Battery Pack Microcontroller Interface Coding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rechargeable battery pack systems for hand-held power tools and charging devices face compatibility issues due to limited coding options with electrical resistors and require additional contacts, which can lead to misinterpretation and reduced performance, and digital interfaces are complex and inflexible.
Innovation Solution
A rechargeable battery pack with a microcontroller and rechargeable battery pack electronics system that communicates via a signal contact element, allowing compatibility with existing and new tools without additional contacts, enabling flexible data storage and transmission of parameters like charging cycles and operating states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If electrical coding with resistors is used in the rechargeable battery pack, then compatibility information can be provided to the hand-held power tool and charging device, but additional contacts are required which increase device complexity and limit the number of distinguishable codings due to measurement accuracy constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the coding element (resistor) with existing contact elements in the battery pack interface. Instead of adding separate coding contacts, the invention uses the same contact elements that are already present for electrical connection, thereby merging the coding function with the power transmission function and avoiding additional contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact elements serve dual purposes: they provide both the electrical connection for power transmission and the electrical path for reading the coding resistor value. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated coding contacts while still transmitting battery pack information to the tool or charging device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple coding resistors are used to provide different parameter sets, then more battery pack types can be identified, but the number of distinguishable codings is limited by measurement accuracy and resistor corruption can lead to misinterpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The hand-held power tool or charging device actively measures the resistance value of the coding resistor and uses this feedback to identify the battery pack type. The system continuously monitors the resistance value during the connection phase and adjusts its operation based on the identified battery pack characteristics, ensuring reliable operation even with variations in resistor values.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to tolerate一定程度的resistor value variation and potential corruption by implementing robust measurement and identification algorithms. The power tool or charging device uses predefined resistance value ranges to identify battery pack types, providing a margin of error that cushions against resistor corruption or manufacturing variations.
3Productivity
If conventional charging devices and hand-held power tools are specially configured for specific battery pack geometry and power data, then optimal performance is achieved, but compatibility with other battery pack types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The power tool or charging device dynamically adapts its operation based on the identified battery pack type. After measuring the coding resistor value and identifying the battery pack characteristics, the system adjusts its charging parameters, current limits, and operational settings in real-time to optimize performance for the specific battery pack connected, rather than being fixed to a single configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery pack including at least one interface for establishing a mechanical and/or electrical connection of the rechargeable battery pack to a hand-held power tool and/or a charging device. The interface includes contact elements for the electrical and/or mechanical contacting of corresponding contact elements on the hand-held power tool and/or corresponding contact elements on the charging device, at least one contact element being a signal contact element electrically connected to a coding element. The rechargeable battery pack also includes a rechargeable battery pack electronics system configured for providing information regarding the rechargeable battery pack via the signal contact element, and storing at least in part in the coding element, and a microcontroller connected to the rechargeable battery pack electronics system in such a way that the microcontroller detects when information is called up at the signal contact element by a hand-held power tool and/or by a charging device.