Devices with battery remaining capacity estimating functions
First Claim
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1. A method for estimating a remaining capacity of a battery, said method comprising:
- charging said battery via a host device;
measuring, with said host device, a battery voltage of said battery during said charging;
determining, using said host device, whether said battery is defined as being close to being fully charged based on said battery voltage and a condition that defines when said battery is close to being fully charged; and
when said battery is defined as being close to being fully charged, then performing a plurality of operations using said host device, wherein said operations comprise;
counting charges passing in said battery to estimate a calculated remaining capacity of said battery by monitoring a charging current of said battery;
calculating a calculated capacity ratio of said calculated remaining capacity to a capacity reference of said battery;
comparing said charging current with a current reference to generate a first comparison result;
comparing said calculated capacity ratio with a ratio reference to generate a second comparison result;
setting an amount according to said first and second comparison results;
providing a calibrated remaining capacity by increasing said calculated remaining capacity by said amount if said charging current is less than said current reference and if said calculated capacity ratio is less than said ratio reference;
calculating a calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form of said calibrated remaining capacity to said capacity reference; and
controlling a screen to display said calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form to a user.
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Abstract
A device includes an interface and a processor. The interface receives information for a parameter indicative of a status of a battery. The processor calculates a remaining capacity of the battery, calculates a capacity ratio of the calculated remaining capacity to a capacity reference of the battery, compares the parameter with a parameter reference to generate a first comparison result, compares the capacity ratio with a ratio reference to generate a second comparison result, sets an amount according to the first and second comparison results, and changes the calculated remaining capacity by the amount.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for estimating a remaining capacity of a battery, said method comprising:
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charging said battery via a host device; measuring, with said host device, a battery voltage of said battery during said charging; determining, using said host device, whether said battery is defined as being close to being fully charged based on said battery voltage and a condition that defines when said battery is close to being fully charged; and when said battery is defined as being close to being fully charged, then performing a plurality of operations using said host device, wherein said operations comprise; counting charges passing in said battery to estimate a calculated remaining capacity of said battery by monitoring a charging current of said battery; calculating a calculated capacity ratio of said calculated remaining capacity to a capacity reference of said battery; comparing said charging current with a current reference to generate a first comparison result; comparing said calculated capacity ratio with a ratio reference to generate a second comparison result; setting an amount according to said first and second comparison results; providing a calibrated remaining capacity by increasing said calculated remaining capacity by said amount if said charging current is less than said current reference and if said calculated capacity ratio is less than said ratio reference; calculating a calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form of said calibrated remaining capacity to said capacity reference; and controlling a screen to display said calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form to a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system comprising:
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a battery; and a host device that enables charging from a charger to said battery, and determines whether said battery is defined as being close to being fully charged based on a battery voltage of said battery and a condition that defines when said battery is close to being fully charged, wherein when said host device determines that said battery is defined as being close to being fully charged, then said host device performs a plurality of operations comprising; counting charges passing in said battery to estimate a calculated remaining capacity of said battery by monitoring a charging current of said battery; calculating a calculated capacity ratio of said calculated remaining capacity to a capacity reference of said battery; comparing said charging current with a current reference to generate a first comparison result; comparing said calculated capacity ratio with a ratio reference to generate a second comparison result; setting an amount according to said first and second comparison results; providing a calibrated remaining capacity by increasing said calculated remaining capacity by said amount if said charging current is less than said current reference and if said calculated capacity ratio is less than said ratio reference; calculating a calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form of said calibrated remaining capacity to said capacity reference; and controlling a screen to display said calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form to a user. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for estimating a remaining capacity of a battery, said method comprising:
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discharging said battery to power a host device; measuring, with said host device, a battery voltage of said battery during said discharging; determining, using said host device, whether said battery is close to being fully discharged based on said battery voltage and a condition that defines when said battery is close to being fully discharged; and when said battery is defined as being close to being fully discharged, then performing a plurality of operations using said host device, wherein said operations comprise; counting charges passing out of said battery to estimate a calculated remaining capacity of said battery by monitoring a discharging current of said battery; calculating a calculated capacity ratio of said calculated remaining capacity to a capacity reference of said battery; comparing said battery voltage with a first voltage reference to generate a first comparison result; comparing said calculated capacity ratio with a ratio reference to generate a second comparison result; setting an amount according to said first and second comparison results; providing a calibrated remaining capacity by decreasing said calculated remaining capacity by said amount if said battery voltage is less than said first voltage reference and said calculated capacity ratio is greater than said ratio reference; calculating a calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form of said calibrated remaining capacity to said capacity reference; and controlling a screen to display said calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form to a user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a battery; and a host device that is powered by said battery to discharge said battery, and determines whether said battery is defined as being close to being fully discharged based on a battery voltage of said battery and a condition that defines when said battery is close to being fully discharged, wherein when said host device determines that said battery is defined as being close to being fully discharged, then said host device performs a plurality of operations comprising; counting charges passing out of said battery to estimate a calculated remaining capacity of said battery by monitoring a discharging current of said battery; calculating a calculated capacity ratio of said calculated remaining capacity to a capacity reference of said battery; comparing said battery voltage with a first voltage reference to generate a first comparison result; comparing said calculated capacity ratio with a ratio reference to generate a second comparison result; setting an amount according to said first and second comparison results; providing a calibrated remaining capacity by decreasing said calculated remaining capacity by said amount if said battery voltage is less than said first voltage reference and said calculated capacity ratio is greater than said ratio reference; calculating a calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form of said calibrated remaining capacity to said capacity reference; and controlling a screen to display said calibrated capacity ratio in percentage form to a user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification