Methods and systems for efficient battery charging and usage

• US 9,201,478 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Powerplug Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powerplug Ltd.
• Inventors: Yechieli, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowers, Brandon
• Application Number:
  US13/570,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20130042121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/16 The load or loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Battery charging methods and systems for devices that have rechargeable batteries provide an efficient way to know when to charge a device'"'"'s battery, and when to switch between the device'"'"'s battery and an external power source as the device'"'"'s power source. The methods and systems access thresholds for a plurality of power rates, obtain information about when different power rates are in effect and, after determining a current power rate based on the information, compare the threshold of the current power rate to the device'"'"'s battery'"'"'s charge level. Based on such a comparison, the methods and systems can determine whether the battery should be charged, and the methods and system can determine whether the device'"'"'s battery or an external power source should be used as the device'"'"'s power source.

Claims

1. A method of charging a battery associated with a portable device, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

storing power rate data reflecting a value at which power is purchasable at a particular time from a power source;

storing an association between a set of power rates and a respective charging threshold;

determining whether a charge level associated with the battery is below a predetermined battery-power threshold by comparing the charge level to the charging threshold corresponding to the stored power rate data;

enabling the power source to provide power to the battery for charging when the power source is available to the battery for charging and the charge level associated with the battery is below the predetermined battery-power threshold and the value of the power rate data is not above a predetermined amount; and

enabling the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above the predetermined battery-power threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the device to draw power from the battery for operation, When the charge level associated with the battery is above a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value less than the predetermined battery-power threshold, and the value of the power rate data is above a predetermined amount.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if a power source is available to the battery for charging, enabling the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below the second predetermined battery-power threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a power source is available to the battery for charging, enabling the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value less than the predetermined battery-power threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the power rate data comprises a set of values, each value representing an amount of money at which power is purchasable at a particular time.

6. A system for charging a battery associated with a portable device, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memories;

instructions stored in at least one of the memories, which, when executed by at least one of the processors, causes the system to;

store power rate data reflecting a value at which power is purchasable at a particular time from a power source;

store an association between a set of power rates and a respective charging threshold;

determine whether a charge level associated with the battery is below a predetermined battery-power threshold by comparing the charge level to the charging threshold corresponding to the stored power rate data;

enable the power source to provide power to the battery for charging when the power source is available to the battery for charging and the charge level associated with the battery is below the predetermined battery-power threshold and the value of the power rate data is not above a predetermined amount; and

enable the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above the predetermined battery-power threshold.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions stored in at least one of the memories, when executed by at least one of the processors, further causes the system to:

enable the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value less than the predetermined battery-power threshold, and the value of the power rate data is above a predetermined amount.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions stored in at least one of the memories, when executed by at least one of the processors, further causes the system to:

if a power source is available to the battery for charging, enable the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, When the charge level associated with the battery is below the second predetermined battery-power threshold.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions stored in at least one of the memories, when executed by at least one of the processors, further causes the system to:

if a power source is available to the battery for charging, enable the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value less than the predetermined battery-power threshold.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the power rate data comprises a set of values, each value representing an amount of money at which power is purchasable at a particular time.

11. A method of powering a portable device, wherein the device is configured to draw power for operation from either one of a battery or a different power source, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

accessing power rate data reflecting a value at which power is purchasable at a particular time;

storing an association between a set of power rates and a respective charging threshold;

determining whether a charge level associated with the battery is below a predetermined battery-power threshold by comparing the charge level to the charging threshold corresponding to the stored power rate data;

enabling the device to draw power from the battery for operation when the charge level associated with the battery is above the predetermined battery-power threshold and the value of the power rate data at a time that the power source is available to the battery for charging is above a predetermined amount; and

enabling the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below the predetermined battery-power threshold and the power source is available to the battery.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if a power source is available to the battery for charging, enabling the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery power threshold having a value greater than the predetermined battery-power threshold, and the value of the power rate data at a time that the power source is available to the battery for charging is below a predetermined amount.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

enabling the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above the second predetermined battery-power threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

enabling the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value greater than the predetermined battery-power threshold.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the power rate data comprises a set of values, each value representing an amount of money at which power is purchasable at a particular time.

16. A system of powering a portable device, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memories;

instructions stored in at least one of the memories, which, when executed by at least one of the processors, causes the system to;

access power rate data reflecting a value at which power is purchasable at a particular time from a power source;

store an association between a set of and a respective charging threshold;

determine whether a charge level associated with the battery is below a predetermined battery-power threshold by comparing the charging level to the charging threshold corresponding to the stored power rate data;

enable the device to draw power from the battery for operation when the charge level associated with the battery is above the predetermined battery-power threshold and the value of the power rate data at a time that the power source is available to the battery for charging is above a predetermined amount; and

enable the power source to provide power to the battery for Charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below the predetermined battery-power threshold.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored in at least one of the memories, when executed by at least one of the processors, further causes the system to:

if a power source is available to the battery for charging, enable the power source to provide power to the battery for charging, when the charge level associated with the battery is below a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value greater than the predetermined battery-power threshold, and the value of the power rate data at a time that the power source is available to the battery for charging is below a predetermined amount.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions stored in at least one of the memories, when executed by at least one of the processors, further causes the system to:

enable the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above the second predetermined battery-power threshold.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored in at least one of the memories, when executed by at least one of the processors, further causes the system to:

enable the device to draw power from the battery for operation, when the charge level associated with the battery is above a second predetermined battery-power threshold, the second predetermined battery-power threshold having a value greater than the predetermined battery-power threshold.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the power rate data comprises a set of values, each value representing an amount of money at which power is purchasable at a particular time.