Controller for battery charger with reduced reverse leakage current

Claim 2

A battery charging controller which limits reverse leakage current through a power transistor from a battery to which an associated battery charger is connected, comprising: battery charging control circuitry having an electrical return path, a comparator connectable to an associated power transistor having two conducting terminals, said comparator having noninverting and inverting inputs for connection to the conducting terminals of said associated power transistor and an output that is responsive to a voltage imposed across said inputs, and a current control switch having a control terminal connected to the output of the comparator and two conduction terminals connected between the controller's return path and an associated negative reference terminal such that, when closed, the switch forms a low-impedance path between said return path and negative reference terminal.

Claim 3

The controller of claim 1, wherein one of said associated power transistor's conducting terminals is connected to a battery, and the inverting input of said comparator is connected to the battery-connected terminal of said associated power transistor and the noninverting input of said comparator is connected to the other conducting terminal of said power transistor.

Claim 4

The controller of claim 2, wherein an offset voltage is connected in series between said other conducting terminal of said associated power transistor and the noninverting input of said comparator.

Claim 5

The controller of claim 3, wherein said offset voltage is substantially equal to zero.

Claim 6

The controller of claim 1, wherein said current control switch is an n-channel FET.

Claim 7

The controller of claim 1, wherein said current control switch is a p-channel FET.

Claim 8

A battery charger which limits reverse leakage current, comprising: a power input, a power switch connected between said power input and a battery being charged, said power switch arranged to control the flow of a charging current from the power input to the battery being charged, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, a controller arranged to determine a charge state for the battery being charged and which operates the power switch in response to the charge state, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, and a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch.

Claim 9

A battery charger which limits reverse leakage current, comprising: a power input, a power switch connected between said power input and a battery being charged, said power switch arranged to control the flow of a charging current from the power input to the battery being charged, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, a controller arranged to determine a charge state for the battery being charged and which operates the power switch in response to the charge state, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, and a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch.

Claim 10

The charger of claim 7, wherein the power switch is a power FET.

Claim 11

The charger of claim 7, wherein said power switch has a first terminal connected to said power input and a second terminal connected to a battery being charged, said first and second terminals being at respective voltages, and the sensor is a comparator having inverting and non-inverting inputs which is connected to compare the voltage at the power-connected conducting terminal of said power switch to the voltage at the battery-connected conducting terminal of the power switch and to open the current control switch when the voltage at the power-connected terminal does not exceed the voltage at the battery-connected terminal by at least a predetermined amount.

Claim 12

The charger of claim 9, wherein an offset voltage is connected in series between the power-connected conducting terminals of said power switch and the noninverting input of said comparator.

Claim 13

The charger of claim 10, wherein said offset voltage is substantially equal to zero.

Claim 14

The charger of claim 7, wherein said controller is a linear controller.

Claim 15

The charger of claim 7, wherein said controller is a switchmode controller.

Claim 16

A battery charger which limits reverse leakage current, comprising: a power input, a power switch connected to control the flow of charging current from the power input to a battery being charged, said battery being charged having a respective voltage, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, a controller arranged to determine a charge state for the battery being charged and which operates the power switch in response to the charge state, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, circuitry connected to sense the voltage of the battery being charged, a second current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of current through said battery voltage sensing circuitry, and a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch.

Claim 17

A battery charger which limits reverse leakage current, comprising: a power input, a power switch connected to control the flow of charging current from the power input to a battery being charged, said battery being charged having a respective voltage, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, a controller arranged to determine a charge state for the battery being charged and which operates the power switch in response to the charge state, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, circuitry connected to sense the voltage of the battery being charged, a second current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of current through said battery voltage sensing circuitry, and a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch.

Claim 18

A battery operated device including a battery charger controller which limits reverse leakage current from a battery, comprising: a battery charger comprising a power input, a power switch connected to control the flow of charging current from the power input to a battery being charged, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, a controller arranged to determine a charge state for the battery being charged and which operates the power switch in response to the charge state of the battery being charged, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch, a battery having two terminals and connected to receive charging current from said charger, and electronic application circuitry connected to receive operational power through said battery terminals.

Claim 19

A battery operated device including a battery charger controller which limits reverse leakage current from a battery, comprising: a battery charger comprising a power input, a power switch connected to control the flow of charging current from the power input to a battery being charged, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, a controller arranged to determine a charge state for the battery being charged and which operates the power switch in response to the charge state of the battery being charged, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch, a battery having two terminals and connected to receive charging current from said charger, and electronic application circuitry connected to receive operational power through said battery terminals.

Claim 20

The battery operated device of claim 15, wherein said application circuitry comprises: a voltage regulator circuit connected to receive power from said battery and to produce power at a regulated output voltage, and electronic processing circuitry connected to receive power from said voltage regulator.

Claim 21

The battery operated device of claim 15, wherein said application circuitry comprises: an electric motor, motor control circuitry connected to receive power from said battery terminals and to produce output control signals for said electrical motor, said electrical motor connected to receive operational power under control of said motor control circuitry from said battery terminals.

Claim 22

A voltage regulator which limits reverse leakage current, comprising: a power input, a power switch connected to control the flow of current from the power input to a power consuming circuit having an associated voltage, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, circuitry connected to sense the voltage of the power consuming circuitry, a controller which operates the power switch in response to the voltage of the power consuming circuitry, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, and a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch.

Claim 23

A voltage regulator which limits reverse leakage current, comprising: a power input, a power switch connected to control the flow of current from the power input to a power consuming circuit having an associated voltage, said power switch being subject to a reverse bias leakage current, circuitry connected to sense the voltage of the power consuming circuitry, a controller which operates the power switch in response to the voltage of the power consuming circuitry, said controller being subject to a reverse bias leakage current through the power switch, a current control switch connected to inhibit the flow of reverse bias leakage current through the controller, and a sensor connected to sense the proximity of a reverse bias leakage condition for said power switch, and in response to open said current control switch.