Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging inventions 12/07

20070296376 - Self-powered electric charger: The invention relates to an electric charger (1) comprising: an electrical energy storage module (3) having a connection interface (31) to an external battery (41, 42); an electrical generator (2) the energy supply for which can be controlled, in order to supply electrical energy to the storage module (3), at... Agent: Mckenna Long & Aldridge LLP

20070296377 - Battery charging circuit, portable electronic device and semiconductor integrated circuit: A battery charging circuit is used by being connected to a direct-current power source. The battery charging circuit includes a control transistor, a backflow prevention transistor and a charging controller. The control transistor is disposed in a charging path between the direct-current power source and a battery, and is configured... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070290653 - Buttonless battery charger interface: According to the invention, a battery charging apparatus with a plurality of modes for charging a battery is disclosed. The apparatus may have a battery receptacle and a command processor. The battery receptacle may be adapted to detachably and mechanically couple with the battery and may be adapted to detachably... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070290654 - Inductive charging of tools on surgical tray: Electrical apparatus includes a tray, having a surface on which a tool containing a rechargeable power source can be placed, and a magnetic field generator, which is located below the surface of the tray and is operative to generate a time-varying magnetic field of sufficient power at the surface of... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20070290655 - Charge control circuit: In a charge control circuit that adjusts a charging current flowing through a battery to be charged from a power supply, a sense resistor is provided on a charging path to the battery from an external power supply. A charging current adjustment circuit adjusts the charging current based on an... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070285048 - Fuel cell charger interface with multiple voltage outputs for portable devices: A fuel cell-based powerpack for use with an electronic device that requires multiple voltages is provided. The power pack includes an interface between a direct oxidation fuel cell and one or more rechargeable batteries coupled to supply power to the electronic application device. The interface is connected to receive the... Agent: Cesari And Mckenna, LLP

20070285049 - Jump starter with built-in battery charger: A jump starter is provided. The jump starter may be designed as a versatile, portable jump starter addressing the most common needs of power for a consumer. The jump starter may provide DC power, AC power, portable battery charging capability, and other power providing capabilities.... Agent: Vector Products, Inc. Robert Powell

20070285050 - Charger unit for an electronic device including a system for protective storage of an adapter plug: A charger unit for an electronic device that includes a housing, a plurality of charging contacts provided on the housing, and a recess provided in the housing, preferably on a rear face thereof. A plug having a plurality of prongs may be selectively attached to and detached from the housing... Agent: Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott

20070285051 - Battery module: A battery module includes a plurality of unit batteries and barriers which are interposed between the unit batteries. The barriers have front surfaces which contact the unit batteries and which are curved to bend elastically. The barriers have side surfaces which interconnect the front surfaces, and which have pathways through... Agent: Robert E. Bushnell

20070285052 - Battery module: A battery module is constructed with a plurality of unit batteries, and barrier ribs including bands mounted on each of the unit batteries and forming gaps to enable a heat conductive medium to circulate the unit batteries.... Agent: Robert E. Bushnell

20070285053 - Portable charger: A portable power storage device for powering electronic devices especially those configured for receiving power from a 9 volt DC adapter source and configured to generate its own power through a fully self-contained, manually operable power generator. A switch-controlled flashlight utilizing a LED is also provided. The internal rechargeable battery... Agent: Volpe And Koenig, P.C.

20070285054 - Apparatus and method for detecting battery pack voltage: An apparatus and method for detecting battery pack voltage is disclosed. The voltage detection apparatus includes a plurality of selectors for providing a cell voltage of a predetermined cell, a detector buffer for receiving the cell voltage of the predetermined cell and supplying an intermediate voltage, a data process circuit... Agent: Wang Law Firm, Inc.

20070285057 - Leakage detection circuit for electric vehicle: A leakage detection circuit for an electric vehicle includes a battery pack, first and second leakage detection switches, a controller, a leakage detection resistor, a voltage detector, and a calculator. The first and second leakage detection switches are connected to the high and low voltage sides of the battery pack,... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070285056 - Portable terminal and power supply control method: A portable terminal and power supply control method are provided. The portable terminal having a power supply control feature includes a main battery for supplying power to the portable terminal, an auxiliary battery for supplying power to the portable terminal independently of the main battery, a switch module for controlling... Agent: Roylance, Abrams, Berdo & Goodman, L.L.P.

20070285055 - Battery pack: A rechargeable battery pack. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells, a positive terminal, a charging switch, and a negative terminal. The plurality of battery cells are connected in series and include a first battery cell and a last battery cell. The charging switch is electrically coupled between... Agent: Michael, Best & Friedrich LLP

20070285058 - Device for balancing cell voltage for a secondary battery: The present invention is a method for balancing voltages of a serially connected plurality of cells in a battery pack provided with the plurality of cells. In this method, the voltages are balanced by: connecting a pair of a resistor and a switch, which are serially connected with each other,... Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP

20070285060 - Method and apparatus for determining the effect of temperature upon life expectancy of an electric energy storage device in a hybrid electric vehicle: A hybrid vehicular powertrain includes an electrical energy storage device. A method is disclosed effective to account for the effects that temperature during periods of vehicle inactivity has upon the electrical energy storage device.... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070285059 - Method and apparatus for real-time life estimation of an electric energy storage device: Sate-of-life for an electrical energy storage device is predictively determined based on electrical current, state-of-charge, and temperature of the electrical energy storage device during active and quiescent periods of operation.... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070285061 - Method and apparatus for real-time life estimation of an electric energy storage device in a hybrid electric vehicle: A hybrid vehicular powertrain includes an electrical energy storage device. State-of-life for the electrical energy storage device is predictively determined based on electrical current, state-of-charge, and temperature of the electrical energy storage device during active and quiescent periods of operation.... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070285062 - Lithium-ion battery protection method and device: A lithium-ion battery protection method and device controls an externally connected circuit to charge/discharge a rechargeable battery so as to prevent the rechargeable battery from over charging/discharging. The lithium-ion-ion battery protection device includes an abnormality detection circuit, a light coupling circuit, a balancing circuit, and a recognition circuit. The abnormality... Agent: Hdsl

20070285063 - Method and apparatus for quantifying quiescent period temperature effects upon an electric energy storage device: A electrical energy storage device may experience quiescent periods of operation. A method is disclosed effective to account for the effects that temperature during quiescent periods has upon the electrical energy storage device.... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070285064 - Method and system for discharging a capacitive element: An electric drive system having a power source which provides power to an electric motor through an electric motor control. Discharging of stored capacitor energy of a capacitor coupled between the power source and the electric motor controller is provided by controlling energy transfer from the capacitor to the electric... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C./fgtl

20070278989 - Power supply with solar charged battery: An apparatus for charging a battery and a battery comprising an electrical storage battery, an exterior housing around the battery; the housing having a plurality of walls, an array of photovoltaic cells on one of the walls of the housing; an electrical connection from the cells to charge the battery.... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070278990 - Battery boosting apparatus and method: A method of boosting a vehicle battery includes supplying a current to the battery, detecting an engine crank event, and, upon detecting the engine crank event, dynamically adjusting (i.e., first substantially increasing, and then decreasing) the current in response to battery voltage. The method may also include verifying a crank-ready... Agent: Baker & Hostetler LLP

20070278991 - Charge control device: A battery is charged in a number of states, with a change from a third charge stage to a fourth charge stage (e.g., final stage) is executed when a battery voltage reaches a change voltage or when a charge time reaches an upper time limit, in order to inhibit the... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070278993 - Battery powered welder system utilizing vehicle powered ac inverter: A system and method, in certain embodiments, adjusts a charging output based on capabilities of various power sources. The system and method may be used to charge a variety of equipment such as welders, cutters, induction heaters, tools and so forth. For example, a charging circuit configured to change an... Agent: Patrick S. Yoder Fletcher Yoder

20070278995 - Recharging power source with lighting accessory: A mobile recharging power source with a lighting accessory includes a battery pack, the battery pack having a plurality of battery cells contained within a housing and electrically connected to a receiving connector disposed on the housing. A lamp may be provided on the housing, along with a switch to... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20070278992 - System and method for authenticating a battery: Described is a system and method for authenticating a power source. The system comprises a battery including a first encryption engine storing a first key, and a battery charger including a microcontroller and a second encryption engine storing a second key. When the microcontroller detects a coupling of the battery... Agent: Fay Kaplun & Marcin, LLP

20070278994 - Systems and methods for multi-mode battery charging: Various systems and methods for battery charging are disclosed herein. As just one example, a battery charger is disclosed that includes a current feedback loop that has a pulse width modulated current control output, and a voltage feedback loop that has a pulse width modulated voltage control output. In addition,... Agent: Texas Instruments Incorporated

20070278996 - Universal battery charger and/or power adaptor: A universal power adapter has a choice of configurations for use in different countries and with different items of electronic equipment. A plug base for pivot connection with the adapter body has conducting pins for connection with an electrical socket and corresponding electrical terminals connected electrically to the pins. A... Agent: Leydig Voit & Mayer, Ltd

20070278997 - Battery device capable of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy: A battery device includes a housing including an anode and a cathode, an energy conversion module installed inside the housing for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, and an energy storage module installed inside the housing for storing the electrical energy. The energy storage module includes an anode coupled to... Agent: North America Intellectual Property Corporation

20070278998 - Power storage device and mobile electronic device having the same: To provide a power storage device for regularly supplying power to a mobile electronic device, in which charging of a battery by a power feeder can be simplified and even when power stored in the battery is not enough, power can be regularly supplied to the mobile electronic device. The... Agent: Eric Robinson

20070278999 - Usb mini b power supply system for quickly charging usb mini b devices: Power supply system for charging USB mini-B devices includes a charger and a USB mini-B device. The USB mini-B device includes a first pin receiving the DC current from the charger, a fourth pin receiving the DC current or identification data from the charger, a power management unit receiving DC... Agent: North America Intellectual Property Corporation

20070279001 - Battery pack: A battery assembly of a battery pack has a structure in which a substrate holder abuts on a side surface of a cell with a protecting circuit being held. The substrate holder includes a first side plate having a circuit part fitted part in which a circuit element of the... Agent: Armstrong, Kratz, Quintos, Hanson & Brooks, LLP

20070279000 - Plug in power adapter and/or battery pack for cordless tools: A plug-in battery pack is adapted to transfer utility power to a power tool in the event the batteries of the power tool die or otherwise become insufficient to operate the tool. The battery pack includes a transformer which transforms utility power into a form that is suitable for use... Agent: Sung I. Oh, Professional Law Corporation

20070279002 - Power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices: A power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices. A pad or similar base unit comprises a primary, which creates a magnetic field by applying an alternating current to a winding, coil, or any type of current carrying wire. A receiver comprises a means for receiving the energy... Agent: Fliesler Meyer LLP

20070279003 - Battery balancing including resonant frequency compensation: A system for balancing charge between a plurality of storage battery cells within a storage battery. The battery balancing system sense changes, possibly caused by environmental influences, in the overall resonant frequency of charge balancing circuits contained within the battery balancing system. Using a phase locked loop based controller, the... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20070279004 - Portable charging system: For charging rechargeable battery packs, an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) adapter receives an AC input and provides an AC available signal indicative of the presence of the AC input. A controller selectively provides the AC available signal to a selected one of the battery packs. The selected... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20070279005 - Dischargeable capacity detecting method: Voltage V2 is calculated by subtracting a terminal voltage at an end of discharge F. V. and a voltage drop (Rn+Rpolsat)*Ip caused by a maximum internal resistance (Rn+Rpolsat) of a battery at a given time. A quotient is calculated by dividing V2 by terminal voltage drop V1 after all charged... Agent: Kratz, Quintos & Hanson, LLP

20070279006 - Method of testing electrochemical cells: A method for determining whether a cell will experience unacceptable voltage delay later in its discharge life before it is incorporated into a device as its power source is described. As is standard practice, the cell is first subjected to a constant resistance load discharge followed by extended elevated temperature... Agent: Michael F. Scalise Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc.

20070279007 - Charge indicator: A charge indicator for a battery includes a transparent inspection rod comprising an observation area at a first end and a tip formed by a conical reflection area at a second end. The charge indicator also includes a ball cage that includes a gas bubble collection channel beginning between the... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070279010 - Capacitor power source and charging/discharging control apparatus therefor: A capacitor power source 1 including a plurality of capacitors comprises: an inflection-point voltage detection circuit 11 for detecting the inflection-point voltage of the capacitor based on a set voltage Vbot; an overvoltage detection circuit 12 for detecting the overvoltage Vful of the capacitor; and an initialization circuit 13 for... Agent: Rader Fishman & Grauer PLLC

20070279009 - Power supply apparatus and high-frequency circuit system: A power supply apparatus has a series regulator for generating a predetermined power supply voltage from a DC voltage output from the rectifying circuit, and a capacitor bank of rectifying capacitors for stabilizing the power supply voltage. The power supply apparatus also has a charging bypass circuit connected between input... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070279008 - Power supply apparatus: The power generated in an AC generator 11 is supplied to a power supply line L via a regulator 12. The power supply line L is parallel-connected to a fuel injection system (FI load) 13 and first capacitor 14, and further parallel-connected to DC loads 15 and second capacitor 16... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070279011 - Power supply systems for electrical devices: An electrically powered portable device, the device being other than a toothbrush, the device including means for providing a function to be performed by the device, an electrical power supply which incorporates at least one capacitor for storing electrical charge to power the device, electronic control circuitry to control electrical... Agent: Carter, Deluca, Farrell & Schmidt, LLP