US 6,157,169 A · Monitoring technique for accurately determining residual capacity of a battery

Abstract

A battery monitoring system determines an accurate residual capacity of a battery in consideration of variation of battery temperature, amount of battery self-discharge, and amount of battery discharge from a host device, such as a portable computer. The monitoring system further determines a predicted remaining operating time of the device. The battery capacity measuring apparatus includes a microcontroller, a battery pack, a battery temperature detection circuit, a battery voltage detection circuit, a load current detection circuit, and a power saving level detector. The microcontroller is coupled to a host device such that it indicates the battery residual capacity along with the remaining operating time of the device via a display. The microcontroller calculates the residual capacity of the battery based on the detected battery voltage and a correction is made to the calculated residual capacity according to the battery temperature signal and the load current signal, the corrected resultant residual capacity being fed to the host device so as to display the residual capacity of the battery. Also, the microcontroller calculates the remaining operating time of the device based on the detected load current and a correction is made thereto according to the set power saving level of the device, the resultant remaining operating time being fed to the host device so as to display the corrected remaining operating time of the device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for measuring a residual capacity of a dumb battery used in a portable electronic device having a display device, comprising:

a voltage detector for detecting a terminal voltage of the dumb battery and for producing a terminal voltage signal corresponding to the detected terminal voltage of the dumb battery;
a temperature sensor for sensing a battery temperature of the dumb battery and for producing a battery temperature signal corresponding to the sensed battery temperature of the dumb battery;
a current sensor for sensing a load current of the dumb battery and for producing a load current signal corresponding to the sensed load current of the dumb battery;
a power saving level detector for detecting a power saving level set in the portable electronic device having the display device;
and
a controller for determining the residual capacity of the dumb battery based on the detected terminal voltage of the dumb battery and for determining a predicted remaining operating time of the portable electronic device based on the sensed load current, and the controller for correcting the determined residual capacity of the dumb battery according to the battery temperature signal and the load current signal, and the controller for correcting the predicted remaining operating time of the portable electronic device according to the power saving level set in the portable electronic device, the resultant residual capacity of the dumb battery and the resultant predicted remaining operating time of the portable electronic device being input to the portable electronic device so as to display on the display device the resultant residual capacity of the dumb battery and the resultant remaining operating time of the portable electronic device.

3 more elements

A method for measuring a residual capacity of a dumb battery used in a host device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a terminal voltage of the dumb battery;
determining a remaining battery capacity of the dumb battery from the detected terminal voltage of the dumb battery;
detecting at least one environmental factor causing inaccuracy of the determined remaining battery capacity of the dumb battery;
determining whether a correction is required of the determined remaining battery capacity of the dumb battery according to the detected at least one environmental factor;
correcting the determined remaining battery capacity of the dumb battery based on the at least one environmental factor, when a correction is required of the determined remaining battery capacity of the dumb battery;
and
producing a resultant remaining battery capacity for the dumb battery for display by th e host device.

4 more elements

A method for indicating a remaining operating time of a battery powered host device using a dumb battery, comprising the steps of:

detecting a terminal voltage of the dumb battery;
detecting a current value discharged by the dumb battery;
determining a remaining operating time of the host device based on the detected terminal voltage of the dumb battery and the detected current value of the dumb battery;
detecting at least one power saving related factor set in the host device;
determining whether a correction is required of the determined remaining operating time of the host device according to the detected at least one power saving related factor;
correcting the determined remaining operating time of the host device based on the at least one power saving related factor, when a correction is required of the determined remaining operating time of the host device;
and
producing a resultant remaining operating time of the host device for display by a display of the host device.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Monitoring technique for accurately determining residual capacity of a battery

Life of this patent

Monitoring technique for accurately determining residual capacity of a battery

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20