METHOD FOR MANAGING CHARGE LEVELS OF BATTERIES IN A PLURALITY OF APPARATUSES

• US 20070152638A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Deprun, Jean-Francois
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing charge levels of batteries in apparatuses, comprising the following steps receiving by a master apparatus from a slave apparatus a charge level signal indicative of a level of charge of a battery in the slave apparatus, displaying by the master apparatus a slave charge level information indicative of the level of charge of the battery of the slave apparatus. Particular application for portable electronic apparatuses equipped with rechargeable batteries.

Claims

1. A method for managing charge levels of batteries in apparatuses, comprising the following steps:

receiving by a master apparatus from a slave apparatus a charge level signal indicative of a level of charge of a battery in the slave apparatus; and

displaying by the master apparatus a slave charge level information indicative of the level of charge of the battery of the slave apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the master apparatus displays levels of charge of a plurality of slaves apparatuses.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising an initialisation step which transmits a request to the slave apparatus for obtaining the charge level signal in the master apparatus.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the initialization step is automatically performed when the master apparatus is turned on.

5. The method according to one of claim 3, wherein the master apparatus periodically transmits said request to the slave apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining at the master apparatus a time interval between two successive requests as a function of the variation of the level of charge of the battery of the slave apparatus.

7. The method according to one of claim 1, wherein said charge level signal comprises at least one charge level parameter among an index indicative of the charge level, a percentage of charge, a remaining time of range in an idle mode, a remaining time of range in an operating mode or a time needed for completely charging the slave apparatus battery.

8. The method according to one of claim 1, wherein the display of said slave charge level information by the master apparatus comprises an icon symbolizing the level of charge.

9. A method for managing charge levels of batteries in apparatuses, comprising the following steps:

transmitting, from a slave apparatus to a master apparatus, a charge level signal indicative of a level of charge of a battery in said slave apparatus, and

displaying by the master apparatus a slave battery charge level information indicative of the level of charge of the battery of the slave apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising an initialization step which receives a request from the master apparatus for transmission of said charge level signal to said master apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step which measures a battery charge level of the slave apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step which compares the measured battery charge level to one or more threshold(s) the slave apparatus, and transmits or not an update signal to the master apparatus according to the comparison.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the slave apparatus compares the measured battery charge level to a fixed reference charge level.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the slave apparatus compares the measured battery charge level to a threshold which depends on a previously measured charge level.

15. The method according to one of claim 9, wherein the charge level signal comprises at least one charge level parameter among an index indicative of the charge level, a percentage of charge, a remaining time of range in an idle mode, a remaining time of range in a functioning mode or a time necessary for completely charging the slave apparatus battery.