Fuel Gauging System and Method Thereof

• US 20090189614A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crawford, John D., Hoffman, Peter F., Spartano, David A., Huang, Frank F., Osmialowski, Stephen E., Jakubiak, Adam R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/430
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 14/023 having two or more, or different light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/378 specially adapted for the type of battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4221 with battery type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• 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: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A lighting system is provided that includes at least one lighting device, at least one connector, and a plurality of external power sources. The at least one lighting device includes at least one lighting source, and an internal power source applying a first electrical current to illuminate the at least one lighting element, wherein the internal power source supplies the first electrical current. The at least one connector electrically connects to the at least one lighting device. The plurality of external power sources include at least first and second external power sources that are adapted to be electrically connected to the at least one lighting device by the at least one connector. Further, a fuel gauging system and method detects an electrochemical composition of a power source, which can be at least one of the internal power source and the external power source, and then determines a state of charge of the power source based upon the determined electrochemical composition of the power source.

Claims

1. A fuel gauging system comprising:

hardware circuitry adapted to electrically connect to a power source that has an electrochemical composition;

an electrochemical composition detection device configured to determine said electrochemical composition of said power source; and

a fuel gauging device configured to determine a state of charge of said power source based upon said determined electrochemical composition of said power source.

2. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1, wherein said fuel gauging device determines said state of charge of said power source based upon a voltage potential of said power source and an internal resistance of said power source.

3. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1, wherein said fuel gauging device utilizes a lookup table to determine said state of charge of said power source based upon a closed circuit voltage potential and an internal resistance of said power source.

4. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1, wherein said electrochemical composition detection device determines said electrochemical composition of said power source based upon an open circuit voltage potential of said power source, a closed circuit voltage potential of said power source, and an internal resistance of said power source.

5. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1, wherein said electrochemical composition device determines said electrochemical composition of said power source as a function of a recovery time of said power source.

6. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1, wherein said fuel gauging device intermittently determines said state of charge of said power source at time intervals.

7. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1, wherein said electrochemical detection device and said fuel gauging device are used with at least one comprising:

a lighting device;

a cellular telephone;

a personal digital assistant (PDA);

a recharger device; and

a multimedia device.

8. The fuel gauging system device of claim 1 further comprising at least one fuel gauging indicator configured to indicate said determined state of charge.

9. A lighting device comprising:

hardware circuitry adapted to electrically connect to a power source that has an electrochemical composition;

a lighting source in electrical communication with said hardware circuitry;

an electrochemical detection device configured to determine said electrochemical composition of said power source; and

a fuel gauging device configured to determine a state of charge of said power source based upon said determined electrochemical composition of said power source.

10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said fuel gauging device determines said state of charge of said power source based upon a voltage potential of said power source and an internal resistance of said power source.

11. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said fuel gauging device utilizes a look up table to determine said state of charge of said power source based upon a closed circuit voltage potential and an internal resistance of said power source.

12. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said electrochemical composition detection device determines said electrochemical composition of said power source based upon of an open circuit voltage potential of said power source, a closed circuit voltage potential of said power source, and said internal resistance of said power source.

13. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said fuel gauging device intermittently determines said state of charge of said power source at time intervals.

14. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein said electrochemical detection device determines said electrochemical composition of said power source as a function of recovery time of said power source.

15. The lighting device of claim 9, further comprising at least one fuel gauging indicator configured to indicate said determined state of charge.

16. The lighting device of claim 9 further comprising at least one switch configured to supply electrical power to said light source, wherein when said at least one switch is actuated, said fuel gauging device determines said state of charge of said power source.

17. A method of determining a state of charge of a power source electrically connected to hardware circuitry, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an electrochemical composition of a power source; and

determining a state of charge of said power source based upon said determined electrochemical composition of said power source.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of determining said state of charge of said power source comprises the steps of:

determining a voltage potential of said power source; and

determining an internal resistance of said power source, such that said state of charge is determined as a function of said determined voltage potential and said determined internal resistance.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of determining said state of charge of said power source is performed intermittently during time intervals.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of determining said electrochemical composition comprises the step of determining said electrochemical composition of said power source as a function of recovery time of said power source.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of determining said state of charge of said power source comprises the steps of:

determining a closed circuit voltage of said power source;

determining an internal resistance of said power source; and

utilizing a lookup table to determine said state of charge of said power source as a function of said determined closed circuit voltage and said determined internal resistance.