Mobile terminal displaying remaining battery capacity and method thereof

• US 20070188145A1
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yun, Kim, Bum, Lee, Moon
• Application Number:
  US11/474,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188145A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile terminal device and method are provided for displaying remaining battery capacity. The device and method comprise internal and external batteries installed on the mobile terminal, a display unit displaying remaining battery capacity, a battery detecting unit identifying whether the external battery is additionally installed, a remaining battery capacity measuring unit measuring total recharged voltage of the internal and external batteries and a control unit displaying the total remaining battery capacity on the display unit corresponding to the measured total recharged voltage. Accordingly, a user may identify installation of the external battery more easily and avoid confusion due to rapid display changes in remaining battery capacity displayed as a recharged voltage difference between the internal and external batteries.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying remaining battery capacity information;

a battery detecting unit for determining whether an external battery is installed on the mobile terminal in a state in which an internal battery is installed on the mobile terminal;

a remaining battery capacity measuring unit for measuring total voltage of the internal battery and the external battery if the installation of the external battery is detected; and

a control unit for controlling display of total remaining battery capacity corresponding to the measured total voltage on the display unit differently from the remaining battery capacity corresponding to voltage of the internal battery.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the external battery is connected to the internal battery in parallel, if the external battery is additionally installed.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the display unit comprises a battery icon for displaying battery capacity information, and at least a portion of an area of the battery icon comprises a plurality of internal blocks filled with a color according to a level of the measured voltage.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls display of the total remaining battery capacity on the display unit by changing a color of the internal blocks of the battery icon that are displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery, if the external battery is installed and the total voltage of the two batteries is measured by the remaining battery capacity measuring unit.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls display of the total remaining battery capacity on the display unit by enlarging a size of the battery icon and the internal blocks that are displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery, if the external battery is installed and the total voltage of the two batteries is measured by the remaining battery capacity measuring unit.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls display of the total remaining battery capacity on the display unit by dividing the internal blocks of the battery icon into areas that are displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery, if the external battery is installed and the total voltage of the two batteries is measured by the remaining battery capacity measuring unit.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls display of the total remaining battery capacity on the display unit by enlarging a size of the battery icon that is displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery and by filling the at least the portion of the area of the enlarged battery icon with internal blocks having the same size as the previous internal blocks, if the external battery is installed and the total voltage of the two batteries is measured by the remaining battery capacity measuring unit.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the battery icon comprises 3 or more internal blocks.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the at least the portion of the area of the battery icon is an inner area of the battery icon.

9. A method of displaying remaining battery capacity of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying remaining battery capacity by measuring voltage of an installed internal battery;

determining installation of an external battery;

measuring total voltage of the internal and external batteries, if the installation of the external battery is determined; and

displaying total remaining battery capacity corresponding to the measured total voltage on the display unit differently from the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein installation of the external battery comprises a parallel connection to the internal battery.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying the remaining battery capacity information comprises displaying a battery icon wherein at least a portion of an area of the battery icon comprises a plurality of blocks filled with a color according to the level of the measured voltage.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the total remaining battery capacity comprises changing the color of the internal blocks of the battery icon that are displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery, if the total recharged voltage is measured in the measuring step.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the total remaining battery capacity comprises enlarging a size of the battery icon and the internal blocks that are displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery, if the total recharged voltage is measured in the measuring step.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the total remaining battery capacity comprises dividing the internal blocks of the battery icon into areas that are displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery, if the total recharged voltage is measured in the measuring step.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the total remaining battery capacity comprises enlarging the size of the battery icon that is displayed corresponding to the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery and filling the at least the portion of the area of the enlarged battery icon with internal blocks having the same size as the previous internal blocks, if the total recharged voltage is measured in the measuring step.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least the portion of the area of the battery icon is an inner area of the battery icon.