Electrical apparatus, computer system, intelligent battery, battery diagnosis method, batter-state display method, and program

• US 7,663,374 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Masaki, Odaohhara, Shigefumi, Matsumoto, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US10/247,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20030054229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,707 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320/130, 320/133, 320/134, 320/137, 320/149, 320/106, 320/112, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 320/128, 320/136, 320/155, 324/427
• US Class Current: 324/427
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electrical apparatus includes a body for consuming power; a battery for supplying power to the body, wherein the body is capable of detecting an installation of the battery into the body, correlating the installation of the battery to a current real-time date, and displaying the date on which the battery was first installed in the body; and a display of a full charge capacity of the battery, the full charge capacity being calculated by comparing an actual present capacity of the battery to an estimated present capacity of the battery.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a full charge capacity (FCC) value of a rechargeable battery;

determining whether or not said FCC value is greater than an estimated minimum capacity value;

in a determination that said FCC value is not greater than said estimated minimum capacity value, displaying a first message to indicate a first health condition of said rechargeable battery;

in a determination that said FCC value is greater than said estimated minimum capacity value, determining whether or not said FCC value is greater than an acceptable battery health value;

in a determination that said FCC value is not greater than said acceptable battery health value, displaying a second message to indicate a second health condition of said rechargeable battery; and

in a determination that said FCC value is greater than said acceptable battery health value, displaying a third message to indicate a third health condition of said rechargeable battery;

wherein the estimated minimum capacity of the battery is a changing estimate that is based on a historical performance of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said estimated minimum capacity value decreases as the number of recharging cycles of said rechargeable battery increases.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said acceptable battery health value equals to half of a design capacity value of said rechargeable battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes adjusting said FCC value for cycle deterioration via decreasing said FCC value by 0.5/500×

a design capacity value of said rechargeable battery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes adjusting said FCC value for storage deterioration via decreasing said FCC value by a storage deterioration value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first message includes a message for prompting a user to replace said rechargeable battery.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first message is displayed in a red color.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second message includes a message for prompting a user to replace said rechargeable battery.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said second message is displayed in a yellow color.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said third message includes a message indicating said rechargeable battery is in good condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said third message is displayed in a green color.

12. A computer readable medium having a computer program product for diagnosis health condition of a rechargeable battery, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for obtaining a full charge capacity (FCC) value of a rechargeable battery;

computer program code for determining whether or not said FCC value is greater than an estimated minimum capacity value;

computer program code for, in a determination that said FCC value is not greater than said estimated minimum capacity value, displaying a first message to indicate a first health condition of said rechargeable battery;

computer program code for, in a determination that said FCC value is greater than said estimated minimum capacity value, determining whether or not said FCC value is greater than an acceptable battery health value;

computer program code for, in a determination that said FCC value is not greater than said acceptable battery health value, displaying a second message to indicate a second health condition of said rechargeable battery; and

computer program code for, in a determination that said FCC value is greater than said acceptable battery health value, displaying a third message to indicate a third health condition of said rechargeable battery;

wherein the estimated minimum capacity of the battery is a changing estimate that is based on a historical performance of the battery.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said estimated minimum capacity value decreases as the number of recharging cycles of said rechargeable battery increases.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said acceptable battery health value equals to half of a design capacity value of said rechargeable battery.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said computer readable medium further includes adjusting said FCC value for cycle deterioration via decreasing said FCC value by 0.5/500×

a design capacity value of said rechargeable battery.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said computer readable medium further includes adjusting said FCC value for storage deterioration via decreasing said FCC value by a storage deterioration value.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said first message includes a message for prompting a user to replace said rechargeable battery.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein said first message is displayed in a red color.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said second message includes a message for prompting a user to replace said rechargeable battery.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein said second message is displayed in a yellow color.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said third message includes a message indicating said rechargeable battery is in good condition.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein said third message is displayed in a green color.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a processor for obtaining a full charge capacity (FCC) value of a rechargeable battery;

an embedded controller for determining whether or not said FCC value is greater than an estimated minimum capacity value; and

a display for

displaying a first message to indicate a first health condition of said rechargeable battery if said FCC value is not greater than said estimated minimum capacity value;

displaying a second message to indicate a second health condition of said rechargeable battery if said FCC value is greater than said estimated minimum capacity value but not greater than an acceptable battery health value; and

displaying a third message to indicate a third health condition of said rechargeable battery if said FCC value is greater than said acceptable battery health value;

wherein the estimated minimum capacity of the battery is a changing estimate that is based on a historical performance of the battery.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said estimated minimum capacity value decreases as the number of recharging cycles of said rechargeable battery increases.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said acceptable battery health value equals to half of a design capacity value of said rechargeable battery.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said apparatus further includes adjusting said FCC value for cycle deterioration via decreasing said FCC value by 0.5/500×

a design capacity value of said rechargeable battery.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said apparatus further includes adjusting said FCC value for storage deterioration via decreasing said FCC value by a storage deterioration value.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said first message includes a message for prompting a user to replace said rechargeable battery.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said first message is displayed in a red color.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said second message includes a message for prompting a user to replace said rechargeable battery.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said second message is displayed in a yellow color.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said third message includes a message indicating said rechargeable battery is in good condition.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said third message is displayed in a green color.