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:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1999
John A Cummings, Round Rock, TX (US);
Barry K Kates, Austin, TX (US);
Dell USA, L.P., Round Rock, TX (US);
Abstract
Following the constant-current portion of a rechargeable battery charging scheme with repeated current pulses having a lower current value than that of the constant current portion, for at least part of the period of the pulse, can increase the amount of time that elapses before the voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or above a threshold voltage, thereby decreasing the total charge time for the rechargeable battery. Various current pulse shapes can be used to reduce the total charge time for the rechargeable battery, including, for example, a ramped pulse that begins at a low current level and increases over some or all of the period of the pulse, and a constant current pulse whose current level is reduced from that of the constant-current portion of the rechargeable battery charging scheme by a specified amount. The specified amount of reduction can, for example, be a fixed percentage of the current level of the constant-current portion of the rechargeable battery charging scheme, or it can be based on the parameters of the battery being charged.