Smart battery power availability feature based on battery-specific characteristics

An apparatus for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of additional power, the apparatus comprising:

• a logic unit;
• a capacity circuit for indicating the present capacity of the battery;
• a current measuring circuit, coupled to the logic unit, for measuring a battery current;
• an environmental monitor circuit, coupled to the logic unit, for monitoring one or more environmental conditions of the battery;
• a memory, coupled to the logic unit, actually storing one or more characteristics of the battery, and actually storing information indicative of environmental conditions of the battery, the battery characteristics including information indicative of the present capacity of the battery;
• and
• wherein the logic unit determines whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of additional power based on the measured environmental conditions, and the battery characteristics.

A method for operating a battery, the method comprising the steps of:

• querying the battery whether it can provide a requested amount of power;
• the battery predicting whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on one or more environmental conditions of the battery, and one or more characteristics of the battery, the battery characteristics including a present capacity of the battery;
• and
• the battery indicating whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power.

A method for operating a battery, the method comprising the steps of:

• querying the battery whether it can provide an additional amount of power;
• the battery predicting whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on a present charge/discharge rate of the battery, one or more environmental conditions of the battery, and one or more characteristics of the battery, the battery characteristics including a present capacity of the battery;
• and
• the battery indicating whether or not the battery can provide the additional amount of power.

A method for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of power, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a logic unit;
• providing a memory storing one or more characteristics of the battery, and one or more environmental conditions of the battery;
• determining a present capacity of the battery;
• and
• the logic unit determining whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on the present capacity of the battery, the environmental conditions, and the battery characteristics.

A method for operating a battery, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a logic unit coupled to the battery;
• querying the logic unit whether or not the battery can provide an additional amount of power;
• measuring a present charge/discharge rate of the battery;
• measuring one or more environmental conditions of the battery;
• determining a present capacity of the battery based on one or more of the environmental conditions and one or more characteristics of the battery, the battery characteristics being functions of the present charge/discharge rate;
• and
• the logic unit determining whether or not the battery can supply the additional amount of power based on the environmental conditions, the present battery capacity, the present discharge rate, and the battery characteristics.