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US 11,894,707 B1Granted
Rechargeable battery pack onboard charge state indication methods and apparatus
AssigneeSeescan, Inc.
InventorsMark S. Olsson, Alexander L. Warren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Battery pack for use with a portable device, including colored LEDs for presenting a high granularity battery charge state, are disclosed. One embodiment includes a red and a green LED, wherein solid and blinking patterns are presented by the LEDs to correspond to a relative battery charge state. Other battery state indications, such as failure states, may also be presented on the colored LEDs.
Claims18
A battery pack for use with a portable device utility locator, comprising:
- a housing including a mechanical attachment mechanism for removably coupling the battery pack to the portable device utility locator;
- a battery cell assembly positioned within the housing;
- an electrical power and charging connector assembly for electrically coupling the battery cell terminals to the portable device utility locator and/or to a battery charger;
- an electronic circuit operatively coupled to the battery cell assembly, including:
- a battery charge state monitoring circuit for receiving a signal associated with a charge state of the battery cell assembly and generating a charge state status output;
- a lighting element driver circuit;
- and
- an output display element, including two or more differently colored lighting elements, operatively coupled to the driver circuit such that the lighting elements provide:
- when the battery charge state is above a predefined intermediate charge state threshold, a first steady light output signal from a first of the colored lighting elements and a first varying light output signal from a second of the colored lighting elements, wherein the first varying light output signal reflects a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is above a predefined intermediate charge state threshold;
- and
- when the battery charge state is below the predefined intermediate charge state threshold, a second varying light output signal from the first of the colored lighting elements and a first steady light output signal from the second of the colored lighting elements, wherein the second varying light output signal reflects a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is below the predefined intermediate charue state threshold;
- and
- wherein the varying light output signals are duty-cycle modulated signals, wherein the duty-cycle is proportionate with a current charge state of the battery pack.
10 more elements
A method for providing a charge state indication on a battery pack for use with a portable device utility locator, comprising:
- determining, in a charge state monitor circuit of the battery pack, a charge state of a battery cell or cells of the battery pack;
- and
- providing a visual indication of the charge state by illuminating two or more lighting elements of the battery pack in two or more different colors;
- wherein when the charge state is above a predefined intermediate charge state threshold, a first steady light output signal is provided from a first colored lighting element and a first varying light output signal is provided from a second the colored lighting element, with the first varying light output reflecting a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is above a predefined intermediate charge state threshold;
- and
- wherein when the battery charge state is below the predefined intermediate charge state threshold, a second varying light output signal is provided from the first of the colored lighting elements and a first steady light output signal is provided from the second of the colored lighting elements, with the second varying light output signal reflecting a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is below the predefined intermediate charge, state threshold;
- and
- wherein the varying light output signals are duty-cycle modulated signals, wherein the duty-cycle is proportionate with a current charge state of the battery pack.
5 more elements
A battery pack for use with a portable device utility locator, comprising:
- a housing including a mechanical attachment mechanism for removably coupling the battery pack to the portable device utility locator;
- a battery cell assembly positioned within the housing;
- an electrical power and charging connector assembly for electrically coupling the battery cell terminals to the portable device utility locator and/or to a battery charger;
- an electronic circuit operatively coupled to the battery cell assembly, including:
- a battery charge state monitoring circuit for receiving a signal associated with a charge state of the battery cell assembly and generating a charge state status output;
- a lighting element driver circuit;
- and
- an output display element, including two or more differently colored lighting elements, operatively coupled to the driver circuit such that the lighting elements provide:
- when the battery charge state is above a half charged state plus an upper threshold, a first steady light output signal from a first of the colored lighting elements and a first varying light output signal from a second of the colored lighting elements, wherein the first varying light output reflects a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is above a predefined intermediate charge state threshold;
- when the battery charge state is below the half charged state plus a lower threshold, a second varying light output signal from the first of the colored lighting elements and a first steady light output signal from the second of the colored lighting elements, wherein the second varying light output signal reflects a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is below the predefined intermediate charge state threshold;
- and
- when the battery charge state is between the upper threshold and the lower threshold, the first colored light and the second colored light provide a steady light output signal;
- and
- wherein the varying light output signals are duty-cycle modulated signals, wherein the duty-cycle is proportionate with a current charge state of the battery pack.
11 more elements
A method for providing a charge state indication on a battery pack for use with a portable device utility locator, comprising:
- determining, in a charge state monitor circuit of the battery pack, a charge state of a battery cell or cells of the battery pack;
- and
- providing a visual indication of the charge state by illuminating two or more lighting elements of the battery pack in two or more different colors;
- wherein when the charge state is above a half charged state plus an upper threshold, a first steady light output signal is provided from a first colored lighting element and a first varying light output signal is provided from a second the colored lighting element, with the first varying light output reflecting a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is above a predefined intermediate charge state threshold;
- wherein when the battery charge state is below the half charged state and a lower threshold, a second varying light output signal is provided from the first of the colored lighting elements and a first steady light output signal is provided from the second of the colored lighting elements, with the second varying light output signal reflecting a decrease from a fully charged state of the battery cell assembly when the battery charge state is below the predefined intermediate charge state threshold;
- and
- when the battery charge state is between the upper threshold and the lower threshold, the first of the first colored light and the second colored light provide a steady light output signal;
- and
- wherein the varying light output signals are duty-cycle modulated signals, wherein the duty-cycle is proportionate with a current charge state of the battery pack.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.