U.S. patent number RE40,663 [Application Number 11/429,638] was granted by the patent office on 2009-03-17 for digital battery.
This patent grant is currently assigned to DeNovo Research, LLC. Invention is credited to Martin S. Silverman.
United States Patent |
RE40,663 |
Silverman |
March 17, 2009 |
Digital battery
Abstract
A dynamic battery array of .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
.Iaddend.cells, controllably interconnected for instantaneous
dynamic configuration into a plurality of individual power buses
having different electrical power output characteristics, each of
which is tailored to supply the electrical power required at the
instant by a particular electrical load within a circuit.
Preferably the cells are fungible and randomly available so that at
any given instant any given cell can be poweringly associated with
a particular electrical load. The dynamic battery array, consisting
of discrete cells lends itself to mounting on physically flexible
substrates such as credit cards. The programmable array employs low
resistance switch arrays for dynamically and instantaneously
forming individual power networks or power buses between selected
power cells and individual electrical loads in electrical circuits.
The circuits to which such battery arrays are applied are generally
complex circuits in which several different loads occur, each of
which has a different power requirement.
Inventors: |
Silverman; Martin S.
(Camarillo, CA) |
Assignee: |
DeNovo Research, LLC
(Camarillo, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
23285495 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/429,638 |
Filed: |
May 4, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
60329459 |
Oct 11, 2001 |
|
|
|
Reissue of: |
10269802 |
Oct 11, 2002 |
06731022 |
May 4, 2004 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
307/43; 307/48;
307/150; 307/140; 307/139 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M
50/50 (20210101); H01M 10/0436 (20130101); H01M
10/4257 (20130101); H01M 6/40 (20130101); H01M
10/425 (20130101); H02J 7/0021 (20130101); H02J
7/0013 (20130101); H01M 10/4207 (20130101); H02J
7/005 (20200101); Y02E 60/10 (20130101); H01M
6/5016 (20130101); H01M 10/44 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H02J
7/34 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;307/43,48,139,140,150 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Deberadinis; Robert L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jagger; Bruce A.
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATIONS
.[.The.]. .Iadd.This application is a Reissue Application of U.S.
Ser. No. 10/269,802, filed Oct. 11, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No.
6,731,022, granted May 4, 2004, for which the .Iaddend.benefit of
Provisional Application Serial No. 60/329,459, filed Oct. 11, 2001
is claimed.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A digital battery comprising: a substrate that is incapable of
producing electrical energy; a plurality of discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.cells supported in an array
by said substrate.[., individual ones of said cells being capable
of providing electrical energy.]. , said array being electrically
interconnected through an electrical interconnection system, said
electrical interconnection system being .[.changeably.].
.Iadd.dynamically .Iaddend.configurable responsive to signals from
an interconnection controller; an .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic
.Iaddend.circuit operatively connected to said array, said
.[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic .Iaddend.circuit including at
least two .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads that require different
electrical energy conditions, said interconnection controller being
adapted to .Iadd.dynamically .Iaddend.configure said electrical
interconnection system so that individual ones of said plurality of
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.cells are
interconnected to provide each of said two .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.loads with the required different electrical energy
conditions.Iadd., whereby the electrical energy condition of the
electrical energy supplied through said electrical interconnection
system is dynamically tailored to the individual requirements of
the respective electrical loads.Iaddend..
2. A digital battery comprising: a physically flexible substrate
that is incapable of producing electrical energy; a plurality of
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.cells supported in
an array by said substrate.[., individual ones of said cells being
capable of providing electrical power.]. , said array being
.Iadd.dynamically and .Iaddend.electrically interconnected through
a semiconductor switch array; an electrical circuit operatively
connected to said array, said electrical circuit including at least
two .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads that require different
instantaneous electrical energy conditions, said semiconductor
switch array interconnecting said individual ones of said
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.cells to provide
.Iadd.at least .Iaddend.each of said two .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.loads with the required different .Iadd.instantaneous
.Iaddend.electrical energy conditions.Iadd., whereby the
instantaneous electrical energy condition of the electrical energy
is dynamically tailored to the individual requirements of the
respective electrical loads.Iaddend..
3. A process of forming a digital battery comprising: selecting a
substrate that is incapable of producing electrical energy; forming
a plurality of discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.cells
supported in an array by said substrate, .[.individual ones of said
cells being capable of providing electrical energy,.]. said array
being .Iadd.dynamically and .Iaddend.electrically interconnected
through an electrical interconnection system; providing an
electrical circuit operatively connected to said array, said
electrical circuit including at least two .[.components.].
.Iadd.electrical loads .Iaddend.that require different electrical
energy conditions, said electrical interconnection system
.Iadd.being adapted to dynamically .Iaddend.interconnecting
.Iadd.between .Iaddend.said individual ones of said .Iadd.discrete
electricity generating .Iaddend.cells .Iadd.and said electrical
loads .Iaddend.to provide .Iadd.at least .Iaddend.each of said two
.[.components.]. .Iadd.electrical loads .Iaddend.with the required
different electrical energy conditions.Iadd., whereby the
electrical energy condition of the provided electrical energy is
dynamically tailored to the individual requirements of the
individual electrical loads.Iaddend..
4. A complex electronic device including a plurality of
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells, said complex electronic device comprising: a
plurality of individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads
.Iadd.different ones of which require electrical energy with
different parameters.Iaddend.; a plurality of .[.power.].
.Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.conductive paths conductively.Iadd.,
dynamically, .Iaddend.and selectively associatable with each of
said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells and each of said individual .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.loads; a plurality of semiconductor switches operatively
associated with said plurality of .[.power.]. .Iadd.electrically
.Iaddend.conductive paths, said semiconductor switches being
adapted to substantially dynamically .[.selecting.]. .Iadd.select
.Iaddend.at least one of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells to form .[.a power
selection, and to form said power selection into an individual
power.]. .Iadd.a first instantaneous individual electrical
.Iaddend.bus for one of said individual .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.loads.Iadd., and to substantially dynamically select at
least one of said discrete electricity generating power cells to
form at least a second instantaneous individual electrical bus for
a second of said individual electrical loads, whereby respective
individual electrical loads are dynamically connected through
instantaneous individual electrical buses to generally separate
sub-sets of said discrete electricity generating power cells to
provide such respective individual electrical loads with electrical
energy having the parameters required for the operation of such
respective individual electrical loads at the moment.Iaddend..
5. A complex electronic device of claim 4 wherein said
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells are selected randomly from said plurality of
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells to form said .[.power selection.].
.Iadd.individual electrical buses.Iaddend..
6. A complex electronic device of claim 4 including a programmable
switch array, said programmable switch array including said
semiconductor switches.
7. A system comprising: a power array, said power array including a
plurality of separate .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power generating
cells; an electronic circuit, said electronic circuit including at
least first and second .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads, said first
and second .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads requiring
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power for their operation, the
.Iadd.parameters of the electrical .Iaddend.power required to
operate said first .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.load being different
from the .Iadd.parameters of the electrical .Iaddend.power required
to operate said second .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.load; and a
programmable switch array between said power array and said
electronic circuit, said programmable switch array being adapted to
dynamically forming individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power
buses between .Iadd.sub-sets of said electrical power generating
cells in .Iaddend.said power array and .[.each of said first and
second.]. .Iadd.respective ones of said electrical .Iaddend.loads,
.[.said individual power buses being formed from said separate
power generating cells, substantially all of.]. said separate
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power generating cells being
substantially instantaneously fungible between said individual
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power buses.Iadd., whereby the parameters
of the electrical power supplied by said individual electrical
power buses are dynamically tailored to the individual requirements
of the individual electrical loads.Iaddend..
8. A system of claim 7 wherein said programmable switch array
includes a plurality of semiconductor switches, said semiconductor
switches have an ON resistance of less than approximately .[.0.5.].
.Iadd.0.01 .Iaddend.ohms.
9. A system of claim 7 wherein said power array includes enough of
said separate .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power generating cells to
provide a plurality of normally spare separate .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.power generating cells.
10. A system of claim 7 wherein .[.said electronic circuit includes
more than two loads and the power requirements of each of said
loads is different.]. .Iadd.substantially all of said separate
electrical power generating cells are substantially instantaneously
fungible between said individual electrical power
buses.Iaddend..
11. A system of claim 7 wherein .Iadd.at least some of
.Iaddend.said .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power generating cells are
electrochemical cells.
12. A system of claim 7 wherein said system is mounted on a
physically flexible substrate.
13. A method of providing instantaneous individual .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.power buses for .Iadd.different electrical .Iaddend.loads
in an electronic circuit comprising: selecting a power array
including a plurality of .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells; selecting a said electronic circuit including
a plurality of .Iadd.said electrical .Iaddend.loads, said loads
requiring .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power for their
operation.Iadd., and at least one of said electrical loads
differing from at least one other of said electrical loads in
requiring at least one different electrical parameter in the
electrical energy required for operation;.Iaddend. dynamically
selecting at least a first said .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cell from said power array, and poweringly
associating said first .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power
cell with a first of said .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads to form a
first .Iadd.individual electrical .Iaddend.power bus; and
dynamically selecting at least a second said .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cell from said power array, and
poweringly associating said second .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cell with a second of said .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.loads to form a second .Iadd.individual electrical
.Iaddend.power bus, .[.all of the.]. said .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells on said first .Iadd.individual
electrical .Iaddend.power bus being different from the said
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells on said second
.Iadd.individual electrical .Iaddend.power bus, said forming of
said first and second .Iadd.individual electrical .Iaddend.power
buses including establishing electrical connections using
semiconductor switches having an ON resistance of less than
approximately 0.5 ohms, and said semiconductor switches being
actuated to establish said electrical connections responsive to
control signals generated by a programmable switch array.Iadd.,
whereby the parameters of the electrical energy supplied by said
individual electrical power buses are dynamically tailored to the
individual requirements of the individual electrical
loads.Iaddend..
14. A complex electronic device of claim 13 including a plurality
of said semiconductor switches operatively associated with said
plurality of individual said .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power buses,
said semiconductor switches being adapted to substantially
dynamically forming said individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power
buses from said individual .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells and maintaining at least one .[.power.].
.Iadd.electrical energy .Iaddend.characteristic on at least one of
said individual power .[.busses.]. .Iadd.buses .Iaddend.at
substantially a predetermined value by substantially
instantaneously switching individual .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells into and out of said one individual
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus.
15. An .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic .Iaddend.device
comprising: a plurality of .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
.Iaddend.power cells; a plurality of individual .[.electric.].
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads .Iadd.in a complex electronic
circuit, including at least first and second individual electrical
loads that require electrical energy with different parameters such
that if said first and second individual electrical loads were to
both be supplied with electrical energy having the same parameters
at least one of said first and second individual electrical loads
would require that the parameters of the electrical energy so
supplied be adjusted by at least one electrical energy conditioning
component to the different parameters required by said at least one
individual electrical load.Iaddend.; a plurality of semiconductor
.[.switcher.]. .Iadd.switches .Iaddend.adapted to substantially
simultaneously and instantaneously poweringly associating at least
a first of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.power
cells with .[.a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.first .[.of said.].
individual electrical .[.loads.]. .Iadd.load .Iaddend.and at least
a second of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.power
cells with .[.a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.second .[.of said.].
individual electrical .[.loads.]. .Iadd.load.Iaddend., at least
said first and second .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
.Iaddend.power cells being substantially fungible between said
first and second individual electrical loads.Iadd., whereby said
one individual electrical load is provided with electrical energy
having the parameters such one individual electrical load requires
without using said electrical energy conditioning
component.Iaddend..
16. An .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic .Iaddend.device of claim
15, substantially all of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
.Iaddend.power cells being substantially fungible between
substantially all of said individual .[.electric.].
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.loads.
17. An .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic .Iaddend.device of claim
15, said plurality of semiconductor switches being adapted to
substantially instantaneously poweringly associating at least two
of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.power cells with
.[.a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.first .[.of said.]. individual
electrical .[.loads.]. .Iadd.load.Iaddend..
18. A method of powering an .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic
.Iaddend.device comprising: selecting a plurality of
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells; selecting a plurality of individual
electrical loads in said .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic
.Iaddend.device.Iadd., including at least first and second
individual electrical loads that require electrical energy with
different parameters such that if said first and second individual
electrical loads were to both be supplied with electrical energy
having the same parameters at least one of said first and second
individual electrical loads would require that the parameters of
the electrical energy so supplied be adjusted by using at least one
electrical energy conditioning component to form electrical energy
having the different parameters required by said at least one
individual electrical load.Iaddend.; selecting a plurality of
actuatable semiconductor switches, said plurality of semiconductor
switches being .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus formingly
associated between said plurality of .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and said
plurality of individual electrical loads; actuating said plurality
of actuatable semiconductor switches; and allowing at least first
and second individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power .[.busses.].
.Iadd.buses .Iaddend.to .[.substantially instantaneously and
simultaneously.]. .Iadd.dynamically .Iaddend.form, said first
individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus being between at
least a first of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells and .[.a.]. .Iadd.said
.Iaddend.first .[.of said.]. individual electrical .[.loads.].
.Iadd.load.Iaddend., and said second individual .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.power bus being between .[.as.]. .Iadd.at .Iaddend.least a
second of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells and .[.a.]. .Iadd.said
.Iaddend.second .[.of said.]. individual electrical .[.loads.].
.Iadd.load, whereby said one individual electrical load is provided
with electrical energy having said different parameters said one
electrical load requires without using said electrical energy
conditioning component.Iaddend..
19. A method of claim 18 including allowing at least said first
individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus to form between at
least two of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells and said first individual
electrical load.
20. A method of claim 18 including allowing .[.at least three of
said individual power busses to.]. .Iadd.said first and second
individual electrical power buses to substantially instantaneously
and simultaneously .Iaddend.form.
21. A method of powering an .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic
.Iaddend.device comprising: selecting a plurality of
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells; selecting a plurality of individual
electrical loads in said .[.electrical.]. .Iadd.electronic
.Iaddend.device; selecting a plurality of actuatable semiconductor
switches, said plurality of semiconductor switches being
dynamically .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus formingly
associated between said plurality of .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and said
plurality of individual electrical loads; actuating said plurality
of actuatable semiconductor switches; allowing at least first and
second individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power .[.busses.].
.Iadd.buses .Iaddend.to dynamically and substantially
instantaneously and simultaneously form, said first individual
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus being between at least a first
and second of said .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells and a first of said individual
electrical loads, and said second individual .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.power bus being between at least a third one of said
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells and a second of said individual electrical
loads, said first individual .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power bus having first instantaneous .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy characteristics and said second .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.power bus having second instantaneous .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy characteristics, said first and second
instantaneous .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy characteristics
being different from one another .Iadd.at least as to
voltage.Iaddend.; and establishing said first and second
instantaneous .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy characteristics
.[.at desired values.]. by dynamically adding and removing said
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells to said first and second individual
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power .[.busses.].
.Iadd.buses.Iaddend..
22. An electrical device comprising: a substrate, said substrate
being populated by a plurality of discrete .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells, .[.and.]. .Iadd.said
.Iaddend.discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells
being distributed about and integrated with said substrate; a
plurality of electrical modules .[.mounted on.]. .Iadd.supported by
.Iaddend.and distributed about said substrate.Iadd., said
electrical modules requiring electrical energy for their
operation.Iaddend., the .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy
requirements for the operation of at least a first of such
electrical modules being different from the .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy requirements for the operation of a second of said
modules .Iadd.at least as to voltage.Iaddend.; a switch array
adapted to substantially instantaneously .Iadd.electrically
.Iaddend.poweringly associating at least a first of said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells with said first
electrical module and at least a second of said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells with said second
electrical module, said switch array being adapted to dynamically
.Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.re-poweringly associating said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells with said
electrical modules responsive to at least changes in said
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy requirements.
23. An electrical device of claim 22 wherein a sub-group of said
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells is
physically positioned next to a sub-group of said electrical
modules .[.on said substrate.]. , and said switch array is adapted
to preferentially .Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.poweringly
associating said sub-group of discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells with said-sub-group of electrical modules.
24. An electrical device of claim 22 wherein said substrate
includes at least first and second physical areas, at least first
and second .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cell
sub-groups, and at least first and second electrical module
sub-groups, each of said first and second .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cell sub-groups being composed of at
least two of said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells, each of said first and second electrical
module sub-groups being composed of at least one of said electrical
modules, and first .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cell
sub-group and said first electrical module sub-group being
physically located in said first physical area of said substrate,
and said switch array being adapted to preferentially
.Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.poweringly associating said first
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cell sub-group with
said first electrical module sub-group.
25. A method of .Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.powering an electrical
device comprising: selecting a plurality of .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells, said
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells being
.[.integral with.]. .Iadd.supported by .Iaddend.a substrate;
selecting a plurality of individual electrical loads in said
electrical device, said individual electrical loads resulting from
the operation of electrical components .[.mounted on.].
.Iadd.supported by .Iaddend.said substrate; selecting a plurality
of actuatable semiconductor switches, said actuatable semiconductor
switches having ON resistances of less than about 0.5 ohms, said
plurality of semiconductor switches being dynamically
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus formingly associated between
said plurality of .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells and .Iadd.said .Iaddend.plurality
of individual electrical loads; actuating said plurality of
actuatable semiconductor switches; allowing at least first and
second individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power .[.busses.].
.Iadd.buses .Iaddend.to dynamically and substantially
instantaneously form, said .[.firsts.]. .Iadd.first
.Iaddend.individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus being
between at least a first and second of said .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and a
first of said individual electrical loads, and said second
individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus being between at
least a third .Iadd.one .Iaddend.of said .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and a
second of said individual electrical loads, said first individual
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power bus having first instantaneous
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy characteristics, and said second
.Iadd.individual electrical .Iaddend.power bus having second
instantaneous .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy characteristics,
said first and second instantaneous .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy characteristics being different from one another
and changing over time; and establishing said first and second
instantaneous .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy characteristics at
desired values by dynamically adding and removing said
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells from time to time to said first and second
individual .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.power .[.busses.].
.Iadd.buses.Iaddend..
26. A method of claim 25 wherein said plurality of actuatable
semiconductor switches includes semiconductor switches ganged in
parallel to reduce the total ON resistance of said included
semiconductor switches to less than about 0.5 ohms.
27. An electrical device of claim 26 wherein said first and second
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and said
first and second electrical modules are completely embedded within
said substrate between .[.said.]. opposed external surfaces
.Iadd.of said substrate.Iaddend..
28. An electrical device of claim 26 wherein substantially all of
said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and
electrical modules are completely embedded within said substrate
between .[.said.]. opposed external surfaces .Iadd.of said
substrate.Iaddend..
29. An electrical device comprising: a substrate, said substrate
having a thickness between opposed external surfaces and being
populated by a plurality of .[.Discrete.]. .Iadd.discrete
electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells, said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells being distributed
about and .[.integrated with.]. .Iadd.supported by .Iaddend.said
substrate, and at least some of such discrete .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells being at .[.lest.]. .Iadd.least
.Iaddend.partially embedded within said substrate between said
opposed .[.exrernal.]. .Iadd.external .Iaddend.surfaces; a
plurality of electrical modules .[.mounted on.]. .Iadd.supported by
.Iaddend.and distributed about said substrate, at least some of
said electrical modules being at least partially embedded within
said substrate between said opposed external surfaces, said
electrical modules having .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy
requirements for their operation, and the .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy requirements for operating a first of said
electrical modules being different from the .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy requirements for operating a second of said
electrical modules; a switch array adapted to substantially
instantaneously .Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.poweringly associating
at least a first of said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells with said first electrical module and at least
a second of said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells with said second electrical module, said
switch array being adapted to dynamically .Iadd.electrically
.Iaddend.re-poweringly associating said discrete .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells with said electrical modules
responsive to changes in said .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy
requirements or said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells.
30. An electrical device comprising: a substrate, said substrate
being physically flexible and being populated by a plurality of
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells, said
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells being
capable of generating .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy and being
distributed about and .[.integrated with.]. .Iadd.supported by
.Iaddend.said substrate, said substrate having at least first and
second areas, said first area comprising at least about 8 such
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells per
square inch; a plurality of electrical modules .[.mounted on.].
.Iadd.supported by .Iaddend.and distributed about said substrate,
said electrical modules having .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy
requirements for their operation, and the .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy requirements for operating a first of said
electrical modules being different from the .Iadd.electrical
.Iaddend.energy requirements for operating a second of said
electrical modules; a switch array adapted to substantially
instantaneously .Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.poweringly associating
at least a first of said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells with said first electrical module and at least
a second of said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating
.Iaddend.power cells with said second electrical module, said
switch array being adapted to dynamically re-poweringly associating
said discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells
with said electrical modules responsive to changes in said
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy requirements or in the
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy .[.generation of.].
.Iadd.generated by .Iaddend.said discrete .Iadd.electricity
generating .Iaddend.power cells.
31. An electrical device of claim 30 wherein at least some of said
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells and
electrical modules are located substantially between opposed
external surfaces of said substrate.
32. An electrical device of claim 30 wherein said substrate has an
unbent length and said substrate is adapted to being repeatedly
bent to a height such that the ratio of the height of the bent
substrate to the unbent length is approximately 0.2 without
substantially impairing the integrity or connectivity of said
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells.
33. An electrical device comprising: a substrate comprising at
least a first area, said substrate being populated by a plurality
of discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells, said
discrete .Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells being
distributed about and integrated with said substrate, and said
first area having at least about 8 of said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells per square inch;
a plurality of electrical modules .[.mounted on.]. .Iadd.supported
by .Iaddend.and distributed about said substrate, the
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy requirements for the operation of
at least a first of such electrical modules being different from
the .Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy requirements for the operation
of a second of said modules; a switch array adapted to
substantially instantaneously .Iadd.electrically
.Iaddend.poweringly associating at least first of said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells with said first
electrical module at least a second of said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells with said second
electrical module, said switch array being adapted to dynamically
.Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.re-poweringly associating said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells with said
electrical modules responsive to at least changes in said
.Iadd.electrical .Iaddend.energy requirements.
34. An electrical device of claim 33 wherein said discrete
.Iadd.electricity generating .Iaddend.power cells are
electrochemical cells and the components of at least some of said
electrochemical cells are under pressure.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to battery arrays, and, in
particular, to self healing dynamically configurable battery arrays
that are capable of forming a plurality instantaneous power buses,
each of which is configured to the electrical power requirements of
specific components or modules (loads) of an electrical circuit,
sometimes referred to herein as a "digital battery" or a "dynamic
battery array".
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic devices are becoming more and more complex. Such complex
electronic devices typically contain a plurality of different
components or modules (loads), each of which has its own unique
voltage and current requirements. As used here, "load" includes
components, modules, separately powered elements of components, and
the like. Batteries typically supply power having a predetermined
nominal value to a common bus. Power for the individual components
is drawn from the common bus and passed through various power
conditioning components to provide each of the operative components
with the particular current and voltage values that the specific
component requires to perform its intended function.
Electrical circuits of all kinds and sizes, including electronic
circuits, require the application of electrical energy for their
operation. Batteries of one kind or another have long been used for
this purpose. Typically, such a battery provides an output with
relatively constant parameters such as, for example, voltage and
amperage. Generally, some effort is made to see that the values of
the battery output parameters remain substantially constant.
Electrical circuits are typically composed of several different
operating components and associated electrical energy conditioning
components. These different operating components often have
different voltage, amperage and other electrical energy parameter
requirements. Many of the components in the circuit are included
simply to adjust the various values of the output from the battery
to the values that are required by the individual operating
components. Much of the energy consumed by the circuit is consumed
by the electrical energy conditioning components that tailor the
output of the battery to the requirements of the various operating
components. Much of the expense and difficulty in the construction
of a circuit arises from the need for building in such energy
conditioning components that are needed only to tailor the output
of the battery to meet the requirements of the individual operating
components. The overall size and complexity of a circuit is
necessarily adjusted to accommodate the inclusion of these energy
conditioning components. The effort to miniaturize circuits is
hampered by the need for the inclusion of such energy conditioning
components in these miniaturized circuits. If these battery output
tailoring components could be eliminated great improvements could
be made in circuits of all sizes, purposes, and configurations.
Common failure modes of batteries in general are internal shorting
or formation of an open circuit. When battery cells are arranged in
a static array, the failure of one cell will generally change the
parameters of the electrical energy that can be provided by the
array. For example, if one of a set of parallel connected battery
cells is removed the amperage of the output drops. If one of a set
of series connected battery cells is removed the voltage of the
output drops. The failure of a cell through an open circuit may
completely disrupt the operation of the battery array (for example,
in a series arrangement of cells). The failure of a cell through
internal shorting may completely disrupt the operation of the
battery array. Each cell that fails or becomes partially
compromised changes the parameters further.
The operating components in an electrical circuit are generally
designed to operate under substantially constant energy parameters.
Thus, when the parameters of the output from the battery array
change, because of the loss or malfunction of a cell from the
battery array, the circuit either stops operating or performs
poorly. Various expedients have been proposed for solving this
problem. It has been proposed to lithographically fabricate a
battery layer that contains a plurality of individual batteries,
and a separate layer that contains a plurality of data processing
cells. The two layers are electrically insulated from one another,
and each data processing cell is electrically connected to its own
battery. See, for example, Norman U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,855.
Norman U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,855 proposes to provide fault tolerance
in the array of data processing cells by including redundant data
processing cells, automatically eliminating bad processing cells
from the circuit, and replacing them with spare cells. There is no
indication that any power conditioning components have been
eliminated from the circuits in Norman's data processing cells, or
that such elimination would be possible. Norman discloses a data
processing system comprising a monolithic redundant network of data
processing cells. It is suggested, inter alia, that the monolithic
structure could be in the form of a multilayered thin flexible
sheet approximately the size of a credit card. The data processing
cells in the network are interchangeable so that duplicate spare
cells may be used to provide redundancy. Each cell includes a
plurality of components such as, for example, a processor, memory,
and input/output means. It is suggested that each cell could also
have its own individual battery cell so that there would be full
redundancy at the cell level. That is, each data processing cell
should have its own individual battery cell in a one-to-one
relationship. The battery cells in the expedient proposed by Norman
are not fungible as between the data processing cells. This
one-to-one relationship would provide a common bus for all of the
power consuming components within a data processing cell. It is not
likely that all of the components within a cell will operate on the
same current and voltage levels. Any adjustment to the power output
of the battery cell, which a given component within the data
processing cell might require, would have to be provided by power
conditioning elements within the circuitry of that data processing
cell. It is also suggested by Norman that non-defective neighboring
cells in a specific region of the total network might be joined in
a power-sharing bus. Whether the proposed connection would be
serial or parallel is not clear. Such a common bus with multiple
interconnected battery cells would necessarily provide more current
or more voltage than a single battery cell could produce, so the
power available from a common bus would have different
characteristics from that provided from a single battery cell in a
single data processing cell. There is no indication as to how power
from a common bus could be utilized by individual cells that are
designed to run on the output of a single battery cell. Random
dynamic connectivity between the individual power consuming
components in any given data processing cell, so that each power
consuming component has its own individual dynamic fault tolerant
power bus is contrary to the teachings of Norman. There is no
teaching in Norman that each power consuming component within a
data processing cell should have its own individual power bus, and
there is no suggestion that there would be any advantage to such an
arrangement.
Various expedients had been proposed for providing a dynamic array
of battery cells. Harshe U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,002, for example,
proposed the use of a programmable battery array with a single
output power bus to address the problem of achieving a stable
overall voltage or current output despite varying loads and battery
charge conditions. Harshe proposes the use of a plurality of
discrete cells that are selectively connectable by mechanical
switches as the load varies so as to provide a stable output to a
single bus. Harshe does not address the problem of dynamically
tailoring voltage or current to the individual requirements of each
of a plurality of different electrical loads within a single
device. Harshe does not suggest that complex electronic devices can
be simplified by dynamically interconnecting an array of
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.power cells to
simultaneously supply different voltages and currents to separate
components or modules within a single complex device. Mechanical
switches such as those proposed by Harshe are adapted to
accommodating high power demand applications on a single bus. Such
high power demand applications are, as noted by Harshe, often
beyond the capacity of semiconductor switches. Harshe does not
suggest that by dynamically forming a plurality of power buses from
a single battery array it is possible to reduce the power that each
individual bus carries to levels where small, fast, efficient,
inexpensive and reliable semiconductor switches can handle the load
without recourse to mechanical switches. Mechanical switches do not
lend themselves to random dynamic configuration, that is, two
individual battery cells can not be selected at random and
electrically connected without regard to their physical locations.
The geometry of a mechanically switched battery array is confined
physically to what is required to accommodate the switches. Harshe
does not teach the provision of an individual power bus for each
load, which individual bus is formed instantaneously as required
from a plurality of power cells that are substantially fungible as
between individual power buses. Mechanical switches inherently
exhibit relatively slow response times as compared to solid state
devices. It is physically impossible to instantaneously reconfigure
multiple power .[.busses.]. .Iadd.buses .Iaddend.using mechanical
switches. Harshe's proposed array is not functional as a combined
serial-parallel array. If Harshe's proposed array were to in
someway be made functional in a combined serial-parallel
configuration, and a cell became defective, there is no disclosed
way of bypassing that cell on the serial side.
Fault tolerant distributed battery systems had been proposed
previously. See, for example, Hagen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,967.
Hagen et al. is directed to a distributed battery system, and
particularly the control system for such a battery system for
powering electrical vehicles. The load is typically an electric
motor, which is supplied from a common power bus. The objective of
Hagen et al. is to supply electrical power of predetermined
characteristics on a common bus.
The printing of electrochemical cells on flexible substrates had
been previously proposed. See, for example, Shadle et al. U.S. Pat.
No. 6,395,043. Bates et al. discloses a high energy density thin
film microbattery.
Programmable controllers for controlling the operation of multicell
battery power systems had been proposed. See, for example, Stewart
U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,558. Stewart discloses a plurality of
controlled battery modules on a common power supply bus. See also
Gartstein et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,131.
The use of one battery in an array of batteries to charge another
battery in the array is purportedly disclosed by Garbon U.S. Pat.
No. 5,914,585.
Rouillard et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,778 proposes a number of
electrochemical cells selectively interconnected in series or
parallel through an integrated interconnect board, and irrespective
of cell position. The voltage and current characteristics of the
overall assembly of cells are said to be alterable by altering the
configuration of the connecting pattern. Rouillard et al. discloses
a common bus system.
Conventional semiconductor switch arrays provide as many as several
million switches, each having several hundred input/output (I/O)
ports, all controlled by a central processor unit (CPU). Switching
times can be in the order of nanoseconds. Such conventional
semiconductor switch arrays, for example, gate arrays, are
programmable and include memory capacity. The ON resistance of the
semiconductor switches in such arrays can be in the order of a few
milliohms.
Power generating cells of various configurations and types are well
known. Electrochemical battery couples such as zinc-manganese
dioxide, zinc-silver oxide, lithium-cobalt oxide, nickel-cadmium,
nickel-metal hydride, metal-air, and the like, are known. Fuel cell
couples, such as hydrogen-oxygen, photovoltaic couples such as P
and N doped silicon, nuclear cells (P N or PIN junction with an
associated Beta particle emitter such as tritium), and the like are
known. Other electrical energy storage devices such as capacitors
or inductors (the combination comprises a "tank circuit") are
known. Energy transducers that produce electrical current or charge
such as, for example, a thermo voltaic cell (for example,
bimetallic couple), an inductive element, a capacitive element (for
example, a piezoelectric element), thermal, acoustic, vibration,
and the like actuated transducers, and radio frequency antenna
array to gather radio frequency energy are all known.
Conventional flat, planar or wafer type batteries, a single cell
(and its seals) extends across the entire areal projection of the
battery. Therefore, when the battery is flexed, the shear forces
are additive along the full length of the battery and cell.
Consequently, a considerable amount of shear force can be exerted
on the cell and its seals. This in turn can cause the cell and
battery to short, rupture and leak due to failure of the cell
seals, or damage to the battery separator, among other modes of
failure.
In a variety of conventional battery driven electrical circuits
different voltages and currents are required by the various
elements that make up the circuit. Conventional battery systems are
normally only capable of supplying nominally one voltage at one
maximum current, the variety of voltages and currents that are
required by the electrical device is provided by what is referred
to as "power conditioning", or "electrical energy conditioning"
devices. These devices alter or "condition" the voltage and current
(the electrical power) that is generated by the battery. These
conditioning devices can be "passive" such as resistors or "active"
such as a switching boost converter. The use of these devices is
inefficient in that they consume electrical energy to operate,
introduce expense (in terms of cost of purchase, as well as cost of
handling and placement into the circuit), require increasingly
valuable real estate on the circuit board, and increase the
probability of overall device failure. It is estimated that in the
average consumer battery operated product as much as 60 percent of
the component count, and 40 percent of the cost of the electronics
is due to the numerous power conditioning devices presently
required by such circuitry. If the majority of these
power-conditioning devices could be eliminated, then electrical
circuitry would be more efficient, less costly, more compact and
more reliable.
Many improvements and new developments in electronics could be
realized if a battery array that is self healing and dynamically
configurable to provide a plurality of instantaneous electrical
buses to the individual loads in an electrical circuit could be
devised. It would be particularly advantageous if such a battery
array could be physically flexible.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the digital battery according to the
present invention comprises an array of .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells, controllably interconnected for
instantaneous dynamic configuration into a plurality of power buses
having different electrical energy output characteristics, each of
which is tailored to supply the energy required at the instant by a
particular electrical load within a circuit. Preferably the cells
are fungible and randomly available so that at any given instant
any given cell can be poweringly associated with a particular
electrical load.
A dynamic battery array of the present invention provides increased
electrical and physical flexibility, with substantial improvement
in battery reliability and efficiency combined with decreased
battery and cell production cost. In general, the cost of the
product into which the battery array is placed is further reduced
in addition to the savings gained from a decrease in battery
cost.
A dynamic battery array of the present invention employs low
resistance switch arrays for dynamically and instantaneously
forming individual power networks or power buses between selected
power cells and individual electrical loads in electrical circuits.
The low resistance switch arrays (generally less than approximately
0.5, and preferably less than approximately 0.01 ohms of ON
resistance per switch) in such dynamic battery arrays are, for
example, semiconductor switches, controlled, for example, by a
central processor unit (CPU). Preferably several switches are
associated with each cell so as to provide the maximum possible
electrical flexibility. The operation of the array is preferably
programmable. The term "switch array" is intended to include the
switches, the switch and circuit control elements such as a CPU,
memory of all types, thermal and other sensors, associated
elements, and the like. The circuits to which such battery arrays
are applied are generally complex circuits in which several
different loads occur, each of which has a different power
requirement. Such battery arrays are also applicable to single load
circuits where the power requirements fluctuate or the maintenance
of a precise power level is required for the duration of the charge
cycle of the battery array. If a considerable excess of cells is
provided, .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells in the
array can be swapped in and out to maintain desired power levels
during, for example, start-up, or near the end of a charge
cycle.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of the invention when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention provides its benefits across a broad spectrum
of electrical circuits. While the description which follows
hereinafter is meant to be representative of a number of such
applications, it is not exhaustive. As those skilled in the art
will recognize, the basic methods and apparatus taught herein can
be readily adapted to many uses. It is applicant's intent that this
specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth
in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being
disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed
by the requirements of referred to the specific examples
disclosed.
Referring particularly to the drawings for the purposes of
illustration only and not limitation:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the
invention applied to a conventional credit or debit card form.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a battery array according to the
present invention showing a variety of cells and dynamic
configurations.
FIG. 3 is diagrammatic view of a dynamic battery array showing a
plurality of cells, typical ones of which are numbered, and a
plurality of individual lettered buses.
FIG. 4 is diagrammatic view of a switch array showing the connector
pins numbered to correspond to the numbered cells in FIG. 3 to
which they can be connected, and with the polarity of the
connections indicated.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a circuit showing electrical loads
identified by letter to correspond to the lettered buses in FIG.
3.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a dynamic battery array similar to
that of FIG. 3 wherein the instantaneous connection of certain of
the .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells to form
individual buses (illustrated in heavy lines) that are connected to
loads A, B, C, and D, respectively (FIG. 5).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals
designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several
views, there is illustrated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 a battery
array according to the present invention applied to a conventional
credit card. For reasons of clarity of illustration, the electrical
leads are not shown. Twelve different electrical loads, Load 1
through Load 12, are illustrated, as are 62 different power cells,
C1 through C62, respectively. A semiconductor switch array, for
example, a gate array and a central processor unit (CPU) are
diagrammatically indicated. Preferably, the CPU is physically
integrated into the switch array.
The credit card is in the form of a circuit board, and the cells in
the battery array are preferably formed in pockets or through holes
in the printed circuit board, as are the switch array, CPU, and the
respective Loads. Preferably, the various components do not project
out of the plane of the opposed external surfaces of the circuit
board where the surfaces of the construct are anticipated to be
subject to wear and tear as, for example, a credit card receives in
use. Three different types of power cells are illustrated. See, for
example, C1, C52, and C59. The cells are not arrayed in a regular
pattern. The cells can be distributed to accommodate the locations
of the Loads and connecting leads. The cells can be located
wherever space is available. Also, cells can be grouped next to the
loads that they are likely to serve. Cells C6, C61, C28, C50, C26,
C37, and C13, for example, are located adjacent to load 7. The
switch array can be programmed to preferentially, but not
necessarily, assign these cells to supply power to Load 7. The Data
Input-Output area in FIG. 1 corresponds to the magnetic stripe in
conventional credit cards, but can also include provisions for
visual output. The CPU and Switch Array are illustrated separately
in FIG. 1, but the CPU is preferably integrated into the Switch
Array. The three types of cells illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the
different shapes of, for example, cells C41, C54, and C62 have
different electrical power characteristics from one another. They
can be combined by the Switch Array to form a power bus that
provides a desired electrical power output. The different
electrical power characteristics of the different cells provides
great flexibility in tailoring the electrical power output of a
particular bus. The substrate that supports the operative
components in FIG. 1 is preferably sufficiently physically flexible
to meet the standards set for credit cards. The .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells are small enough that they undergo
small and non-destructive flexure even when the substrate is bent
as much as 30 degrees, or even more.
A typical printed circuit board populated with an array of
different power cells is illustrated in FIG. 2. The cells of which
C65 is typical can, for example, be solar cells with a nominal
output of 0.7 volts. The cells of which C63 is typical can, for
example, be electrochemical cells with a nominal voltage output of
2.5 volts, and the cells of which C64 is typical can, for example,
be radio frequency receivers with a nominal voltage output of 0.1
volts. A semiconductor switch array (not illustrated) is
controllably associated with the power cells in FIG. 2. When the
switch array detects that a load requires electrical power of a
particular character, it assembles, for example, the cells in area
18 into the necessary series and partial configuration and connects
the assemblage to the load. As the load changes or the
characteristics of the cells change, the switch array forms a
different instantaneous assemblage of cells as at area 14.
Preferably, the cells are assigned by the switch array to only one
single load at any given point in time as illustrated by the
non-overlapping areas 18 and 14. Under some generally less
preferred circumstances, usually for power management purpose, one
cell can be assigned to more than one load as illustrated at the
overlap of areas 14 and 16.
Generally, the nature of and functions performed by the electrical
loads in the associated electrical circuit or circuits is not
critical to the battery array except as the loads may influence the
voltage output of the cells. That is, the dynamic battery array is
adaptable to providing the power requirements of a wide variety of
components or modules. The power requirements of two loads can be
the same while the energy requirements are different. That is,
while the power requirements are the same the voltage and current
requirements are different. The design of a component or module can
frequently be changed so as to eliminate electrical power
conditioning elements because of the flexibility of the power
providing dynamic battery array according to the present invention.
The battery array, however, simply sees an electrical load with a
particular power requirement. The battery does not see, for
example, that a resistor has been eliminated from a circuit in a
load because the battery array provides the exact tailored power
characteristics required by the circuit without the need for the
missing resistor.
Preferably, the semiconductor switch array (FIG. 4) includes a
central processing unit, memory, and sensor capabilities, and is
programmed so as to sense or know the instantaneous electrical
power requirements of the various Loads A through D in the
associated circuit (FIG. 5), and the electrical condition of each
cell in the array. Those power requirements can change from time to
time as, for example, on start-up where the power requirements
typically drop after, for example, the first 500 milliseconds. The
switch array, by connecting cells together into instantaneous power
buses as illustrated in FIG. 6, instantaneously configures the
battery to provide the instantaneous electrical power requirements
of the various loads. As the power requirements of the loads change
or the characteristics of the cells change the switch preferably
continuously reconfigures the battery array to provide the required
electrical power. To construct or form an instantaneous bus the
switch array connects the positive and negative terminals of each
battery cell to an I/O port. This allows any cell in the array to
be connected to any other cell in the array. With particular
reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, to construct a series circuit
composed of cells 1, 2, and 4, for example, the switch array
connects the anode (negative) terminal for cell 1, to the cathode
(positive) terminal for cell 2. Similarly, the Anode terminal for
cell 2 is connected to the cathode terminal for cell 4. The
terminal for the cathode of cell 1 is routed to the load of choice
(for example, Load A). If a common ground is not desired, then the
anode terminal of cell 4 is connected to the negative side of Load
A. To construct a parallel circuit using cells 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and
8, for example, the switch array connects the anode I/Os of each of
the specified cells in continuity while all of the cathode I/Os for
the specified cells are switched so they are in continuity. The
ganged anodes and cathodes are then routed to two I/O ports that
are connected to the load of choice.
Four instantaneous electrical power buses are illustrated in FIG.
6, one for each of loads A, B, C, and D (FIG. 5). A typical power
cell is indicated at 22. The switch array (FIG. 4) determines, for
example, that Load A requires at this instant the voltage developed
by two cells in series, and the current developed by four cells in
parallel. The appropriate low resistance semiconductor switches in
the switch array are closed and the electrical power bus
illustrated by the heavy line associated with Load A in FIG. 6 is
instantaneously formed. Likewise the switch array determines that
Load B at this instant requires the voltage of one cell and the
current of three cells. The switch array determines that Load D now
requires the current of one cell and the voltage of three cells.
The switch array encounters a bad cell at 20. The switch array
routes the power bus around cell 20 picking up the cell below it,
and preferably marks cell 20 so that no attempt will be made to use
it in the future. The switch array encounters another bad cell in
forming the power bus for Load C, and similarly routes the
instantaneous power bus around it. If the power bus for Load D is
formed including cell 20 while cell 20 is functioning properly, as
soon as cell 20 fails to meet the output requirements of Load D,
the failure is detected by the switch array, cell 20 is dropped
from the power bus, and another cell is picked up to replace the
failed cell.
According to the present invention, many, if not all, of the
electrical energy conditioning components can be eliminated from an
electrical circuit by configuring an array of battery cells to
provide each operating component in the circuit with the desired
electrical energy directly from the battery cell array. As used
herein, "electrical circuit" is intended to include all electrical
circuits of whatever nature, including for example, electronic
circuits. .[.Individual.]. .Iadd.Discrete .Iaddend.battery cells in
the battery cell array are, for example, connected together into a
sub-array that is specially configured, either dynamically or
statically (static sub-groupings of cells in dynamically associated
sub-groupings), to supply exactly the voltage, amperage, and other
electrical energy parameters that the associated operating
component or module in the circuit requires. .[.Individual.].
.Iadd.Discrete .Iaddend.battery cells are connected together,
either dynamically or statically, in an appropriate mix of serial
and parallel connections to achieve the desired output. Preferably,
the .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.battery cells are
built into the same substrate that supports the circuit so that the
battery becomes part of the circuit.
Preferably, battery cell fault tolerance is provided. Fault
tolerance can be provided during operation, for example, by a
central processor unit operably associated with a suitable low
resistance switch array of conventional design connected to the
battery cells. Preferably, spare cells are provided, and, if a
battery cell fails in use, or is defective as manufactured, it is
automatically detected and replaced with one of the spare battery
cells.
The electrical energy requirements of the various individual
operating components or modules in a circuit are know to or
otherwise recognized, for example, by a central processor unit.
According to one preferred embodiment, the central processor unit
dynamically maintains the configuration of the dynamic battery
array so that each of the operating components or modules (loads)
in the electrical circuit is supplied directly from the battery
array with properly conditioned electrical energy. As cells fail or
malfunction in this embodiment, they are dynamically replaced so
that each electrical load in the circuit is continuously supplied
with the optimum electrical energy. The conventional electrical
energy conditioning components or modules are replaced with a
dynamic electrical interconnection system for the battery cells.
Preferably, the interconnection system also allows random selection
of cells so that the cells are all fully fungible. Dynamic systems
generally require the presence of a central processor unit to
regulate the digital battery array, and semiconductor switches to
dynamically and instantaneously form the required
interconnections.
If numerous battery cells are applied, for example,
lithographically, to a blank printed circuit board, usually several
of them will malfunction or be totally inoperative as manufactured.
Forming an excess number of cells on the board will provide enough
functional cells to perform the required tasks. The cells are
tested and the bad ones are identified. As an associated electrical
circuit is applied to the circuit board, it is wired around the bad
cells by the associated switch array. In this way, the quality
control requirements and associated costs for manufacturing the
battery cell array are reduced while the number of scrapped boards
is minimized. Production rates are increased.
By populating the substrate upon which the associated electrical
circuit is formed with a battery cell array, the lengths of the
electrical connections between the cells and the operating
components or modules are minimized. Electrical energy loses are
thus further minimized.
The battery cell arrays can be regular, irregular, two- or
three-dimensional as may be desired. The cells can be side by side
with operating components, or in separate layers.
The present invention is not limited to any particular battery
type. Suitable battery types include, for example, electrochemical,
nuclear, capacitor, inductor, energy transistor, photovoltaic, and
the like. Different types of cells can be included in the same
array, if desired. The cells can be rechargeable or not, as
desired. Where recharging is desired, suitable charging circuits
can be employed.
The digital battery according to one embodiment is defined as an
array of numerous .[.individual and.]. discrete battery cells, or
other electrical energy-producing cells that are held in a
predefined configuration by a neutral supporting matrix (i.e., the
matrix does not produce electrical energy). The resulting physical
configuration and composition allows, among other characteristics,
a high degree of physical flexibility without damage to the
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells or the entire
digital battery array itself. The degree of physical flexibility
can be predetermined and fixed to optimize the characteristics so
desired or they can be active and therefore modifiable. If they are
modifiable, such modification can be passive or active. If passive,
the physical flexibility can be decreased or increased as a
function of past flexation history or past temperature, or other
energy exposure. If active, the desired degree of flexibility can
be controlled by electrorheological, magnitorheological,
magnitostrictive action, piezoelectric actuators, and the like.
Further, these cells can be electrically interconnected to produce
desired voltages and current generating capabilities. This
interconnectivity at the sub-group level can be static or dynamic.
If the connectivity is dynamic, it can be controlled by low ON
resistance electronic switches. The electronic switches can be
grouped to form a bank of switches. This bank of switches can be
composed of semiconductor elements such as transistors, CMOS,
MOSFET, FET, phototransistors, spin transistors, and the like
elements, or a combination of such elements. Further, these
switches can be proximate to the digital battery, or physically
integrated into the digital battery. These switches can be
controlled by logic circuitry, a microcontroller, a microprocessor,
or the like. This logical element can also be proximate to the
digital battery, or physically integrated into the digital battery.
Further, the switching elements can be controlled by the associated
logical elements so that the desired connectivity between the
battery cells can be controlled to yield desirable and useful
electrical results. The resulting digital battery can be physically
and electrically integrated into the electric circuit or circuit
board. Preferably, the electronic switches, for example,
semiconductor switches, are selected so that they have very low ON
resistance, for example, less than approximately 0.5, and
preferably less than approximately 0.01 ohms. Semiconductor
switches that exhibit ON resistance of less than approximately
0.005 ohms are generally preferred. The use of power transistors is
generally not preferred because they generally result in a drop of
from about 0.7 to 1.4 volts. Most electrochemical battery cells
generate from approximately 1.2 to 3.5 volts. A drop of 1.4 volts
by reason of resistance in the switch would generally unacceptably
degrade the output of the cell. The switches should not impair the
output of the battery array. Semiconductor switches such as, for
example, "trench type" MOSFETS are suitable for use as
semiconductor switches according to the present invention. Since
some ON resistance is inherent in the switches, this must be
provided for in the design of the circuit-array system. Such
resistance can also be utilized as a design feature. For example,
if a load requires 1.2 Volts, and the cells nominally produce 1.55
Volts, the switch array can be selected so that the ON resistance
of the switches reduces the output of the cells to the desired 1.2
Volts. Also, switches that individually exhibit high ON resistance
can be ganged in parallel so that the total ON resistance is very
low. The total resistance in parallel is given by the following
equation: r.sub.total=1/r.sub.1+1/r.sub.2+1/r.sub.3. The occurrence
of significant switch resistance is generally less preferred
because energy is lost as heat. This reduces the efficiency of the
dynamic battery array.
Digital battery arrays can be stacked, laminated or placed en face
such that the digital battery arrays form a digital battery
3-Dimensional (3D) Array. This multiple layer configuration would
therefore form a prismatically shaped battery. A thin-walled
prismatically shaped container housing the prismatic digital
battery is one possible physical form. Further, a digital battery
array sheet can be scrolled to form a digital battery 3 dimensional
array cylindrically shaped battery. A thin-walled cylindrical
container housing the cylindrical digital battery is another
possible physical form. The electrical connectivity as described
for the digital battery Array applies to the digital battery two
dimensional, three dimensional and irregular arrays.
A digital battery should have at least one of, and preferably both
physical and electrical flexibility. The feature of physical
flexibility allows the digital battery to be bent and contorted
without damage, and that of electrical flexibility allows for more
efficient use of the stored and finite quantity of battery energy.
The degree of physical and electrical flexibility within a given
embodiment of the digital battery can be modified to match the
physical and electrical characteristics so desired.
In a variety of applications, it is advantageous to have a battery
able to physically flex and bend without physically or electrically
compromising the battery. Presently, there are no practical
flexible batteries (defined as a battery that has approximately the
same energy density Wh/Kg and volumetric energy density Wh/L and
the same electrical characteristics in terms of shelf life .[.power
retention.]. , and current generating capacity that can be
manufactured at a competitive price) that allow repeated flexing
(defined as the ISO standards for maximal credit card bending,
which requires a 1000 bends of a card such that the ratio of flex
height to card length equals 0.2 (see ANSI/ISO/IEC 7810-1995 and
ANSI/ISO/IEC 10373-1, which are hereby incorporated by reference).
For instance, the ISO/IEC standards for financial transaction type
cards (Card type ID-1) indicates that a standard 3.38'' by 2.12''
card, when compressed along its long axis must be capable of bend
height of 0.69'' without creasing or other damage including damage
to smart card electronics. Further, this degree of bending without
damage must be repeated using a repetition rate of 0.5 Hz for a
minimum of 1000 cycles and then bent 1000 more times in the
opposite direction. The use of discrete cells also permits the use
of living hinges, or the like, in the substrate where the hinges to
not intersect the cells. This allows very rigid material to be used
as the substrate for the cell support areas (intracellular) while
providing flexibility in the intercellular areas of the
substrate.
The use of an array of discrete battery cell units minimizes
flexation, torsion and shear forces that are experienced by the
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells. Therefore, the cell
array can bend and flex in three dimensions while the
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.battery cells experience
little or minimal flexation thus preserving the integrity of the
cells and their connectivity. Reducing the size of the
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells generally increases
the resistance of the array to damage from physical flexing.
Flexing of the battery cell array does not induce appreciable
flexing, torsion or shear force within a given .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.battery cell.
The .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells can be of any
desired shape and with nominal diameters of as small as 0.1
centimeters, or smaller, down to the limits of the equipment
employed in their fabrication. The nominal diameter is measured
across the widest part of the cell. The nominal diameter of, for
example, a rectangular cell is measured across the longest
diagonal. The maximum size of the cells is dictated by the size of
the space available for the array and the number of required cells.
If, for example, the array is required to fit within an 8 square
inch area, each cell generates 1.5 volts, and one component or
module (load) in the associated electrical circuit requires 100
volts, there must be at least 67 cells. This requires a cell
density in the array of more than 8 cells per square inch. There
should be more cells to provide, for example, self-healing,
redundancy, start-up capacity, and the like. Each cell necessarily
covers an area of less than approximately 0.1 square inches. If
several hundred square feet of area is available for the array, the
.[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells can be upwards of 1
to 2 or more square feet in area.
The use of a plurality of .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
.Iaddend.cells provides great flexibility in design. An array of
cells can be composed of different kinds of cells, for example,
different sized cells, cells with different voltage and current
output characteristics, a combination of dynamic and static cells,
and the like. If, for example, one or more of the loads in a
circuit requires 3 volts and each cell produces 1.5 volts, it is
often desirable to hard wire several sets of 2 cells together and
treat each of these hard wired pairs as one unit. These units are
dynamically connected to the loads that require 3 volts or
multiples of 3 volts. This reduces the number of required switches.
The loads in an electrical circuit frequently require voltages that
are not multiples of one another, for example, 3, 2.5, 4.2, and 7.1
volts, respectively. The use of cells that generate different
voltages permits them to be combined to provide the desired voltage
for each load.
The nature of the load to which it is connected often causes the
voltage output of .[.an individual.]. .Iadd.a discrete
.Iaddend.cell to vary. A cell with, for example, a nominal voltage
output of 1.5 Volts, upon the application of a particular load, may
drop to 0.8 Volts. This condition frequently occurs at start-up.
The load initially causes a very substantial drop in the voltage of
the connected cells. This can be accommodated by dynamically
configuring the array so that more cells are instantaneously
connected to the load during the start-up phase, and disconnected
as the voltage begins to rise.
What has been described with respect to dynamically and
instantaneously combining cells to provide the voltage requirements
of an electrical load are equally applicable to combining cells to
meet the current requirements of an electrical load.
An electrical load can be tailored so that the voltage output of
the cell is controlled to a desired value by the load. For example,
a battery with a nominal output of 1.5 volts can be connected to a
load that is tailored to reduce the cell's output to 1.1 Volts.
Thus, a load that requires 1.1 Volts can be accommodated by a cell
with a nominal voltage output of 1.5 Volts.
An array of discrete battery cells according to the present
invention can be electrically connected in any manner (for example,
any combination of series or parallel electrical configurations) to
produce essentially any required voltage and current generating
capacity that would normally be required by an electrical load.
Further, a number of such cell groups can be configured to provide
multiple voltage and current generating capacities. Further, these
electrical configurations need not be temporally or spatially
static, but can be changed along these dimensions to optimize
electrical energy delivery to the device. Further, these temporally
and spatially fluid electrical configurations may be used during
recharging or electrical conditioning of the digital battery
itself.
The cells, according to the present invention, can be composed of
any of a variety of electrochemical battery couples such as
zinc/manganese dioxide, zinc/silver oxide, lithium/cobalt oxide,
nickel/cadmium, nickel/metal hydride, metal/air, and the like, or
can be composed of a fuel cell couple, such as hydrogen/oxygen, or
can be composed of a photovoltaic couple such as P and N doped
silicon, or a nuclear cell (P N or PIN junction with an associated
Beta particle emitter such as tritium). The cells can be composed
of other electrical energy storage devices such as capacitors or
inductors (the combination comprises a "tank circuit"). Further,
the cells can be composed of any energy transducer that produces
electrical current or charge such as a thermo voltaic cell (for
example, bimetallic couple), an inductive element, a capacitive
element (e.g., a piezoelectric element) or any combination of the
above mentioned systems.
Cell packing, spacing, cell shape, and the like, can be any
appropriate configuration and can be adjusted depending of the
electrical current requirements (Ah, amperes). For example, the
cell size for typical conventional portable consumer electronics is
approximately 0.5 mm to about 2 cm in diameter.
The number of cells that are required to produce the required
electrical characteristic can be employed. For instance, if 100
volts is required, and if the cells are composed of a nickel-nickel
metal hydride electrochemical couple, which has an operating
voltage between about 1.35 volts and 1 volt, then clearly the
system would require about 100 cells (1.0 volts/cell).times.(X
cells)=100 volts, therefore X=100 volts/(1 cell/1.0 volts)=100
cells.
The cells can possess essentially any geometric shape, a preferable
shape is circular with a height that is no greater than the
diameter of the circle. Thus, the half-cell (for example, anode or
cathode) possesses a three-dimensional shape that, at its minimum
forms an essentially flat disk, and at its maximum forms a
hemisphere.
The cells can be arranged in essentially any conformation, however,
to achieve maximum energy density, (given no other constraints,
such as the requirement to place other objects in between the
cells) the cells can be arranged equidistantly to form a regular
two- or three-dimension lattice.
Digital batteries according to the present invention can be
constructed with a cell dome. For multilayer (rolled or Prismatic
format) a regular grid of cell domes is generally preferred. The
cell dome embodiment can be constructed as follows: A conductive
foil or film sheet is used for the anode and cathode current
collectors. The collectors are embossed to form a pattern of
pockets into which appropriate battery chemistry is deposited by
methods such as silk-screening, printing, spray coating, doctor
blading, and the like, the contiguous inter-pocket areas can be
coated with an adhesive. The anode and cathode sheets are then
applied to opposite sides of a battery separator material. After
such assembly, the current collector material is patterned (for
example, by etching, or the like) to form current collectors over
each .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cell. Additionally,
interconnects between cells can be so patterned. If the array of
dome cells is to be used in a multiple layer structure, the dome
cells can be interdigitated or nested to increase power density and
form stability.
Core well arrays are often preferred for use within or on printed
circuit boards or "In Board" configurations. The core well array is
formed using a perforated non-conductive and non-absorbent core
material (for example, polyvinyl chloride card). The core well
array digital battery is composed of an ordered and laminated stack
consisting, for example, of: a conductive cathode current collector
(for example, copper foil); a cathode half core with well array
(non-conductive, non-absorbent chemically resistant plastic);
cathode chemistry within core wells; an adhesive layer (with
release film); a battery separator (for example, microporous
nylon); an adhesive layer (with release film); an anode half core
with well array; anode chemistry within half core wells; and a
conductive anode current collector. The Core Well Array is
constructed, for example, as follows: the cathode half core stock
is laminated on one face with a release film-backed adhesive layer;
the adhesive laminated cathode half core stock is then punched
through to produce an array of holes or wells; the remaining
(outside) face of the punched half core is then laminated with an
electrically conductive film or foil (for example, copper foil);
the selected cathodic battery chemistry is then applied in a paste
or viscous liquid form to the top and in-facing side of the half
core and impressed into the holes (or wells) with a doctor blade,
squeegee, roller or other appropriate method; the release film
covering the adhesive layer on the top of the half core is then
removed; a sheet of battery separator material is then applied to
the adhesive (or thermoplastic material); a matching half core is
then constructed as described above except that it is filled with
an anodic chemistry selected to form an electrochemical couple with
the above-mentioned cathode chemistry and no battery separator
material is applied; and the top faces of the two complementary
half cores are then pressed together in a fashion that maintains
registration of the two cell well arrays. The resulting laminate
will be surfaced with the two conductive current collector layers
(for example, copper foil plated with protective or conductive
plastics on one or both sides). The foil surfaces of the full core
cell array can be etched or patterned to form the respective
current collector anodes and cathodes for the .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.cells. Further, the conductive surfaces can
be etched or patterned to form interconnects between selected
cells. Vias or micro vias can be formed in the board space between
the battery cells using standard or modified plate through
techniques. The cell dome and cell well configurations can be
combined by using one of the configurations for a half-cell and
using the other configuration for the complimentary half-cell. This
combination may be advantageous for example, if the array is
integrated onto the surface of a printed circuit board. The well
half of the array would then be laminated to the underlying printed
circuit board while the dome half would reside on the surface of
the printed circuit board. This configuration could potentially
allow for additional heat transference, or gas exchange (for use in
a hybrid fuel cell).
The digital battery according to the present invention eliminates
power-conditioning devices by providing the circuit with its
voltage and current requirements directly from the battery. The
digital battery accomplishes this by allocating and connecting
subsets of its cells to provide each element (load) within the
electrical circuit with the voltage and current that it requires.
This selective allocation of electrical power can be accomplished
with a dynamic approach in which the cells within the digital
battery are connected through a gate array in series, or parallel,
(or a combination thereof) configurations to provide the specific
electrical energy requirements of the various elements within the
electrical circuit. Circuit elements with the same electrical
requirements can receive power from the same specific cell
grouping, preferably, however, each electrical load is provided
with its own cell set that is not shared with other loads. Such
provision of different sets of cells is particularly desired: if
for instance, electrical isolation, electrical routing, or other
factors are of import.
Battery reliability is increased by the ability of the digital
battery to isolate defective units and actively replace them with
cells that are held in reserve or by reconfiguration of the cell
connectivity. This should be contrasted with the conventional
technology in which a shorted or open circuit cell or a defective
cell will generally result in complete battery failure.
Furthermore, in single cell batteries (for example, a 1.5 volt D
size cell) an isolated internal short generally results in battery
failure. Conversely, according to the present invention, an
isolated short in a given digital battery cell will only result in
the loss of the power generating capacity of that specific cell.
The power generating capacity of this cell might only represent 1
percent of the total power generating capacity of the digital
battery array.
It is appreciated that close apposition (for example, thin anodes
and cathodes that are applied to the separator with some degree of
pressure) between the anode and cathode reduces internal battery
cell resistance. This in turn results in less energy dissipated and
wasted as resistive heat. The digital battery, according to one
embodiment is composed of a relatively thin planar array of cells.
As such, the anodes and cathodes of these cells are positioned
relatively close together. In addition, because of the relatively
large circumferential distance of the cell seals and the relatively
small diameter of the .[.individual.]. .Iadd.discrete
.Iaddend.cells the pressure that can be exerted on the internal
battery chemistry can be considerably greater than that applied to
the chemistry of conventional wafer batteries. This factor further
lowers the internal resistance of the digital battery cells and
thus increases their efficiency and the magnitude of its current
generating capacity.
Many components in an electrical circuit, including resistors,
other passive and active devices, and the like, associated with
power conditioning, can be eliminated according to the present
invention.
When electrical energy is provided according to the present
invention, fewer of the heavy inductive elements that are
associated with power conditioning are required. Thus, smaller
circuit boards are possible. Smaller printed circuit boards equal
smaller products, which in turn equals lighter products.
Roll-to-roll production, with the capability of testing each cell
independently reduces cell production costs. .[.Individual.].
.Iadd.Discrete .Iaddend.cell electrical characteristics can be
monitored and rated with digital battery cell arrays with the best
overall electrical characteristics being designated, for instance
as "premium" (for example, those sectors or arrays that show no bad
cells) while those showing poorer electrical characteristics (for
example, a higher number of defective cells per unit area) will be
graded accordingly. Even arrays with defective elements can be
used, for example, in applications that do not require the highest
power density. This should be contrasted with the conventional
requirement of battery manufacturers to discard batteries in which
one or more cells are defective. Thus, it can be readily
appreciated that the manufacture of the digital battery according
to the present invention will result in much less production waste
and therefore a decrease in production cost.
Decreased electronic product costs results from a variety of
factors that are associated with the present invention, including,
for example: a large reduction in the number of required voltage
and current conditioning components such as transformers,
inverters, charge boosters, converters, buck regulators, and the
like, and their associated passives. Elimination of the
above-mentioned components, in turn, reduces the required circuit
board size. Reduction in circuit board size generally allows for a
reduction in the product size. This conserves materials and
increases the desirability of the product. Decreased weight and
size of resulting electronic products becomes possible as heavy
current conditioning components are eliminated. New and highly
desirable electrical products become possible (for example, powered
Smart Cards). With fewer components, reliability increases. Voltage
and Current conditioners consume electrical power that is lost as
heat. Fewer conditioners result in less energy lost as heat. The
digital battery array format according to the present invention is
compatible with leading edge ball grid chip and flip chip
semiconductor packaging configurations.
In many instances, battery failure is caused by a local event such
as dendritic fenestration or breaching of the battery separator.
This event is localized, but, in the conventional battery format,
shorts the entire battery. When such dendrite induced shorting
occurs in the digital battery array according to the present
invention, only the cell in which the short occurs will be
compromised since this cell can be switched out of the battery
circuit and electrically isolated from the other cells. In so
doing, the functionality of the remaining battery is preserved.
Thus, the life of the battery is increased. Furthermore, the
probability for compromise increases with the surface area of the
battery. Thus, batteries with large surface areas (or those that
have many integral cells) are more prone to a shortened life due to
a localized defect.
A general problem with rechargeable portable electronic products is
that they must be recharged with a specific recharger. If the
specific recharger is unavailable (it is lost, or wasn't brought
along) or can't be used for a variety of reasons (the recharger
uses 110 Volts AC to produce an output of 9 Volts DC but the user
is in a vehicle that only supplies 12 Volts DC), the electronic
device can't be recharged and becomes useless. The digital battery
solves this problem by allowing the reconfiguration of the battery
cells such that a variety of common electrical power supplies can
be used for recharging. Thus, in the above described situation
where the device would normally only accept 9 Volt DC, the 3 Volt
DC cells of the digital battery could be reconfigured under
electrical logic control to form serial groups of 4 (3 Volts=4=12
Volts) so that the electrical device could use the 12 Volt
cigarette lighter socket to recharge the device.
With conventional technology, electrical power must be routed from
its localized source across the entire printed circuit board. This
requires long current .[.barring.]. .Iadd.bearing .Iaddend.traces
(thick and wide) that take up a considerable amount of board space
(many thick and wide traces), and, because of their length and
finite electrical resistance, consume electrical power (converting
it into undesirable heat) as well as causing an undesirable voltage
drop. The digital battery can minimize the board space used by
power traces as well as minimize the loss of power (and voltage)
due to power trace electrical resistance by providing a distributed
power source across the areal extent of the printed circuit board.
For instance, if a specific device requires 9 volts, then at least
three of the 3-volt cells that were positioned closest to the
device could be connected in series to provide the required 9-volt
power to the device.
In some instances it is desirable to electrically isolate various
electrical components from each other. Presently, this is
accomplished by a variety of techniques including the use of
optoisolators, transformers, separate battery supplies, and the
like. All of these approaches induce added expense and complexity
to the electrical device. The digital battery according to the
present invention allows for electrical isolation of individual
components by providing, if needed, separate power supplies for
each electrical element. This is accomplished by electrically
subdividing the digital battery array such that a subset of the
digital battery cells can exclusively power a specific electrical
component.
An electrochemical battery cell, depending on its specific
chemistry, will have different voltage and current producing
capabilities. These capabilities can change markedly depending on,
among other things, the time of discharge. For instance, a cell
will usually provide more current at a higher voltage during a
short initial interval of discharge. This initial "burst" is
followed by current generating capability that is substantially
lower than the initial burst. In some circumstances, it is
desirable to extend this initial burst of current providing
capacity longer than is possible with conventional expedients. The
digital battery can provide for a longer duration of peak current
generation by, among other things, allowing for volley cycling
between banks of cells such that a new set of cells is turned on as
soon as the initial set of cells is no longer capable of
maintaining the required high discharge rate. As soon as the next
bank of cells pass their "temporal output peak" the original set of
cells can be switched into the circuit once again to provide the
required high current. This is possible because after a short time
electrochemical cells are capable of recuperation so that they are
once again capable of supplying their initial high current output.
This is in part due to diffusion dynamics within the cell.
In some instances it is desirable to alter the spatial arrangement
of the cells that are being used in a given battery. The digital
battery can provide for such spatial modulation whereas
conventional battery technology does not provide for this feature.
For instance, to avoid overheating either the battery or components
within the electrical circuit, the active digital battery cells can
be spatially separated from other cells or from the hot elements.
In this way heat dissipation can be maximized. Alternatively, if,
for instance, an electrical device is used in a cold environment it
can be advantageous to group the active digital battery cells and
thus limit heat dissipation. This is desirable because power
production by batteries can be hampered by low temperature.
Because, for example, a Dome Cell Array has high configurational
flexibility and can be shaped 3-dimensionally, it is possible to
incorporate the digital battery into injection molded objects such
as the case or enclosure of the electrical device itself. Such
overmolding of the digital battery allows the device to be made
more compact since no separate battery compartment is required.
Some battery chemistries are endothermic when discharged (for
example, lead-acid), or when charged. Therefore, it is possible to
cool electrical components on the circuit board by using and
discharging endothermic cells that are adjacent to the element
requiring cooling. Alternatively, if the cell's chemistry is
endothermic while charging, the cells adjacent to the element
requiring cooling could be recharged by cells that are adjacent to
the element requiring cooling.
The electrical flexibility of the battery array is such that some
of the cells can be charged while others are being discharged
through use. The charge level can differ between cells, and some
cells can be charging while others are discharging. Where one or
more cells is absorbing energy this can be used in power
regulation.
A printed circuit board with digital battery integration is
suitable for use as a Smart Card. A digital battery molded into a
wrist band or camera strap finds wide application in powering
watches and cameras.
The connectivity between the cells is preferably under random
access control in a dynamic configuration. As such, any specific
cell can be connected to any other cell in parallel and/or serial
configuration.
The dynamic battery array is preferably supported on a substrate.
The substrate must be compatible with the requirements of the
cells. Where the cells are electrochemical in nature, the substrate
must confine a liquid electrolyte, if one is used. Where gasses are
generated or consumed by the power cell (as, for example, in fuel
cells) the substrate must confine the gas or in some instances it
must be selectively permeable to a selected gas. For example,
oxygen can be used by the cathode in a hybrid fuel cell, and gas
fuels are used for the anode of a fuel cell. The substrate can be
required to accommodate the expansion and contraction of cells
during charge or discharge, and must withstand the temperature
cycles of the cells.
Where the power requirements of a particular load are very low,
charging can be accomplished through the use of one or more radio
frequency antennas. Radio frequency energy can be used for charging
purposes or, in some instances, as a direct source of power.
Cell packing, spacing, cell shape, and the like, can be any
appropriate configuration and can be adjusted depending of the
electrical current requirements (Ah, amperes). For example, the
cell size for typical portable consumer electronics is
approximately 0.5 mm to about 2 cm in diameter. While not wishing
to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the size of the
cells can be reduced to the atomic level with appropriate
nano-manufacturing techniques and processes. Theoretically, the
battery cells could be reduced to the numbers of atoms and
molecules representing a stochiometric formula. For example, one
lithium ion and a carbon nanotube consisting of a ring of about 6
carbon atoms for an anode, and a few molecules of cobalt oxide as
the cathode would theoretically comprise a battery cell.
The digital battery can allow for the first time, a practical
method by which the size and volume of the .[.individual.].
.Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.electrochemical cells can be greatly
reduced without appreciably reducing the voltage or current
generating capacity of the entire battery itself. From the fields
of physics and chemistry, it is clear that the underlying laws
governing physical phenomena undergo a substantial change in their
characteristics at some small dimension. This phenomena has been
generally termed the "quantum effect." These quantal effects, for
instance, have recently been extended and are now found to exist
for electrical "super" conductivity in carbon nanotubes, and in the
unexpectedly high efficiency for the generation of light from diode
"quantum well" junctions. From these and other observations, it is
believed that there will exist a "Quantum Electrochemical Well
Effect" when the size and volume of the electrochemical cell is
reduced to some critical value. At this point it is believed that
the energy density and the instantaneous current generating
capacity will substantially change in a non-linear fashion.
What have been described are preferred embodiments in which
modifications and changes may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the accompanying claims. Many modifications and
variations of the present invention are possible in light of the
above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the
scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced
otherwise than as specifically described.
* * * * *