Method of measuring the battery level in a mobile telephone

• US 20040046528A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sebastian Soyer
• Original Assignee: Sebastian Soyer
• Inventors: Soyer, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 7,102,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm

Abstract

Measuring the voltage level of a mobile telephone battery during a charging operation involves disabling the charge temporarily so that the battery rapidly enters discharge mode. The discharge mode voltage is more representative of the true battery charge level, so that the present invention can be implemented to provide a battery charge level display that is accurate even when the telephone is being charged.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the voltage level of a mobile telephone battery during a charging operation comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a current source to charge the battery;

(b) temporarily causing the current from the current source to cease to enable the battery to enter a discharge mode;

(c) measuring the voltage level of the battery when in discharge mode; and

(d) re-applying current from the current source;

(e) repeating steps (b) and (c) until the measured voltage exceeds one or more pre-determined voltage thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the battery can be rapidly placed into discharge mode by drawing current from it.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the current is a current of operational magnitude.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the charge is disabled for a short time period in comparison to the charging period.

5. The method of any preceding claim in which a battery level display on the telephone indicates the charge level of the battery in dependence on which pre-determined voltage threshold or thresholds has or have been exceeded.

10. A mobile telephone adapted to perform the methods defined in any preceding claim.

11. Software programmed to perform the methods defined in any preceding claim.

6. A method of measuring the voltage level of a mobile telephone battery during normal operation comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring the voltage level of the battery, the voltage level fluctuating within an envelope of voltage values;

(b) filtering the measured voltage levels using a filter which outputs a filtered voltage output which remains at a pre-defined position in relation to the envelope of voltage values; and

(c) using the filtered voltage output as a measurement of the voltage level of the battery.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the filtered voltage output remains at or near the top of the envelope of the actual voltage discharge waveform.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the filter is a one-way sliding filter which moves down very slowly but moves up very quickly.

9. The method of claim 6 in which a battery level display on the telephone indicates the charge level of the battery in dependence on which of a pre-determined voltage threshold or thresholds has or have been exceeded.