Emergency override of battery discharge protection

• US 8,886,152 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Paddon, Michael W., Brown, Craig M., Northway, Craig W., Purser, Jessica M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/893,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455572-573, 320/136, 320/101, 320/107, 320/128, 320/134, 320/137
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• 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

An apparatus, system and method for overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device in the presence of an emergency communication. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device comprises determining a measured battery voltage; determining an excess battery discharge condition, wherein further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery; detecting an emergency communication state; disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state; and continuing discharge of the battery.

Claims

1. A method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device comprising:

determining a measured battery voltage;

determining a measured battery temperature;

determining an excess battery discharge condition based on a low measured battery voltage,

wherein the excess battery discharge condition determined based on the low measured battery voltage indicates further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery, and

wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises comparing the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage, the minimum threshold voltage being calibrated by the measured battery temperature;

detecting an emergency communication state based upon a command from the mobile communication device indicating emergency communication signaling transmitted to battery interface circuitry;

disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state and the excess battery discharge condition; and

continuing discharge of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises dial string detecting of an emergency number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises detecting an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

6. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is irreversible.

7. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is reversible.

8. The method of overriding battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device of claim 7, further comprising re-enabling battery discharge protection when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.

9. A mobile communication device comprising:

a battery protection circuit comprising;

a circuit configured to determine a measured battery voltage;

a circuit configured to determine a measured battery temperature; and

a processor configured to;

determine an excess battery discharge condition based on a low measured battery voltage, wherein the excess battery discharge condition determined based on the low measured battery voltage indicates further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery;

compare the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage, the minimum threshold voltage being calibrated by the measured battery temperature;

detect an emergency communication state based upon a command from the mobile communication device indicating emergency communication signaling transmitted to battery interface circuitry;

disable a battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state and the excess battery discharge condition; and

continue discharge of the battery.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein said processor is further configured to detect a dial string comprising an emergency number.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein said processor is further configured to detect an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the battery discharge protection is disabled permanently.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the battery discharge protection is disabled temporarily.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the battery discharge protection is re-enabled when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.

17. A mobile communication device comprising:

means for determining a measured battery voltage;

means for determining a measured battery temperature;

means for determining an excess battery discharge condition based on a low measured battery voltage,

wherein the excess battery discharge condition determined based on the low measured battery voltage indicates further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery, and

wherein said means for determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises means for comparing the measured battery voltage to a minimum threshold voltage, the minimum threshold voltage being calibrated by the measured battery temperature;

means for detecting an emergency communication state based upon a command from the mobile communication device indicating emergency communication signaling transmitted to battery interface circuitry;

means for disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state and the excess battery discharge condition; and

means for continuing discharge of the battery.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein said means for detecting the emergency communication state comprises means for dial string detection of an emergency number.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein said means for detecting the emergency communication state comprises means for detecting an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein said means for disabling battery discharge protection is irreversible.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein said means for disabling battery discharge protection is reversible.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 23, further comprising means for re-enabling battery discharge protection when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code, to override battery discharge protection in a mobile communication device, stored thereon, comprising code for:

determining a measured battery voltage;

determining a measured battery temperature;

determining an excess battery discharge condition based on a low measured battery voltage,

wherein the excess battery discharge condition determined based on the low measured battery voltage indicates further battery discharge will result in an impaired ability to recharge a battery, and

wherein said determining the excess battery discharge condition comprises comparing the measured battery voltage a minimum threshold voltage, the minimum threshold voltage being calibrated by the measured battery temperature;

detecting an emergency communication state based upon a command from the mobile communication device indicating emergency communication signaling transmitted to battery interface circuitry;

disabling battery discharge protection in response to the emergency communication state and the excess battery discharge condition; and

continuing discharge of the battery.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises dial string detecting of an emergency number.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein said detecting the emergency communication state comprises detecting an ongoing process related to emergency communication.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein said impaired ability to recharge the battery comprises a permanent inability to recharge the battery.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the command is encrypted using a private key.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is irreversible.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein said disabling battery discharge protection is reversible.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, further comprising code for re-enabling battery discharge protection when the mobile communication device is plugged into a charging source.