Electronic apparatus, battery management system, and battery management method

• US 5,635,813 A
• Filed: 10/27/1994
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahira, Yoshiaki, Shiga, Masaaki, Kumagai, Masahiko, Kikuchi, Kiyoaki, Suzuki, Hiroshige
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Law, Patrick B.
• Application Number:
  US08/331,027
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/48, 429/96-100, 324/426, 324/427
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5044 Cells or batteries structurally combined with cell condition indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to enable electronic apparatuses to display the remaining power of exchangeable batteries at any given time. A battery pack having a battery and an ID generator is attached to an electronic apparatus. The accumulated consumption hours of the battery is stored in a battery information memory for each battery ID. A remaining power detector determines the remaining battery power on the basis of the accumulated consumption hours and displays it on a display unit. Because the remaining battery power is determined based on the consumption hours of a battery, the running hours of a battery can be displayed at any given time.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus that receives power from a battery, the battery having an identification that indicates characteristics of the battery, the electronic apparatus comprising:

(a) identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery;

(b) memory means for storing a table containing the identification and battery information for the corresponding battery, the battery information including power consumption information of the battery;

(c) update means for updating the power consumption information of the battery based on a value of power consumed from the battery;

(d) remaining power detect means for detecting a level of remaining power of the battery based on the power consumption information which is updated by the update means;

(e) output means for indicating the level of the remaining power detected by the remaining power detect means; and

(f) charge means, coupled to the update means, for charging the battery and for providing the update means with a charge signal indicative of the amount of charge provided to the battery, wherein the memory means includes charge information of the battery as part of the battery information, wherein the update means updates the charge information based on the charge signal, and wherein the remaining power detect means calculates the remaining power based on the battery information including the charge information.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification means includes means for identifying a new identification that is not contained in the table, and wherein the memory means includes register means for registering new battery information when the identification read means reads indicate a new identification which is not contained in the table.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power consumption information includes power consumption hours and accumulated consumption hours, and wherein the update means calculates the accumulated consumption hours and updates the battery information, and wherein the remaining power detect means calculates the remaining power of the battery based on the accumulated consumption hours.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the memory means contains battery information including power on time and power off time and wherein the update means stores the power on time when the power is turned on, stores the power off time when the power is turned off, subtracts the power on time from the power off time to calculate the consumption hours, and adds the consumption hours to the accumulated consumption hours.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the battery information includes a total accumulated consumption hours of the battery, and wherein the update means updates the total accumulated consumption hours according to the consumption hours of the battery, and wherein the remaining power detect means recognizes a life time of the battery based on the total accumulated consumption hours.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification read means reads the identification based on a bar code attached to the battery.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification read means reads the identification based on a read only memory included in the battery.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification read means reads the identification based on a switch provided for the battery.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification read means reads the Identification based on a physical shape of the battery.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery information contained in the memory means includes accumulated consumption hours of the battery, and wherein the update means updates the accumulated consumption hours based on the charge information.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein the update means clears the accumulated consumption hours when the battery is fully charged by the charge means.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising discharge means for discharging power of the battery, wherein the charge means fully charges the battery after the discharge means discharges the power of the battery.

14. The electronic apparatus of the claim 1, wherein the battery information includes a number of times the battery has been charged, and wherein the update means updates the number of times the battery has been charged based on the charge signal from the charge means, and wherein the remaining power detect means recognizes a life time of the battery based on the number of times the battery has been charged.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of peripheral devices are powered by the battery, and wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises, monitoring means for monitoring the peripheral devices to obtain performing time of each peripheral device, and adjust means for adjusting the power consumption hours calculated by the update means according to the performing time.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim i, wherein the identification read means reads the identification based on a pattern attached to the battery.

16. An electronic apparatus that receives power from a battery, the battery having an identification that indicates characteristics of the battery, the electronic apparatus comprising:

identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery;

memory means for storing a table containing the identification and battery information for the corresponding battery, the battery information including power consumption information of the battery;

update means for updating the power consumption information of the battery based on a value of power consumed from the battery;

remaining power detect means for detecting a level of remaining power of the battery based on the power consumption information which is updated by the update means;

output means for indicating the level of the remaining power detected by the remaining power detect means;

a power supply;

switch means, coupled to the battery and the power supply, for selecting one of the battery and the power supply to supply power as a power source to the electronic apparatus; and

power source recognize means for recognizing whether the power source selected by the switch means is the battery or the power supply, wherein the update means updates the battery information when the power source recognize means recognizes that the power source is the battery.

17. An electronic apparatus that receives power from a battery, the battery having an identification that indicates characteristics of the battery, the electronic apparatus comprising:

identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery;

memory means for storing a table containing the identification and battery information for the corresponding battery, the battery information including power consumption information of the battery;

update means for updating the power consumption information of the battery based on a value of power consumed from the battery;

remaining power detect means for detecting a level of remaining power of the battery based on the power consumption information which is updated by the update means;

output means for indicating the level of the remaining power detected by the remaining power detect means; and

wherein the battery has a battery type, and the identification includes the battery type and wherein the remaining power detect means has a plurality of detection methods for detecting the level of the remaining power and selects one of the detection methods based on the battery type included in the identification.

18. In an electronic apparatus which receives power from a battery having an identification, the electronic apparatus including an identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery, memory means for storing a table that contains battery information, means for updating the battery information, means for detecting remaining power of the battery and means for indicating the level of remaining power, a method for managing said battery, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading the identification from the battery;

(b) searching the memory means containing the battery information for the identification read in step (a), wherein the battery information includes a power-on time and a power-off time of the battery, power consumption time and accumulated consumption time;

(c) setting the power-on time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;

(d) setting the power-off time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;

(e) calculating the power consumption time of the battery and accumulating the power consumption time in the battery information in the memory means; and

(f) detecting a level of a remaining power in the battery, based on the accumulated consumption time and outputting the level of the remaining power detected;

(g) registering a new identification in the battery information in the memory means when the identification read in step (a) is not found in the battery information in the memory by step (b);

(h) periodically repeating the calculating step, the adding step, the detecting step and the displaying step in order to display the current level of remaining power periodically; and

(i) charging the battery with a charger and updating the accumulated consumption time.

19. The method for detecting remaining power of the battery of claim 18, further comprising the step of calculating current power consumption of the battery based on the power-on time in the battery information and a current time;

adding the current power consumption time and the accumulated consumption time in the battery information in order to calculate a current accumulated consumption time;

detecting a current level of the remaining power of the battery based on the accumulated consumption time; and

displaying the current level of the remaining power of the battery.

20. The method for detecting remaining power of the battery of claim 18, further comprising the step of discharging the battery before charging the battery.

21. In an electronic apparatus which receives power from a battery having an identification, the electronic apparatus including an identification reading means for reading the identification from the battery, memory means for storing a table containing battery information, means for updating the battery information, means for detecting remaining power of the battery and means for indicating the level of remaining power, a method for managing said battery, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading the identification from the battery;

(b) searching the memory means containing the battery information for the identification read in step (a), wherein the battery information includes a power-on time and a power-off time of the battery, power consumption time and accumulated consumption time;

(c) setting the power-on time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;

(d) setting the power-off time in the battery information in the memory means, according to the identification;

(e) calculating the power consumption time of the battery and accumulating the power consumption time in the battery information in the memory means; and

(f) detecting a level of a remaining power in the battery, based on the accumulated consumption time and outputting the level of the remaining power detected; and

(g) communicating the battery information between a plurality of electronic apparatuses in order to share latest battery information.