Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging inventions 11/08

20080290832 - Fuel cell system and method of starting operation of fuel cell system: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack for power generation by electrochemical reactions of a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas, a high voltage energy storage capable of storing and discharging electrical energy generated by power generation of the fuel cell stack, and capable of being directly coupled... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP Floor 30, Suite 3000

20080290831 - Fuel cell system comprising battery and method of consuming residual fuel in the fuel cell system: A fuel cell system having a back-up battery and a method of consuming residual fuel in the fuel cell system in which the fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a system controller, a back-up battery, a converter, a fuel supply control, and a driver to drive the fuel supply... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20080290833 - Battery pack, charging device, and electronic device: A charging device which enables the charged state and remaining capacity of the battery pack to be accurately grasped. In the charging device on which a battery pack including a nonvolatile memory and a secondary battery cell is mounted, a charge control microcomputer measures a charging current supplied to and... Agent: Rossi, Kimms & Mcdowell LLP.

20080290834 - Battery charger: A battery charger for charging a plurality of secondary batteries is provided. The charger is configured to be connected to a power supply circuit and configured so that an output of the circuit is connected to the batteries. The battery charger includes a first switch for connecting the batteries in... Agent: Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, LLP

20080290835 - Battery pack, charging device, and electronic device: A charging device capable of appropriately grasping the charged state of a battery pack using data stored in a memory of the battery pack even when the battery pack becomes commercial as a new product. A charging device determines charged state data indicative of a charged state of a battery... Agent: Rossi, Kimms & Mcdowell LLP.

20080290836 - Battery charger for power hand tool: A battery charger for charging a battery of a power hand tool includes a housing with a charging chamber for receiving the battery under charging, air vents for ventilation, and a communication hole in communication with the charging chamber, a charging circuit assembly mounted inside the housing, a fan mounted... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20080290837 - Electronic system for a battery: An electronic system for a battery comprises a charging circuit (20) for the battery connected to a connector powering the charging circuit (15), a control and monitoring circuit (30) for the operation of the battery, and a discharge circuit connected to power connectors (2) of the battery. The control and... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080290839 - Battery charger and control method therefor: A battery charger capable of correcting the deterioration of a secondary battery left unattended in a charge state and capable of accurately grasping a residual capacity. A battery pack having a nonvolatile memory and a secondary battery cell is attached to the battery charger. Full charge capacity data indicating a... Agent: Rossi, Kimms & Mcdowell LLP.

20080290838 - Multi-function inverter: Inverter that not only serves to convert energy that is generated from DC to AC, but that also makes it possible to recharge a DC battery, as well as selecting whether the energy that is generated is destined for self-consumption or for sale. To do this, the inverter has a... Agent: Dennis G. Lapointe Lapointe Law Group, Pl

20080290840 - Power dissipation limiting for battery chargers: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for charging a battery in a mobile device are described. In embodiments described herein a power supply voltage and/or a power supply current of a power supply coupled to charger of the mobile is reduced. The reduction in power supply voltage and/or current results in a... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080290841 - Charging circuit for bootstrap capacitor and integrated driver circuit using same: The present invention discloses a charging circuit for charging a bootstrap capacitor from a supply voltage, the charging circuit comprising: a depletion mode transistor, having a first end of its source/drain electrically connected with the supply voltage, a gate electrically connected to the supply voltage, and a second end of... Agent: Tung & Associates

20080290842 - Energy recapture for an industrial vehicle: A system for capturing regenerative energy includes a battery configured to provide power for a traction motor and other operations of a vehicle and a capacitor connected to the battery. An auxiliary motor is configured to operate as a generator during a regenerative energy operation. The system further includes a... Agent: Bryan D. Kirkpatrick Stolowitz Ford Cowger LLP

20080284370 - Portable battery operated power supply: A portable battery-powered power supply or charger for use with electronic devices containing a primary or secondary battery. In order to control the current flow into and out of its battery, the portable power supply uses a bidirectional charge controller. The battery is installed in a housing which preferably has... Agent: Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti PC

20080284371 - Multi-functional power storage and supply device: Disclosed herewith a multi-functional power storage and supply device for providing power to a variety of portable electronic devices includes a housing having a battery mounting surface. A battery pack is electrically and detachably attached to the battery mounting surface of the housing. At least one rechargeable battery is disposed... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20080284373 - Cordless power tool system having slidably-engaging power source connection: A system of cordless power tools includes a cordless power tool adapted to removably receive a rechargeable battery pack. The battery pack and the power tool can have complementary grooves and rails or L-shaped surfaces that aid in aligning the positive and negative blade terminals of the battery pack to... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080284372 - Submersible/sterilizable battery: A battery pack for a sterilizable instrument, such as a medical endoscope. The battery pack includes batteries removably positioned within an enclosure which mounts a first grouping of electrical contacts engaged with the battery contacts. The enclosure includes an outer end wall which sealingly encloses the first grouping of contacts.... Agent: Flynn, Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.

20080284374 - Electrical appliance and charger: An apparatus includes a charger (104) and a portable appliance such as a flashlight (102). The flashlight includes first and second flashlight electrical contacts. The charger includes first (122a) and second (122b) flashlight supports or jaws that support the flashlight in a flashlight receiving region of the charger (104). The... Agent: Michael C. Pophal Eveready Battery Company Inc

20080284375 - Cell controller, battery module and power supply system: A cell controller with excellent reliability in which noise and soon are suppressed is provided. The cell controller includes, corresponding to the number of cell packs, a plurality of ICs each having a voltage detecting circuit detecting voltages of respective cells of a cell pack in which four cells are... Agent: Jason H. Vick Sheridan Ross, PC

20080284376 - Energy storage type feeder voltage compensation apparatus and method of controlling feeder voltage: An energy saving type feeder voltage compensation apparatus improved in availability at low temperatures, wherein when a electric energy storage apparatus is lower in temperature than a predetermined value, an output voltage output to a feeder side is made equal to or higher than a no-load output voltage of a... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20080284377 - Battery charging apparatus: An exemplary battery charging apparatus for charging a storage battery includes a power input configured for receiving power from a voltage source, a zener diode, a voltage divider, a driving circuit, a switching circuit, and a power output. The cathode of the zener diode is connected to the power input,... Agent: PCe Industry, Inc. Att. Cheng-ju Chiang

20080284378 - Method and device for controlling the operating point of a battery: Disclosed is a method for controlling the operating point (AP, AP1, AP2) of a battery (1), such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium polymer battery. The charging state (SoC1, SoC2) of the battery (1) is recorded as a state variable which determines the... Agent: Continental Teves, Inc.

20080284379 - Battery charger and method: [Solution] There is provided a charger 10 that can charge a battery 3 of a vehicle 1 with a charging current A from a power source 8, and that is not mounted on board. In charging the battery 3, charging modes M1 to M4 are switched sequentially at a plurality... Agent: Ernest A. Beutler

20080284380 - Battery charging apparatus: A battery charging apparatus connects secondary batteries of the battery pack, plurality of charge terminals and two discharge terminals to form plurality charge paths and a discharge path, which has a main switch provided on the discharge path, a main controller connecting the battery pack and the main switch, plurality... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080284381 - Portable electronic device including electric generator: A portable electronic device includes a case; a revolution body rotatable with respect to the case; an electric generator converting rotational kinetic energy of the revolution body into electrical energy; a gear assembly transferring rotational force of the revolution body to the electric generator, and including at least one gear;... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20080284382 - Charging control circuit: A primary cell and a secondary cell are distinguished from each other. A microcomputer of a digital camera determines a first cell (a primary cell) and a second cell (a secondary cell) as a built-in cell. When a dedicated charging device is connected to a digital camera, a microcomputer activates... Agent: Frank Pincelli Patent Legal Staff

20080284383 - Charge detector: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, an apparatus that includes a battery system, which includes at least one cell and a charge enable device to couple the at least one cell to a charging voltage. The apparatus also includes an excessive voltage detector... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080278111 - Method for charging a battery of an autonomous system: In an autonomous system, the method for charging a power storage element from a generator comprises temperature measurement, with switching from a first charging mode to a second charging mode in which the voltage is regulated by the temperature. The first charging mode is charging at regulated current to a... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080278110 - Multi-functional power supply device and operating method thereof: A multi-functional power supply device comprises: a secondary cell, a charging circuit, a controller, and a first connection unit. The secondary cell is used to store electrical energy, and produces a first voltage and a second voltage. When the first connection unit is electrically connected to a solar board, the... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20080278112 - Auxiliary winding for improved performance of a planar inductive charging platform: A battery charging apparatus comprises an inductive charging platform including a charging surface on which an electrical device to be charged is to be placed, and a first winding for generating lines of magnetic flux generally perpendicular to the charging surface. To compensate for voltage sag caused by a reduction... Agent: Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti PC

20080278113 - Structure for linking battery charger and storage unit: A structure for linking battery charger and storage unit device during recharging is provided. The battery charger is for recharging mobile phones and the storage unit is a leather bag, container, and so on. The linking structure includes an engaging element and a linking element. The engaging element is on... Agent: Lin & Associates Intellectual Property, Inc.

20080278114 - Adjusting method of battery pack and adjusting method of battery pack with controller: The invention provides a method of adjusting a battery pack capable of reducing a difference in charge level between a plurality of secondary batteries constituting the battery pack and capable of restraining an increase in battery voltage difference between the secondary batteries of the battery pack in association with the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080278115 - Battery management system: A battery management system for use with one or more cells comprising the system having one or more battery monitor and programmable logic which is connected to the one or more battery monitor to modify its battery operation and report battery status. The programmable logic may be configured to analyse... Agent: Ked & Associates, LLP

20080278116 - Battery protective device and semiconductor integrated circuit device: A battery protective device that protects against battery damage and semiconductor destruction from overdischarge and overcharge of the battery. Resistance across switching elements is controllable to prevent current leakage through parasitic dipole elements in the integrated circuit. Current is detected with an overdischarge detecting circuit and an overcharge detecting circuit.... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20080278117 - Simplified automatic discharge function for vehicles: Methods and system are disclosed for an automatic discharge function for a vehicle having an electric or hybrid electric motor. The methods and system monitor the motor for occurrence of a power shutdown. If the power shutdown occurs, a contactor pair is opened, and immediate discharging of capacitance is initiated... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20080278118 - Method for charging a storage element of an autonomous system: The charging method comprises limiting, according to the temperature, of the power supplied to the storage element to a charging setpoint power. The energy required to charge the storage element is determined and the period during which the power resource will be available is estimated. A theoretical mean power is... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080278119 - Battery charger for a handheld computing device and an external battery: A battery charger includes a power source for supplying a primary charge current to a first battery, and a charge manager for charging a second battery. The charge manager is coupled to the power source and is configured to charge the second battery with a secondary charge current in accordance... Agent: Heenan Blaikie LLP

20080272733 - Dual mode portable charger: A portable charger is disclosed including; a rechargeable battery module; a fluid energy converting device for converting kinetic energy of fluids flowing therethrough into electric power to charge the rechargeable battery module; a control circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery module; and a power output interface coupled to the control... Agent: Patent Group 2n Jones Day

20080272734 - Energy consuming body and a method for supplying dynamic force energy to the energy consuming body: The present invention discloses a type of secure and efficient wheel assembly using fluid or solid stuffing materials so as to minimize the blowout risks, a wheel rim transmission assembly, an energy exchanging arrangement used in transporting system, and a vehicle energy storage system, as well as corresponding methods for... Agent: Yh Chan

20080272735 - Circuit arrangement and method for transferring electrical charge between accumulator arrangement: A circuit arrangement for transferring electrical charge between accumulators of an accumulator arrangement includes a number of first series circuits, each connecting in parallel to one of the accumulators, and each comprising a switching element and an inductive storage element connected in series to the load path of the switching... Agent: Maginot, Moore & Beck Chase Tower

20080272736 - Smart lead acid battery (dis)charging management system: A smart lead-acid battery (dis)charging management system comprised of one or a plurality of identical smart battery unit with each including a controller, a lead-acid battery, and a sensor switch device working together with a alternator and a voltage regulator to upgrade charging efficiency, achieve consistent capacity among batteries, and... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20080272738 - Integrated circuit for controlling charging, charging device using the integrated circuit, and method for detecting connection of secondary battery: An integrated circuit for charging a secondary battery including a charge current detection circuit detecting a charge current output from a charging transistor, and generating a signal including the charge current information; a voltage comparison circuit comparing a voltage of the battery with one or more predetermined voltages, and generating... Agent: Dickstein Shapiro LLP

20080272737 - Wireless chargeable energy cell: One embodiment of the present invention discloses a circuitry and an element which can be activated, charged, or interacted using any useful source of EM-radiation which is able to emit a suitable EM-field, which circuitry or element can be produced in a cost-effective manner, as well as a method for... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080272739 - Battery monitoring arrangement having an integrated circuit with logic controller in a battery pack: A battery monitoring device of a battery pack configured for powering a cordless power tool may include an integrated circuit connected to a microprocessor of the pack that is external to the integrated circuit, and which is connected to each of N battery cells of the pack. The integrated circuit... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080272740 - Method of charging a lithium-ion battery comprising a negative electrode: The present invention relates to a method for charging a lithium-ion accumulator with a negative electrode at an operating potential larger than 0.5 volts relatively to the Li+/Li pair, which comprises a first charging step at a constant voltage between 2 volts and 5 volts.... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20080272741 - Systems and methods for detecting power sources: Embodiments of the present invention include techniques for detecting power sources. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of detecting a power source comprising coupling a power source to a portable electronic device, the power source comprising a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage, and at... Agent: Chad R. Walsh Fountainhead Law Group P.C.

20080272742 - Method and apparatus for acquiring battery temperature measurements using stereographic or single sensor thermal imaging: A method and apparatus for acquiring battery temperature measurements using stereographic thermal imaging sensors or a simple single thermal imaging sensor which can detect increases in battery heat within the field of view of any single thermal sensor, or any combination of a plurality of thermal imaging sensors is presented.... Agent: Jackson Walker LLP

20080272743 - Driver circuit arrangement: The invention relates to a driver circuit arrangement (1′) for driving a plurality of individually switchable electrical subsystems (A′, B′, C′), such as (arrangements of) LEDs (9-A, 9-B, 9-C). Each subsystem has at least one energy storage device (10-A, 10-B, 10-C), such that when the subsystem is disconnected from the... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards