Method of and apparatus for setting battery alarm voltage in battery management server

• US 6,956,488 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited (Fujitsu Limited), Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US10/736,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.15, 340/636.1, 340/636.12, 340/636.13, 340/636.2, 320/135, 320/136, 320/149, 320/152, 320/155
• US Class Current: 340/636.15
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

A mobile information terminal includes a battery voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of a battery, an alarm voltage detecting unit that detects an alarm voltage, and a suspend voltage detecting unit that detects a suspend voltage, and a terminal communication unit that transmits the voltage of the battery detected to a battery management server. The battery management server includes a voltage controller that automatically sets the battery alarm voltage based on the voltage of the battery detected, and a server communication unit that transmits the battery alarm voltage set to the mobile information terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for setting a battery alarm voltage for a mobile information terminal that is capable of communicating with a battery management server, wherein

the mobile information terminal includes

a battery voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of a battery;

an alarm voltage detecting unit that detects a battery alarm voltage for alarming a voltage drop of the battery;

a suspend voltage detecting unit that detects a suspend voltage at which the mobile information terminal enters a suspend state following the voltage drop of the battery; and

a terminal communication unit that transmits the voltage of the battery detected to the battery management server, and

the battery management server includes

a voltage controller that automatically sets the battery alarm voltage based on the voltage of the battery detected; and

a server communication unit that transmits the battery alarm voltage set to the mobile information terminal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage controller further includes

an estimating unit that estimates a time-varying discharge transition from the battery alarm voltage to the suspend voltage based on the voltage of the battery detected;

and

a setting unit that sets the battery alarm voltage based on the time-varying discharge transition estimated.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery alarm voltage is set to a voltage at which the mobile information terminal lasts a predetermined operation time from the battery alarm voltage to the suspend voltage.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit has a mechanism that the battery alarm voltage is manually set to an arbitrary voltage.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile information terminal further includes

a storage unit that obtains and stores the battery alarm voltage, and

a rewriting unit that rewrites the battery alarm voltage stored in the storage unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the battery alarm voltage stored in the storage unit is rewritable by either of an input unit of the mobile information terminal and an external medium.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the mobile information terminal further includes

a comparing unit that compares a value of the battery alarm voltage set by the setting unit with a value of the battery alarm voltage rewritten by the rewriting unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mobile information terminal further includes

a notification unit that makes a notification of an operation status on the mobile information terminal, wherein

when the battery alarm voltage set by the setting unit coincides with the battery alarm voltage rewritten by the rewriting unit from a result of a comparison by the comparing unit, the notification unit notifies a completion of setting of the battery alarm voltage.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the notification unit notifies the completion of setting of the battery alarm voltage by a message display.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the notification unit notifies the completion of setting of the battery alarm voltage by a sound through a speaker.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the battery alarm voltage set by the setting unit coincides with the battery alarm voltage rewritten by the rewriting unit from a result of a comparison by the comparing unit, the rewriting unit rewrites the battery alarm voltage stored in the storage unit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the battery alarm voltage set by the setting unit is smaller than a preset battery alarm voltage and larger than the suspend voltage.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the setting unit further has a function of setting a lower limit of the battery alarm voltage, and

when the battery alarm voltage set is smaller than the lower limit, the setting unit sets the battery alarm voltage again.

14. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein upon the mobile information terminal receiving of an information that a manual setting is carried out from the battery management server, the rewriting unit does not accept an updating of the battery alarm voltage until the manual setting is released.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile information terminal is any one of a notebook-size personal computer, a personal digital assistant, an electronic note, and a mobile phone.

16. A method of setting a battery alarm voltage for a mobile information terminal that is capable of communicating with a battery management server, the method comprising:

detecting a voltage of a battery;

detecting a battery alarm voltage for alarming a voltage drop of the battery;

detecting a suspend voltage at which the mobile information terminal enters a suspend state following the voltage drop of the battery;

transmitting the voltage of the battery detected to the battery management server;

setting automatically the battery alarm voltage based on the voltage of the battery detected; and

transmitting the battery alarm voltage set to the mobile information terminal.