# US 5,705,910 A · Electric charge/discharge control device and electric charge/discharge control method in a system using the same device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,705,910 A - Document ID: US5705910A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/519,699 - Filed: 1995-08-28 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1995-02-15 - Assignees: Fujitsu Limited - Inventors: Masaru Kito; Rihei Tokutake - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5705910A ## CPC - H02J 7/92: with prioritisation of loads or sources - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A charge/discharge control device having a charge/discharge function for executing communication by connecting a portable terminal equipment, driven by a main cell which is a secondary cell, to a host unit. The charge/discharge control device further has a discharger for discharging the main cell and a charger for charging the main cell upon receipt of an instruction from the host unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charge/discharge control device which is connected to terminal equipment which has a secondary cell, to which a drive power is given from said secondary cell, and electrically charges and discharges said secondary cell, comprising: a voltage measuring means for measuring the voltage of said secondary cell; a discharging means for discharging the voltage of said secondary cell; and a charging means for charging said secondary cell, wherein the voltage of said secondary cell is measured by said voltage measuring means prior to charging said secondary cell, wherein when the voltage of said secondary cell is larger than a predetermined voltage, said secondary cell is discharged by said discharging means and is then charged by said charging means, and wherein when the voltage of said secondary cell is smaller than the predetermined voltage, said secondary cell is charged by said charging means without being discharged by said discharging means. ### Claim 2 A charge/discharge control device having a charge/discharge function for charging and discharging a secondary cell by connecting a terminal equipment driven by said secondary cell to a first host unit, comprising: a discharging means for discharging said secondary cell upon receiving an instruction from said first host unit; and, a charge/discharge control unit which discharges said secondary cell by said discharging means and, when the voltage of said secondary cell is discharged down to a predetermined voltage, discontinues the discharging and starts the charging and, when the voltage of said secondary cell after the start of charging reaches a predetermined charging voltage, discontinues the charging and informs said first host unit of the completion of charging. ### Claim 3 An adapter for communication, having a charge/discharge function, for executing communication by connecting a terminal equipment driven by a secondary cell to a first host unit, comprising a discharging means for discharging said secondary cell upon receiving an instruction from said first host unit, and a charging means for charging said secondary cell upon receiving an instruction from said first host unit. ### Claim 4 A charge/discharge control method in a system having a first host unit, a terminal equipment driven by a secondary cell, and a charge/discharge control device connected thereto, said charge/discharge control method comprising: a step for sending a charge/discharge start instruction to the charge/discharge control device from said first host unit; a step for starting the discharging of the secondary cell in said terminal equipment by the charge/discharge control device; a step for terminating the discharging when the voltage of the secondary cell reaches a predetermined voltage after the passage of a predetermined period of time; a step for starting the charging of said secondary cell following the discharging; a step for terminating the charging when the voltage of the secondary cell reaches a predetermined voltage after the passage of a predetermined period of time; and a step for sending a notice of completion of charge/discharge to the first host unit from the charge/discharge control device after the charging is terminated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A charge/discharge control method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the discharge in the step for starting the discharging of the secondary cell in said terminal equipment by the charge/discharge control device, starts when a voltage of the secondary cell is higher than a predetermined voltage. ### Claim 6 A charge/discharge control method in a system having a first host unit, a terminal equipment driven by a secondary cell, and a charge/discharge control device connected thereto, said charge/discharge control method comprising: a step for starting the discharging of the secondary cell in said terminal equipment by the charge/discharge control device; a step for terminating the discharging when the voltage of the secondary cell reaches a predetermined voltage after the passage of a predetermined period of time; a step for starting the charging of said secondary cell following the discharging; a step for terminating the charging when the voltage of the secondary cell reaches a predetermined voltage after the passage of a predetermined period of time; and a step for sending a notice of completion of charge/discharge to the first host unit from the charge/discharge control device after the charging is terminated. ### Claim 7 A charge/discharge control method in a system having a first host unit, a terminal equipment driven by a secondary cell, and a charge/discharge control device connected thereto, said charge/discharge control method comprising: a step for sending an instruction for starting charge/discharge to the charge/discharge control device from said first host unit; a step for starting the discharging of the secondary cell in said terminal equipment by the charge/discharge control device; a step for finishing the discharging when the voltage of the secondary cell reaches a predetermined voltage after the passage of a predetermined period of time; a step for informing the completion of discharging to the first host unit from the charge/discharge control device; a step for sending an instruction for starting the charging to the charge/discharge control device from the first host unit; a step for starting the charging of the secondary cell by the charge/discharge control device; a step for finishing the charging when the voltage of the secondary cell reaches a predetermined voltage after the passage of a predetermined period of time; and a step for sending a notice of completion of charging to the first host unit from the charge/discharge control device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A charge/discharge control method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the discharge in the step for starting the discharging of the secondary cell in said terminal equipment by the charge/discharge control device, starts when a voltage of the secondary cell is higher than a predetermined voltage. ### Claim 9 A charging method by which a terminal equipment, which has a secondary cell and to which driving power is provided from the secondary cell, is charged by connecting a charge control device thereto wherein, in effecting the electric charging by said charge control device, the charge control device checks the number of times of charging effected thus far for the secondary cell in said terminal equipment before starting the charging of secondary cell, electrically charges said secondary cell after an electrical discharging of said secondary cell is completed when the number of times of charging is smaller than a predetermined number of times, adds 1 to the number of times of charging when the charging of said secondary cell is finished, and does not electrically charge said secondary cell when the number of times of charging has reached the predetermined number of times. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A charging method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said terminal equipment detects a voltage of said secondary cell before starting the discharging of said secondary cell, discharging said secondary cell if the voltage of said secondary cell is greater than a predetermined voltage, and charging said secondary cell without discharging said secondary cell if the voltage of said secondary cell is smaller than the predetermined voltage.