Power management in an activity monitoring device

• US 9,557,386 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Noone, Michael, Henderson, Kristofer, Lapinsky, Michael, Lowe, Edward S. Jr., Zipperer, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US13/744,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 702/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation

Abstract

Batteries for an athletic activity monitoring device may be managed in both charged and discharged state to provide more accurate state information and/or expected charge times. Additionally or alternatively, various power management processes may be executed to maximize an amount of battery charge remaining.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by an athletic activity monitoring device, entry of the athletic activity monitoring device into a battery charging state;

determining, by the athletic activity monitoring device, an initial charge value of a battery of the athletic activity monitoring device at or prior to entry into the battery charging state;

activating a charging unit of the athletic activity monitoring device in response to detecting entry of the athletic activity monitoring device into the battery charging state and upon determining the initial charge value of the battery, wherein activating the charging unit changes a charge value of the battery;

determining, by the athletic activity monitoring device, an elapsed amount of time since activation of the charging unit;

determining, by the athletic activity monitoring device, a current amount of battery charge based on the elapsed amount of time and the initial charge value of the battery without a subsequent reading of a voltage from the battery using a look-up table associating a charge amount of the battery with an amount of time required to charge the battery from the charge amount of the battery to a fully charged state;

deactivating the charging unit of the athletic activity monitoring device in response to detecting a change in state of the athletic activity monitoring device from the battery charging state;

determining, by the athletic activity monitoring device, a final charge value of the battery upon deactivation of the charging unit;

determining whether the final charge value corresponds to a fully charged state;

upon determining the final charge value corresponds to the fully charged state, measuring an elapsed amount of time to charge the battery from the initial charge value to the fully charged state; and

automatically updating the look-up table with the measured amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial charge value includes an amount of voltage output from the battery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current amount of battery charge includes:

determining an initial charge amount of the battery at or prior to entry into the battery charging state based on the initial charge value;

determining an amount of time required to charge the battery from the initial charge amount to a fully charged state; and

determining an expected remaining charge time based on the elapsed amount of time and the amount of time required to charge the battery from the initial charge amount to the fully charged state.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the current amount of battery charge based on a look-up table using the expected remaining charge time as a key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the athletic activity monitoring device includes the charging unit and wherein the method further comprises:

determining an expected amount of time required to charge the battery from an initial charge amount of the battery corresponding to the initial charge value to a fully charged state; and

determining that the battery is fully charged in response to;

receiving an indication, from the charging unit, of battery charge completion; and

determining that the expected amount of time to charge the battery from the initial charge amount to the fully charged state has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current amount of battery charge includes determining a current amount of battery charge for each of a plurality of batteries in the athletic activity monitoring device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an athletic activity monitoring device to:

detect entry of the athletic activity monitoring device into a battery charging state;

determine an initial charge value of a battery of the athletic activity monitoring device at or prior to entry into the battery charging state;

activate a charging unit of the athletic activity monitoring device in response to detecting entry of the athletic activity monitoring device into the battery charging state and upon determining the initial charge value of the battery, wherein activating the charging unit changes a charge value of the battery;

determine an elapsed amount of time since activation of the charging unit;

determine a current amount of battery charge based on the elapsed amount of time and the initial charge value of the battery without a subsequent reading of a voltage from the battery using a look-up table associating a charge amount of the battery with an amount of time required to charge the battery from the charge amount of the battery to a fully charged state;

deactivate the charging unit of the athletic activity monitoring device in response to detecting a change in state of the athletic activity monitoring device from the battery charging state;

determine a final charge value of the battery upon deactivation of the charging unit;

determine whether the final charge value corresponds to a fully charged state;

upon determining the final charge value corresponds to the fully charged state, measure an elapsed amount of time to charge the battery from the initial charge value to the fully charged state; and

automatically update the look-up table with the measured amount of time.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the initial charge value includes an amount of voltage output from the battery.