Adjustable cut-off voltage for mobile device battery

• US 7,795,842 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Modu Limited (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Eran, Sherman, Itay, Bychkov, Eyal, Ron, Uri
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US11/891,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 320/114, 320/115, 320/128, 320/132, 320/134, 320/DIG.21, 455573-574
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/002 in which a reserve is maintained in an energy source by disconnecting non-critical loads, e.g. maintaining a reserve of charge in a vehicle battery for starting an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A power management system for a mobile electronic device, including a microprocessor for continually monitoring a voltage of a battery within a mobile electronic device, wherein the device can operate in either a standalone mode powered by the battery, or in an externally powered mode, and wherein the battery is charged when the device is in external power mode, and a power manager coupled with said voltage meter, for controlling operation of the device according to the following logic: if the monitored voltage falls below an upper turn-on threshold, UTOT, during operation of the device in standalone mode, but is above a lower turn-on threshold, LTOT, then automatically turning the device off, and enabling the device to be turned on in an emergency mode, wherein at least one emergency action is enabled, and if the monitored voltage falls below LTOT during operation of the device in standalone mode, then automatically turning the device off, and preventing the device from being turned on. A method is also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for power management for a mobile electronic device, comprising:

continually monitoring a voltage of a battery within a mobile electronic device, wherein the electronic device can operate in either a standalone mode powered by the battery, or in an externally powered mode, and wherein the battery is charged when the device is in external power mode;

when the monitored voltage is below an upper turn-on threshold, UTOT, but is above a lower turn-on threshold, LTOT, then discriminating between standalone and external power modes, comprising;

when the device is operating in standalone mode;

automatically turning the device off; and

enabling the device to be turned on in an emergency mode, wherein at least one emergency action is enabled and other device actions are disabled; and

when the device is operating in external power mode;

enabling the device to be turned on; and

enabling all device actions when the device is turned on; and

when the monitored voltage is below the lower turn-on threshold (LTOT) but is above a power-on reset threshold, POR, then further discriminating between standalone and external power modes, comprising;

when the device is operating in standalone mode;

automatically turning the device off; and

preventing the device from being turned on; and

when the device is operating in external power mode;

enabling all device actions if the device is already turned on; and

preventing the device from being turned on when the device is turned off.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the at least one emergency action comprises making an emergency phone call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the at least one emergency action comprises making a speed dial phone call.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the power-on reset threshold (POR) is approximately 2.7V, the lower turn-on threshold (LTOT) is approximately 3.2V, and the upper turn-on threshold (UTOT) is approximately 3.3V.

5. A power management system for a mobile electronic device, comprising:

a microprocessor for continually monitoring a voltage of a battery within a mobile electronic device, wherein the device can operate in either a standalone mode powered by the battery, or in an externally powered mode, and wherein the battery is charged when the device is in external power mode; and

a power manager coupled with said microprocessor, for controlling operation of the device according to the following logic;

when the monitored voltage is below an upper turn-on threshold, UTOT, but is above a lower turn-on threshold, LTOT, then discriminating between standalone and external power modes, comprising;

when the device is operating in standalone mode;

automatically turning the device off; and

enabling the device to be turned on in an emergency mode, wherein at least one emergency action is enabled and other device actions are disabled; and

when the device is operating in external power mode;

enabling the device to be turned on; and

enabling all device actions when the device is turned on; and

when the monitored voltage is below the lower turn-on threshold (LTOT) but is above a power-on reset threshold, POR, then further discriminating between standalone and external power modes, comprising;

when the device is operating in standalone mode;

automatically turning the device off; and

preventing the device from being turned on; and

when the device is operating in external power mode;

enabling all device actions if the device is already turned on; and

preventing the device from being turned on when the device is turned off.

6. The power management system of claim 5 wherein the mobile electronic device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the at least one emergency action comprises making an emergency phone call.

7. The power management system of claim 5 wherein the mobile electronic device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the at least one emergency action comprises making a speed dial phone call.

8. The power management system of claim 5 wherein the power-on reset threshold (POR) is approximately 2.7V, the lower turn-on threshold (LTOT) is approximately 3.2V, and the upper turn-on threshold (UTOT) is approximately 3.3V.