Apparatus and methods for managing battery performance of a wireless device

• US 20060217152A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cassett, Tia Manning, Hwang, Jihyun, Fok, Kenny
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and programs that determine and manage battery performance characteristics of a wireless device. Embodiments include a wireless device having a computer platform with a processing engine operable to generate a plurality of battery performance data associated with activities on the wireless device. The wireless device further includes a battery performance module operable, based on a received battery performance configuration, to collect selected ones of the plurality of battery performance data. The embodiments may also include an apparatus operable to generate the battery performance configuration, and operable to receive the collected battery performance data and to generate a performance report characterizing the battery performance of the wireless device. Further, embodiments of the apparatus may also generate and transmit to the wireless device a new device operational configuration, based on the collected battery performance data, effective to change the battery performance of the wireless device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining performance of a battery, comprising:

a battery performance module operable to generate a battery tracking configuration for execution by a wireless device, the battery tracking configuration defining types of battery performance data to retrieve from a computer platform of the wireless device;

a data log operable to receive and store the battery performance data collected from the computer platform of the wireless device, wherein the collected battery performance data are indicative of a battery performance characteristic.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery performance module is operable to transmit the battery tracking configuration across a wireless network to the wireless device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery tracking configuration comprises at least one of a battery parameter, an associated data parameter, a tracking parameter, and a reporting parameter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery tracking configuration further comprises at least one of a predetermined test and a predetermined test data to execute on the wireless device to cause the generation of at least a portion of the battery performance data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the predetermined test to perform on the wireless device comprises at least one of operating a user interface of the wireless device, transmitting or receiving a voice call, transmitting or receiving a data call, operating a position/location module, accessing the Internet, and running an application.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery performance data comprises at least one of a battery identification, a battery voltage, a battery current, a battery temperature, a charging status, a charging source, a charging voltage, a charging current and a charging time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery tracking configuration further comprises an associated data parameter comprising at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a slot cycle index, a call time, an analog call, a digital call, a call protocol, a sleep/idle time, and low power mode information.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery performance module further comprises a performance analyzer and at least one of a user-defined battery performance standard and a predetermined battery performance standard, and wherein the performance analyzer is operable to compare the collected battery performance data to at least one of the user-defined battery performance standard and the predetermined battery performance standard to generate a battery performance characteristic.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery performance module is operable to transmit at least one of the data log and the battery performance report across a wireless network to another entity for analysis.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optimization module having an optimization algorithm operable to generate a new device operational configuration effective to change a setting on the wireless device which affects battery performance, wherein the new device operational configuration is based on the collected battery performance data.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery performance module further comprises a configurator module that sets the battery tracking configuration by allowing for a selection of the defined types of battery performance data to collect from a plurality of battery performance parameters.

12. An apparatus for determining battery performance of a battery disposed on a wireless device, comprising:

a generator means for generating and transmitting a battery tracking configuration across a wireless network to a wireless device, the battery tracking configuration defining a type of battery performance data to retrieve from a computer platform of the wireless device;

a storing means for receiving and storing battery performance data collected from the computer platform of the wireless device based on the battery tracking configuration; and

an analysis means for analyzing the collected battery performance data and generating a battery performance report.

13. A wireless communication device comprising:

a computer platform having a battery performance module operable to log battery performance data based on a battery tracking configuration.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the battery performance module is operable to receive the battery tracking configuration from across a wireless network.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the battery performance module is operable to transmit the tracked battery performance data across a wireless network.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the battery tracking configuration comprises at least one of a battery parameter, an associated data parameter, a tracking parameter, and a reporting parameter.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the battery tracking configuration further comprises at least one of a predetermined test program and a predetermined test data executable to generate at least a portion of the battery performance data.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the battery performance data comprises at least one of a battery identification, a battery voltage, a battery current, a battery temperature, a charging status, a charging source, a charging voltage, a charging current and a charging time.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the battery tracking configuration further comprises an associated data parameter comprising at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a slot cycle index, a call time, an analog call, a digital call, a call protocol, a sleep/idle time, and low power mode information.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the computer platform further comprises a test module operable to execute the predetermined test and the predetermined test data to generate the battery performance data associated with the battery tracking configuration.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the predetermined test is selected from the group consisting of operating a user interface of the wireless device, transmitting or receiving a voice call, transmitting or receiving a data call, operating a position/location module, accessing the Internet, and running an application.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the battery performance module is operable to receive a new device operational configuration effective to change a setting on the wireless device which affects battery performance, wherein the new device operational configuration is based on the collected battery performance data.

23. The device of claim 13, further comprising a data log operable to store the collected battery performance data.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the battery performance module is operable to selectively transmit the data log to another computer device across a wireless network.

25. A wireless device, comprising:

a means disposed on the wireless device for tracking battery performance data;

a means for collecting the battery performance data, wherein the battery performance data is based on a battery tracking configuration; and

a means for selectively transmitting the collected battery performance data across the wireless network.

26. A device for managing battery performance of a wireless communications device, comprising:

a data log module for receiving battery performance data corresponding to a processing of a battery tracking configuration on the wireless communications device; and

a performance analyzer module for analyzing the battery performance data and generating a battery performance report having a battery performance characteristic.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising a configurator module for generating and transmitting the battery tracking configuration to the wireless communications device, wherein the configurator module is operable to define selected parameters from at least one of a plurality of battery performance parameters, a plurality of associated data parameters, a plurality of tracking parameters, a plurality of reporting parameters, a plurality of test programs and a plurality of test data.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the selected parameters are selected from a predefined grouping of predetermined ones of at least one of the plurality of battery performance parameters, the plurality of associated data parameters, the plurality of tracking parameters, the plurality of reporting parameters, the plurality of test programs and the plurality of test data.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the data log module and the performance analyzer module define at least a portion of a battery performance module, wherein the battery performance module is operable to transmit at least one of the battery performance data and the battery performance report across a wireless network to another entity for analysis.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the battery performance module is operable to transmit the battery tracking configuration to the wireless communication device based on a request received from the wireless communication device.

31. A method of managing battery performance of a wireless device, comprising:

generating a battery tracking configuration executable by the wireless device to log predetermined battery performance data;

transmitting the battery tracking configuration to the wireless device;

receiving a data log comprising the battery performance data from the wireless device, where the battery performance data are based on the battery tracking configuration; and

,

generating a battery performance report based on the battery performance data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the battery tracking configuration comprises at least one of a battery performance parameter, an associated data parameter, a tracking parameter, a reporting parameter, a test program and a test data.

33. The method of claim 31, where the predetermined tests are selected from the group consisting of operating a user interface of the wireless device, transmitting or receiving a voice call, transmitting or receiving a data call, operating a position/location module, accessing the Internet, and running an application.

34. The method of claim 32, where the battery performance parameters are selected from the group consisting of a battery identification, a battery voltage, a battery current, a battery temperature, a charging status, a charging source, a charging voltage, a charging current and a charging time.

35. The method of claim 32, where the associated data parameter is selected from the group consisting of a slot cycle index, a call time, an analog call, a digital call, a call protocol, a sleep/idle time, and low power mode information.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the action of transmitting the battery tracking configuration to the wireless device further comprises transmitting across a wireless network.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the wireless network comprises a cellular telephone network and wherein the wireless device comprises a cellular telephone.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising generating and transmitting a new device operational configuration to the wireless device, wherein the new device operational configuration is effective to change a setting on the wireless device which affects battery performance, and wherein the new device operational configuration is based on the collected battery performance data.

39. A method of managing battery performance of a wireless device, comprising:

receiving a battery performance tracking configuration;

collecting selected battery performance data based on the battery performance tracking configuration;

transmitting to another device the collected battery performance data based on the battery performance tracking configuration, where the collected battery performance data defines a battery performance characteristic.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving the battery performance tracking configuration over a wireless network.

41. The method of claim 39, where the battery performance tracking configuration defines a type of battery performance parameter to monitor, where the battery performance parameter is selected from the group consisting of a battery voltage, a battery current, a battery temperature, a charging status, a charging source, a charging voltage, a charging current and a charging time.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising executing a test program operable to generate at least a portion of the battery performance data.

43. The method of claim 42, where the test program comprises at least one of operating a user interface of the wireless device, transmitting or receiving a voice call, transmitting or receiving a data call, operating a position/location module, accessing the Internet, and running an application.

44. The method of claim 39, where transmitting the collected battery performance data to another device further comprises transmitting the battery performance data across a wireless communications network.

45. The method of claim 44, where the wireless communications network comprises a cellular telephone network, and where the wireless device comprises a cellular telephone.

46. The method of claim 39, further comprising collecting selected associated data corresponding to the performance data, where the battery performance tracking configuration further defines the selected associated data, and where the selected associated data is selected from the group consisting of a slot cycle index, a call time, an analog call, a digital call, a call protocol, a sleep/idle time, and low power mode information.

47. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving a new device operational configuration, where the new device operational configuration is effective to change a setting on the wireless device which affects battery performance, and where the new device operational configuration is based on the collected battery performance data.

48. A computer program resident in a computer readable medium that, when executed, directs a computer device to perform the actions of:

generating a battery tracking configuration executable by the wireless device to log predetermined battery performance data;

transmitting the battery tracking configuration to the wireless device;

receiving a data log comprising the battery performance data from the wireless device, where the battery performance data are based on the battery tracking configuration; and

,

generating a battery performance report based on the battery performance data.

49. A computer program resident in a computer readable medium that, when executed, directs a wireless device to perform the actions of:

receiving a battery performance tracking configuration;

collecting selected battery performance data based on the battery performance tracking configuration;

transmitting to another device the collected battery performance data based on the battery performance tracking configuration, wherein the collected battery performance data defines a battery performance characteristic.

50. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

generating a battery tracking configuration executable by the wireless device to log predetermined battery performance data;

transmitting the battery tracking configuration to the wireless device;

receiving a data log comprising the battery performance data from the wireless device, where the battery performance data are based on the battery tracking configuration; and

,

generating a battery performance report based on the battery performance data.

51. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

receiving a battery performance tracking configuration;

collecting selected battery performance data based on the battery performance tracking configuration;

transmitting to another device the collected battery performance data based on the battery performance tracking configuration, wherein the collected battery performance data defines a battery performance characteristic.