Patent ID: 6937947

Claim:
A method in a battery charger for charging a battery, said method comprising the steps of: providing a controller within said battery charger, said controller capable of responding to interrupts and capable of being coupled to a processor that is external to said battery charger utilizing a bus interface that is included in said controller; monitoring, using said controller, battery characteristics of said battery during normal non-charging battery operation and during charging of said battery; maintaining, within status registers in said controller, during said normal operation of said battery, detailed status information including said battery characteristics; maintaining, within said status registers, during charging of said battery, said detailed status information and an identification of a current charging method; starting a measurement cycle; during said measurement cycle: determining current battery characteristics utilizing said battery charger; determining, utilizing said controller, at a start of said measurement cycle, prior to beginning charging or altering said current charging method of said battery, said current charging method of said battery by reading said status registers, utilizing by said controller, said determined battery characteristics and said determined current charging method to determine an appropriate charging method for said battery; and causing, utilizing said controller, said battery charger to charge said battery utilizing said appropriate charging method.