Smart battery power availability feature based on battery-specific characteristics
First Claim
1. An apparatus for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of power, the apparatus comprising:
- a logic unit;
a memory, coupled to the logic unit, which contains one or more characteristics of the battery and contains information indicative of environmental conditions of the battery, the battery characteristics including information indicative of a present capacity of the battery; and
wherein the logic unit determines and indicates whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on the environmental conditions, and the battery characteristics.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A smart battery that predicts whether or not a battery can provide a requested amount of additional power based on battery-specific capacity, self-discharge, and discharge characteristics. A non-volatile memory stores the battery-specific characteristics which are functions of the environmental conditions of the battery and/or the battery current. One circuit measures the environmental conditions of the battery, such as temperature. Another circuit measures the battery current (charge or discharge). In response to a request, the smart battery determines whether or not the additional power can be provided based on the present battery capacity, the present discharge rate of the battery, the environmental conditions of the battery, and the battery characteristics. A user or power management system can use such power availability information to tune the power consumption and performance of an electronic system powered by the battery.
1039 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of power, the apparatus comprising:
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a logic unit; a memory, coupled to the logic unit, which contains one or more characteristics of the battery and contains information indicative of environmental conditions of the battery, the battery characteristics including information indicative of a present capacity of the battery; and wherein the logic unit determines and indicates whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on the environmental conditions, and the battery characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25)
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9. An apparatus for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of additional power, the apparatus comprising:
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a logic unit; a capacity circuit for indicating the present capacity of the battery; a current measuring circuit, coupled to the logic unit, for measuring a battery current; an environmental monitor circuit, coupled to the logic unit, for monitoring one or more environmental conditions of the battery; a memory, coupled to the logic unit, actually storing one or more characteristics of the battery, and actually storing information indicative of environmental conditions of the battery, the battery characteristics including information indicative of the present capacity of the battery; and wherein the logic unit determines whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of additional power based on the measured environmental conditions, and the battery characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (10, 26)
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11. A method for operating a battery, the method comprising the steps of:
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querying the battery whether it can provide a requested amount of power; the battery predicting whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on one or more environmental conditions of the battery, and one or more characteristics of the battery, the battery characteristics including a present capacity of the battery; and the battery indicating whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 27)
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14. A method for operating a battery, the method comprising the steps of:
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querying the battery whether it can provide an additional amount of power; the battery predicting whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on a present charge/discharge rate of the battery, one or more environmental conditions of the battery, and one or more characteristics of the battery, the battery characteristics including a present capacity of the battery; and the battery indicating whether or not the battery can provide the additional amount of power. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of power, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a logic unit; providing a memory storing one or more characteristics of the battery, and one or more environmental conditions of the battery; determining a present capacity of the battery; and the logic unit determining whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on the present capacity of the battery, the environmental conditions, and the battery characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 28)
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23. A method for operating a battery, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a logic unit coupled to the battery; querying the logic unit whether or not the battery can provide an additional amount of power; measuring a present charge/discharge rate of the battery; measuring one or more environmental conditions of the battery; determining a present capacity of the battery based on one or more of the environmental conditions and one or more characteristics of the battery, the battery characteristics being functions of the present charge/discharge rate; and the logic unit determining whether or not the battery can supply the additional amount of power based on the environmental conditions, the present battery capacity, the present discharge rate, and the battery characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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29. An apparatus for indicating whether or not a battery is capable of providing a requested amount of power, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory, coupled to a logic unit, the memory containing one or more environmental conditions and a present capacity of the battery; the logic unit determining and indicating whether or not the battery can provide the requested amount of power based on the environmental conditions and the present capacity of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification