APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMPENSATING FOR VOLTAGE DROP IN PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20100102836A1
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Youn-Lea, LEE, Jong-Su
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/713
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining a status of a power unit in a portable terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a power unit for supplying power to a internal circuit, a resistor located between the power unit and the internal circuit, and a voltage determination unit for determining an amount of a current consumption by the internal circuit by considering a difference between a first voltage between the power unit and the resistor and a second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit, and for determining status information of the power unit by compensating for a voltage drop of the first voltage in accordance with the amount of the current consumption

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a status of a power unit in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a power unit for supplying power to an internal circuit;

a resistor located between the power unit and the internal circuit; and

,

a voltage determination unit for determining an amount of current consumption by the internal circuit by considering a difference between a first voltage between the power unit and the resistor and a second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit and for determining status information of the power unit by compensating for a voltage drop of the first voltage in accordance with the amount of the current consumption.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a resistance value of the resistor is determined by considering the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistor comprises a variable resistor of which a resistance value varies by considering the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistor comprises at least two resistors each of which has a different resistance value and one of the at least two resistors is selected and used in accordance with the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage determination unit comprises;

a first voltage determination unit for determining the first voltage between the power unit and the resistor;

a second voltage determination unit for determining the second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit; and

,

a voltage compensation unit for determining the amount of the current consumption by considering the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage, and for compensating for the voltage drop of the first voltage in accordance with the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first voltage determination unit determines the first voltage between the power unit and the resistor and converts the first voltage to a digital value.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second voltage determination unit determines the second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit and converts the second voltage to a digital value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising;

a display unit for displaying the first voltage of which the voltage drop is compensated for by the voltage determination unit as a residual amount of a battery of the power unit.

9. A method for determining a status of a power unit in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

determining a first voltage between a power unit and a resistor and a second voltage between the resistor and an internal circuit;

determining an amount of a current consumption by the internal circuit by considering a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage; and

,

determining the status of the power unit by compensating for a voltage drop of the first voltage in accordance with the amount of the current consumption,

wherein the resistor is located between the power unit and the internal unit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the first voltage of which the voltage drop is compensated for as a residual amount of a battery of the power unit.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a resistance value of the resistor is determined by considering the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the resistor comprises a variable resistor of which a resistance value varies by considering the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the resistor comprises at least two resistors each of which has a different resistance value and one of the at least two resistors is selected and used in accordance with the amount of the current consumption by the internal circuit.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining of the first voltage between the power unit and the resistor and the second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit comprises:

determining the first voltage between the power unit and the resistor by a first voltage determination unit; and

determining the second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit by a second voltage determination unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determination of the first voltage comprises:

determining the first voltage between the power unit and the resistor; and

converting the first voltage to a digital value.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of the second voltage comprises:

determining the second voltage between the resistor and the internal circuit; and

converting the second voltage to a digital value.