Method and device for determining and indicating a residual capacity of a battery
First Claim
1. A method for indicating a correct residual capacity of a battery, comprising the steps of:
- measuring a charging current value in a current charging mode when a charger having a function for detecting a fully charged state is connected to the battery;
adding, if the charging current value in the charging mode is more than trickle charging current value, said measured charging amount to a present charging amount to obtain a new present charging amount and thereby indicating a ratio of the new present charging amount to a fully charged state; and
judging, if the charging current value in the charging mode is less than the trickle charging current value, by determining a charged amount from the charging current value, the present charging amount as being the fully charged amount and indicating that the present charging amount is in a fully charged state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method and a device for determining and indicating a residual capacity of a battery, a charging amount is measured in a charging mode in which a charger having a sensor for detecting a fully charged state is connected to the battery. If the charging amount in the charging mode is more than a trickle charging amount, the measured charging amount is added to a present charging amount to obtain the present charging amount and a ratio of the present charging amount to a fully charged state is indicated on a display unit. If the charging amount in the charging mode is less than a trickle charging amount, it is judged that the present charging amount is the fully charged amount and this amount is the fully charged state. The device further includes a current-to-voltage converting circuit, an analog-to-digital converter, and an operation control unit such as a MPU connected to the display unit and executing and controlling the operation of the device.
32 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for indicating a correct residual capacity of a battery, comprising the steps of:
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measuring a charging current value in a current charging mode when a charger having a function for detecting a fully charged state is connected to the battery; adding, if the charging current value in the charging mode is more than trickle charging current value, said measured charging amount to a present charging amount to obtain a new present charging amount and thereby indicating a ratio of the new present charging amount to a fully charged state; and judging, if the charging current value in the charging mode is less than the trickle charging current value, by determining a charged amount from the charging current value, the present charging amount as being the fully charged amount and indicating that the present charging amount is in a fully charged state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11)
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6. A device for indicating a residual capacity of a battery, comprising:
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a battery; a charger connectable to said battery and having means for detecting a fully charged state; a current-to-voltage converting circuit connected to said battery for converting a charging current value in the case when said charger is connected to said battery, to a voltage value; an analog-to-digital converter connected to said converting unit for converting said voltage value to a digital value; an operation control means connected to said converter; and a display unit; said operation control means detecting whether or not said charger is connected to said battery and in a charging mode when said charger is connected to said battery, obtaining a charging current value from a voltage value output from said analog-to-digital converter, adding, if said charging current value is more than a trickle charging current value, said charging current value to a present charging amount, to obtain a new present charging amount, and outputting to said display unit a ratio of the new present charging amount to a full charging amount, and at the same time, judging, if said charging current value is less than said trickle charging current value, by determining a charged amount from the charging current value, said present charging amount as being the fully charged amount and making said display unit indicate that the present charging amount is in a fully charged state. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification