Abstract:
Electrical contacts in the battery compartment of a device will permit a battery to be inserted with the “+” pole of the battery against either one of the two contacts, with the “−” pole of the battery positioned against the other contact. A polarity-sensing circuit detects the battery&#39;s orientation. If a first orientation is detected, i.e., the “+” pole of the battery is touching Contact “A” and the “−” pole of the battery is touching Contact “B”, the polarity-sensing circuit mode-of-operation  1  will be selected. If the second orientation is detected, i.e., the “+” pole of the battery is touching Contact “B” and the “−” pole of the battery is touching Contact “A”, mode-of-operation  2  will be selected. A bridge rectifier, downstream from the polarity sensor, can ensure that the other circuits in the device receive power that is polarized correctly regardless of battery orientation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed toward battery-powered devices, and more specifically for controlling the operating mode of a battery-powered device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Battery polarity identification circuits are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,143 is directed toward an automatic battery polarity identification circuit having a first electroplate and a second electroplate adapted for receiving two opposite ends of a battery. The circuit further comprises a capacitor having a first end and a second end, and at least one relay, each of the at least one relay having a coil, the coil having a first end connected to the first end of the capacitor and a second end, a second fixed contact and a third fixed contact connected between the first electroplate and the second end of the coil, the first fixed contact and a fourth fixed contact connected to the second electrode. 
     SUMMARY 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is generally directed toward reconfiguration of a device, such as a battery-powered device, based on the manner in which a battery(s) is installed. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the electrical contacts in the battery compartment of the device will permit the battery to be inserted with the “+” pole of the battery against either one of the two contacts, with the “−” pole of the battery positioned against the other contact. A polarity-sensing circuit detects the battery&#39;s orientation. If a first orientation is detected, i.e., where the “+” pole of the battery is touching Contact A and “−” pole of the battery is touching Contact B, the polarity-sensing circuit mode-of-operation  1  will be selected. If the second orientation is detected, i.e., the “+” pole of the battery is touching Contact B and the “−” pole of the battery is touching Contact A, polarity-sensing circuit mode-of-operation  2  will be selected. A bridge rectifier, downstream from the polarity sensor, can ensure that the other circuits in the device continue to receive power that is polarized correctly regardless of battery orientation. 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the polarity detection mechanism and bridge rectifier can be implemented with no moving parts, rather than an electro-mechanical switch as the user interface for selecting between available modes-of-operation. 
     Different constructs of the device allow different types of polarity detectors to be used, along with different configurations of polarity detectors with, for example, the ability to activate a low battery indicator upon the inability to, for example, detect current. 
     Still further exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to the ability to switch a device, illustratively a telephone handset between a first mode of operation (e.g., a “press to amplify” mode) and a second mode of operation (e.g., a “press to talk” mode) based on battery orientation. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the invention also relate to the ability to switch a device, such as a toy, or in general any device, between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation based on battery orientation. 
     Additional aspects of the invention relate to the ability to control the mode of operation of a portion of a device based on the polarity sensing circuit(s) while not affecting the mode of operation of another portion of the device. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. The embodiments and configurations herein are neither complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative configuration of the battery orientation operational control circuit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a third exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a fourth exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart outlining an exemplary method for operating a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating an alternative exemplary embodiment for operating a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating another method for operating a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in relation to a battery orientation operational control circuit and associated components. However, it should be appreciated that in general, the systems and methods of this invention work well in a plurality of environments, including AC, DC, and can be extended to include one or more batteries. In multi-battery configurations, the batteries themselves may be in series, in parallel, or a combination of the two. 
     Exemplary systems and methods of this invention will also be described in relation to basic power supply type circuitry and associated hardware. However, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention, the following description omits well-known structures, components and devices that may be shown in block diagram form, are well known or are otherwise summarized. 
     For purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated however that the present invention may be practiced in a variety of ways beyond the specific details set forth herein. 
     The term module as used herein can refer to any known or later developed hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof that is capable of performing the functionality associated with that element. The terms determine, calculate and compute, and variations thereof, as used herein are used interchangeably and include any type of methodology, process, mathematical operation or technique. Further, it is to be noted that the term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” can be used interchangeably. As used herein, “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit  100  according to this invention. The battery orientation operational control circuit  100  comprises a battery  110 , a polarity detector  120 , a bridge rectifier  130  and a device  140 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the battery  100  is oriented in a first direction. In this first orientation, the polarity detector  120  detects the battery orientation and, with the cooperation of the polarity detector  120 , outputs a polarity detection signal. In this particular embodiment, with the battery in this first orientation, the polarity detection circuit  120  outputs a polarity detection signal indicating the battery is in “Orientation  1 .” This polarity detection signal can be used to control the operational mode of the device  140  based on the battery&#39;s orientation. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the battery  110  is in a second orientation. Similar to the operation of  FIG. 1 , the polarity detector  120  detects the orientation of the battery  110  and outputs a polarity detection signal, which in this case indicates the operational mode should be in accordance with “Orientation  2 ” based on the change in polarity of the battery  110 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates another alternative embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit  300 . The battery orientation operational control circuit  300  comprises a battery  310 , a polarity detector  320 , a bridge rectifier  330 , a switch  340 , polarity detection signals  350  and device  360 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the battery  310  is oriented in a first position, which corresponds to Operating Mode  1 . More specifically, the polarity detector  320  detects the battery orientation and outputs a polarity detection signal which is forwarded to switch  340 . The polarity detection signal controls the switch  340  to select between Operating Mode  1  and Operating Mode  2 . Thus, since the battery  310  is in a first orientation, the polarity detection signal switches the switch  340  to position “ 1 ” which subsequently outputs or selects Operating Mode  1  of, for example, device  360 . It should be appreciated however, that while the selection of operational mode is discussed in relation to, for example, device  360 , the operating mode control signal can be used to control any one or more devices (not shown) and is not limited to device  360 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit  400 . The battery orientation operational control circuit  400  comprises a battery  410 , a first polarity detection circuit including current detector  420 , diode  430  and resistor  440 , a second polarity detection circuit including resistor  450 , diode  460  and current detector  470 , bridge rectifier  480 , switch  485  and device  490 . The battery orientation operational control circuit  400  can also optionally include a low battery indicator module  495 . 
     In operation, current is detected at one of the current detectors  420  and  470 . Depending on where current is detected, one of the current detectors  420  and  470  outputs a polarity detection signal,  402  and  404 , respectively. If current is detected at current detector  420 , the current detector  420  outputs the polarity detection signal  402  to switch  485 . The polarity detection signal  402  enables the switch  485  to select Operating Mode  1  which corresponds to a first operational mode of device  490 . 
     If current is detected at the second current detector  470 , the polarity detection signal  404  is output to switch  485 . In this case, polarity detection signal  404  switches switch  485  to select Operating Mode  2  which corresponds to a second operational mode of device  490 . 
     The battery orientation operational control circuit  400  can also include a low battery indicator module  495 . The low battery indicator module  495  can be connected to outputs of the current detectors  420  and  47 . In the event that neither current detector is producing an output, the low battery indicator module  495  can provide an indication that the battery  410  is low on power. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of a battery orientation operational control circuit  500 . The battery orientation operational control circuit  500  comprises a battery  510 , a current detector  520 , one or more resistors  530  (which, similar to the other embodiments, can optionally be placed on one or more sides of the diode), diode  535 , bridge rectifier  540 , switch  550  and device  560 . In operation, a determination is made whether current is detected at the current detector  520 . In this particular configuration, with the battery  510  oriented in a first direction, current will not be detected at current detector  520 . However, when the battery orientation is switched, current will be detected at current detector  520  and a corresponding polarity detection signal  502  output to switch  550 . The polarity detection signal  502  controls the switch such that if current is detected, switch  550  is in an open position (which may correspond to Operating Mode  1 ) and if no current is detected, switch  550  switches to a closed position, which for example, corresponds to Operating Mode  2  of device  560 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary mode of operation of a battery operational control circuit. In particular, control begins in step S 600  and continues to step S 610 . In step S 610 , battery orientation is detected. Next, in step S 620 , a polarity detection signal is output. Then, in step S 630 , a determination is made which operational mode the battery orientation operational control circuit should operate in. If a first polarity detection signal is detected, battery orientation operational control circuit operates in mode  1  (step S 650 ) with control continuing step S 660  where the control sequence ends. 
     If a second polarity detection signal is detected, the battery orientation operational control circuit operates in mode  2  (step S 640 ) with control continuing to step S 660  where the control sequence ends. 
       FIG. 7  outlines a second exemplary method of operation of a battery orientation operational control circuit. In particular, control begins at step S 700  and continues to step S 710 . 
     In step S 710 , current at one of a plurality of current detectors is detected. Next, in step S 720 , a polarity detection signal is output from the current detector where the current is detected. 
     In step S 730 , a determination is made whether current has been detected at a first current detector. If current has been detected, control continues to step S 770  where the control signal places the device into a first mode of operation. However, if no current is detected, control continues to step S 740  where a determination is made whether current is detected at the second current detector. If current is detected at the second current detector, control continues to step S 760  where the control signal places the device in a second mode of operation, with control continuing to step S 780 . 
     If current is not detected at the second detector, optional step  750  can activate a low battery indicator with control continuing to step S 780  where the control sequence ends. 
     As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the detection of current in many devices is not a simple yes/no test of whether an electrical current is present, but is instead a determination of whether the current in the circuit exceeds a threshold value. For this reason, the detection of current, as described in this application, is intended to include cases in which there is no current as well as cases in which the current must exceed a non-zero value in order to be regarded as detected. 
       FIG. 8  outlines another exemplary embodiment of controlling a battery orientation operational control circuit according to this invention. Control begins at S 800  and continues to step S 810 . In step S 810 , a determination is made whether current is detected. If current is not detected, control continues to step S 820  where the device operates in a second mode of operation with control continue to step S 850  where the control sequence ends. 
     Alternatively, if current is detected, control continues to step S 830  where a polarity detection signal is output. In step S 840 , this polarity detection signal is used to place the device in a first mode of operation with control continuing to step S 850  where the control sequence ends. 
     The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost of implementation. 
     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing description for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the embodiments of the invention may be combined in alternate embodiments other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     Moreover, though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.