Tina Young Lee

US Patent:

57640351, Jun 9, 1998

Filed:

Sep 23, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/717675

Inventors:

Tina May Lee - Raleigh NC

Assignee:

Ericsson Inc. - Research Triangle Park NC

International Classification:

H02J 700
H02J 704

US Classification:

320160

Abstract:

A system and method for automatically enabling rapid charging of a battery in a portable phone when a battery charger is connected to the portable phone is disclosed. The system includes a battery charger circuit having an input for receiving an input voltage from the battery charger, a sense resistor through which a rapid charging current from the battery charger input voltage is generated, a charge switch connected to the sense resistor which receives the battery charger circuit input, a trickle resistor connected in parallel to the charge switch through which a slow charging current from the battery charger input voltage is generated, wherein the rapid charging current is generated when the charge switch is closed and the trickle charging current is generated when the charge switch is open, and an output for supplying the generated charging current to the battery. The system also includes at least one voltage regulator having an input connected to the battery and an output for supplying a voltage to circuitry of the portable phone for controlling the battery charger circuit, as well as a circuit for selectively enabling the voltage regulator depending on the battery voltage. In this system, the rapid charging current may be supplied to the battery from the battery charging circuit only when the voltage regulator is enabled.

US Patent:

60140089, Jan 11, 2000

Filed:

Jan 22, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/012122

Inventors:

Patrick D. Hartzell - Cary NC
Brian D. Miller - Durham NC
Tina M. Lee - Raleigh NC
John W. Northcutt - Chapel Hill NC
Fred P. Nading - Cary NC

Assignee:

Ericsson, Inc. - Research Triangle Park NC

International Classification:

H01M 1046

US Classification:

320106

Abstract:

The present invention entails a battery identification system to be utilized by cellular telephones, battery chargers, and other electrical devices for identification of the battery types employed within such devices. The battery identification system comprises a battery type identification circuit that includes one or more input switches that are coupled to a voltage divider network that is made up of a series of voltage divider segments. Each voltage divider segment is designed to produce a signal that is indicative of the on/off state of a particular input switch. To actuate the input switches, the employed battery is provided with one or more switch actuators, where the position and spacing of the switch actuators on the battery in effect uniquely identifies the battery type. Various switching and actuating configurations are contemplated, including mechanical, galvanic, magnetic, and optical systems.