Apple Inc.

Qnovo Inc.

Mark C Gurries

Fred Berkowitz

Nadim I Maluf

Miroslav Zmrzli

David Bruce Koons

Lawrence F Heyl

Steven J Young

James J Blanc

Steven E Austin

Bryan McLaughlin

Markus C Wallgren

Kihachiro Tonomura

Andrew Hargadon

A wireless charging system for charging a battery may include wireless charging circuitry based on inductive coupling, where the wireless charging circuitry includes: control circuitry for adaptively charging or charging a battery/cell; and an output of the charging circuitry configured to apply an adapted, unregulated current and/or voltage to the battery. In certain embodiments, the adaptation of the unregulated current and/or voltage is based on the charging and/or operating conditions of the battery.

Wireless charging techniques and circuitry for a battery

A system to recharge a battery including a first current-voltage source to generate a first signal, a second current-voltage source to generate a second signal, a first inductor-capacitor circuit to generate the first DC current-voltage signal using the first signal, a second inductor-capacitor circuit to generate the second DC current-voltage signal using the second signal, wherein the first and second inductor-capacitor circuits are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The system also includes a temperature sensor adapted to generate temperature data during the charging operation, and control circuitry configured to: (i) determine whether the first temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals to adjust the first and second DC current-voltage signals, in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification.

Adaptive charging technique and circuitry for a battery/cell using multiple charge circuits and temperature data

Circuitry and techniques to measure, at the battery's terminals, characteristic(s) of the charging signal applied to the battery/cell during the recharging operation and, in response to feedback data which indicates the charging signal is out-of-specification, control or instruct the charging circuitry to adjust characteristic(s) of the recharging signal (e.g., the amplitude of the voltage of and/or current applied to or removed from the battery during the charging operation). For example, a rechargeable battery pack comprising a battery, and controllable switch(es), a current meter and voltmeter, all of which are fixed to the battery. Control circuitry generates control signal(s) to adjust a current and/or voltage of the charging signal using the feedback data from the current meter and/or voltmeter, respectively.

Monitor and control circuitry for charging a battery/cell, and methods of operating same

An apparatus for programmably adjusting output voltage of a constant-voltage battery charger is disclosed. The present invention includes a power circuit for generating an output voltage for charging batteries. This power circuit generates this output voltage as a function of an incoming power source and an incoming error signal. The invention further includes a controller for providing a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal operating at a pre-determined frequency. This PWM signal controls the effective divider ratio of a voltage divider network which is implemented, among other things, for generating the error signal to be fed to the power circuit. The present invention varies the effective divider ratio by programmably applying the pulse width modulated signal from the controller. As a result, the output voltage from the power circuit can be varied to optimally charge batteries of differing types and technologies.

Method and apparatus for programmably adjusting output voltage of a

A technique is provided for substantially reducing clicks and pops caused by power cycling, in particular, the power cycling conservation strategy used in a portable computer. More specifically, an audio amplifier arrangement for a computer, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes a differential amplifier having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal. A sound output connector may be connected to the output terminal through a signal path. First switching circuitry is responsive to a first mute signal for connecting together the first input terminal and the second input terminal through a low-impedance path. As a result, an output signal produced by the differential amplifier is essentially forced to zero. When power is removed from or applied to the differential amplifier, however, its behavior is not entirely predictable, and the output signal produced cannot be guaranteed to remain zero throughout the power-down transition. Therefore, further in accordance with the invention, second switching circuitry is responsive to a second mute signal for substantially interrupting the signal path by switching a high impedance into the signal path. In a preferred embodiment, the first switching circuitry and the second circuitry are realized by MOSFETs which in cascade yield approximately 120 dB of attenuation, inaudible to a user by any standard.

Muting of computer sound system during power cycling

An integrated AC adapter and battery charger is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an AC adapter unit for converting AC power to a DC power and a battery charging apparatus coupled to the AC adapter unit for charging a battery pack. The battery charging apparatus further comprises a microcontroller for sensing the condition of the battery pack or tacks being charged, a memory for storing the proper charging profile for a number of different types of battery packs, and a charging current generator capable of generating a varying charging current based on the microcontroller's determination of the battery's condition and the charging profile stored in the memory.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Mark C Gurries