Battery charge monitor for a personal computer
First Claim
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1. In a battery operated portable computer comprising a rechargeable nickel cadmium battery for powering said computer;
- a power distribution system connected to said battery for distributing power from said battery to components of said computer;
first memory means for storing programs;
a plurality of input/output devices for inputting and outputting information into and from said computer; and
a main processor connected to said first memory means for executing said programs, said main processor being connected to said input/output devices and to said power distribution system for controlling operation thereof;
the improvement comprising;
monitoring means connected to said battery for monitoring battery voltage, battery current, and battery temperature and generating output signals V, I, and BT indicative thereof;
second memory means for storing a plurality of discharge tables of empirical data defining non-linear discharge characteristics of said nickel cadmium battery, said tables defining battery voltages versus discharge times for a plurality of different discharge currents and a plurality of different battery temperatures, each table being for a different battery temperature and divided into a plurality of charge zones representing different level of charge of said battery, said charge zones including a fully charged battery zone, at least one partially discharged zone, and a fully discharged zone;
a charge indicator mounted on said computer in a position conspicuous for continuous viewing by a user and having a plurality of selectively highlightable panels corresponding in number to one less than said plurality of charge zones;
and power management means connected to said monitoring means and to said charge indicator for selectively highlighting said panels in accordance with present charge status of said battery, said power management means comprising a power management processor programmed toperiodically sample said outputs V, I, and BT from said monitor,access a predetermined one of said tables in accordance with said BT,select a discharge current curve from said predetermined one of said tables, in accordance with said I,determine a present charge zone from the discharge current curve selected in the preceding step in accordance with said V,and selectively illuminate said panels in accordance with said present charge zone.
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Abstract
A charge monitor for a battery operated computer includes a processor electrically connected to a plurality of signal generating circuits. The generated signals represent the temperature, voltage and current characteristics of the battery being monitored. The level of remaining battery energy is ascertained by utilizing a predetermined discharge table which is dependent upon the battery temperature, voltage and current.
99 Citations
5 Claims
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1. In a battery operated portable computer comprising a rechargeable nickel cadmium battery for powering said computer;
- a power distribution system connected to said battery for distributing power from said battery to components of said computer;
first memory means for storing programs;
a plurality of input/output devices for inputting and outputting information into and from said computer; and
a main processor connected to said first memory means for executing said programs, said main processor being connected to said input/output devices and to said power distribution system for controlling operation thereof;
the improvement comprising;monitoring means connected to said battery for monitoring battery voltage, battery current, and battery temperature and generating output signals V, I, and BT indicative thereof; second memory means for storing a plurality of discharge tables of empirical data defining non-linear discharge characteristics of said nickel cadmium battery, said tables defining battery voltages versus discharge times for a plurality of different discharge currents and a plurality of different battery temperatures, each table being for a different battery temperature and divided into a plurality of charge zones representing different level of charge of said battery, said charge zones including a fully charged battery zone, at least one partially discharged zone, and a fully discharged zone; a charge indicator mounted on said computer in a position conspicuous for continuous viewing by a user and having a plurality of selectively highlightable panels corresponding in number to one less than said plurality of charge zones; and power management means connected to said monitoring means and to said charge indicator for selectively highlighting said panels in accordance with present charge status of said battery, said power management means comprising a power management processor programmed to periodically sample said outputs V, I, and BT from said monitor, access a predetermined one of said tables in accordance with said BT, select a discharge current curve from said predetermined one of said tables, in accordance with said I, determine a present charge zone from the discharge current curve selected in the preceding step in accordance with said V, and selectively illuminate said panels in accordance with said present charge zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- a power distribution system connected to said battery for distributing power from said battery to components of said computer;
Specification