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:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1999
Joseph R. Fitzgerald, Broomfield, CO (US);
David E. Werner, Boulder, CO (US);
Edmund V. Simmons, Lafayette, CO (US);
Qualcomm Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A system for charging a battery over a linear or nonlinear circuit. The system includes a first mechanism for receiving a feedback signal and providing a charging signal to the battery over a first electrical path when the feedback signal indicates that the battery is not fully charged. A second mechanism measures a voltage state of the battery via second and third electrical paths and provides the voltage state as the feedback signal to the first mechanism in response thereto. The voltage state accounts for voltage drops occurring over the circuit. In the specific embodiment, the first mechanism is a controllable power supply and the second mechanism is a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit includes a subtractor circuit that subtracts the voltage on the second electrical path from the voltage on the third electrical path and provides the feedback signal in response thereto. The second electrical path includes a wire connected between a first terminal of the subtractor circuit and a positive terminal of the battery. The second electrical path also includes a first sensing resistor connected between an output of the power supply and the first terminal of the subtractor circuit. The third electrical path includes a wire connected between a second terminal of the subtractor circuit and a negative terminal of the battery. The third electrical path also includes a second sensing resistor connected between a ground and the second terminal of the subtractor circuit.