Remaining battery capacity corrector and controlling method therefor

• US 20020093312A1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choo, Yeon-Chul
• Granted Patent: US 6,515,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

A remaining battery capacity corrector and a controlling method therefor are provided. The remaining battery capacity corrector corrects errors in a calculated remaining battery capacity and includes a voltage detector for detecting an output voltage of a battery, a current detector for detecting an output current of the battery, a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the battery, a remaining battery capacity correction table storage unit for storing a remaining battery capacity correction table representing a reference output voltage, so as to correspond to the output current and the temperature of the battery, and a controller for correcting the displayed value of the remaining battery capacity based on the reference output voltage in the remaining battery capacity correction table, in the case that the output voltage is less than the reference output voltage in the remaining battery capacity correction table which is dependent on the detected output current and the battery temperature. With this configuration, an error of the displayed value of the remaining battery capacity can be corrected precisely.

Claims

1. A remaining battery capacity corrector for correcting an error in a calculated remaining battery capacity, the remaining battery capacity corrector comprising:

a voltage detector for detecting an output voltage of the battery;

a current detector for detecting an output current of the battery;

a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the battery;

a remaining battery capacity correction table storage unit for storing a remaining battery capacity correction table representing a reference output voltage that is dependent on the output current and the temperature of the battery; and

a controller for correcting said display of said remaining battery capacity based on the reference output voltage of the remaining battery capacity correction table, in the case that the detected output voltage of the battery is less than the reference output voltage in the remaining battery capacity correction table.

2. The remaining battery capacity corrector of claim 1, wherein said remaining battery capacity correction table represents the reference output voltage depending upon the output current and the temperature of the battery, at a point of time when the actual remaining battery capacity is almost exhausted.

3. The remaining battery capacity corrector of claim 1, wherein said reference output voltages listed in said remaining battery capacity correction table are also dependent on the number of times said battery has been discharged and recharged.

4. A remaining battery capacity correction method, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a reference output voltage of a battery so as to correspond to an output current and a temperature of the battery at a point oftime just before a remaining battery capacity is exhausted;

(b) detecting the output voltage, the output current, and the temperature of the battery;

(c) comparing the detected output voltage with the reference output voltage that is dependent upon the detected output current and temperature of the battery; and

(d) correcting the remaining battery capacity based on the reference output voltage, in the case that the detected output voltage is less than the reference output voltage.

5. The remaining battery capacity correction method of claim 4, wherein the steps (b) and (c) are repeated by a predetermined number, prior to the step (d).

6. The remaining battery capacity correction method of claim 5, wherein the steps (b) through (d) are repeated.

7. The remaining battery capacity correction method of claim 5, wherein the reference output voltage is established so as to represent a point of time just before the remaining battery capacity is exhausted.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said reference voltage values are further dependent upon a number of times said battery has been discharged and recharged.

9. The remaining battery capacity correction method of claim 5, wherein the reference output voltage is established so as to represent a point of time substantially before the remaining battery capacity is exhausted.

10. A precise method for alerting a user when a discharging battery needs to be recharged, said method comprising the steps of:

recalculating a remaining battery capacity for display, said calculation based on current output by said battery and duration of time that has elapsed from a previous calculation;

detecting an output voltage, an output current, and a battery temperature of said battery;

comparing said output voltage with a threshold voltage, said threshold voltage being stored in a look-up table and being dependent upon said output current and said battery temperature;

comparing said remaining battery capacity for display with a threshold battery capacity;

returning to said recalculating step when said output voltage is not less than said threshold voltage and said displayed battery capacity is not less than said threshold capacity;

returning to said detecting step when said output voltage is not less than said threshold voltage and said displayed battery capacity is less than said threshold battery capacity; and

setting said remaining capacity for display equal to said threshold capacity when said output voltage is less than said threshold voltage.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

incrementing a counter;

determining whether said counter reaches a threshold value; and

returning to said detecting step if said counter is less than said threshold value, whenever said output voltage of said battery is less than said threshold voltage.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of setting said counter to zero whenever said step of comparing said remaining battery capacity for display with a threshold battery capacity is executed.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said threshold voltage is further dependent on said threshold capacity.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said threshold voltage is further dependent on a number of times said battery has been discharged and recharged.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said display displays to said user a remaining battery capacity in terms of percentage of a total capacity of said battery remaining available for discharge before said battery is exhausted.