Battery output disable when unconnected
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorJani Mäki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A battery output disable when unconnected is described. In an implementation, a battery comprises: a conductive terminal configured to electrically connect to a battery-powered device; wherein the conductive terminal is disconnected from battery connector terminals; and a controller configured to detect whether the conductive terminal is grounded, and to enable the battery connector terminals if the conductive terminal is grounded and disable the battery connector terminals if the conductive terminal is not grounded. In other implementations, a battery protection circuit and a method are discussed.
Claims20
A battery, comprising:
- a battery cell having a first terminal and a second terminal;
- an output port configured to electrically connect the battery to a battery-powered device, the output port comprising:
- a first output terminal coupled to the first terminal of the battery cell;
- a second output terminal selectively coupled to the second terminal of the battery cell;
- and
- a conductive terminal distinct from the first and second output terminals;
- and a controller configured to:
- detect whether the conductive terminal is grounded,
- couple the second output terminal to the second terminal of the battery cell when the conductive terminal is grounded, and
- decouple the second output terminal from the second terminal of the battery cell when the conductive terminal is not grounded.
A battery protection circuit configured to the protect a battery cell having a first terminal and a second terminal being selectively coupled to, the battery protection circuit comprising:
- an output port configured to electrically connect the battery to a battery-powered device, the output port comprising:
- a first output terminal coupled to the first terminal of the battery cell;
- a second output terminal selectively coupled to the second terminal of the battery cell;
- and
- a conductive terminal distinct from the first and second output terminals;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- detect whether the conductive terminal is grounded, couple the second output terminal to the second terminal of the battery when the conductive terminal is grounded, and decouple the second output terminal of the battery cell when if the conductive terminal is not grounded.
A method, performed by a battery controller of a battery, comprising
- monitoring a conductive terminal of the battery, wherein the conductive terminal is distinct from battery output terminals of the battery, and wherein the battery output terminals of the battery are selectively coupled to terminals of a battery cell of the battery;
- detecting that the conductive terminal is grounded and, in response, coupling the battery output terminals to the terminals of the battery cell;
- and
- detecting that the conductive terminal has a same voltage as the battery cell and, in response, decoupling the battery output terminals from the terminals of the battery cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.