US 6,661,203 Claim Chart
US 6,661,203(Wolin)
1.pre An apparatus for charging a
battery comprising
1.b. a charging circuit for
providing a charging current to
the battery;
1.c. a temperature sensor
positioned to sense a temperature
of said battery; and
1.d.a controller coupled to said
temperature sensor and said
charging circuit and operable to
control said charging circuit in
accordance with said temperature,
said controller operable to set said
charging current to zero when
said temperature is higher than a
first predetermined threshold
value.
3. The apparatus of claim 1
wherein said controller
periodically sets said charging
US 6,172,487(Brotto)
Discloses "a method for charging a rechargeable battery
pack is proposed." See 2:10-11.
Discloses "a battery 10 is connected to a charger control
circuit 20." See 2:61-62.
Discloses that "coupled between battery contacts 12 and 13
is a temperature sensing device 15, such as a negative
temperature co-efficient (NTC) resistor, or thermistor,
RT." See 3:8-10.
Discloses a controller coupled to the battery temperature
sensor and charging circuit operable to control the current
of the charging circuit.
"This allows the controller 21 to monitor the battery
temperature. Controller 21 includes a microprocessor 23
for controlling the charging and monitoring operations.
Controller 21 may control a current source 22 that provides
current to battery 10." See 3:25-29.
Further discloses the control of the charging circuit is
operable with battery temperature in that "if the initial
temperature T0 is above a certain threshold, the controller
21 will discontinue charging." See 3:38-40.
Discloses that the controller may alter charging current
depending on the battery’s temperature.
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current in accordance with said
temperature.
5. The apparatus of claim 1
wherein said controller is
operable to set said charging
current to a maximum value when
said temperature is lower than a
second predetermined threshold
value.
6. The apparatus of claim 5
wherein said maximum value is
the battery's maximum specified
charging current, and said second
predetermined threshold value is
the battery's maximum charging
temperature.
"The controller 21 may restart charging if the battery
temperature falls below the threshold or after a
predetermined period of time has elapsed." See 3:40-42.
Discloses that "[t]he controller 21 may continue repeating
these steps until the temperature change rate is below
threshold Y, or until a predetermined period of time has
elapsed. Once either condition is met, termination of the
charging process based on temperature schemes is re-
enabled." See 4:27-32.
"Preferably, the predetermined threshold Y is equal to the
predetermined threshold X." See 5:27-28.
"Preferably, the predetermined threshold X for NiCd
batteries is between about 0.7 and 2.0 [Celsius] degrees per
minute." See 6:5-6.
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