Ni-Cd and Ni-MH battery optimized fast-charge method for portable telecommunication applications

The market for portable batteries for telecommunication applications is dominated by the Ni-Cd system. This system is now being substituted by another-the Ni-MH system which avoids harming the environment. This paper presents an optimized fast-charge method for Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries used in portable applications. The proposed method performs the following two basic functions: the first determines battery state (detecting deteriorated batteries, analyzing the state of charge and so on); and the second optimizes the charging time, simultaneously guaranteeing a safe fast-charge without negative effects on battery life.