Primary battery having a built-in controller to extend battery run time

A primary battery comprising:

• (a) a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• (b) a primary electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a cell voltage measured across said positive and said negative electrodes 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 and said negative terminals of said container, said controller including a converter that converts said cell voltage to said output voltage, so that said output voltage is less than said nominal voltage of said cell.

A primary battery comprising:

• (a) a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• (b) a primary electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a cell voltage measured across said positive and said negative electrodes of said cell;
• 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 and said negative terminals of said container, said controller including a converter that converts said cell voltage to said output voltage and a capacitor that provides storage of electrical charge to protect said cell from current peaks.

A device including at least one primary battery, said device comprising:

• (a) a positive input terminal;
• (b) a negative input terminal electrically connected to said positive input terminal;
• (c) a cut-off voltage;
• and
• (d) a primary battery having a run time, said primary battery comprising:
• (i) a container having a positive output terminal electrically connected to said positive input terminal of said device and a negative output terminal electrically connected to said negative input terminal of said device,
• (ii) a primary electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a cell voltage measured across said positive and said negative electrodes of said cell, and a nominal voltage, and
• (iii) a controller electrically connected between said electrodes of said cell and said output terminals of said container to create an output voltage measured across said positive and said negative output terminals of said container, said controller including a converter adapted to operate at a cell voltage less than the cut-off voltage of the device;
• said controller adapted to extend said run time of said battery by converting said cell voltage to said output voltage so that said output voltage is greater than said cut-off voltage of said device.

A method for extending the run time of a primary battery, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a primary battery including:
• (i) a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• (ii) an 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, said controller including a converter;
• (b) electrically connecting said primary battery to a device having a cut-off voltage;
• (c) converting said cell voltage to said output voltage, so that said output voltage is greater than the cut-off voltage of the device.