Patent ID: 7227337
Filing Date: 2007-06-05
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
1. A battery charger comprising: a regulator for receiving an input voltage and supplying a regulated supply of DC voltage at its output, said regulator configured to selectively connect said input voltage to at least one battery terminal under the control of a pulse width modulated (PWM) drive signal; at least one charging circuit for charging a battery cell, said at least one charging circuit electrically coupled to said regulator, said at least one charging circuit comprising; at least one pair of battery terminals adapted to be coupled to a battery cell; at least one switching device serially coupled to said at least one pair of battery terminals for selectively connecting and disconnecting said pair of terminals from said charging circuit forming a charging circuit; and a microprocessor operatively coupled to said at least one pair of battery terminals for monitoring one or more characteristics of said battery cell under charge and selectively controlling the switching device as a function of one or more charge termination functions, said microprocessor also configured to generate a PWM drive signal for controlling said regulator as a function of said one or more characteristics of said battery cell and selectively causing said input voltage to be connected to said at least one battery terminal.