Emergency Override Of Battery Discharge Protection

• US 20120077454A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Craig M., Paddon, Michael W., Northway, Craig W., Purser, Jessica M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,886,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device in the presence of an emergency communication. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device comprises determining a measured battery voltage; determining an excess battery discharge condition, wherein further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery; detecting an emergency communication state; disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state; and continuing discharge of the battery.

Claims

1. A method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device comprising:

determining a measured battery voltage;

determining an excess battery discharge condition, wherein further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery;

detecting an emergency communication state;

disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state; and

continuing discharge of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises comparing the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a measured battery current.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a measured battery temperature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises comparing a calculated battery voltage, calculated using at least two of the measured battery voltage, the measured battery current and the measured battery temperature, to a minimum threshold voltage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises dial string detecting of an emergency number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises detecting emergency communications signaling.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises detecting an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

10. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising sending a command from mobile communication device circuitry to battery interface circuitry.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

12. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is irreversible.

13. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is reversible.

14. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising re-enabling battery discharge protection when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.

15. A mobile communication device comprising:

a battery protection circuit comprising;

a circuit configured to determine a measured battery voltage; and

a processor configured to;

determine an excess battery discharge condition, wherein further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery;

detect an emergency communication state;

disable a battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state; and

continue discharge of the battery.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to compare the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein said battery protection circuit further comprises:

a circuit to determine a measured battery current.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein said battery protection circuit further comprises:

a circuit to determine a measured battery temperature.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein said processor is further configured to compare a calculated battery voltage, calculated using at least two of the measured battery voltage, the measured battery current and the measured battery temperature, to a minimum threshold voltage.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to detect a dial string comprising an emergency number.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to detect emergency communications signaling.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to detect an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the battery protection circuit further comprises battery interface circuitry to receive a command from mobile communication device circuitry.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 24, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

26. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the battery discharge protection is disabled permanently.

27. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the battery discharge protection is disabled temporarily.

28. The mobile communication device of claim 27, wherein the battery discharge protection is re-enabled when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.

29. A mobile communication device comprising:

means for determining a measured battery voltage;

means for determining an excess battery discharge condition, wherein further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery;

means for detecting an emergency communication state;

means for disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state; and

means for continuing discharge of the battery.

30. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises means for comparing the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage.

31. The mobile communication device of claim 29, further comprising:

means for determining a measured battery current.

32. The mobile communication device of claim 31, further comprising:

means for determining a measured battery temperature.

33. The mobile communication device of claim 32, wherein said means for determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises means for comparing a calculated battery voltage, calculated using at least two of the measured battery voltage, the measured battery current and the measured battery temperature, to a minimum threshold voltage.

34. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said means for detecting the emergency communication state comprises means for dial string detection of an emergency number.

35. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said means for detecting the emergency communication state comprises means for detection of emergency communications signaling.

36. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said means for detecting the emergency communication state comprises means for detecting an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

37. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

38. The mobile communication device of claim 29, further comprising means for receiving a command from mobile communication device circuitry to battery interface circuitry.

39. The mobile communication device of claim 38, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

40. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said means for disabling battery discharge protection is irreversible.

41. The mobile communication device of claim 29, wherein said means for disabling battery discharge protection is reversible.

42. The mobile communication device of claim 41, further comprising means for re-enabling battery discharge protection when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.

43. A computer-readable storage medium comprising program code, to override battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device, stored thereon, comprising code for:

determining a measured battery voltage;

determining an excess battery discharge condition, wherein further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery;

detecting an emergency communication state;

disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state; and

continuing discharge of the battery.

44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises comparing the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage.

45. The computer-readable, storage medium of claim 43, further comprising code for:

determining a measured battery current.

46. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 45, further comprising code for:

determining a measured battery temperature.

47. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises comparing a calculated battery voltage, calculated using at least two of the measured battery voltage, the measured battery current and the measured battery temperature, to a minimum threshold voltage.

48. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises dial string detecting of an emergency number.

49. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises detecting emergency communications signaling.

50. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises detecting an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

51. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

52. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, further comprising code for sending a command from mobile communication device circuitry to battery interface circuitry.

53. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

54. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is irreversible.

55. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is reversible.

56. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 55, further comprising code for re-enabling battery discharge protection when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.