NFC system providing battery power level measurement features and related methods

• US 9,178,570 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Deluca, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIBENEDETTO, MICHAEL N
• Application Number:
  US13/036,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20120217971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 324/426, 379/1.01, 379/1.03, 340/635, 340/636.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A Near Field Communication (NFC) system may include a battery including a battery casing, at least one battery cell carried by the battery casing, at least one power measurement circuit carried by the battery casing and configured to measure a power level of the at least one battery cell, and a first NFC circuit carried by the battery casing and configured to communicate the power level measurement via NFC communication. The NFC system may further include a mobile wireless communications device including a portable housing, a second NFC circuit carried by the portable housing, and a controller carried by the portable housing and configured to cause the second NFC circuit to receive the power level measurement from the first NFC circuit based upon proximity therewith.

Claims

1. A Near Field Communication (NFC) system comprising:

a first battery comprising;

a first battery casing,

a first battery cell carried by the first battery casing,

a first power measurement circuit carried by the first battery casing and configured to measure a first power level measurement of the first battery cell, and

a first NFC circuit carried by the first battery casing and configured to communicate the first power level measurement via NFC communication, wherein the first power level measurement is measured and communicated using an analog-to-digital converter without using a microprocessor;

a second battery comprising;

a second battery casing,

a second battery cell carried by the second battery casing, and

a second power measurement circuit carried by the second battery casing and configured to measure a second power level measurement of the second battery cell; and

a mobile wireless communications device comprising;

a portable housing coupled to the second battery,

a second NFC circuit carried by the portable housing, and

a controller carried by the portable housing and supplied with power by the second battery cell of the second battery, the controller being configured to;

receive the second power level measurement from the second power measurement circuit of the second battery, and

receive the first power level measurement from the first battery via the NFC communication between the first and second NFC circuits and without uncoupling the second battery from the portable housing or ceasing a supply of the power from the second battery cell of the second battery to the controller.

2. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the second NFC circuit comprises an active NFC circuit configured to generate an electromagnetic field;

wherein the first NFC circuit of the first battery comprises a passive NFC circuit; and

wherein the first NFC circuit and the first power measurement circuit of the first battery are powered by the electromagnetic field.

3. The NFC system of claim 1 further comprising an internal load carried by the first battery casing of the first battery;

and wherein the first power measurement circuit of the first battery is configured to measure the first power level with the first battery cell of the first battery being temporarily connected to the internal load.

4. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the first battery cell of the first battery has a first power rating associated therewith;

and wherein the controller is configured to present the power rating at a display.

5. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a display carried by the portable housing;

and wherein the controller is further configured to display a power level indicator for at least one of the first and second batteries based upon the received first and second power level measurements.

6. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing and coupled to the controller.

7. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the first battery cell comprises a rechargeable battery cell.

8. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the first battery cell comprises a disposable battery cell.

9. A mobile wireless communications device for use with first and second batteries each comprising a battery casing, at least one battery cell carried by the battery casing, at least one power measurement circuit carried by the battery casing and configured to measure a power level of the at least one battery cell, and a first NFC circuit carried by the battery casing and configured to communicate the power level measurement via NFC communication, the mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing coupled to the first battery;

a second NFC circuit carried by the portable housing;

a display carried by the portable housing; and

a controller carried by the portable housing and supplied with power by the at least one battery cell of the first battery, the controller being configured to receive the power level measurement from the at least one power measurement circuit of the first battery,

receive the power level measurement from the second battery via the second NFC circuit without uncoupling the first battery from the portable housing or ceasing the supply of power from the first battery to the controller, and

display a power level indicator for at least one of the first and second batteries on the display based upon the received power level measurements,

wherein the power level measurement is measured and communicated by the second battery using an analog-to-digital converter of the second battery without using a microprocessor of the second battery.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 9 wherein the second NFC circuit comprises an active NFC circuit configured to generate an electromagnetic field wherein the first NFC circuit of the second battery comprises a passive NFC circuit and wherein the first NFC circuit and the at least one power measurement circuit of the second battery are powered by the electromagnetic field.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 9 wherein the at least one battery cell of the second battery has at least one power rating associated therewith;

wherein the second NFC circuit is further configured to receive the at least one power rating from the first NFC circuit of the second battery; and

wherein the controller is further configured to display the power rating of the second battery on the display based upon the received at least one power rating.

12. A method for using a mobile wireless communications device with first and second batteries each comprising a battery casing, at least one battery cell carried by the battery casing, at least one power measurement circuit carried by the battery casing, and a first NFC circuit carried by the battery casing, the mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing coupled to the first battery and a second NFC circuit, the method comprising:

measuring respective power levels of the at least one battery cell of the first and second batteries using the power measurement circuits of the first and second batteries;

communicating the power level measurement from the at least one power measurement circuit of the first battery to the mobile wireless communications device;

communicating the power level measurement from the first NFC device of the second battery to the second NFC circuit without uncoupling the first battery from the portable housing or ceasing the supply of power from the first battery to the mobile wireless communications device, wherein the power level measurement of the second battery is measured and communicated by the second battery using an analog-to-digital converter of the second battery without using a microprocessor of the second battery.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the second NFC circuit comprises an active NFC circuit configured to generate an electromagnetic field;

wherein the first NFC circuit of the second battery comprises a passive NFC circuit; and

further comprising powering the first NFC circuit and the at least one power measurement circuit of the second battery from the electromagnetic field.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the second battery further comprises an internal load carried by the battery casing;

and wherein measuring comprises measuring the power level from the second battery using the power measurement circuit with the at least one battery cell being temporarily connected to the internal load.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one battery cell of the second battery has at least one power rating associated therewith;

and wherein communicating further comprises communicating the at least one power rating from the first NFC circuit of the second battery to the second NFC circuit.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a display;

and further comprising displaying a power level indicator for at least one of the first and second batteries on the display based upon the received power level measurement.