Mobile information apparatus, method and program for optimizing the charge state of the apparatus, and battery management server, method and program using the server to optimize the charge state of battery-powered electrical apparatus

• US 20040066171A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Iichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,911,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A schedule recording section (4) records a user'"'"'s schedule. A SOC (state-of-charge) optimization planning section (5) plans the SOC of a rechargeable battery (21) based on the user'"'"'s schedule. The planned control target SOC is optimized through a comparison between the continuous charging characteristic of the rechargeable battery (21) and the length of an operable period or the amount of electric power to be secured at the time of battery-powered operation. For example, a control target SOC is set at a full charge in the proximity of the period during which a battery-powered operation time is expected to be long. A control target SOC is set lower enough than a full charge in the period during which a connection to an external power supply (A) by the AC adapter (11) is expected to continue for a long time. A power-supply control section (3) controls the charge and discharge of the rechargeable battery (21) according to a plan for the optimization of the SOC.

Claims

1. A mobile information apparatus comprising:

(A) a battery storage section including a rechargeable battery;

(B) a power supply section for converting electric power provided by one of an external power supply and said rechargeable battery to pre-determined direct current power, and charging said rechargeable battery with electric power provided by said external power supply;

(C) a schedule recording section for recording a user'"'"'s schedule;

(D) a charge-state optimization planning section for determining a plan for the optimization of the charge state of said rechargeable battery according to said schedule; and

(E) a power-supply control section for establishing charge and discharge conditions based on said plan for the optimization, and, on the charge and discharge conditions, controlling the charge and discharge of said rechargeable battery by said power supply section.

3. A charge-state optimization program of causing the CPU of the mobile information apparatus according to claim 1 to function as said schedule recording section, said charge-state optimization planning section, and said power-supply control section.

2. A method of optimizing the charge state of a mobile information apparatus, comprising the steps of:

(A) recording a user'"'"'s schedule;

(B) determining a plan for the optimization of the charge state of a rechargeable battery in a battery storage section according to said schedule;

(C) establishing charge and discharge conditions based on said plan for the optimization; and

(D) controlling the charge and discharge of said rechargeable battery by a power supply section on said charge and discharge conditions.

4. A battery management server for providing a plan for an optimization to a battery-powered electrical apparatus comprising:

(a) a communications section for performing data communications with a network of the outside;

(b) a battery storage section including a rechargeable battery;

(c) a power supply section for converting electric power provided by one of an external power supply and said rechargeable battery to pre-determined direct current power, and charging said rechargeable battery by the electric power provided by said external power supply; and

(d) a power-supply control section for establishing charge and discharge conditions based on the plan for the optimization of the charge state of said rechargeable battery, and, on the charge and discharge conditions, controlling the charge and discharge of said rechargeable battery by said power supply section;

said server comprises;

(A) a network interface for performing data communications with said network;

(B) a schedule recording section for recording a user'"'"'s schedule;

(C) a device-list management section for monitoring a connection to said network by said battery-powered electrical apparatus, and creating and updating a list of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses connected to said network; and

(D) a charge-state optimization planning section for determining said plan for the optimization about each of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses included in said list, and informing each of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses of the plan for the optimization.

6. A charge-state optimization program for causing the CPU of the battery management server according to claim 4 to function as said schedule recording section, said device-list management section, and said charge-state optimization planning section.

5. A method of optimizing a charge state of a battery-powered electrical apparatus by a battery management server, comprising the steps of:

(A) recording a user'"'"'s schedule;

(B) monitoring a connection to a network by said battery-powered electrical apparatus;

(C) creating and updating a list of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses connected to said network;

(D) for each of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses included in said list, determining a plan for the optimization of the charge state of a rechargeable battery in a battery storage section by said battery management server according to said schedule;

(E) informing each of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses of said plan for the optimization by said battery management server through said network;

(F) establishing charge and discharge conditions based on said plan for the optimization by each of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses; and

(G) controlling the charge and discharge of said rechargeable battery by a power supply section on said charge and discharge conditions in each of said battery-powered electrical apparatuses.