US5455499A — Method and apparatus for indicating a battery sta…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 207 words

A battery-discharge-indicating system for use with electronic circuitry that is controllably put into operation by a removable battery pack, said battery-discharge-indicating system being for displaying a remaining battery capacity status for said battery pack, said system comprising: in said removable battery pack: memory means for storing battery identification information, battery capacity information and a time stamp signal; in said electronic circuitry: timing means, for generating the time stamp signal for delivery to said battery pack on a periodic basis and further for maintaining a current time measurement; memory means, coupled to the electronic circuitry, for storing battery discharge rate signals, wherein said discharge rate signals are indexed based upon the battery identification information; processing means, coupled to the electronic circuit memory means and the timing means and further responsive to signals received from the battery pack, for determining a battery discharge amount, for a time interval when the battery pack is removed from service, as a product of a time-duration signal indicative of the time interval during which the battery pack is removed from service and a selected battery discharge signal; means, coupled to the processing means, for updating the battery capacity information; and means, coupled to the updating means, for displaying the updated battery capacity information.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 207 words

A battery-discharge-indicating system for use with electronic circuitry that is controllably put into operation by a removable battery pack, said battery-discharge-indicating system being for displaying a remaining battery capacity status for said battery pack, said system comprising: in said removable battery pack: memory means for storing battery identification information, battery capacity information and a time stamp signal; in said electronic circuitry: timing means, for generating the time stamp signal for delivery to said battery pack on a periodic basis and further for maintaining a current time measurement; memory means, coupled to the electronic circuitry, for storing battery discharge rate signals, wherein said discharge rate signals are indexed based upon the battery identification information; processing means, coupled to the electronic circuit memory means and the timing means and further responsive to signals received from the battery pack, for determining a battery discharge amount, for a time interval when the battery pack is removed from service, as a product of a time-duration signal indicative of the time interval during which the battery pack is removed from service and a selected battery discharge signal; means, coupled to the processing means, for updating the battery capacity information; and means, coupled to the updating means, for displaying the updated battery capacity information.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 45 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 1 further comprising means for reading the memory means in said removable battery pack when said removable battery pack is returned to service in order to access the battery identification information, the battery capacity information and the time stamp signal.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 46 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 2 further comprising means for determining the time interval when the removable battery pack is removed from service, as a difference between the current time measurement and the time stamp signal retrieved from the memory means in said removable battery pack.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 2 further comprising means for indexing the battery discharge signals from the memory means as a function of accessing the battery identification information from the removable battery pack.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 1 wherein the battery capacity information stored in the battery pack is updated by subtracting the battery discharge amount from the stored battery capacity information.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 25 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 1 further comprising means for writing the updated battery capacity information to the memory means in said removable battery pack.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 1 wherein said battery identification information comprises at least one of battery chemistry information and battery discharge rates.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 7 wherein the battery chemistry information comprises battery chemistry types selected from the group consisting of Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd), Lead Acid, Zinc Air, Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), Nickel-Zinc, Lithium/MNO 2 , Lithium Ion, Lithium Polymer, and Lithium/Iron Sulfide.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 200 words

A battery-consumption-indicating system for use with electronic circuitry that is controllably put into operation by one of a plurality of different removable battery packs, said battery-consumption-indicating system for displaying a remaining battery capacity status for said one of said plurality of different removable battery packs, said system comprising: in said one of said plurality of removable battery packs: memory means for storing battery identification signals, battery capacity signals and time stamp signals; in said electronic circuitry: memory means, coupled to the electronic circuitry, for storing current draw signals representative of a current draw at which individual electronic circuit modules are controllably put into operation; means, coupled to the memory means, and responsive to signals received from said one of said plurality of removable battery packs, for scaling the stored current draw signals as a function of said stored battery identification signals; processing means, coupled to the memory means and further responsive to said signals received from the battery pack, for determining a battery consumption amount during the operation of the electronic circuitry; and means, coupled to the processing means, for updating the battery's battery capacity information as a function of the consumption amount and displaying the updated battery capacity information.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 200 words

A battery-consumption-indicating system for use with electronic circuitry that is controllably put into operation by one of a plurality of different removable battery packs, said battery-consumption-indicating system for displaying a remaining battery capacity status for said one of said plurality of different removable battery packs, said system comprising: in said one of said plurality of removable battery packs: memory means for storing battery identification signals, battery capacity signals and time stamp signals; in said electronic circuitry: memory means, coupled to the electronic circuitry, for storing current draw signals representative of a current draw at which individual electronic circuit modules are controllably put into operation; means, coupled to the memory means, and responsive to signals received from said one of said plurality of removable battery packs, for scaling the stored current draw signals as a function of said stored battery identification signals; processing means, coupled to the memory means and further responsive to said signals received from the battery pack, for determining a battery consumption amount during the operation of the electronic circuitry; and means, coupled to the processing means, for updating the battery's battery capacity information as a function of the consumption amount and displaying the updated battery capacity information.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 wherein said battery identification information comprises at least one of battery chemistry information, a number of battery cells employed by the removable battery pack, and a value representing volts per battery pack cell.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 further comprising means for generating a scaling factor as a ratio of a number of anticipated battery pack cells to a number of actual battery pack cells.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 further comprising means for generating a scaling factor as a ratio of an anticipated value of volts per battery cell to an actual value of volts per battery cell.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 48 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 further comprising means for generating a scaling factor as a ratio of a number anticipated battery pack cells and an anticipated value of volts per cell to a number of actual battery pack cells and an actual value of volts per cell.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 further comprising means for generating a scaling factor as a ratio of an anticipated battery pack voltage to an actual battery pack voltage.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 further comprising means for retrieving the scaled current draw signal from memory as a function of receipt of the battery identification information.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

The battery-consumption-indicating system of claim 9 further comprising means for writing the updated battery capacity information and the time stamp signals to the battery pack's memory.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 155 words

For use with electronic circuitry that is controllably put into operation by a removable battery pack, a battery-discharge-indicating system for displaying a battery capacity status after a period of battery pack non-use comprising the steps of: storing battery chemistry information, battery capacity information, and a time stamp signal in memory of said removable battery pack; storing battery discharge rate signals in memory in the electronic circuitry, each signal representative of a discharge rate exhibited by a different battery chemistry type; upon returning the removable battery pack to service: reading the battery chemistry information, the battery capacity information, and the time stamp signal stored in memory of said removable battery pack; determining a battery discharge amount for a time interval during which the removable battery pack is removed from service; updating the battery capacity information and the time stamp signal stored in the memory of said removable battery pack; and displaying the updated battery capacity information.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 155 words

For use with electronic circuitry that is controllably put into operation by a removable battery pack, a battery-discharge-indicating system for displaying a battery capacity status after a period of battery pack non-use comprising the steps of: storing battery chemistry information, battery capacity information, and a time stamp signal in memory of said removable battery pack; storing battery discharge rate signals in memory in the electronic circuitry, each signal representative of a discharge rate exhibited by a different battery chemistry type; upon returning the removable battery pack to service: reading the battery chemistry information, the battery capacity information, and the time stamp signal stored in memory of said removable battery pack; determining a battery discharge amount for a time interval during which the removable battery pack is removed from service; updating the battery capacity information and the time stamp signal stored in the memory of said removable battery pack; and displaying the updated battery capacity information.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of the electronic circuitry: generating the time stamp signal for delivery to the memory of said removable battery pack on a periodic basis; and determining current time measurements.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of storing battery discharge rate signals in the memory of said electronic circuitry further comprises the step of indexing the battery discharge rate signals as a function of the battery chemistry information.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 120 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining the battery discharge amount further comprises the steps of: determining a time interval during which the removable battery pack is removed from service as a difference between a current time measurement and the time stamp signal retrieved from the memory of said removable battery pack, thereby producing a time-duration signal indicative of the time interval during which the battery pack is removed from service; selecting the battery discharge rate signal from memory as a function of the battery chemistry information read from the removable battery pack memory; and multiplying the selected battery discharge rate signal and said time-duration signal to produce a product signal representative of the battery discharge amount.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 72 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of updating the battery capacity information further comprises the steps of: reading the battery capacity information from the memory of said removable battery pack when the battery pack is returned to service; subtracting the battery discharge amount from the battery capacity information to produce the updated battery capacity information; and storing the updated battery capacity information in the memory of said removable battery pack.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 42 words

The battery-discharge-indicating system of claim 10 wherein the battery chemistry information comprises battery chemistry types selected from the group consisting of Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd), Lead Acid, Zinc Air, Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), Nickel-Zinc, Lithium/MNO 2 , Lithium Ion, Lithium Polymer, and Lithium/Iron Sulfide.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-10-02	1999-04-03	1999-10-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-10-02	2003-04-03	2003-10-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-10-02	2007-04-03	2007-10-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for indicating a battery status

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