The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 06, 1995
Gregory N Stewart, Austin, TX (US);
Dell U.S.A., L.P., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus for increasing the amount of power that may be extracted from a plurality of parallel connected battery banks by periodically effecting a switching between the banks for operative coupling to the power supply of an electronic or electrical device. The apparatus comprises at least two battery banks, a switching means, a microcontroller and a battery powered load. Upon each expiration of a predetermined time interval, the microcontroller monitors the voltage of the battery banks to determine which of the banks has the highest voltage. The microcontroller then positions the switch so that the bank with the highest voltage is coupled to the power supply of the load. In another embodiment, switching occurs upon a determination that the active bank has reached a specified power output.