Circuit for conserving power of a backup battery

Claim 2

A machine comprising: data entering means for entering selected data, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on an for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said memory when said on-off switch is off, said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.

Claim 3

A machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said source of electrical energy includes a battery.

Claim 4

A machine as recited in claim 2, further including a handle removably attached to a portion of said housing and wherein said source of electrical energy is disposed in said handle.

Claim 5

A machine as recited in claim 3 wherein the on-off switch is mounted on the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 6

A machine as recited in claim 3 wherein the backup battery includes a lithium battery.

Claim 7

A machine as recited in claim 5 wherein the lithium battery is disposed in the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 8

A machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the data entering means includes a keyboard mounted on the housing.

Claim 9

A machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the backup battery is disposed within the housing.

Claim 10

A machine as recited in claim 8 wherein said source of electrical energy includes a rechargeable battery.

Claim 11

A machine as recited in claim 8 wherein the backup battery includes a lithium battery.

Claim 12

A machine as recited in claim 1 wherein said source of electrical energy includes a rechargeable battery.

Claim 13

A machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the backup battery is disposed in the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 14

A printing machine comprising: a housing having means for printing at a printing position, data entering means for entering selected data to be printed, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and energizing the printing means as determined by the selected data to print data, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said printing means, said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said printing means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said memory when said on-off switch is off, said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.

Claim 15

A printing machine comprising: a housing having means for printing at a printing position, data entering means for entering selected data to be printed, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and energizing the printing means as determined by the selected data to print data, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said printing means, said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said printing means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said memory when said on-off switch is off, said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.

Claim 16

A printing machine as recited in claim 13, wherein said source of electrical energy includes a battery.

Claim 17

A printing machine as recited in claim 14, further including a handle removably attached to a portion of said housing and wherein said source of electrical energy is disposed in said handle.

Claim 18

A printing machine as recited in claim 15 wherein the on-off switch is mounted on the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 19

A printing machine as recited in claim 15 wherein the backup battery includes a lithium battery.

Claim 20

A printing machine as recited in claim 17 wherein the lithium battery is disposed in the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 21

A printing machine as recited in claim 15 wherein the backup battery is disposed in the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 22

A printing machine as recited in claim 13 wherein the data entering means includes a keyboard mounted on the housing.

Claim 23

A printing machine as recited in claim 13 wherein the backup battery is disposed within the housing.

Claim 24

A printing machine as recited in claim 21 wherein said source of electrical energy includes a rechargeable battery.

Claim 25

A printing machine as recited in claim 21 wherein the backup battery includes a lithium battery.

Claim 26

A printing machine as recited in claim 13 wherein said source of electrical energy includes a rechargeable battery.

Claim 27

A machine comprising: a housing, data entering means for entering selected data, means including a display having a plurality of individually selectable display elements for displaying the selected data, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and energizing the individual display elements as determined by the selected data to display the selected data, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said display means, said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said display means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said memory when said on-off switch is off, said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.

Claim 28

A machine comprising: a housing, data entering means for entering selected data, means including a display having a plurality of individually selectable display elements for displaying the selected data, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and energizing the individual display elements as determined by the selected data to display the selected data, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said display means, said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said display means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to said memory when said on-off switch is off, said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.

Claim 29

A machine as recited in claim 25, wherein said source of electrical energy includes a battery.

Claim 30

A machine as recited in claim 26, further including a handle removably attached to a portion of said housing and wherein said source of electrical energy is disposed in said handle.

Claim 31

A machine as recited in claim 27 wherein the on-off switch is mounted on the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 32

A machine as recited in claim 27 wherein the backup battery includes a lithium battery.

Claim 33

A machine as recited in claim 29 wherein the lithium battery is disposed in the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 34

A machine as recited in claim 27 wherein the backup battery is disposed in the housing spaced apart from said handle.

Claim 35

A machine as recited in claim 25 wherein the data entering means includes a keyboard mounted on the housing.

Claim 36

A machine as recited in claim 25 wherein the backup battery is disposed within the housing.

Claim 37

A machine as recited in claim 33 wherein said source of electrical energy includes a rechargeable battery.

Claim 38

A machine as recited in claim 33 wherein the backup battery includes a lithium battery.

Claim 39

A machine as recited in claim 25 wherein said source of electrical energy includes a rechargeable battery.

Claim 40

A hand-held machine comprising: a housing having a detachable manually engageable handle, means for entering selected data, means coupled to the data entering means for electrically processing the selected data, the processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, the handle being adapted to receive a source of electrical energy, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to the source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to the processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to the memory when the on-off switch is off, the housing being adapted to receive a backup battery, and the circuit means further including means electrically coupled to the backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from the backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when the source of electrical energy is inoperative or when the handle is detached and the source of electrical energy is disconnected from the circuit means.

Claim 41

A hand-held machine comprising: a housing having a detachable manually engageable handle, means for entering selected data, means coupled to the data entering means for electrically processing the selected data, the processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, the handle being adapted to receive a source of electrical energy, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to the source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to the processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy from said source of electrical energy to the memory when the on-off switch is off, the housing being adapted to receive a backup battery, and the circuit means further including means electrically coupled to the backup battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from the backup battery to said memory only, said backup battery applying said backup electrical energy only when the source of electrical energy is inoperative or when the handle is detached and the source of electrical energy is disconnected from the circuit means.

Claim 42

A machine comprising: means for printing including a thermographic print head having individual print elements, means for entering selected data to be printed, means coupled to the data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and energizing the individual print elements in a predetermined sequence determined by the selected data to be printed, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from the source of electrical energy to the printing means, the processing means and the memory when the on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said printing means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy form the source of electrical energy to the memory when the on-off switch is off, and the circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from the battery to the memory only, said battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected form the circuit means.

Claim 43

A machine comprising: means for printing including a thermographic print head having individual print elements, means for entering selected data to be printed, means coupled to the data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and energizing the individual print elements in a predetermined sequence determined by the selected data to be printed, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from the source of electrical energy to the printing means, the processing means and the memory when the on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said source of electrical energy from said printing means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy form the source of electrical energy to the memory when the on-off switch is off, and the circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a battery for automatically applying backup electrical energy from the battery to the memory only, said battery applying said backup electrical energy only when said source of electrical energy is inoperative or disconnected form the circuit means.

Claim 44

A machine comprising: means for printing, means for entering selected data to be printed, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and for operating the printing means, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a first source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said first source of electrical energy to said printing means, said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said first source of electrical energy from said printing means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy form said first source to said memory when said on-off switch is off, and said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a second source of electrical energy for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said second source of electrical energy to said memory only, said second source applying said backup electrical energy only when said first source is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.

Claim 45

A machine comprising: means for printing, means for entering selected data to be printed, means coupled to said data entering means for electrically processing the selected data and for operating the printing means, said processing means including a memory of the type requiring the continuous application of electrical energy thereto to maintain the memory function, circuit means including an on-off switch electrically connected to a first source of electrical energy for automatically applying electrical energy from said first source of electrical energy to said printing means, said processing means and the memory when said on-off switch is on and for disconnecting said first source of electrical energy from said printing means and said processing means when the switch is off and for automatically applying electrical energy form said first source to said memory when said on-off switch is off, and said circuit means further including means electrically coupled to a second source of electrical energy for automatically applying backup electrical energy from said second source of electrical energy to said memory only, said second source applying said backup electrical energy only when said first source is inoperative or disconnected from said circuit means.