Battery capacity indication circuit and indication method thereof, and battery-operated electronic device and cellular communication terminal apparatus comprising the indication circuit

• US 6,437,699 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayakawa, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/714,214
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636, 340/660, 340/661, 340/662, 340/663, 340/664, 340/691.6, 340/693.1, 340/693.2, 340/693.3, 340/693.4, 340/311.1, 455/67.1, 455/572, 455/573
• US Class Current: 340/636.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• 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 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

When a remaining capacity of a battery is displayed by remaining capacity display control means, operation state discrimination function discriminates an operation state of an apparatus and also discriminates whether battery output voltage Vout is greater than discrimination value Vp when the apparatus is in reception indication operation. If the battery output voltage Vout is greater than the discrimination value Vp, remaining capacity of the battery corresponding to the battery output voltage Vout in a standby state immediately before the start of the reception indication operation is displayed on LCD. If the battery output voltage Vout is equal to or smaller than the discrimination value Vp, the remaining capacity of the battery corresponding to the battery output voltage Vout of this time is displayed as it is on the LCD.

Claims

1. A battery capacity indication circuit for generating and indicating information about a capacity of a battery supplying power to an electronic circuit, comprising:

means for detecting and keeping an output value of the battery in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

means for discriminating whether said electronic circuit is in a first operation state of consuming power smaller than a predetermined value or a second operation state of consuming power greater than the predetermined value in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

means for comparing the output value of the battery detected in said second operation state with a predetermined threshold value if it is discriminated that said electronic circuit is in the second operation state; and

means for generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value of said battery detected and kept in said first operation state before said electronic circuit becomes in said second operation state, if it is determined that the output value of said battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

2. A battery capacity indication circuit according to claim 1, wherein said indication means further comprises a function of generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of a current output value thereof, when it is discriminated as a result of the comparison executed by said comparison means that the output value of said battery is smaller than the threshold value.

3. A battery capacity indication circuit according to claim 1, wherein said indication means generates and indicates information about a remaining capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value thereof detected by said detection means.

4. A battery capacity indication circuit according to claim 1, wherein said indication means generates and indicates information about power consumption of said battery on the basis of the output value thereof detected by said detection means.

5. A battery capacity indication circuit according to claim 1, wherein said indication means obtains a remaining time to operate said electronic circuit on the basis of a current remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of the output value of said battery detected by said detection means, discharging characteristics of said battery and an average value of the power consumption of said electronic circuit, and indicates information representing the remaining time.

6. A battery capacity indication circuit according to claim 1, wherein said indication means obtains a remaining number of times at which said electronic circuit repeats a determined operation, from a remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of a current remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of the output value of said battery detected by said detection means, discharging characteristics of said battery and an average value of the power consumption of said electronic circuit, and indicates information representing the remaining number of times.

7. A battery capacity indication circuit according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means discriminates whether said electronic device is in a standby state or other operation state.

8. A battery-operated electronic device having a battery as a power supply, for supplying an output of said battery to an electronic circuit and selectively executing a plurality of kinds of determined operations, said electronic device comprising:

means for detecting and keeping an output value of said battery in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery,

means for discriminating whether said electronic circuit is in a first operation state of consuming power smaller than a predetermined value or a second operation state of consuming power greater than the predetermined value in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

means for comparing the output value of the battery in said second operation state with a predetermined threshold value if it is discriminated that said electronic circuit is in the second operation state, and

means for generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value of said battery detected and kept in said first operation state before said electronic circuit becomes in said second operation state, if it is determined that the output value of said battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

9. A battery-operated electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said indication means further comprises a function of generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of a current output value thereof, when it is discriminated as a result of the comparison executed by said comparison means that the output value of said battery is smaller than the threshold value.

10. A battery-operated electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said indication means generates and indicates information about a remaining capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value thereof detected by said detection means.

11. A battery-operated electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said indication means generates and indicates information about power consumption of said battery on the basis of the output value thereof detected by said detection means.

12. A battery-operated electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said indication means obtains a remaining time to operate said electronic circuit on the basis of a current remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of the output value of said battery detected by said detection means, discharging characteristics of said battery and an average value of the power consumption of said electronic circuit, and indicates information representing the remaining time.

13. A battery-operated electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said indication means obtains a remaining number of times at which said electronic circuit repeats a determined operation, from a remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of a current remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of the output value of said battery detected by said detection means, discharging characteristics of said battery and an average value of the power consumption of said electronic circuit, and indicates information representing the remaining number of times.

14. A battery-operated electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said discrimination means discriminates whether said electronic device is in a standby state or other operation state.

15. A cellular communication terminal apparatus having a battery as a power supply, for supplying an output of said battery to an electronic circuit and selectively executing a plurality of kinds of operations about cellular communication, said terminal apparatus comprising

means for detecting and keeping an output value of said battery in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery,

means for discriminating whether said electronic circuit is in a first operation state of consuming power smaller than a predetermined value or a second operation state at consummg power greater than the predetermined value in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

means for comparing the output value of the battery detected in said second operation state with a predetermined threshold value if it is discriminated that said electronic circuit is in the second operation state; and

means for generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value of said battery detected and kept in said first operation state before said electronic circuit becomes in said second operation state, if it is determined that the output value of said battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

16. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said indication means further comprises a function of generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of a current output value thereof, when it is discriminated as a result of the comparison executed by said comparison means that the output value of said battery is smaller than the threshold value.

17. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said indication means generates and indicates information about a remaining capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value thereof detected by said detection means.

18. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said indication means generates and indicates information about power consumption of said battery on the basis of the output value thereof detected by said detection means.

19. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said indication means obtains a remaining time to operate said electronic circuit on the basis of a current remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of the output value of said battery detected by said detection means, discharging characteristics of said battery and an average value of the power consumption of said electronic circuit, and indicates information representing the remaining time.

20. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said indication means obtains a remaining number of times at which said electronic circuit repeats a determined operation, from a remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of a current remaining capacity of said battery, on the basis of the output value of said battery detected by said detection means, discharging characteristics of said battery and an average value of the power consumption of said electronic circuit, and indicates information representing the remaining number of times.

21. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said discrimination means discriminates whether said electronic device is in a standby state or other operation state.

22. A cellular communication terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said discrimination means discriminates whether said electronic device is in the standby state, a communication state or an operation state of executing at least one of generation of ringing, generation of vibration and putting on a display light.

23. A battery indication method of generating and indicating information about a capacity of a battery supplying power to an electronic circuit, said method comprising:

a detection step of detecting and keeping an output value of said battery in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether said electronic circuit is in a first operation state of consuming power smaller than a predetermined value or a second operation state of consuming power greater than the predetermined, value in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

a comparison step of comparing the output value of the battery detected in said second operation state with a predetermined threshold value if it is discriminated that said electronic circuit is in the second operation state; and

an indication step of generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value of said battery detected and kept in said first operation state before said electronic circuit becomes in said second operation state, if it is determined that the output value of said battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

24. A battery indication method according to claim 23, further comprising a second indication step of generating and indicating information about the capacity of said battery on the basis of a current output value thereof, when it is discriminated as a result of the comparison executed at said comparison step that the output value of said battery is smaller than the threshold value.

25. A battery capacity indication circuit for indicating information about a remaining battery capacity, the battery supplying power to an electronic circuit, said circuit comprising:

means for detecting and keeping an output value of said battery in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

means for discriminating whether or not said electronic circuit is in a predetermined operation state in a state where the electronic circuit is operated by power supplied from the battery;

means for comparing the output value of the battery detected in said predetermined operation state with a predetermined threshold value if it is determined that said electronic circuit is in the predetermined operation state; and

means for generating and indicating information about the remaining capacity of said battery on the basis of the output value which is detected and kept before said electronic circuit becomes in said predetermined operation state, if it is determined that the output value of said battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.