Variable-frequency sampling of battery voltage to determine fuel gauge power mode
First Claim
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1. A fuel gauge comprising:
- a voltage detection logic circuit coupled with a fluctuation level register memory;
a mode control logic circuit coupled with the voltage detection logic circuit; and
a sampling timer coupled with the voltage detection logic circuit;
wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to repeatedly sample a voltage from a battery using the sampling timer to measure a voltage swing and a rate of change of the voltage and generate data values that correspond with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage;
wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to use the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage to send a signal to the mode control logic circuit to increase a power mode of the fuel gauge ifthe data values corresponding with the voltage swing are greater than a voltage swing threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory andthe data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are greater than a rate of change threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory; and
wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to use the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage to send a signal to the mode control logic circuit to decrease the power mode of the fuel gauge ifthe data values corresponding with the voltage swing are less than a voltage swing threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory andthe data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are less than a rate of change threshold from the fluctuation level register memory.
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Abstract
A system for conserving power in an electronic device, in some embodiments, comprises: a battery to supply power to the electronic device; and a fuel gauge coupled to the battery and capable of operating in any of a plurality of power modes, wherein the fuel gauge selects its own power mode based on a repeated, variable-frequency sampling of a voltage provided by said battery.
8 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fuel gauge comprising:
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a voltage detection logic circuit coupled with a fluctuation level register memory; a mode control logic circuit coupled with the voltage detection logic circuit; and a sampling timer coupled with the voltage detection logic circuit; wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to repeatedly sample a voltage from a battery using the sampling timer to measure a voltage swing and a rate of change of the voltage and generate data values that correspond with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage; wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to use the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage to send a signal to the mode control logic circuit to increase a power mode of the fuel gauge if the data values corresponding with the voltage swing are greater than a voltage swing threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory and the data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are greater than a rate of change threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory; and wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to use the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage to send a signal to the mode control logic circuit to decrease the power mode of the fuel gauge if the data values corresponding with the voltage swing are less than a voltage swing threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory and the data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are less than a rate of change threshold from the fluctuation level register memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fuel gauge, comprising:
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a voltage detection logic circuit coupled with a fluctuation level register memory; a mode control logic circuit coupled with the voltage detection logic circuit; and a sampling timer coupled with the voltage detection logic circuit; wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to repeatedly sample a voltage from a battery using the sampling timer and measure a voltage swing and a rate of change of the voltage and generate data values that correspond with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage; wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to use the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage to send a signal to the mode control logic circuit to increase a power mode of the fuel gauge if the data values corresponding with the voltage swing are greater than a voltage swing threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory and the data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are greater than a rate of change threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory; and wherein the voltage detection logic circuit is configured to use the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage to send a signal to the mode control logic circuit to decrease the power mode of the fuel gauge if the data values corresponding with the voltage swing are less than a voltage swing threshold value from the fluctuation level register memory and the data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are less than a rate of change threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for conserving power, comprising:
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repeatedly sampling a voltage using a voltage detection logic circuit coupled with a sampling timer; measuring a voltage swing and a rate of change of the voltage using the voltage detection logic circuit; generating data values that correspond with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage; using the data values that correspond with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage, sending a signal using the voltage detection logic circuit to a mode control logic circuit to increase a power mode of the fuel gauge if the data values corresponding with the voltage swing are greater than a voltage swing threshold value stored in a fluctuation level register memory coupled to the voltage detection logic circuit and the data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are greater than a rate of change threshold value stored in the fluctuation level register memory; and using the data values corresponding with the voltage swing and the rate of change of the voltage, sending a signal using the voltage detection logic circuit to the mode control logic circuit to decrease the power mode of the fuel gauge if the data values corresponding with the voltage swing are less than the voltage swing threshold value stored in the fluctuation level register memory and the data values corresponding with the rate of change of the voltage are less than the rate of change threshold. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification