Battery monitoring system with low power and end-of-life messaging and shutdown
First Claim
1. A method of managing a rechargeable battery coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, comprising operations of:
- monitoring a battery charge;
monitoring a battery charge duration;
responsive to a low-battery-charge condition, performing needs-charge operations including initiating transmission of a battery-needs-charge message to a remote site and powering-down a first group including at least some of the electrical components;
responsive to an end-of-battery-capacity condition, performing end-of-capacity operations including powering-down a second group including at least some of the electronic components; and
determining whether battery charge duration exceeds a predetermined minimum duration, and if not, transmitting a battery-needs-replacement message to the remote site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery monitoring apparatus that senses battery conditions such as low battery charge, end of battery capacity, and end of battery life, and responds by taking actions such as sending messages to a remote site and/or powering down. A rechargeable battery is coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, including battery monitoring equipment. The battery monitoring equipment senses battery charge. In response to a low-battery-charge condition, the battery monitoring equipment transmits a battery status message to a remote site and powers-down some of the electrical components. Whenever the battery nears the end of its capacity, the monitoring equipment powers down all electronic components and awaits the application of external power. The invention also tracks the time required for the battery charge to deplete. Charge duration decreases over time, and whenever it reaches a predetermined minimum, the battery monitoring equipment transmits a representative status message to the remote site.
191 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of managing a rechargeable battery coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, comprising operations of:
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monitoring a battery charge;
monitoring a battery charge duration;
responsive to a low-battery-charge condition, performing needs-charge operations including initiating transmission of a battery-needs-charge message to a remote site and powering-down a first group including at least some of the electrical components;
responsive to an end-of-battery-capacity condition, performing end-of-capacity operations including powering-down a second group including at least some of the electronic components; and
determining whether battery charge duration exceeds a predetermined minimum duration, and if not, transmitting a battery-needs-replacement message to the remote site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations for managing a rechargeable battery coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, the operations comprising:
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monitoring a battery charge;
monitoring a battery charge duration;
responsive to a low-battery-charge condition, performing needs-charge operations including initiating transmission on a battery-needs-charge message to a remote site and powering-down a first group including at least some of the electrical components;
responsive to an end-of-battery-capacity condition, performing end-of-capacity operations including powering-down a second group including at least some of the electronic components; and
determining whether battery charge duration exceeds a predetermined minimum duration, and if not, transmitting a battery-needs-replacement message to the remote site. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A battery monitoring apparatus, comprising:
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one or more battery property sensors;
a timer;
a transmitter; and
a controller, coupled to the sensors and the timer and the transmitter, the controller programmed to manage a rechargeable battery coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, by performing operations comprising;
directing the sensors to monitor a battery charge;
monitoring a battery charge duration utilizing the timer;
responsive to a low-battery-charge condition, performing needs-charge operations including;
initiating transmission of a battery-needs-charge message to a remote site; and
powering-down a first group including at least some of the electrical components;
responsive to an end-of-battery-capacity condition, performing end-of-capacity operations including powering-down a second group of the electronic components;
determining whether battery charge duration exceeds a predetermined minimum duration, and if not, initiating transmission of a battery-needs-replacement message to the remote site. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A logic circuit of multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations for monitoring a rechargeable battery coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, the operations comprising:
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monitoring a battery charge;
monitoring a battery charge duration;
responsive to a low-battery-charge condition, performing needs-charge operations including initiating transmission of a battery-needs-charge message to a remote site and powering-down at least some of the electrical components;
responsive to an end-of-battery-capacity condition, performing end-of-capacity operations including powering-down all of the electronic components; and
determining whether battery charge duration exceeds a predetermined minimum duration, and if not, transmitting a battery-needs-replacement message to the remote site.
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28. A battery monitoring apparatus, comprising:
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sensor means for sensing one or more battery properties;
timing means for providing a time reference signal;
transmitter means for transmitting signals; and
controller means, coupled to the sensor means and the timing means and the transmitter means, for managing a rechargeable battery coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components by;
directing the sensor means to monitor battery charge;
monitoring battery charge duration utilizing the timer means;
responsive to a low-battery-charge condition, performing needs-charge operations including;
initiating transmission of a battery-needs-charge message to a remote site; and
powering-down at least some of the electrical components;
responsive to an end-of-battery-capacity condition, performing end-of-capacity operations including powering-down all of the electronic components; and
determining whether battery charge duration exceeds a predetermined minimum duration, and if not, initiating transmission of a battery-needs-replacement message to the remote site.
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Specification