Method and apparatus for use with a portable power source

• US 20050125172A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patino, Joseph, Fraser, Randall S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,980,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus (10) having a portable power source (11) can make use of a plurality of differing charge depleted threshold values (and, in a preferred embodiment, corresponding visual charge-remaining indicators) to determine what level of charge remains in the portable power source (11). This in turn permits the recharging advice as suggested by the visual indicator to better track and reinforce the ordinary recharging behaviors of a given user. So configured, the total lifetime of the portable power source may be extended while also ensuring that the portable power source will be fully charged upon completion of each charging cycle.

Claims

1. A method for use with a device having a portable power source, comprising:

providing a first charge depleted threshold value;

providing a second charge depleted threshold value that represents a level of charge depletion for the portable power source that is less than a level of charge depletion as corresponds to the first charge depleted threshold value;

selecting one of the first charge depleted threshold value and the second charge depleted threshold value to provide a selected charge depleted threshold value;

using the selected charge depleted threshold value to determine when to present information to a user of the device to indicate that the portable power source should be recharged.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a second charge depleted threshold value further comprises providing a second charge depleted threshold value as a function, at least in part, of historical levels of depletion for the device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing a second charge depleted threshold value as a function, at least in part, of historical levels of depletion for the device further comprises:

selecting the first charge depleted threshold value to use when determining when to present information to a user of the device to indicate that the portable power source should be recharged;

detecting recharging of the portable power source;

determining a level of depletion for the portable power source;

using the level of depletion to provide the second charge depleted threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

detecting recharging of the portable power source further comprises detecting multiple instances of recharging of the portable power source; and

determining a level of depletion for the portable power source further comprises determining a level of depletion for the portable power source for each of at least a plurality of the multiple instances.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the first charge depleted threshold value and the second charge depleted threshold value to provide a selected charge depleted threshold value further comprises automatically selecting one of the first charge depleted threshold value and the second charge depleted threshold value to provide a selected charge depleted threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the first charge depleted threshold value and the second charge depleted threshold value to provide a selected charge depleted threshold value further comprises:

detecting a user input;

using the user input to select one of the first charge depleted threshold value and the second charge depleted threshold value to provide a selected charge depleted threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

using a first indicator to present information to a user of the device to indicate that the portable power source should be recharged when using the first charge depleted threshold value; and

using a second indicator, which second indicator is different from the first indicator, to present information to a user of the device to indicate that the portable power source should be recharged when using the second charge depleted threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein using a first indicator further comprises using a first visual indicator and using a second indicator further comprises using a second visual indicator.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein using a first visual indicator further comprises using a displayed icon having a first visual attribute and using a second visual indicator further comprises using the displayed icon having a second visual attribute that is different from the first visual attribute.

10. The method of claim 1 and further comprising, when using the second charge depleted threshold value as the selected charge depleted threshold value:

detecting when the portable power supply has been depleted by at least a predetermined amount beyond a level of depletion that corresponds to the second charge depleted threshold value;

automatically switching to the first charge depleted threshold value for use when determining when to present information to a user of the device to indicate that the portable power source should be recharged.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a portable power source;

a power capacity detector operably coupled to the portable power source;

a first charge depleted threshold value;

a second charge depleted threshold value that corresponds to a reduced amount of charge depletion as compared to the first charge depleted threshold value.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the power capacity detector comprises a voltage level detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first charge depleted threshold value comprises at least a substantially complete level of charge depletion.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second charge depleted threshold value comprises an historically derived charge depleted threshold value.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 and further comprising means for:

detecting recharging of the portable power source;

determining a level of depletion for the portable power source upon recharging the portable power source;

using the level of depletion to provide the second charge depleted threshold value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the means are further for determining a plurality of levels of depletion for the portable power source as each corresponds to a plurality of recharging events and using the plurality of levels of depletion to provide the second charge depleted threshold value.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 and further comprising:

a first user-perceivable indicator that corresponds to a level of charge depletion of the portable power source as compares to the first charge depleted threshold value;

a second user-perceivable indicator that corresponds to a level of charge depletion of the portable power source as compares to the second charge depleted threshold value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first user-perceivable indicator comprises a first visual indicator and the second user-perceivable indicator comprises a second visual indicator.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first visual indicator comprises an icon having a first visually perceivable attribute and the second visual indicator comprises the icon having a second visually perceivable attribute, which second visually perceivable attribute is different from the first visually perceivable attribute.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 and further comprising selection means for selecting one of the first and second charge depleted threshold values to use when determining when to provide an indication to a user of the apparatus that the portable power source should now be recharged.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the selection means automatically selects the first charge depleted threshold value when the second charge depleted threshold value is presently in use and the portable power source has become depleted to at least a predetermined amount with respect to a level of charge depletion that corresponds to the second charge depleted threshold value.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the predetermined amount comprises an amount that is at least more than the level of charge depletion that corresponds to the second charge depleted threshold value.