Battery system for power equipment

Abstract

A battery system for a power device includes: a battery configured to be removably connected to a receiver; and processing circuitry of the battery configured to communicatively engage with the processing circuitry of the receiver, where the battery and the receiver are configured to electrically connect and transfer power from the battery to the power device through the receiver, where the processing circuitry of the battery and the receiver are configured to transfer information between the battery and the receiver, and wherein the processing circuitry of the battery and the receiver is configured to allow power to be transferred from the battery to the power device through the receiver based on information transferred between the battery and the receiver.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of a Chinese patent application with an application date of October 10, 2019, an application number of 201980079115.5, and a title of "Battery System for Power Equipment".

[0002] Cross - reference to related patent applications

[0003] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 62 / 745,045, filed on October 12, 2018, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background of the Invention

[0004] This application generally relates to battery packs. More specifically, this application relates to a battery system for powering an engine on a power tool or other power equipment. Battery packs are commonly used in the field of power equipment to power the engine on a power tool or to power other equipment. Typically, the battery is assembled in the receptacle portion of the power tool and provides power to the engine through terminals on the battery.

[0005] Summary

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a battery system for power equipment, comprising: a battery configured to be removably connected to a receiver; and a processing circuit of the battery configured to communicatively engage with a processing circuit of the receiver; wherein the battery and the receiver are configured to be electrically connected and transfer power from the battery to the power equipment through the receiver, wherein the processing circuits of the battery and the receiver are configured to transfer information between the battery and the receiver, and wherein the processing circuits of the battery and the receiver are configured to allow power to be transferred from the battery to the power equipment through the receiver based on the information transferred between the battery and the receiver.

[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a receiver assembly for power equipment, comprising: a plurality of terminals configured to connect to terminals of a battery; and a processing circuit configured to communicate with a processing circuit of the battery; wherein the processing circuit is further configured to enable the battery to transfer power from the battery to the receiver after receiving information from the processing circuit of the battery allowing the battery to transfer power from the battery to the receiver.

[0008] Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for connecting a battery to a receiver, wherein the method comprises: removably connecting the battery to the receiver, wherein the battery and the receiver are electrically and communicatively connected, transferring information between the processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver, and transferring power from the battery to the receiver based on the information transfer between the processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver.

[0009] Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features and combinations of features generally recited in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a battery and receiver assembly in accordance with one exemplary embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a front view of the battery and receiver assembly of

[0013] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the battery of

[0014] Figure 4 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the battery of

[0015] Figure 5 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the battery of

[0016] Figure 6 is Figure 1 a rear perspective view of the battery of

[0017] Figure 7 is Figure 1 a rear perspective view of the battery of

[0018] Figure 8 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the receiver of

[0019] Figure 9 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the receiver of

[0020] Figure 10 is Figure 1 a front view of the receiver of

[0021] Figure 11 is Figure 1 a front view of the receiver of

[0022] Figure 12 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the receiver of

[0023] Figure 13 is Figure 1 a front perspective view of the receiver of

[0024] Figure 14 is connected to Figure 1Flowchart of a method of a battery and a receiver.

[0025] Figure 15 Is a rear view of a lawn mower head assembly including a battery and a receiver assembly.

[0026] Figure 16 Is a front perspective view of a leaf blower assembly including a battery and a receiver.

[0027] Figure 17 Is a rear perspective view of a trimmer assembly including a battery and a receiver.

[0028] Figure 18 Is a front perspective view of a chain saw assembly including a battery and a receiver. Detailed description

[0030] Before turning to the drawings that detail exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the details or methods set forth in the specification or shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0031] Generally referring to the drawings, a battery and a receiver are shown in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the battery is configured to be removably connected to the receiver via a rail. In some embodiments, the battery is electrically connected to the receiver to transfer power from the battery to the receiver. The battery can be an 82-volt battery or can have a different rated voltage. According to some embodiments, the battery can have a short-circuit prevention circuit. In some embodiments, the battery is configured to detect whether it is inserted into the receiver. In some embodiments, the receiver is configured to detect that the battery has been inserted therein. If the battery detects that it is not in the receiver, all power through its terminals is not allowed. If the battery detects that it is in the receiver, or if the receiver detects that the battery has been inserted and sends a command to the battery, the battery will allow all power through the terminals. In some embodiments, the battery communicates with the receiver to determine whether it should allow all power through its terminals. This communication between the battery and the receiver to determine that the battery can output power to the receiver can be referred to as "digital handshaking". This "digital handshaking" can help ensure that only authorized batteries are allowed to supply power to the final product (such as a power device or a power tool) through the receiver. In some embodiments, the receiver and the battery include an interface and a circuit that are configured to connect the battery and the receiver and allow the battery to output all power to the receiver.

[0032] Now refer to Figures 1 to 2, a battery assembly 100 is shown. The battery assembly 100 includes a battery 110 and a receiver 120. According to some embodiments, the battery 110 can be an 82-volt battery. In some embodiments, the battery 110 is a 60-volt battery, a 52-volt battery, a 48-volt battery, a 24-volt battery, a 12-volt battery, etc., or a battery having any other voltage. In some embodiments, the battery 110 can be a lithium-ion battery (Li-ion). In some embodiments, the battery 110 can be a nickel-cadmium battery (NiCd), a nickel-metal hydride battery (NiMH), a lithium-ion polymer battery (Li-ion polymer), etc., or any other type of battery that can be used to store energy. The receiver 120 can be configured to removably connect to the battery 110. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 is integrally formed with the power device. For example, the receiver 120 can be integrally formed with the housing of a lawn mower, a sump pump, a table saw, a concrete cutter, a hydraulic pump, a floor cleaner, a floor polisher, a handheld power tool, etc., or any other power device. These applications typically require a high-power engine with a large torque output. Such an engine requires a high-voltage battery to be powered and operated. When handling a large battery with high voltage, if a conductive object is placed between the positive and negative terminals of the battery, the battery will short-circuit. In some embodiments, for example, the receiver 120 can be integrally formed with the housing of a lawn mower. The receiver 120 can be configured to receive the battery 110 and can be positioned directly above the engine of the lawn mower or partially behind the engine. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 can be configured to deliver power from the battery 110 to the engine of the lawn mower, which is configured to drive the blades of the lawn mower. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 can be integrally formed with the housing of the power device and can be configured to supply power to the engine of the power device. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 can be configured to supply power from the battery 110 to an engine configured to start an internal combustion engine on the power device. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 is not integrally formed with the housing of the power device but is removably connected to the power device and is configured to deliver power from the battery 110 to the power device. For example, the receiver 120 can be connected to the leg of a table saw and can be configured to deliver power from the battery 110 to the table saw engine.

[0033] Now referring to Figures 3 to 7 , a battery 110 is shown according to some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the battery 110 can be a lithium-ion battery. The battery 110 can include a channel 112. The channel 112 can be configured to engage with a guide rail 126 (see Figures 8 to 9)。According to some embodiments, the guide rail 126 and the channel 112 can be configured to removably connect the battery 110 and the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the channel 112 and the guide rail 126 guide the battery 110 into a proper electrical connection with the receiver 120. The battery 110 is also shown as including a female terminal 114. The battery 110 can have any number of female terminals 114, including but not limited to a positive terminal and a negative terminal that can transfer power to the device through the receiver 120. The female terminal 114 can be configured to electrically engage with the male terminal 122 of the receiver 120 (see Figures 8 to 9 ). In some embodiments, the battery 110 has male terminals instead of female terminals 114. In some embodiments, the channel 112 is configured to properly connect the female terminal 114 of the battery 110 to the male terminal 122 of the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the terminal 114 on the battery 110 can be a male terminal or a female terminal.

[0034] Still referring to Figures 3 to 7 , the battery 110 is shown as including an electronic controller 128. According to some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 can be connected to one or more of the terminals 114. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 is a circuit or a processor. The electronic controller 128 is configured to engage with at least one of the terminals 114 to determine whether the battery 110 has been connected to the receiver 120. The electronic controller 128 can receive information from one of the terminals 114, process the information to determine that the battery 110 has been connected to the receiver 120 and allow the battery 110 to output full power. As described above, this communication between the battery 110 and the receiver 120 can be referred to as "digital signal exchange". Advantageously, this provides a safety feature such that when the battery 110 is not connected to the receiver 120, it will not be accidentally short-circuited by a metal object across the positive and negative terminals. Additionally, the battery 110 can only operate with a receiver 120 that can communicate with it properly. Thus, the manufacturer of the battery 110 can ensure that the battery will not be used with devices or receivers of other companies, and can provide a verification circuit 124 to other companies to allow them to use its battery. Advantageously, this enables the battery manufacturer to control the use of its battery and ensure that the battery 110 will not be used in an inappropriate receiver 120.

[0035] Now referring to Figures 8 to 11, which shows a receiver 120 according to some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the receiver 120 is shown to include a guide rail 126. In some embodiments, the guide rail 126 is configured to engage with the channel 112 of the battery 110 to removably connect the battery 110 and the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 includes a latch configured to removably connect the battery 110 to the receiver 120.

[0036] Still referring to Figures 8 to 11 , according to some embodiments, the receiver 120 is shown to include a male terminal 122. In some embodiments, the terminal of the receiver is a female terminal 114. In some embodiments, the male terminal 122 is configured to engage with the female terminal 114 of the battery 110. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 includes a verification circuit 124. According to some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 can be connected to one of the male terminals 122 and to one of the female terminals 114 of the battery 110. When the battery 110 is connected to the receiver 120, the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 can communicate with each other. The verification circuit 124 can provide information to the battery 110 indicating that the battery 110 has been connected to the receiver 120 and that the battery 110 can output all of its power to the receiver 120.

[0037] In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 is a circuit board configured to communicate with the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110. According to some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 can also be a circuit board configured to communicate with the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120. Both the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 can be printed circuit boards including a processor, a memory, a communication interface, etc. Both the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 can include random access memory, read only memory, dynamic random access memory, etc., or any other type of memory. In some embodiments, both the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 are microcontrollers, which can include a central processing unit, random access memory, read only memory, input / output ports, timers and counters, analog-to-digital converters and digital-to-analog converters, serial interfaces, etc. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 is further configured to control the output power across the terminals 114 of the battery 110.

[0038] According to some embodiments, the communication between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be analog or digital. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 can have a resistor with a specific value. The battery 110 can be configured to apply a current from a specific voltage across the resistor of the verification circuit 124 to determine the resistance of the resistor. If the electronic controller 128 determines that the resistance is a specific value (e.g., 2 ohms), then the electronic controller 128 can output all power to the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the battery 110 can include a resistor with a specific value, and the receiver 120 can verify its connection to the battery 110 by determining the value of the resistor and determining that it is a specific value. Then, the receiver 120 can send an instruction to the battery 110 to output all power from the battery 110 to the receiver 120.

[0039] In some embodiments, the communication between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be digital. The verification circuit 124 can communicate with the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 and verify that the battery 110 has been correctly connected to the receiver 120 and that the battery 110 can output full power on the female terminal 114. In some embodiments, the communication between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be serial communication. In some embodiments, both the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 are processing circuits, each processing circuit including a computer bus configured to communicate with each other via serial communication. The verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 can communicate via SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), USB (Universal Serial Bus), etc. or any other serial communication protocol. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 can send a request to the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110, and the electronic controller 128 can return a value to the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the value is a password, number, or any other information indicating that the battery 110 is connected to the receiver 120 and can output power to the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the password, number, or information indicating that the battery 110 is connected to the receiver 120 is proprietary to the manufacturer of the battery 110. According to some embodiments, this proprietary "handshake" information can help ensure that only authorized batteries 110 and receivers 120 are used in combination with each other. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can convey information about the battery 110 attributes (such as voltage, serial number, etc.) that indicate that the battery 110 is suitable for the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 is configured to receive information about the battery 110 attributes and return instructions to the battery 110 to output power to the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the information transmitted between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be encrypted. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 are configured to decrypt and encrypt the information received and transmitted between the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128. In some embodiments, the encryption of the information transmitted between the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 can be AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), 3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard), Twofish, RSA, or any other data encryption standard. Both the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 and the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 can have the keys necessary to encrypt and decrypt the information transmitted between the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124.In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 sends an instruction to the electronic controller 128 to allow all power to be transferred from the battery 110 to the receiver 120. The instruction may be encrypted and require a key to decrypt the instruction. The electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 may use the key to decrypt the instruction and then process and execute the instruction, or the electronic controller 128 may process the instruction and perform an operation based on the instruction. If the battery 110 does not know the encryption / decryption key, or if the battery 110 is not equipped with an electronic controller 128 configured to decrypt and execute commands from the verification circuit 124, then the battery 110 will not be able to process the instruction from the verification circuit 124 and will not output power to the device through the receiver 120. If the receiver 120 does not include the verification circuit 124 and the battery 110 includes the electronic controller 128, then the battery 110 will not output all power to the receiver 120. In some embodiments, if the battery 110 does not include the electronic controller 128, then the receiver 120 may be configured to prevent power from being transferred from the battery 110 to the device. For example, if a battery from another company without the verification circuit 124 is used and the battery is connected to the receiver 120, the receiver 120 will not allow power to be transferred from the battery to the device. In some embodiments, if the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 does not receive information from the battery indicating that the battery is the correct voltage, brand, power output, etc., the receiver 120 does not allow power to be transferred from the battery to the device. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 may be configured to allow batteries from other manufacturers to be connected and power the devices used with the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the battery 110 may be configured to output maximum power only when the battery 110 is connected to a receiver including the verification circuit 124.

[0040] In some embodiments, when the battery 110 is disconnected from the receiver 120, it can be configured to be in a "locked" mode. When the battery 110 is in the "locked" mode, it can be configured to prevent the output of maximum power through the positive and negative terminals. In some embodiments, the battery 110 can be configured to allow the output of up to a small amount of current from the terminals, so that the voltage of the battery 110 can be measured with a multimeter. In some embodiments, the "locked" mode ensures that if a conductive object is placed between the positive and negative terminals of the battery 110, the battery will not short-circuit. In some embodiments, the battery 110 includes a fuse that is configured to disconnect if the current output from the battery 110 is greater than a threshold. In some embodiments, the communication between the battery 110 and the receiver 120 causes the battery 110 to switch to an "unlocked" mode. In some embodiments, the battery 110 can only be unlocked when it has communicated with the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and is connected to the receiver 120. When the battery 110 is in the "unlocked" mode, it can allow the output of maximum power through the terminal 114. The power output from the battery 110 can be transmitted through the receiver 120 to the engine of the power device. In some embodiments, when the battery 110 is removed from the receiver 120, it defaults back to the "locked" mode. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 is powered by the battery 110. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 is powered by the battery 110. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can each include their own battery and can receive power from their own battery. The electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be configured to detect that the battery 110 is connected to the receiver 120 and allow the power output from the battery 110 to be sufficient to power the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120. Then the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 and the verification circuit 124 of the receiver can communicate as described above to verify that the battery 110 and the receiver 120 can be used with each other and that the battery 110 can transfer power to the device through the receiver.

[0041] In some embodiments, the connection between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be a wired connection. For example, one or more of the terminals 114 of the battery 110 and one or more of the terminals 122 of the receiver 120 can be configured to communicatively connect the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 to the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the connection between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be a wireless connection. For example, the communication connection between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can be a Bluetooth connection. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 can include radio transmitters / receivers configured to communicate with each other. In some embodiments, the radio transmitters / receivers communicate at a frequency between 2 MHz and 3.5 MHz. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 and the electronic controller 128 convey the same information as described above via the radio transmitters / receivers.

[0042] Now referring to Figure 13 , according to some embodiments, the receiver 120 can include a terminal assembly 130. The terminal assembly 130 can include terminals 122 connected to the verification circuit 124. The terminal assembly 130 can be removably connected to the receiver 120 and is configured to connect to the battery 110 and communicate with the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 can include components (such as rails, latches, etc.) for removably connecting the battery 110 to the receiver 120, and the terminal assembly 130 can provide the electronic components for connecting to the battery 110. Advantageously, the terminal assembly 130 can be provided to other manufacturers such that the terminal assembly 130 can be used in other power devices. This enables the manufacturer of the terminal assembly 130 to allow other manufacturers to use the battery 110 / terminal assembly 130 system without disclosing the system's method.

[0043] Now referring to Figure 14 , according to some embodiments, a method 1400 for connecting the battery 110 to the receiver 120 is shown. The method 1400 includes steps 1410 to 1440 and details the method of connecting the battery 110 to the receiver 120 and allowing the battery 110 to output power to the receiver 120.

[0044] Step 1410 of method 1400 includes connecting battery 110 to receiver 120. Step 1410 can be accomplished by using rail 126 of receiver 120. In some embodiments, rail 126 of receiver 120 is configured to engage channel 112 of battery 110 to guide battery 110 into proper connection with receiver 120. In some embodiments, receiver 120 and / or battery 110 can include a latch configured to removably connect battery 110 and receiver 120. Step 1410 also includes electrically and communicatively connecting battery 110 and receiver 120. Battery 110 and receiver 120 can be electrically connected by connecting terminal 122 of receiver 120 to terminal 114 of battery 110. In some embodiments, one of terminal sets 114 and 122 is a male terminal and one of terminal sets 114 and 122 is a female terminal. In some embodiments, the connection between terminals 114 and 122 allows battery 110 to output power to receiver 120, and then the power can be transferred to the device. In some embodiments, battery 110 and receiver 120 are also communicatively connected. In some embodiments, electronic controller 128 of battery 110 is communicatively connected to verification circuit 124 of receiver 120 such that verification circuit 124 and electronic controller 128 can transfer information between each other. In some embodiments, battery 110 and receiver 120 are communicatively connected through at least one of terminals 114 and 122. In some embodiments, electronic controller 128 and verification circuit 124 are communicatively connected to each other through at least one of terminals 114 and 122. In some embodiments, battery 110 and receiver are communicatively connected through a radio transmitter / receiver. In some embodiments, electronic controller 128 and verification circuit 124 are communicatively connected to each other through a radio transmitter / receiver.

[0045] Step 1420 of method 1400 includes transferring information between the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 transfer information between each other via the communicable connection described in step 1410. According to some embodiments, step 1420 of method 1400 may be executed by the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 are circuits configured to communicate digitally with each other. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 are microprocessors. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 are configured to communicate serially with each other. In some embodiments, the information transmitted and received between the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 is at least one of a password, a value, an instruction, or any other information. According to some embodiments, the information transferred between the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 may be encrypted. In some embodiments, both the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 may have keys or algorithms for encrypting and decrypting the information transmitted between them. According to some embodiments, the keys or algorithms may be stored in the memories of the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124. In some embodiments, the keys or algorithms are stored in non-volatile memories on the electronic controller 128 or the verification circuit 124. In some embodiments, the information transmitted between the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 is analog. For example, the verification circuit 124 of the battery 110 may be configured to detect that a resistor of the receiver 120 has a specific value. In some embodiments, the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 may detect that the battery 110 has a resistor with a specific value and send an instruction to the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 based on detecting that the resistor has a specific value.

[0046] Step 1430 of method 1400 includes verifying that the battery 110 and the receiver 120 are correctly connected based on the transmitted information. Additionally, step 1430 may include verifying that the battery 110 is the correct voltage, brand, etc. for the receiver 120. According to some embodiments, step 1430 of method 1400 may be performed by the battery 110 and the receiver 120. In some embodiments, step 1430 of method 1400 may be performed by the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 and the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110. The information transmitted between the battery 110 and the receiver 120 may indicate that the battery 110 and the receiver 120 are correctly connected. Additionally, the information transmitted between the battery 110 and the receiver may indicate that the battery 110 and the receiver 120 are compatible with each other. For example, if the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 transmits the correct password to the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 (or if the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 transmits the correct password to the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 to "unlock" the battery 110), this may verify that the battery 110 and the receiver 120 are compatible with each other. In some embodiments, the information transmitted between the battery 110 and the receiver 120 or between the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 and the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120 may be instructions, values, or any other information as described in step 1420 above.

[0047] Step 1440 of method 1400 includes outputting all power from the battery 110 to the receiver 120. In some embodiments, step 1440 is performed by the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110. The electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 may be configured to control the power output from the battery 110 based on the information transmitted between the battery 110 and the receiver 120 or based on the information transmitted between the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 and the verification circuit 124 of the receiver 120. In some embodiments, the power output from the battery 110 is transmitted to the receiver 120 through the connection between terminals 114 and 122. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 of the battery 110 is configured to convert the battery 110 from a "locked" mode (i.e., not allowing the battery 110 to output all power) to an "unlocked" mode (i.e., allowing the battery 110 to output all power) based on the verification that the battery 110 and the receiver 120 are connected. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 is configured to transmit the power supplied from the battery 110 to the device. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 includes an electrical connection between the terminal 122 of the receiver 120 and the device. In some embodiments, the receiver 120 is electrically connected to the engine of the device.

[0048] Although not stated in method 1400, according to some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 of battery 110 may be configured to transition battery 110 to a "locked" mode when battery 110 is disconnected from receiver 120. When battery 110 is used to power a device or transfer power to receiver 120, battery 110 and receiver 120 may continuously transfer information between battery 110 and receiver 120. For example, battery 110 and receiver 120 may be communicatively connected to continuously transfer information to each other regarding that battery 110 is currently connected to the receiver. In some embodiments, when battery 110 is disconnected from receiver 120, the communication between battery 110 and receiver 120 is stopped, and as a result, battery 110 transitions to a "locked" mode. In other words, battery 110 may be transitioned to an "unlocked" mode due to its connection to receiver 120, but continuous communication between battery 110 and receiver 120 is also required to keep battery 110 in the "unlocked" mode. Once the communication between battery 110 and receiver 120 stops (e.g., due to battery 110 being disconnected), battery 110 may default back to the "locked" mode.

[0049] Now referring to Figure 15 , according to some embodiments, an implementation of the present invention is shown. Figure 15 A lawn mower head assembly 200 is shown, which includes a lawn mower head 202, a receiver 204, a battery 206, and a shield guard 208. The lawn mower head 202 may be fixedly connected to a lawn mower deck (not shown) and may be configured to drive a lawn mower blade to mow grass using an engine (not shown). In some embodiments, battery 206 is configured to slide into a recessed portion of receiver 204. In some embodiments, receiver 204 is integrally formed with lawn mower head 202. Battery 206 may be removably connected to receiver 204. In some embodiments, shield guard 208 is configured to be selectively configured between an open position (as Figure 15 shown) and a closed position (not shown). When shield guard 208 is in the closed position, shield guard 208 may provide a surface to maintain battery 206 in its position and prevent battery 206 from falling during the operation of lawn mower head assembly 200. Lawn mower head assembly 200 may include an electric motor (not shown) electrically connected to terminals (not shown) of receiver 204. In some embodiments, the engine is configured to drive the lawn mower blade.

[0050] The battery 206 may include an electronic controller 128, and the receiver 204 may include a verification circuit 124. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 are configured to communicate as described in detail above. The battery 206 and the receiver 204 may be configured to supply power to the engine based on the communication between the electronic controller 128 and the verification circuit 124 as described in detail above. Figure 15 This is only one embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Now referring to Figures 16 - 18 , several applications of the battery system described herein are shown. Figure 16 A leaf blower assembly 300 is shown, Figure 17 a trimmer assembly 400 is shown, and Figure 18 a chainsaw assembly 500 is shown. According to some embodiments, each of the leaf blower assembly 300, the trimmer assembly 400, and the chainsaw assembly 500 includes a power device (i.e., a leaf blower 302, a trimmer 402, and a chainsaw 502 as shown in Figure 16 , Figure 17 and Figure 18 respectively). Each of the leaf blower assembly 300, the trimmer assembly 400, and the chainsaw assembly 500 also includes a battery 110 and a receiver 120 (i.e., a battery 306 and a receiver 304, a battery 406 and a receiver 404, and a battery 506 and a receiver 504 as shown in Figure 16 , Figure 17 and Figure 18 respectively). Each of the batteries 306, 406, 506 is configured to communicate with and "handshake" with the receivers 304, 404, 504 as described above. In some embodiments, each of the receivers 304, the receiver 404, and the receiver 504 is integrally formed with the housing of the leaf blower 302, the trimmer 402, and the chainsaw 502, respectively. In some embodiments, each of the batteries 306, the battery 406, and the battery 506 is configured to deliver power to the engines of the leaf blower 302, the trimmer 402, and the chainsaw 502 through the receivers 304, the receivers 404, and the receivers 504, respectively.

[0052] For a variety of reasons, the battery system described herein is advantageous. For example, the battery system provides safety measures to ensure that the battery 110 does not short circuit if a conductive object is accidentally placed on the positive and negative terminals 114. If the battery 110 shorts, it may cause a sharp rise in temperature, which can damage the battery 110. The battery system described herein also ensures that maximum power (or current) cannot be output when the battery is not inserted into the appropriate receiver by providing a safety mechanism, to reduce the chance that the battery 110 may be damaged. In addition, even when the battery 110 is not connected to the receiver 120, the battery 110 is still able to output a small amount of current required to measure the voltage of the battery 110.

[0053] Another advantage of the battery assembly described herein is that it provides the manufacturer with greater ability to control the use of its battery and its applications. For example, the manufacturer can provide the terminal assembly 130 or the terminal 122 and the verification circuit 124 components to other manufacturers. Other manufacturers can still use the battery 110 and the receiver 120 system on their devices, however, the battery 110 / terminal assembly 130 manufacturer can still maintain control over the use of the battery 110 / terminal assembly 130 system. For example, other manufacturers can produce receivers 120 incorporated into their devices, and terminal assemblies 130 that can be easily installed into the receivers 120 and are configured to deliver power to the devices.

[0054] Another advantage is that the battery system described herein ensures that the correct battery 110 will be used with the device, and the battery 110 will only output power to the device if the battery 110 is correctly connected to the receiver 120. Advantageously, this ensures that incorrect batteries with incorrect properties that may damage the device or the battery will not be used with the device.

[0055] Although this specification contains many specific implementation details, these details should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the claimed invention, but rather as descriptions of specific features of the specific implementations. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, the various features described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented separately in multiple implementations or in any suitable sub-combination. In addition, although the features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, and even initially so claimed, in some cases, one or more features of the claimed combination can be separated from the combination, and the claimed combination can be directed to a sub-combination or a variant of the sub-combination.

[0056] It should be understood that although terms such as "suitable" or "appropriate" are used in the foregoing description to indicate that the functions so described may be more suitable, they may not be necessary, and embodiments lacking them are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims. When reading the claims, it is intended that when terms such as "a", "an", or "at least one" are used, the claim is not intended to be limited to only one, unless there is an express contrary statement in the claim.

[0057] It should be noted that certain paragraphs of the present disclosure may refer to terms such as "first" and "second" related to, for example, sides and ends, etc., for identifying or distinguishing one from another or others. These terms are not intended to solely relate entities (such as a first side and a second side) in terms of time or in an order, although in some cases, these entities may include such relationships. These terms also do not limit the number of possible entities (such as sides or ends) that can operate in a system or environment.

[0058] As used herein, terms such as "connected" etc. refer to two components being joined to each other directly or indirectly. Such joining can be fixed (e.g., permanent) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining can be achieved by the two components or the two components and any additional intermediate components being integrally formed as a single whole with each other or the two components or the two components and any additional intermediate components being connected to each other.

[0059] As used herein, the term "circuit" may include hardware configured to perform the functions described herein. In some embodiments, each respective "circuit" may include machine-readable media for configuring the hardware to perform the functions described herein. The circuit may be embodied as one or more circuit components, including but not limited to processing circuits, network interfaces, peripherals, input devices, output devices, sensors, etc. In some embodiments, the circuit may take the form of one or more analog circuits, electronic circuits (such as integrated circuits (ICs), discrete circuits, system-on-chip (SOC) circuits, etc.), telecommunication circuits, hybrid circuits, and any other type of "circuit". In this regard, a "circuit" may include any type of component for implementing or facilitating the operations described herein. For example, the circuits described herein may include one or more transistors, logic gates (such as NAND, AND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors, diodes, wiring, etc.).

[0060] "The circuitry" may also include one or more processors communicatively coupled to one or more memories or storage devices. In this regard, the one or more processors may execute instructions stored in the memory or may execute instructions otherwise accessible to another one or more processors. In some embodiments, the one or more processors may be implemented in various ways. The one or more processors may be configured in a manner sufficient to perform at least the operations described herein. In some embodiments, the one or more processors may be shared by multiple circuits (e.g., Circuit A and Circuit B may include or share the same processor, which in some example embodiments may execute instructions stored or otherwise accessed through different regions of the memory). Alternatively or additionally, the one or more processors may be configured to perform or otherwise execute certain operations independently of one or more coprocessors. In other example embodiments, two or more processors may be implemented to perform independent, parallel, pipelined, or multithreaded instruction execution via a bus connection. Each processor may be implemented as one or more general-purpose processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other suitable electronic data processing components configured to execute instructions provided by the memory. The one or more processors may take the form of a single-core processor, a multi-core processor (e.g., dual-core processor, triple-core processor, quad-core processor, etc.), a microprocessor, and the like. In some embodiments, the one or more processors may be external to the device, e.g., the one or more processors may be remote processors (e.g., cloud-based processors). Alternatively or additionally, the one or more processors may be internal and / or local to the device. In this regard, a given circuit or its components may be located locally (e.g., as part of a local server, local computing system, etc.) or remotely (e.g., as part of a remote server (e.g., cloud-based server)). To this end, the "circuitry" described herein may include components distributed across one or more locations.

Claims

1. A battery system for an electrical device, the battery system comprising: a battery; a receiver configured to removably receive the battery, wherein the battery and the receiver are configured to be electrically connected and power is transferred from the battery through the receiver; a processing circuit of the battery configured to communicate with a processing circuit of the receiver; and a verification circuit configured to communicate with the processing circuit of the battery and enable the battery to output power based on information transferred between the processing circuit of the battery and the verification circuit, wherein the verification circuit is located within the receiver, and the receiver is separate from and connectable to a housing of the electrical device.

2. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein The processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver are configured to continuously transfer information between each other during power transfer from the battery to the electrical device through the receiver.

3. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein, The information transferred between the processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver is analog information indicating that the battery is connected to the receiver.

4. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein, The information transferred between the processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver is digital information indicating that the battery is connected to the receiver.

5. The battery system according to claim 4, wherein, The digital information is at least one of a value, a password, an instruction, and a signal.

6. The battery system according to claim 5, wherein, The digital information is encrypted, and the processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver include keys for encrypting and decrypting the digital information.

7. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein, The battery is further configured to switch between a locked mode and an unlocked mode, wherein the locked mode includes preventing the battery from outputting power above a power threshold, and the unlocked mode includes allowing the battery to output power above the power threshold.

8. The battery system according to claim 7, wherein, The battery is configured to switch from the locked mode to the unlocked mode based on information transfer between the processing circuit of the battery and the verification circuit.

9. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein, The battery is configured to default to the locked mode when removed from the receiver.

10. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein, The battery is further configured to switch between a locked mode and an unlocked mode, wherein the locked mode includes preventing the battery from outputting power above a power threshold, and the unlocked mode includes allowing the battery to output power above the power threshold.

11. The battery system according to claim 10, wherein, The battery is configured to switch from the locked mode to the unlocked mode based on information transfer between the processing circuit of the battery and the verification circuit.

12. A receiver assembly for an electrical device, the receiver assembly comprising: a receiver housing; a plurality of terminals configured to connect to a plurality of terminals of a battery; a processing circuit of the receiver configured to communicate with a processing circuit of the battery; and and a verification circuit configured to communicate with the processing circuit of the battery and enable the battery to switch to the unlocked mode, in which the battery is allowed to output power above a power threshold, wherein the verification circuit is located within the receiver housing, and the receiver housing is integrally formed with a housing of the electrical device.

13. The receiver assembly according to claim 12, wherein, The processing circuit of the receiver is further configured to continuously communicate with the processing circuit of the battery during power transfer from the battery to the plurality of terminals, and the continuous communication between the processing circuit of the receiver and the processing circuit of the battery is necessary for continuous power transfer from the battery to the plurality of terminals.

14. The receiver assembly according to claim 12, wherein, The processing circuit of the receiver is configured to digitally communicate with the processing circuit of the battery, and the information transmitted by the processing circuit of the receiver is digital information.

15. The receiver assembly according to claim 14, wherein, The digital information is at least one of the following: Password; Value; Number; Instruction; Request.

16. The receiver assembly according to claim 15, wherein, The processing circuit of the receiver is configured to encrypt the digital information and transmit the digital information to the processing circuit of the battery.

17. A method for connecting a battery to a receiver, the method comprising: Removably connecting a battery to a receiver, wherein the battery and the receiver are electrically and communicatively connected; Transmitting information between the processing circuit of the battery and the processing circuit of the receiver; and The processing circuit of the battery communicates with a verification circuit within the receiver to enable the battery to output power, and based on the information transfer between the processing circuit of the battery and the verification circuit, power is transferred from the battery to the receiver.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transferring the power provided by the battery from the receiver to the motor of an electrical device.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: Sending digital information about the presence of the battery from the processing circuit of the battery to the processing circuit of the receiver; Receiving and processing, by the processing circuit of the receiver, the digital information about the presence of the battery from the processing circuit of the battery; Sending the digital information from the processing circuit of the receiver to the processing circuit of the battery to allow the battery to power the receiver; And Processing, by the processing circuit of the battery, the digital information transmitted from the processing circuit of the receiver and transferring power from the battery to the receiver.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising continuously transferring information between the processing circuit of the receiver and the processing circuit of the battery to maintain power transfer from the battery to the receiver.

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