METHOD FOR CONTROLLING BATTERY RECHARGING PROCESS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120146590A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Chia-Chang, Chuang, Chih-Tarng, Chang, Tsang-Ming, Chiu, Pei-Lun
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/155
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule

Abstract

A method for controlling battery recharging process is provided for an electronic device equipped with a battery. The method comprises entering a recharging smart mode. In the recharging smart mode, an actual capacity rate of the battery is determined. In the recharging smart mode, according to the actual capacity rate of the battery, a rechargeable capacity rate of the battery is changed. When the actual capacity rate is larger than a first capacity threshold value for a first predetermined time interval, the rechargeable capacity rate of the battery is decreased.

Claims

1. A method for controlling battery recharging process, for an electronic device equipped with a battery, the method comprising:

the electronic device receiving a power-up signal and being turned on to enter an operating system;

the electronic device using a controller to determine whether a start signal of a recharging smart mode is received;

after the controller receives the start signal of the recharging smart mode and enables the electronic device to enter the recharging smart mode, using the controller to determine an actual capacity rate of the battery;

using the controller to change a rechargeable capacity rate of the battery according to the actual capacity rate of the battery, wherein when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than a first threshold value for a first predetermined time interval, the rechargeable capacity rate is decreased;

continuously determining the actual capacity rate of the battery; and

when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the first threshold value for a second predetermined time interval, continuously decreasing the rechargeable capacity rate.

2. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the first threshold value is a capacity threshold value and the first threshold value comprises 50%.

3. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein when the actual capacity rate of the battery is smaller than a second threshold value, the rechargeable capacity rate is increased.

4. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 3, wherein the second threshold value is a capacity threshold value and the first threshold value approximates the second threshold value.

5. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 3, wherein the step of increasing the rechargeable capacity rate when the actual capacity rate of the battery is smaller than the second threshold value comprises increasing the rechargeable capacity rate by a predetermined increase amount.

6. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 3, wherein the controller is an embedded controller.

7. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval comprises seven days.

8. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a battery control hotkey signal, so as to switch from the recharging smart mode to a full mode; and

in the full mode, increasing the rechargeable capacity rate of the battery to a rechargeable capacity rate in a fully recharged state.

9. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 8, wherein after increasing the rechargeable capacity rate of the battery to the rechargeable capacity rate in the fully recharged state, the method further comprises:

in the full mode, when the actual capacity rate of the battery is the rechargeable capacity rate in the fully recharged state for a third predetermined time interval, automatically switching from the full mode to the recharging smart mode.

10. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 9, wherein the rechargeable capacity rate in the fully recharged state is about 90% to 100%.

11. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the step of decreasing the rechargeable capacity rate when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the first threshold value for the first predetermined time interval comprises decreasing the rechargeable capacity rate by a predetermined decrease amount.

12. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the first threshold value for a third predetermined time interval, the rechargeable capacity rate is continuously decreased.

13. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the actual capacity rate is a percentage of a residual capacity of the battery after being used to a capacity of the battery after being fully recharged.

14. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the rechargeable capacity rate is a percentage of a capacity of the battery after being used and recharged to a capacity of the battery after being fully recharged.

15. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein when the battery is being recharged and the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than a first threshold value for a first predetermined time interval, the method further comprises:

judging whether the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the decreased rechargeable capacity rate; and

when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the decreased rechargeable capacity rate, stopping recharging the battery so that the actual capacity rate is smaller than or equal to the decreased rechargeable capacity rate.

16. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the first time interval is smaller than the second time interval.

17. The method for controlling battery recharging process according to claim 1, wherein the decreased rechargeable capacity rate is larger than a third threshold value.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a battery, for supplying an electric power to the electronic device;

a computer-readable and writable storage device, for storing a computer-readable and writable program; and

a controller, for executing a plurality of instructions of the computer-readable and writable program, the instructions comprising;

after the electronic device is started to enter an operating system, using a controller to determine whether a start signal of a recharging smart mode is received;

after the controller receives the start signal of the recharging smart mode and enables the electronic device to enter the recharging smart mode, using the controller to determine an actual capacity rate of the battery;

in the recharging smart mode, using the controller to change a rechargeable capacity rate of the battery according to the actual capacity rate of the battery, wherein when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than a first threshold value for a first predetermined time interval, the rechargeable capacity rate is decreased;

continuously determining the actual capacity rate of the battery; and

when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the first threshold value for a second predetermined time interval, continuously decreasing the rechargeable capacity rate.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the first threshold value is a capacity threshold value and the capacity threshold value comprises 50%.

20. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein when the actual capacity rate of the battery is smaller than a second threshold value, the rechargeable capacity rate is increased.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the second threshold value is a capacity threshold value and the first capacity threshold value approximates the second capacity threshold value.

22. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the instruction of increasing the rechargeable capacity rate when the actual capacity rate of the battery is smaller than the second threshold value comprises increasing the rechargeable capacity rate by a predetermined increase amount.

23. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the first predetermined time interval comprises ten days.

24. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receiving a battery control hotkey signal, so as to switch from the recharging smart mode to a full mode; and

in the full mode, changing the rechargeable capacity rate of the battery to a rechargeable capacity rate in a fully recharged state.

25. The electronic device according to claim 24, wherein after changing the rechargeable capacity rate of the battery to the rechargeable capacity rate in the fully recharged state, the instructions further comprise:

in the full mode, when the actual capacity rate of the battery is the rechargeable capacity rate in the fully recharged state for a third predetermined time interval, automatically switching from the full mode to the recharging smart mode.

26. The electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the rechargeable capacity rate in the fully recharged state is about 90% to 100%.

27. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the instruction of decreasing the rechargeable capacity rate when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the first threshold value for the first predetermined time interval comprises decreasing the rechargeable capacity rate by a predetermined decrease amount.

28. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the first threshold value for a third predetermined time interval, the rechargeable capacity rate is continuously decreased.

29. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the controller is an embedded controller.

30. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the actual capacity rate is a percentage of a residual capacity of the battery after being used to a capacity of the battery after being fully recharged.

31. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the rechargeable capacity rate is a percentage of a capacity of the battery after being used and recharged to a capacity of the battery after being fully recharged.

32. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein when the battery is being recharged and the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than a first threshold value for a first predetermined time interval, the instructions further comprise:

judging whether the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the decreased rechargeable capacity rate; and

when the actual capacity rate of the battery is larger than the decreased rechargeable capacity rate, stopping recharging the battery so that the actual capacity rate is smaller than or equal to the decreased rechargeable capacity rate.

33. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the first time interval is smaller than the second time interval.

34. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the decreased rechargeable capacity rate is larger than a third threshold value.