Adaptive low-battery warnings for battery-powered electronic devices

• US 9,709,607 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Luong, Alda Y., Tan, Liquan, Low, Wing Kong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/464,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 340540, 3406361, 34042616, 34042618, 34063611-63621, 701 1, 701 2, 701 36, 702 63, 702182, 702183, 706 2, 706 1, 706 12, 706 15, 706 21, 320136, 320153, 455573
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the use of an electronic device. The electronic device may be a keyboard, a mouse, a trackpad, a remote control, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a toy, a portable media player, a game controller, and/or a camera. During operation, the system monitors a state-of-charge of a battery used to power the electronic device. Next, the system calculates a charge threshold associated with a low-battery warning for the battery based on the monitored state-of-charge. If the state-of-charge of the battery reaches the charge threshold, the system generates the low-battery warning.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating use of an electronic device, comprising:

monitoring a state-of-charge of a battery that is used to power an electronic device;

determining an average charge consumption of the battery based on the monitored state-of-charge;

determining a charge threshold based on the average charge consumption; and

updating the charge threshold responsive to a determination that the state-of-charge of the battery has not reached the charge threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a low-battery warning responsive to a determination that the state-of-charge of the battery reaches the charge threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the state-of-charge of the battery comprises:

periodically measuring a voltage of the battery;

determining the state-of-charge of the battery based on the measured voltage; and

recording the state-of-charge and a timestamp associated with the measured voltage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the charge threshold comprises:

multiplying the average charge consumption by a trigger period associated with the low-battery warning.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the average charge consumption of the battery comprises:

determining a total charge consumption associated with a monitoring window of the monitored state-of-charge; and

dividing the total charge consumption by a monitoring period spanned by the monitoring window.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the trigger period corresponds to a pre-specified period of time before the battery is fully depleted.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the low-battery warning comprises:

displaying the low-battery warning to a user of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a trackpad, a remote control, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a toy, a portable media player, a game controller, and a camera.

9. A system for facilitating use of an electronic device, comprising:

a monitoring apparatus configured to monitor a state-of-charge of a battery that is used to power an electronic device; and

an analysis apparatus configured to;

determine an average charge consumption of the battery based on the monitored state-of-charge;

determine a charge threshold based on the average charge consumption; and

update the charge threshold responsive to a determination that the state-of-charge of the battery has not reached the charge threshold; and

a notification apparatus configured to generate a low-battery warning responsive to a determination the state-of-charge of the battery reaches the charge threshold.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein monitoring the state-of-charge of the battery comprises:

periodically measuring a voltage of the battery;

determining the state-of-charge of the battery based on the measured voltage; and

recording the state-of-charge and a timestamp associated with the measured voltage.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein determining the charge threshold comprises:

multiplying the average charge consumption by a trigger period associated with the low-battery warning.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the average charge consumption of the battery comprises:

determining a total charge consumption associated with a monitoring window of the monitored state-of-charge; and

dividing the total charge consumption by a monitoring period spanned by the monitoring window.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the trigger period corresponds to a pre-specified period of time before the battery is fully depleted.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the analysis apparatus is associated with at least one of the electronic device and a different electronic device configured to communicate with the electronic device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a trackpad, a remote control, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a toy, a portable media player, a game controller, and a camera.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating use of an electronic device, the method comprising:

monitoring a state-of-charge of a battery that is used to power the electronic device;

determining an average charge consumption of the battery based on the monitored state-of-charge;

determining a charge threshold based on the average charge consumption;

updating the charge threshold responsive to a determination that the state-of-charge of the battery has not reached the charge threshold; and

generating a low-battery warning responsive to a determination that the state-of-charge of the battery reaches the charge threshold.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein monitoring the state-of-charge of the battery comprises:

periodically measuring a voltage of the battery;

determining the state-of-charge of the battery based on the measured voltage; and

recording the state-of-charge and a timestamp associated with the measured voltage.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining the charge threshold comprises:

multiplying the average charge consumption by a trigger period associated with the low-battery warning.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the average charge consumption of the battery comprises:

determining a total charge consumption associated with a monitoring window of the monitored state-of-charge; and

dividing the total charge consumption by a monitoring period spanned by the monitoring window.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the trigger period corresponds to a pre-specified period of time before the battery is fully depleted.