SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING BATTERY SLUMP DURING WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS USING SIGNAL TRIGGERED VOLTAGE MONITORING

• US 20120021709A1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Guthrie, Martin, Madter, Richard, Veselic, Dusan, Book, Christopher, Nickerson, Kent
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for managing battery slump in a battery-powered communications device including: an input configured for receiving battery voltage level information; an output configured for sending a signal for terminating a transmission; and a controller connected to the input and the output and configured to receive the battery voltage level information from the input; monitor the battery voltage level information; and send a signal via the output to terminate a transmission if the battery voltage level information crosses a predetermined threshold during the transmission. In particular, the system and method may further include an input connected to the controller and configured for receiving a signal indicating when a transmission is beginning or occurring and the controller is further configured to receive and monitor the battery voltage level information only when the transmission is occurring.

Claims

1. A system for managing battery slump in a communication device powered by a battery, the system comprising:

an input signal terminal for receiving a battery voltage signal representing a battery voltage level of the battery;

a trigger input terminal for receiving a trigger signal indicating a start of a given transmission of the communication device;

an output signal terminal for sending an interrupt signal to terminate the given transmission;

a controller connected to each of the input signal terminal, the trigger input terminal and the output signal terminal, the controller configured to;

monitor the battery voltage level via the input signal terminal during the given transmission;

delay monitoring of the battery voltage level for a period of time after the trigger signal is received via the trigger input terminal; and

if the battery voltage level has crossed a threshold voltage during the given transmission, generate and send the interrupt signal via the output signal terminal to terminate the given transmission.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the threshold voltage is variable depending upon a transmit power level required for the given transmission.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the communication device comprises an amplifier for amplifying the given transmission of the communication device, and wherein the threshold voltage corresponds to a minimum power supply voltage required by the amplifier for the given transmission.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the trigger signal comprises an enable signal for the amplifier.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to resume monitoring of the battery voltage level after the interrupt signal is sent.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to continue monitoring of the battery voltage level during the given transmission so long as the trigger signal is active and so long as the battery voltage level has not crossed the threshold voltage.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to send the interrupt signal without powering down the communication device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the battery voltage level by receiving periodic voltage readings of the battery via the input signal terminal, and averaging the periodic voltage readings to determine the battery voltage level.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to provide notification that the given transmission has been terminated.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the period of time that the monitoring of the battery voltage level is delayed corresponds to a period following the start of the given transmission in which the battery slump is unlikely to occur.

11. A method for managing battery slump in a communication device powered by a battery, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a given transmission of the communication device is occurring;

monitoring a battery voltage level of the battery during the given transmission;

delaying monitoring of the battery voltage level for a period of time after receiving the indication that the given transmission is occurring;

comparing the battery voltage level with a threshold voltage during the given transmission; and

terminating the given transmission if the battery voltage level has crossed the threshold voltage.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the threshold voltage is variable depending upon a transmit power level required for the given transmission.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the communication device comprises an amplifier for amplifying the given transmission of the communication device, and wherein the threshold voltage corresponds to a minimum power supply voltage required by the amplifier for the given transmission.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the indication that the given transmission is occurring comprises an indication that the amplifier is enabled.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises resuming the monitoring of the battery voltage level after the given transmission is terminated.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises continuing to monitor the battery voltage level during the given transmission so long as the indication that the given transmission is occurring is received and so long as the battery voltage level has not crossed the threshold voltage.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the given transmission is terminated without powering down the communication device.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the monitoring of the battery voltage level comprises receiving periodic voltage readings of the battery, and averaging the periodic voltage readings to determine the battery voltage level.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises providing notification that the given transmission has been terminated.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the period of time that the monitoring of the battery voltage level is delayed corresponds to a period at the beginning of the given transmission in which the battery slump is unlikely to occur.