Importance

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Abstract

In an exemplary fast charging system, a hand-held computerized terminal with rechargeable batteries therein may be bodily inserted into a charger receptacle. The terminal may have volatile memory and other components requiring load current during charging. The system may automatically identify battery type and progressively increase charging current while monitoring for an increase in battery terminal voltage to ascertain the level of load current. The battery temperature may be brought into a relationship to surrounding temperature such that by applying a suitable overcharge current value and observing any resultant temperature increase, the level of remaining battery charge can be determined. For example, if the battery is found to be relatively fully discharged, a relatively high fast-charge rate may be safely applied while monitoring battery temperature. If the battery is initially relatively fully charged or reaches such a state during fast charge, the system may automatically switch to a lower sustainable overcharge rate selected according to battery type and temperature. A preferred system any automatically recharge the battery of a portable device according to an optimum schedule of essentially maximum safe charging rates as a function of battery temperature. The system may also convert a regulated charging current to a pulsed and modulated waveform to provide efficient net charging to the battery. The source of charging current can optionally be placed outside the terminal housing to eliminate any heat dissipation effects of the current source.

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First Claim