USER-BEHAVIOR-DRIVEN BATTERY CHARGING

• US 20160064961A1
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: DiCarlo, Derek J., Dai, Hongli, Mank, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US14/843,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20160064961A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery in a portable electronic device. During, operation, the system monitors indicators of user behavior associated with charging and discharging of the battery in the portable electronic device by a user, wherein the indicators of user behavior can include a state-of-charge of the battery, a charging pattern associated with charging of the battery, usage of applications on the portable electronic device, a user setting on the portable electronic device, a scheduled event or alarm on the portable electronic device, a power consumption pattern on the portable electronic device, a time of day, or the location of the portable electronic device. Next, the system modifies a charging technique for the battery based on the monitored indicators of user behavior to manage at least one of a cycle life of the battery, swelling in the battery, and a runtime of the battery.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing use of a battery in a portable electronic device, comprising:

determining that the portable electronic device is connected to a power source;

estimating a disconnection time at which the portable electronic device will be disconnected from the power source;

selecting a charging program based on the disconnection time; and

charging the battery according to the selected charging program.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein charging the battery according to the selected charging program comprises:

initially charging the battery;

pausing charging of the battery after a state-of-charge of the battery reaches a first threshold that is lower than a full state-of-charge of the battery; and

resuming charging of the battery a pre-specified amount of time prior to the estimated disconnection time.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein estimating the disconnection time comprises estimating the disconnection time using one or more of the following:

a day of the week during which the portable electronic device is connected to the power source;

a time of day during which the portable electronic device is connected to the power source;

a scheduled event on the portable electronic device;

an alarm that is set on the portable electronic device; and

a location where the portable electronic device is connected to the power source.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting a charging program comprises selecting a charging rate for the battery based on the estimated disconnection time.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the estimating the disconnection time comprises estimating the disconnection time using a monitored charging pattern of a user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising re-estimating the disconnection time, and selecting a new charging program if the re-estimated disconnection time is different than the estimated disconnection time.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the charging of the battery is controlled by at least one of:

a processor for the portable electronic device;

a charger for the battery; and

a battery management unit for the battery.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for managing use of a battery in a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

determining that the portable electronic device is connected to a power source;

estimating a disconnection time at which the portable electronic device will be disconnected from the power source;

selecting a charging program based on the disconnection time; and

charging the battery according to the selected charging program.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein charging the battery according to the selected charging program comprises:

initially charging the battery;

pausing charging of the battery after a state-of-charge of the battery reaches a first threshold that is lower than a full state-of-charge of the battery; and

resuming charging of the battery a pre-specified amount of time prior to the estimated disconnection time.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein estimating the disconnection time comprises estimating the disconnection time using one or more of the following:

a day of the week during which the portable electronic device is connected to the power source;

a time of day during which the portable electronic device is connected to the power source;

a scheduled event on the portable electronic device;

an alarm that is set on the portable electronic device; and

a location of the portable electronic device where portable electronic device is connected to the power source.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein selecting a charging program comprises selecting a charging rate for the battery based on the estimated disconnection time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the estimating the disconnection time comprises estimating the disconnection time using a monitored charging pattern of a user.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises re-estimating the disconnection time, and selecting a new charging program if the re-estimated disconnection time is different than the estimated disconnection time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the charging of the battery is controlled by at least one of:

a processor for the portable electronic device;

a charger for the battery; and

a battery management unit for the battery.

15. A system that manages use of a battery in a portable electronic device, comprising:

a charging system for the battery, wherein the charging system is configured to;

determine that the portable electronic device is connected to a power source;

estimate a disconnection time at which the portable electronic device will be disconnected from the power source;

select a charging program based on the disconnection time; and

charge the battery according to the selected charging program.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein while charging the battery according to the selected charging program, the charging system is configured to:

initially charge the battery;

pause charging of the battery after a state-of-charge of the battery reaches a first threshold that is lower than a full state-of-charge of the battery; and

resume charging of the battery a pre-specified amount of time prior to the estimated disconnection time.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein while estimating the disconnection time, the charging system is configured to estimate the disconnection time using one or more of the following:

a day of the week during which the portable electronic device is connected to the power source;

a time of day during which the portable electronic device is connected to the power source;

a scheduled event on the portable electronic device;

an alarm that is set on the portable electronic device; and

a location of the portable electronic device where portable electronic device is connected to the power source.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the charging system comprises:

a processor for the portable electronic device;

a charger for the battery; and

a battery management unit for the battery.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the charging system is further configured to re-estimate the disconnection time, and select a new charging program if the re-estimated disconnection time is different than the estimated disconnection time.