Battery having a built-in controller to extend battery service run time

A rechargeable battery useful with a device having a cut-off voltage, and an external charger that supplies a charging current, the rechargeable battery comprising:

• (a) a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• (b) a rechargeable electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a cell voltage measured across said positive electrode and said negative electrode of said cell, and a nominal voltage;
• and
• (c) a controller electrically connected between said electrodes of said cell and said terminals of said container to create an output voltage measured across said positive terminal and said negative terminal of said container, said controller including a converter that converts said cell voltage to said output voltage during a discharge cycle of the battery, said controller being adapted to extend the service run time of the battery by ending said discharge cycle by electronically disconnecting said electrodes of said cell from said terminals of said container, and to control the charging current of the external charger to charge said rechargeable cell, said controller also adapted to convert the charging current of the external charger to a cell charging current during a charge cycle.

A remote battery charging system comprising:

• (a) an external charger that supplies a charging current, said external charger comprising a primary coil;
• and
• (b) a rechargeable battery comprising:
• (i) a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• (ii) a rechargeable electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode electrically connected to said positive terminal of said container, a negative electrode electrically connected to said negative terminal of said container, a cell voltage measured across said positive and said negative electrodes of said cell, and a nominal voltage;
• and
• (iii) a controller electrically connected to said positive and said negative electrodes of said cell, said controller including a secondary coil that is adapted to be electromagnetically coupled with said primary coil of said external charger during a charge cycle, said secondary coil receiving said charging current of said external charger, and said controller controlling said charging current of said external charger to a cell charging current during said charge cycle, wherein said controller is adapted to be electrically connected between said electrodes of said cell and said terminals of said container to create an output voltage measured across said positive terminal and said negative terminal of said container and wherein said controller is adapted to extend the service run time of said battery by electronically disconnecting said electrodes of said cell from said terminals of said container during a discharge cycle.

A method of extending a service run time of a rechargeable battery, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a rechargeable battery including:
• (i) a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• (ii) a rechargeable electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a cell voltage measured across said positive electrode and said negative electrode of said cell, and a nominal voltage;
• and
• (iii) a controller electrically connected between said electrodes of said cell and said terminals of said container to create an output voltage measured across said positive terminal and said negative terminal of said container;
• (b) electrically connecting said battery to a device having a cut-off voltage;
• and
• (c) ending a discharge cycle of said battery by electrically disconnecting said electrodes of said cell from said terminals of said container when a discharge depth of said battery reaches a predetermined discharge level.