Remaining battery capacity display device

• US 6,313,832 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishida, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US09/143,192
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 345/211, 345/212, 713/320, 713/321, 713/324, 713/340
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

There is provided a remaining battery capacity display device for use in a communication device powered by a battery, which is capable of displaying an exact remaining battery capacity even if battery current consumption varies. A voltage detection device detects a value of voltage of the battery to deliver the detected voltage value to a remaining battery capacity calculation device within a controller, while a current consumption calculation device calculates a battery current consumption based on a transmission output level of a transmission/reception block to deliver the calculated battery current consumption to the remaining battery capacity calculation device. The remaining battery capacity calculation device calculates a remaining battery capacity based on the received values of the battery voltage and battery current consumption. Functions employed by the current consumption calculation device and the remaining battery capacity calculation device for respective calculating operations are prepared in advance based on measurement data. A display control device causes a display device to carry out display operation based on the remaining battery capacity calculated by the remaining battery capacity calculation device.

Claims

1. A remaining battery capacity display device for use in a communication device powered by a battery, comprising:

voltage detection means for detecting a value of voltage of said battery;

current consumption calculation means, coupled to said communication device, for calculating a battery current consumption based on a transmission output level of said communication device, received from said communication device, said current consumption calculation not being based on said value of voltage of said battery;

remaining battery capacity calculation means, coupled to said voltage detection means and to said current calculation means, for calculating a remaining battery capacity based on said value of said voltage of said battery detected by said voltage detection means and said battery current consumption calculated by said current consumption calculation means;

a display device; and

display control means, coupled to said remaining battery capacity calculation means to receive therefrom calculated remaining battery capacity and to said display device for causing said display device to carry out display operation according to said remaining battery capacity calculated by said remaining battery capacity calculation means,

wherein said display control means includes;

communicatable time period calculation means for calculating a communicatable time period over which said communication device is capable of communication, based on said remaining battery capacity calculated by said remaining battery capacity calculation means and said battery current consumption calculated by said current consumption calculation means, and

communicatable time period display-instructing means for instructing said display device to display said communicatable time period calculated by said communicatable time period calculation means.

2. A remaining battery capacity display device according to claim 1, wherein said display control means includes remaining battery capacity display-instructing means for instructing said display device to display said remaining battery capacity calculated by said remaining battery capacity calculation means.

3. A remaining battery capacity display device according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is a mobile terminal used in a CDMA-based mobile communications network,

said remaining battery capacity display device further including signal reception means for receiving from a base station of said CDMA-based mobile communications network information related to said transmission output level at which a signal is to be sent from said communication device to said base station and delivering said information to said current consumption calculation means.

4. A remaining battery capacity display device according to claim 1, wherein said communication device is a mobile terminal used in a CDMA-based mobile communications network,

said remaining battery capacity display device further including:

measurement means for measuring a reception level at which is received a transmission signal sent from a base station of said CDMA-based mobile communications network, and

transmission level calculation means for calculating said transmission output level based on said reception level measured by said measurement means, to deliver said calculated transmission output level to said current consumption calculation means.

5. A remaining battery capacity display device for use in a communication device powered by a battery, comprising:

a predetermined table that stores data of communicatable time periods over which said communication device is capable of communication, said communicatable time periods being correlated to values of voltage of said battery and transmission output levels of said communication device, respectively, said communicatable time periods being calculated based on respective battery current consumption values, said respective battery current consumption values being calculated based on transmission output levels of said communication device and not based on values of voltage of said battery;

voltage detection means for detecting a value of said voltage of said battery of said communication device;

reading means for reading out one of said communicatable time periods corresponding to said value of said battery voltage detected by said voltage detection means and one of said transmission output levels of said communication device, with reference to said predetermined table; and

display means for displaying said one of said communicatable time periods read out by said reading means.

6. A remaining battery capacity display device for use in a communication device powered by a battery, comprising:

voltage detection means for detecting a value of voltage of said battery of said communication device;

current consumption calculation means, coupled to said communication device, for calculating a battery current consumption based on a transmission output level of said communication device, received from said communication device, said current consumption calculation not being based on said value of voltage of said battery;

a predetermined table that stores data of values of remaining battery capacity of said battery, said values of said remaining battery capacity being correlated to values of said voltage of said battery of said communication device, respectively;

reading means for reading out one of said values of said remaining battery capacity corresponding to said value of said battery voltage detected by said voltage detection means, with reference to said predetermined table;

a display device; and

display control means, coupled to said reading means and to said display device, for causing said display device to carry out display operation based on said one of said values of said remaining battery capacity read out by said reading means,

wherein said display control means includes;

a communicatable time period calculation means for calculating a communicatable time period over which said communication device is capable of communication, based on said one of said values of said remaining battery capacity read out by said reading means and said battery current consumption calculated by said current consumption calculation means, and

a communicatable time period display-instructing means for instructing said display device to display said communicatable time period calculated by said communicatable time period calculation means.