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:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 06, 1998
Hiroshi Mukainakano, Chiba, JP;
Seiko Instruments Inc., , JP;
Abstract
A charge and discharge control circuit and a chargeable power supply unit incorporating the charge and discharge control circuit are provided with a current detecting element capable of detecting low currents with high accuracy and detecting high currents wuthout excessive power dissipation. The charge and discharge control circuit detects a charge and discharge state of a secondary cell and controls the charging and discharging of the secondary cell in accordance with the detected state. A switch circuit and the current detecting element are connected in series with the secondary cell. The current detecting element has an adjustable resistance value which is varied in accordance with the value of a current flowing therethrough, and comprises a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series, and a switch element connected in parallel to the second resistor. When current is low, the switch is operated so that current flows through the first and second resistors so that increased detection accuracy is possible. When is high, the switch is operated so that current flows only through the first resistor so that detection accuracy remains high but power dissipation is not increased.