pack adapted to be removably inserted into a battery receiving compartment of a portable electronic device for supplying power to the device is disclosed. The battery pack includes a plurality of cylindrically shaped battery cells and an elongated casing having two spaced apart ends and defining an interior region in which the plurality of battery cells are disposed. Outer cylindrical surfaces of first and second cells and an inner surface of the casing define two elongated open regions extending away from the first end of the casing. The battery pack also includes an integrated circuit board disposed intermediate a first end of the casing and negative and positive connector plates of the cells and includes conductive traces electrically coupled to the connector plates of the first and second cells. The battery pack further includes a pair of open ended elongated sockets adapted to receive respective housing terminal pins when the battery pack is inserted into the housing interior region, the sockets are affixed to the circuit board and extend though the apertures in the board and into the elongated open regions.

Battery pack for portable electronic device

A charging apparatus with multiple charge stations is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single power supply which operates under the control of a microprocessor to charge a plurality of battery packs disposed in respective charging stations. Associated with each charging station is a wiring harness assembly which includes an EEPROM memory chip having one or more stored charging algorithms for the type or types of battery packs to be charged at that charging station. The microprocessor reads the charging algorithm from a charging station's memory chip when a battery pack is inserted in the charging station. The microprocessor utilizes a feedback control loop including a resistor network to regulate the charging current and charging voltage supplied to each battery pack being charged.

Multiple station charging apparatus with stored charging algorithms

A charging system monitors the rate of change in battery voltage, adjusts the rate of charging, and checks the changes in battery voltage following adjustments in the rate of charging to observe a predetermined sequence of voltage changes that signifies when a battery is fully charged. The charging system determines the slope between consecutive battery voltage measurements. The charging system charges a battery at the full battery capacity in response to positive or zero voltage slope measurements and reduces the charging rate in response to negative voltage slope measurements. A nickel-cadmium battery is fully charged when at least one sequence of a negative slope, followed by a decrease in charging rate, then a positive or flat slope, followed by an increase in charge rate, and finally another negative slope is observed.

Apparatus and method for charging batteries

An electric switch assembly for use with a magnetic reed switch includes a trigger that is movable with respect to a housing between an open position and a closed position and that includes a trigger magnet. The switch assembly further includes a second magnet, fixed relative to the housing, that is located adjacent the first magnet when the trigger is in the open position. The magnets are oriented such that their magnetic fields tend to cancel each other when the trigger is in its open position. This provides an increased disparity in the magnetic field reaching the magnetic reed switch between the open position and closed position and eliminates the need for precision alignment and individual adjustment of the magnetic reed switch at the point of manufacture.

Growing community of inventors

Tallmadge, OH, United States of America

Lee E Leppo