Battery charging system and method of using same

Claim 1

A method of conditioning a battery, comprising: applying a high discharge current to the battery; generating a conditioned signal continuously; converting said conditioned signal into a digital signal indicative of a present potential value of the battery; responding to said digital value by calculating periodically a derived battery potential value indicative of an averaged present potential value of the battery; determining whether said averaged present potential value is a predetermined discharged battery potential value; applying a high charge current to the battery when said averaged present potential value is substantially equal to said predetermined discharged battery potential value; determining whether said averaged present potential value is a peak potential value; storing said derived battery potential value when said averaged present potential value is the peak potential value; responding to said digital signal by calculating periodically an incremental derived battery potential value relative to the stored peak potential value; determining whether said incremental derived battery potential value is greater than or equal to a predetermined incremental battery potential value; starting a timer in response to said incremental derived battery potential value being greater than or equal to said predetermined incremental battery potential value; repeating said steps of generating, converting, responding, determining, applying, determining, storing, responding and determining; resetting said timer if said derived battery potential value is the peak potential value; resetting said timer in response to said incremental derived potential value having a potential value less than said predetermined incremental battery potential value; and switching from applying said high charge current to the battery to applying a trickle charge current when said timer completes a predetermined counting sequence.

Claim 2

A method of conditioning a battery, comprising: applying a high discharge current to the battery; generating a conditioned signal continuously; converting said conditioned signal into a digital signal indicative of a present potential value of the battery; responding to said digital value by calculating periodically a derived battery potential value indicative of an averaged present potential value of the battery; determining whether said averaged present potential value is a predetermined discharged battery potential value; applying a high charge current to the battery when said averaged present potential value is substantially equal to said predetermined discharged battery potential value; determining whether said averaged present potential value is a peak potential value; storing said derived battery potential value when said averaged present potential value is the peak potential value; responding to said digital signal by calculating periodically an incremental derived battery potential value relative to the stored peak potential value; determining whether said incremental derived battery potential value is greater than or equal to a predetermined incremental battery potential value; starting a timer in response to said incremental derived battery potential value being greater than or equal to said predetermined incremental battery potential value; repeating said steps of generating, converting, responding, determining, applying, determining, storing, responding and determining; resetting said timer if said derived battery potential value is the peak potential value; resetting said timer in response to said incremental derived potential value having a potential value less than said predetermined incremental battery potential value; and switching from applying said high charge current to the battery to applying a trickle charge current when said timer completes a predetermined counting sequence.

Claim 4

A method of analyzing a battery, comprising: inserting the battery into a battery charger adapter coupled to a battery charger for enabling a charging current to be applied to the battery, said battery charger having fast charge means for applying a fast charge current to the battery and slow charge means for applying a trickle charge current to the battery, conditioning means coupled to the battery for generating a digital signal indicative of a present potential value of the battery, processor means responsive to said conditioning means for calculating periodically a derived battery potential value indicative of an averaged potential value of the battery, said processor means including means for calculating periodically an incremental derived potential value relative to a derived peak potential value of the battery and timing means for causing the charging current to be decreased from said fast charge current to said trickle charge current after a predetermined period of time during which said incremental derived potential value does not become less than a predetermined incremental value; discharging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined discharged potential value; charging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined charged potential value; discharging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to another predetermined discharged potential value; charging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to another predetermined charged potential value; discharging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined final discharged potential value; charging the battery until said derived potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined final charged potential value; and applying a trickle charging current to the battery until it is removed from said battery charger adapter.

Claim 5

A method of analyzing a battery, comprising: inserting the battery into a battery charger adapter coupled to a battery charger for enabling a charging current to be applied to the battery, said battery charger having fast charge means for applying a fast charge current to the battery and slow charge means for applying a trickle charge current to the battery, conditioning means coupled to the battery for generating a digital signal indicative of a present potential value of the battery, processor means responsive to said conditioning means for calculating periodically a derived battery potential value indicative of an averaged potential value of the battery, said processor means including means for calculating periodically an incremental derived potential value relative to a derived peak potential value of the battery and timing means for causing the charging current to be decreased from said fast charge current to said trickle charge current after a predetermined period of time during which said incremental derived potential value does not become less than a predetermined incremental value; discharging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined discharged potential value; charging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined charged potential value; discharging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to another predetermined discharged potential value; charging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to another predetermined charged potential value; discharging the battery until said derived battery potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined final discharged potential value; charging the battery until said derived potential value is substantially equal to a predetermined final charged potential value; and applying a trickle charging current to the battery until it is removed from said battery charger adapter.