Method and device for enhancing smart battery performance
First Claim
1. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack during a discharge cycle, comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring a number of charge/discharge cycles of a rechargeable battery/pack; and
(b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the number of charge/discharge cycles, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack,wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a straight line approximation such that an initial end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on an equation using a constant multiplied by the number of charge/discharge cycles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The subject invention pertains to a method and device for implementing a dynamic End of Discharge Voltage (EODV) for rechargeable batteries and battery packs (batteries/packs). This dynamic EODV can be adjusted based on, for example, environment, operating conditions, temperature, residual capacity, cell chemistry, cell size, form factor, discharge rate, and/or the number of charge/discharge cycles the battery has undergone. The subject invention can provide for enhanced run time from each discharge cycle of the battery/pack. In addition, the subject invention can provide for more accurate save-to-disk alarms, while ensuring adequate energy for the actual save to disk operation. Furthermore, the subject invention can also extend the useful life of the battery/pack.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack during a discharge cycle, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a number of charge/discharge cycles of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the number of charge/discharge cycles, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a straight line approximation such that an initial end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on an equation using a constant multiplied by the number of charge/discharge cycles. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack during a discharge cycle, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a number of charge/discharge cycles of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the number of charge/discharge cycles, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a second order equation approximation.
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4. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack during a discharge cycle, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a number of charge/discharge cycles of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the number of charge/discharge cycles, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a best fit equation approximation.
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5. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack during a discharge cycle, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a number of charge/discharge cycles of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/park based on the number of charge/discharge cycles, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein upon the rechargeable battery/pack reaching the end of discharge voltage an alert is sent to a user such that the user can perform a terminal function before the battery/pack has insufficient capacity to perform the terminal function. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack during a discharge cycle, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a number of charge/discharge cycles of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the number of charge/discharge cycles, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein upon the rechargeable battery/pack reaching the end of discharge voltage the battery/pack provides one or more of the following group; a fuel gauge reading, a time remaining reading, a critical message for end of discharge, an end of discharge alarm under the SMBus standard, and a remaining capacity reading.
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8. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a discharge rate of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the discharge rate, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a straight line approximation such that an initial end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on an equation using a constant multiplied by the discharge rate. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a discharge rate of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the discharge rate, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a second order equation approximation.
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11. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a discharge rate of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the discharge rate, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein the end of discharge voltage is adjusted based on a best fit equation approximation.
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12. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a discharge rate of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the discharge rate, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein upon the rechargeable battery/pack reaching the end of discharge voltage an alert is sent to a user such that the user can perform a terminal function before the battery/pack has insufficient capacity to perform the terminal function. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for increasing the amount of useable capacity available to a user from a rechargeable battery/pack, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring a discharge rate of a rechargeable battery/pack; and (b) adjusting an end of discharge voltage for said battery/pack based on the discharge rate, wherein the end of discharge voltage is used as an indication of full or near full discharge of the rechargeable battery/pack, wherein the adjustment of the end of discharge voltage minimizes the unused capacity remaining in the battery/pack at the end of a discharge cycle, and wherein upon the rechargeable battery/pack reaching the end of discharge voltage the battery/pack provides one or more of the following group; a fuel gauge reading, a time remaining reading, a critical message for end of discharge, an end of discharge alarm under the SMBus standard, and a remaining capacity reading.
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15. A method for determining the remaining capacity of a rechargeable battery/pack, comprising the following steps:
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(a) monitoring one or more of the following group;
cycle count, discharge rate, and temperature;(b) adjusting an initial remaining capacity value based on the results of the monitoring in step (a), wherein the initial remaining capacity value is based on a learned capacity of the battery/pack less a measured used capacity. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification