EEVblog #751 - How To Debunk A Product (The Batteriser)

[AmmoJammo]

How To Debunk A Product (The Batteriser)

Is there a product to debunk?

Yes
No

[amspire]

One thing that concerns me is Bob's patent application: (apologies if this has been raised already)

http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20150219ptan20150048785.php

Tucked away in it are these paragraphs:

In another embodiment, a voltage regulation circuit is incorporated within a battery-powered device. The voltage regulation circuit is configured to extend the life of one or more batteries used to power the battery-powered device by outputting a voltage that is equal to or exceeds a minimum voltage required to operate the battery-powered device normally even when the one or more batteries output a voltage that is less than the minimum voltage required to operate the battery-powered device normally.

and

In another aspect, a method is provided for extending the life of a battery. The method includes receiving a battery electrical power output from the battery. The battery electrical power output has a battery output voltage that decreases from a battery first output voltage to a battery second output voltage. The battery electrical power output is used to drive a converter that outputs a converter electrical power having a converter output voltage greater than the battery second output voltage. The converter electrical power is output from one or more output terminals configured to interface with one or more input terminals of a battery powered device.

Isn't this saying that if you have any battery powered device and it has a switching regulator that boosts the voltage to a constant level, then Bob can claim the idea is his invention?

I know the idea is absurd, but once you have a patent, you can scare many companies into paying royalties. Is this the real goal - appear to have an invention of a battery sleeve to boost batteries, but in the process, get a patent that states you invented the whole concept of a switching boost circuit running off a battery in a device?

[McBryce]

I think the fact that this method has been used for years by practically the entire industry would make enforcement of that patent pretty much impossible.

McBryce.

[rich]

One thing that concerns me is Bob's patent application: (apologies if this has been raised already)

http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20150219ptan20150048785.php

Tucked away in it are these paragraphs:

In another embodiment, a voltage regulation circuit is incorporated within a battery-powered device. The voltage regulation circuit is configured to extend the life of one or more batteries used to power the battery-powered device by outputting a voltage that is equal to or exceeds a minimum voltage required to operate the battery-powered device normally even when the one or more batteries output a voltage that is less than the minimum voltage required to operate the battery-powered device normally.

and

In another aspect, a method is provided for extending the life of a battery. The method includes receiving a battery electrical power output from the battery. The battery electrical power output has a battery output voltage that decreases from a battery first output voltage to a battery second output voltage. The battery electrical power output is used to drive a converter that outputs a converter electrical power having a converter output voltage greater than the battery second output voltage. The converter electrical power is output from one or more output terminals configured to interface with one or more input terminals of a battery powered device.

Isn't this saying that if you have any battery powered device and it has a switching regulator that boosts the voltage to a constant level, then Bob can claim the idea is his invention?

I know the idea is absurd, but once you have a patent, you can scare many companies into paying royalties. Is this the real goal - appear to have an invention of a battery sleeve to boost batteries, but in the process, get a patent that states you invented the whole concept of a switching boost circuit running off a battery in a device?

I thought the patent was supposedly all about the converter packaging (the batteriser), not about when it is inserted (incorporated?) into a battery powered device (probes the monkey). A key phrase:

The converter electrical power is output from one or more output terminals configured to interface with one or more input terminals of a battery powered device.

[amspire]

I thought the patent was supposedly all about the converter packaging (the batteriser), not about when it is inserted (incorporated?) into a battery powered device (probes the monkey). A key phrase:

The converter electrical power is output from one or more output terminals configured to interface with one or more input terminals of a battery powered device.

It includes the Batteriser concept, but it is not limited to that. It includes many embodiments including the concept of a voltage regulating circuit that boosts the battery voltage in a battery powered device.

[Nerull]

To infringe on a patient, you must infringe on all claims. If they have patented a battery sleeve with an integrated boost converter, than the only way to infringe on that patient is to make a battery sleeve with integrated boost converter. Any other boost converter is not a infringement.

This is why companies like Microsoft and Apple tend to get many many very specific patients, rather than a single big patient covering an entire device. For example, when Apple sued Samsung over patient infringement, they didn't claim they violated patients on a iPhone. They had patients such as Design Patent 504,889, for which the claims consist of a single sentence, describing a rectangular electronic device with rounded corners. Because the patient made no other claims, any rectangular device with rounded corners infringed on that patient.

[adprom]

I just noticed this:

Is batteroo planning a 2nd marketing campaign using a different angle?

[jippie]

I just noticed this:

<youtube video>

Is batteroo planning a 2nd marketing campaign using a different angle?

Who in his/her right mind would use a flash light to photograph Lady Liberty or the sun? I bet not using flash light for making outside pictures like that saves another landfill of batteries.

[LabSpokane]

I just noticed this:

Is batteroo planning a 2nd marketing campaign using a different angle?

Oh FFS, they ditched the monkey for a batter-ROO. 

[ccs46]

the more information we got the more certain it got.

*The more "Update in a few weeks" that turned into month we got. The more certain it got.   

[AmmoJammo]

A picture tells a thousand words.

Bob is telling nothing.

[WN1X]

and his spelling is bad 

[quad]

NEW UPDATE!

[EEVblog]

 

Wow, only took them 6 months or so to show real photos
Very interesting that they are going with the Batteriser name on the sleeve still, obviously they are not concerned about the Trademark dispute with Energizer

[lincoln]

Holy shit, They do exist!! If don't get mine I am going to be so bummed.

[Mr.B]

Holy shit, They do exist!!

Double holy shit...   

[rx8pilot]

Now....it is one thing to make a sleeve and another thing to make a sleeve that does what they claim it will do.

[EEVblog]

Now....it is one thing to make a sleeve and another thing to make a sleeve that does what they claim it will do.

The laws of engineering prevent it from doing the magic it claims to do.
I have no doubt at all it will work as boost converter, the only thing remains is to see how well.
Batteroo know very well once they ship a single unit the game is up, people will flog the arse out of this thing and get data that proves beyond all doubt how poorly it will perform in most applications.

[rrinker]

 But note, he says the team is going to China soon - I thought Bob already was in China, per his own post?

[g.lewarne]

Holy shit, They do exist!!

Double holy shit...   

Now, the question is *how many* are they manufacturing.  All of them? enough for the indegogo supports? only enough for the website orders? 

[Brumby]

Am I missing something?  Here's what I see...

 - A small panel of 20 circular PCBs (my guess is an original prototyping panel)
 - A single panel of 64 (8 x 8 ) of what looks like finished product
 - One row of what looks like finished product in a jig

To me, this doesn't look like a manufacturing setup.  More like a prototyping and (maybe) process development setup.  I would have been more impressed with something that looked like an assembly line - or at least half a dozen panels.  This does not mean I say they won't ship a product, but I still have reservations.

The one thing these photos DO offer is a chance for all the Batteriser faithful to stand up and use them to beat all the skeptics around the head.  They have been in a vacuum for so long, I expect they will be flag waving like there's no tomorrow.

[Stupid Beard]

Had a look at this thread to see what hilarity had ensued since last time I looked. Did not expect actual photos.

Besides renders, is that also the first time they've shown one that's not AA sized?

[LabSpokane]

NEW UPDATE!

Holy manufacturability clusterfucks!  The AAs are a train wreck 

[EEVblog]

NEW UPDATE!

Holy manufacturability clusterfucks!  The AAs are a train wreck

Actually, look at the those two photos. On the large board I do not see any V groove marks on the panel to snap off the rows. But the other photo shows a row of AA's in some sort of assembly/test jig holder.
What's up with that? 

[Mr.B]

What's up with that? 

Smoke and mirrors maybe...