Charge level display method and apparatus for a battery of an electronic device
First Claim
1. A portable computer which is positionable between an open condition in which an input device and an output device are exposed to a user of the portable computer, and a closed condition in which the input device and the output device is protectively stowed within the portable computer, and with the portable computer having an "on" state of operation and an "off" state of operation, comprising:
- a battery;
a display for indicating charge levels of said battery, wherein said display is visible to the user in the open condition and in the closed condition; and
means for operating said display when the portable computer is in the "on" state of operation and in the "off" state of operation, wherein said operating means comprises a circuit which polls said battery, recurring at a regular interval of time, during the "off" state of operation of the portable computer in order to determine charge levels of said battery.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable computer is positionable between an open condition in which an input device and an output device thereof is exposed to a user of the portable computer, and a closed condition in which the input device and the output device is protectively stowed within the portable computer, and further with the portable computer having an "on" state of operation and an "off" state of operation. The portable computer includes a battery, and a display for indicating charge levels of the battery, wherein the display is visible to the user in the open condition and in the closed condition. The portable computer further includes a mechanism for operating the display when the portable computer is in the "on" state of operation and in the "off" state of operation. Moreover, the display is operated to continuously indicate charge levels during the entire "on" state of operation as well as during the entire "off" state of operation.
71 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A portable computer which is positionable between an open condition in which an input device and an output device are exposed to a user of the portable computer, and a closed condition in which the input device and the output device is protectively stowed within the portable computer, and with the portable computer having an "on" state of operation and an "off" state of operation, comprising:
-
a battery; a display for indicating charge levels of said battery, wherein said display is visible to the user in the open condition and in the closed condition; and means for operating said display when the portable computer is in the "on" state of operation and in the "off" state of operation, wherein said operating means comprises a circuit which polls said battery, recurring at a regular interval of time, during the "off" state of operation of the portable computer in order to determine charge levels of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A portable computer having an "on" state of operation and an "off" state of operation, comprising:
-
a battery; a display for indicating charge levels of said battery; and means for operating said display when the portable computer is in the "on" state of operation and in the "off" state of operation, wherein said display continuously indicates the charge levels during the entire "off" state of operation of the portable computer, and wherein said operating means comprises a circuit which polls said battery, recurring at a regular interval of time, during the "off" state of operation of the portable computer in order to determine the charge levels of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for displaying a charge level of a battery which is coupled to an electronic device to power operation of the electronic device, comprising the steps of:
-
displaying the charge level of the battery when the electronic device is in an "on" state of operation; and displaying the charge level of the battery when the electronic device is in an "off" state of operation, wherein the "off" state displaying step comprises the step of displaying the charge level of the battery during the entire "off" state of operation of the electronic device, wherein the "off" state displaying step further comprises the step of polling the battery, which recurs at a regular interval of time, during the "off" state of operation of the electronic device in order to determine the charge level of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
-
10. A battery charge level indicator that displays a charge level of a battery which is coupled to an electronic device to power operation of the electronic device, comprising:
-
a display for indicating the charge level of the battery; and means for operating said display when the electronic device is in an "on" state of operation and in an "off" state of operation, wherein said operating means comprises a microprocessor which polls said battery, recurring at a regular interval of time, during the "off" state of operation of the electronic device in order to determine the charge level of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
Specification