# US 9,003,213 B2 · Battery discharging method

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- Number: US 9,003,213 B2
- Document ID: US9003213B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/598,612
- Filed: 2012-08-29
- Published: 2013-08-08
- Granted: 2015-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2012-02-02
- Assignees: Wistron Corporation
- Applicants: Yu-Wei Tsao
- Inventors: Yu-Wei Tsao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9003213B2

## CPC

- H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00)
- G06F 1/3212: Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
- G06F 1/324: by lowering clock frequency
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A battery discharging method for a computer system is disclosed. The battery discharging method is to detect a first detection value relative to a first status of a battery of the computer system and a second detection value relative to a second status of the battery, then to determine a clock adjustment parameter according to the first detection value and the second detection value, and at last to adjust an operation clock rate of a processor of the computer system according to the clock adjustment parameter. Therein, the statuses of the battery can be discharging temperature, discharging current, discharging voltage, residual capacity, or other statuses of the battery. Therefore, the invention can adjust the operation clock rate of the processor under the consideration to the statuses of the battery, so as to extend the discharging period of the battery and utilize the stored energy in the battery efficiently.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery discharging method for a computer system, the computer system comprising a processor and a battery for powering the processor, the battery discharging method comprising the following steps:
(a) detecting a first detection value relative to a first status of the battery and a second detection value relative to a second status of the battery;
(b-1) determining a first adjustment value according to the first detection value;
(b-2) determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
(b-3) adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value;
(b-4) determining a clock adjustment parameter according to the third adjustment value; and
(c) adjusting an operation clock rate of the processor according to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein in the step (a), the first status and the second status are two selected from the group consisting of discharging temperature, discharging current, discharging voltage, and residual capacity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein the step (b-1) is performed by the following steps:
according to a plurality of detection value ranges relative to the first status and a plurality of adjustment reference values corresponding to the detection value ranges, determining one detection value range containing the first detection value; and
assigning the adjustment reference value corresponding to the determined detection value range to the first adjustment value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein the step (b-3) further comprises the following step:
if the third adjustment value is larger than a predetermined value, assigning the predetermined value to the third adjustment value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein the step (b-4) is performed by the following steps:
according to a plurality of adjustment comparison values and a plurality of adjustment reference parameters, determining one adjustment comparison value matching the third adjustment value; and
assigning the adjustment reference parameter corresponding to the determined adjustment comparison value to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein the clock adjustment parameter corresponds to one of a plurality of underclocking levels, and the step (c) is performed by the following step:
adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to be the corresponding underclocking level.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises an embedded controller and a basic input/output system, the clock adjustment parameter is an underclocking level, and the step (c) is performed by the following steps:
(c-1) the embedded controller storing the clock adjustment parameter;
(c-2) the embedded controller triggering an underclocking event signal to the basic input/output system;
(c-3) the basic input/output system reading the clock adjustment parameter; and
(c-4) the basic input/output system adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to the underclocking level according to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The battery discharging method of claim 7, wherein the step (c-4) is performed by the following steps:
the basic input/output system judging whether the operation clock rate of the processor is equal to the clock adjustment parameter; and
if the result of the judging is false, the basic input/output system adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to the underclocking level according to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The battery discharging method of claim 8, wherein the step (c-4) further comprises the following step:
if the result of the judging is true, the basic input/output system maintaining the operation clock rate of the processor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, wherein the step (a) is performed by the following step:
when a residual capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined value, and no external power is inputted into the computer system, detecting the first detection value relative to the first status of the battery and the second detection value relative to the second status of the battery.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The battery discharging method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined value is 50%.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The battery discharging method of claim 1, before the step (a), further comprising setting an activation variable, wherein the step (a) is performed by the following step:
when a residual capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined value, no external power is inputted into the computer system, and the activation variable is true, detecting the first detection value relative to the first status of the battery and the second detection value relative to the second status of the battery.

### Claim 13

A battery discharging method for a computer system, the computer system comprising a processor, a battery for powering the processor, an embedded controller, and a basic input/output system, the battery discharging method comprising the following steps:
(a) detecting a first detection value relative to a first status of the battery and a second detection value relative to a second status of the battery;
(b) determining a clock adjustment parameter according to the first detection value and the second detection value, the clock adjustment parameter being an underclocking level; and
(c-1) the embedded controller storing the clock adjustment parameter;
(c-2) the embedded controller triggering an underclocking event signal to the basic input/output system;
(c-3) the basic input/output system reading the clock adjustment parameter; and
(c-4) the basic input/output system judging whether an operation clock rate of the processor is equal to the clock adjustment parameter, and if the result of the judging is false, the basic input/output system adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to the underclocking level according to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, wherein in the step (a), the first status and the second status are two selected from the group consisting of discharging temperature, discharging current, discharging voltage, and residual capacity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, wherein the step (b) is performed by the following steps:
according to a plurality of detection value ranges relative to the first status and a plurality of adjustment reference values corresponding to the detection value ranges, determining one detection value range containing the first detection value;
assigning the adjustment reference value corresponding to the determined detection value range to the first adjustment value;
determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value; and
determining the clock adjustment parameter according to the third adjustment value.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, wherein the step (b) further comprises the following step:
determining a first adjustment value according to the first detection value;
determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value;
if the third adjustment value is larger than a predetermined value, assigning the predetermined value to the third adjustment value; and
determining the clock adjustment parameter according to the third adjustment value.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, wherein the step (b) is performed by the following steps:
determining a first adjustment value according to the first detection value;
determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value; and
according to a plurality of adjustment comparison values and a plurality of adjustment reference parameters, determining one adjustment comparison value matching the third adjustment value; and
assigning the adjustment reference parameter corresponding to the determined adjustment comparison value to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, wherein the step (c-4) further comprises the following step:
if the result of the judging is true, the basic input/output system maintaining the operation clock rate of the processor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, wherein the step (a) is performed by the following step:
when a residual capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined value, and no external power is inputted into the computer system, detecting the first detection value relative to the first status of the battery and the second detection value relative to the second status of the battery.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The battery discharging method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined value is 50%.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The battery discharging method of claim 13, before the step (a), further comprising setting an activation variable, wherein the step (a) is performed by the following step:
when a residual capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined value, no external power is inputted into the computer system, and the activation variable is true, detecting the first detection value relative to the first status of the battery and the second detection value relative to the second status of the battery.

### Claim 22

A battery discharging method for a computer system, the computer system comprising a processor and a battery for powering the processor, the battery discharging method comprising the following steps:
setting an activation variable;
(a) when a residual capacity of the battery is less than a predetermined value, no external power is inputted into the computer system, and the activation variable is true, detecting a first detection value relative to a first status of the battery and a second detection value relative to a second status of the battery;
(b) determining a clock adjustment parameter according to the first detection value and the second detection value; and
(c) adjusting an operation clock rate of the processor according to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein in the step (a), the first status and the second status are two selected from the group consisting of discharging temperature, discharging current, discharging voltage, and residual capacity.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein the step (b) is performed by the following steps:
according to a plurality of detection value ranges relative to the first status and a plurality of adjustment reference values corresponding to the detection value ranges, determining one detection value range containing the first detection value;
assigning the adjustment reference value corresponding to the determined detection value range to the first adjustment value;
determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value; and
determining the clock adjustment parameter according to the third adjustment value.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein the step (b) further comprises the following step:
determining a first adjustment value according to the first detection value;
determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value;
if the third adjustment value is larger than a predetermined value, assigning the predetermined value to the third adjustment value; and
determining the clock adjustment parameter according to the third adjustment value.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein the step (b) is performed by the following steps:
determining a first adjustment value according to the first detection value;
determining a second adjustment value according to the second detection value;
adding the first adjustment value and the second adjustment value to be a third adjustment value; and
according to a plurality of adjustment comparison values and a plurality of adjustment reference parameters, determining one adjustment comparison value matching the third adjustment value; and
assigning the adjustment reference parameter corresponding to the determined adjustment comparison value to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein the clock adjustment parameter corresponds to one of a plurality of underclocking levels, and the step (c) is performed by the following step:
adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to be the corresponding underclocking level.

### Claim 28 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein the computer system comprises an embedded controller and a basic input/output system, the clock adjustment parameter is an underclocking level, and the step (c) is performed by the following steps:
(c-1) the embedded controller storing the clock adjustment parameter;
(c-2) the embedded controller triggering an underclocking event signal to the basic input/output system;
(c-3) the basic input/output system reading the clock adjustment parameter; and
(c-4) the basic input/output system adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to the underclocking level according to the clock adjustment parameter.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The battery discharging method of claim 28, wherein the step (c-4) is performed by the following steps:
the basic input/output system judging whether the operation clock rate of the processor is equal to the clock adjustment parameter; and
if the result of the judging is false, the basic input/output system adjusting the operation clock rate of the processor to the underclocking level according to the clock adjustment parameter; and
if the result of the judging is true, the basic input/output system maintaining the operation clock rate of the processor.

### Claim 30 (depends on 22)

The battery discharging method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined value is 50%.