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:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 21, 1997
Larry D Reeves, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Kan-Chiu Seto, Saratoga, CA (US);
Dung A Tran, San Jose, CA (US);
Compaq Computer Corporation, Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A technique for detecting failed batteries while the battery is attached to one or more electronic devices and is receiving a float charge is disclosed. The float voltage minimizes the normal voltage differences between battery cells. The technique employs a ratio comparative analysis of cell voltages of a battery provided across the terminals of the battery. Application of the ratio comparative analysis in assessing the condition of a battery assumes an equal voltage drop across each battery cell such that the cells are modeled as a series of resisters with respect to the float voltage. Such equal voltage drop enables a comparative ratio analysis of the voltage across each of the two portions of the battery's cell stack to the voltage across the entire battery. The comparative ratio analysis determines a voltage threshold that identifies whether a battery has a shorted or open cell.