Monitoring charging efficiency of a mobile computing device via a power bank
AssigneeDuracell U.S. Operations, Inc.
InventorsJordan Bourilkov, John Rotondo, Francisco Jose Restrepo, Sergio Coronado Hortal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable power bank for charging a mobile computing device is described, and a dynamic charging efficiency is monitored while the power bank is charging the mobile computing device. Particularly, instantaneous power output of a battery of the power bank is compared to power received by a battery of the mobile computing device to determine efficiency. The charging of the mobile computing device by the power bank is interrupted and/or resumed based upon the charging efficiency at any given time, thereby preventing inefficient use of the power bank.
Claims20
A portable power bank device, comprising:
- a battery for supplying electric charge to a battery of a mobile computing device external to the power bank, via an electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery;
- a communication module for exchanging communication signals with the mobile computing device;
- and
- a control module comprising one or more processors and a memory storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the power bank to:
- while the power bank is supplying electric charge to the mobile computing device battery, determine an instantaneous power output of the power bank battery,
- obtain, via the communication module, a communication signal from the mobile computing device, the obtained signal being indicative of an amount of power received at the mobile computing device battery,
- compare the amount of power received at the mobile computing device battery to the instantaneous power output of the power bank battery to determine a dynamic charging efficiency, and
- interrupt the supply of electric charge to the mobile computing device battery when the dynamic charging efficiency is less than or equal to a threshold value.
A mobile computing device, comprising:
- an internal battery configured to act as a power supply for the mobile computing device, wherein the internal battery of the mobile computing device is configured to receive electric charge from a battery of a portable power bank device external to the mobile computing device, via an electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery;
- a communication module for exchanging communication signals with the power bank;
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more computer-readable memories storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the mobile computing device to:
- while the mobile computing device battery is receiving electric charge from the power bank, obtain, via the communication module, a communication signal from the power bank, the obtained signal being indicative of an instantaneous power output of the power bank battery,
- determine an amount of power received at the mobile computing device battery from the power bank battery,
- compare, via the one or more processors, the amount of power received at the mobile computing device battery to the instantaneous power output of the power bank battery to determine a dynamic charging efficiency, and
- interrupt the supply of electric charge to the mobile computing device battery when the dynamic charging efficiency is less than or equal to a threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.