Electronic apparatus, battery management system, and battery management method

An electronic apparatus that receives power from a battery, the battery having an identification that indicates characteristics of the battery, the electronic apparatus comprising:

• identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery;
• memory means for storing a table containing the identification and battery information for the corresponding battery, the battery information including power consumption information of the battery;
• update means for updating the power consumption information of the battery based on a value of power consumed from the battery;
• remaining power detect means for detecting a level of remaining power of the battery based on the power consumption information which is updated by the update means;
• output means for indicating the level of the remaining power detected by the remaining power detect means;
• a power supply;
• switch means, coupled to the battery and the power supply, for selecting one of the battery and the power supply to supply power as a power source to the electronic apparatus;
• and
• power source recognize means for recognizing whether the power source selected by the switch means is the battery or the power supply, wherein the update means updates the battery information when the power source recognize means recognizes that the power source is the battery.

An electronic apparatus that receives power from a battery, the battery having an identification that indicates characteristics of the battery, the electronic apparatus comprising:

• identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery;
• memory means for storing a table containing the identification and battery information for the corresponding battery, the battery information including power consumption information of the battery;
• update means for updating the power consumption information of the battery based on a value of power consumed from the battery;
• remaining power detect means for detecting a level of remaining power of the battery based on the power consumption information which is updated by the update means;
• output means for indicating the level of the remaining power detected by the remaining power detect means;
• and
• wherein the battery has a battery type, and the identification includes the battery type and wherein the remaining power detect means has a plurality of detection methods for detecting the level of the remaining power and selects one of the detection methods based on the battery type included in the identification.

In an electronic apparatus which receives power from a battery having an identification, the electronic apparatus including an identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery, memory means for storing a table that contains battery information, means for updating the battery information, means for detecting remaining power of the battery and means for indicating the level of remaining power, a method for managing said battery, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) reading the identification from the battery;
• (b) searching the memory means containing the battery information for the identification read in step (a), wherein the battery information includes a power-on time and a power-off time of the battery, power consumption time and accumulated consumption time;
• (c) setting the power-on time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;
• (d) setting the power-off time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;
• (e) calculating the power consumption time of the battery and accumulating the power consumption time in the battery information in the memory means;
• and
• (f) detecting a level of a remaining power in the battery, based on the accumulated consumption time and outputting the level of the remaining power detected;
• (g) registering a new identification in the battery information in the memory means when the identification read in step (a) is not found in the battery information in the memory by step (b);
• (h) periodically repeating the calculating step, the adding step, the detecting step and the displaying step in order to display the current level of remaining power periodically;
• and
• (i) charging the battery with a charger and updating the accumulated consumption time.

In an electronic apparatus which receives power from a battery having an identification, the electronic apparatus including an identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery, memory means for storing a table containing battery information, means for updating the battery information, means for detecting remaining power of the battery and means for indicating the level of remaining power, a method for managing said battery, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) reading the identification from the battery;
• (b) searching the memory means containing the battery information for the identification read in step (a), wherein the battery information includes a power-on time and a power-off time of the battery, power consumption time and accumulated consumption time;
• (c) setting the power-on time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;
• (d) setting the power-off time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;
• (e) calculating the power consumption time of the battery and accumulating the power consumption time in the battery information in the memory means;
• and
• (f) detecting a level of a remaining power in the battery, based on the accumulated consumption time and outputting the level of the remaining power detected;
• and
• (g) communicating the battery information between a plurality of electronic apparatuses in order to share latest battery information.