Battery charge measurement and discharge reserve time prediction technique and apparatus

A battery charge remaining and capacity measurement and discharge reserve time prediction device including:

• a voltage measurement means adapted to measure the voltage of a cell or cells;
• a current measurement means adapted to measure the present load on the cell or cells;
• a timing means adapted so that a substantially simultaneous measurement of voltage, current and time in respect of the cell or cells can be performed, thereby allowing the collection of a plurality of data points relating to the direct relationship between cell voltage and charge remaining;
• and
• a processing means adapted to produce a curve/function relating charge remaining as a single-variable function of cell voltage during an initial discharge of one or more cells, the curve/function terminating at an end voltage corresponding substantially to a voltage level at which the cell(s) is/are considered to be exhausted, and whereby during a subsequent discharge the curve/function allows the processing means to estimate charge remaining directly from the cell(s) voltage;
• and
• wherein the device is adapted to calculate the discharge rate of a cell or cells, the device using the charge remaining and discharge rate to determine the discharge reserve time.

A battery charge remaining and capacity measurement and discharge reserve time prediction device including:

• a voltage measurement means adapted to measure the voltage of a cell or cells;
• a current measurement means adapted to measure the present load on the cell or cells;
• a timing means adapted so that a substantially simultaneous measurement of voltage, current and time in respect of the cell or cells can be performed, thereby allowing the collection of a plurality of data points relating to the direct relationship between cell voltage and charge remaining;
• and
• a processing means adapted to produce a curve/function relating absolute charge remaining as a single-variable function of cell voltage during an initial discharge of one or more cells, the curve/function terminating at an end voltage corresponding substantially to a voltage level at which the cell(s) is/are considered to be exhausted, and whereby during a subsequent discharge the curve/function allows the processing means to estimate absolute charge remaining directly from the cell(s) voltage.