Patent ID: 8575895

Claim:
A method for rated voltage detection and charging of an electric battery, said method comprising the steps of: connecting the electric battery to a power source; measuring a terminal voltage of the electric battery having a rated voltage being one of a first rated voltage and a second rated voltage, said first rated voltage being less than said second rated voltage; comparing said terminal voltage to a number of threshold voltages between a minimum threshold DC voltage V MIN and a maximum threshold DC voltage V MAX ; determining a condition of the electric battery based on a comparison of said terminal voltage to said threshold voltages, said condition of the electric battery being one of ready to charge and fault; determining that said rated voltage of the electric battery being said second rated voltage if said determined condition of the electric battery being ready to charge; conducting a pre-charge process if said determined condition of the electric battery is neither ready to charge nor fault; determining said rated voltage of the electric battery based on a response to said pre-charge process; and charging the electric battery according to said rated voltage determined in the preceding step.