Battery dropout correction for battery monitoring in mobile unit

• US 6,046,574 A
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wieck, Christopher P., Baranowski, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/326,471
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 320/127, 320/128, 320/132, 320/135, 320/149, 320/DIG. 18, 320/DIG. 21
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

A mobile electronic device can operate in multiple modes, each at a respective current load. Monitoring a battery in such a mobile device includes acquiring a sensed battery voltage during a particular operating mode and converting the sensed battery voltage to a scaled voltage for a known battery discharge curve having a well-defined turn-off voltage. The known battery discharge curve is preferably one for a full current load. The scaled voltage is then compared with the well-defined turn-off voltage to determine the amount of energy remaining in the battery. Operating times for other operating modes can also be calculated and displayed for the user'"'"'s information.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a voltage of a battery in an electronic device, the device having multiple modes of operation, each mode operating at a respective current load, the method comprising:

acquiring a sensed battery voltage during a particular mode of operation;

converting the sensed battery voltage to a scaled voltage for a known battery discharge curve having a known current load and a known turn-off voltage; and

comparing the scaled voltage to the known turn-off voltage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the known battery discharge curve is for a full current load.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a pulsed battery discharge curve for at least one operating mode, the pulsed battery discharge curve including a discharge curve for the current load of the respective operating mode, a discharge curve for the known current load, and a voltage drop curve; and

generating a voltage scaling equation for the pulsed battery discharge curve, the voltage scaling equation converting the discharge curve for the current load of the respective operating mode to the discharge curve for the known current load.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the voltage drop curve includes a first portion having a substantially uniform voltage drop over time, a second portion having a voltage drop that rapidly rises over time, and a transition point between the first and second portions, and wherein generating the voltage scaling equation includes determining an offset, the offset equaling a first value when the sensed voltage is greater than a voltage for the current load of the respective operating mode corresponding to the transition point and equaling a second value when the sensed voltage is less than the voltage for the current load corresponding to the transition point, the first value being equal to the voltage drop at the transition point, and the second value being greater than the first value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second value equals the first value plus a portion of a difference between the voltage for the current load of the respective operating mode corresponding to the transition point and the sensed voltage.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a battery level indicative of an approximate amount of energy remaining in the battery.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a message when the scaled voltage is approximately equal to the known turn-off voltage, the message indicating that the respective operating mode should be shut down.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating remaining operating times at current loads of the respective operating modes for the electronic device; and

providing a list of possible operating modes available under a present battery condition.

9. A method for monitoring a voltage of a battery in an electronic device, the device having multiple modes of operation, each mode operating at a respective current load, the method comprising:

generating a formula to curve fit a battery discharge curve for the current load of a respective operating mode to a battery discharge curve for a full current load, the full current load battery discharge curve having a known turn-off voltage;

acquiring a sensed battery voltage during an operating mode;

converting the sensed battery voltage with the formula to a scaled voltage for the full current load battery discharge curve; and

comparing the scaled voltage to the known turn-off voltage.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating a formula includes generating a plurality of formulas, each formula associated with a respective operating mode, and wherein converting the sensed battery voltage includes using the respective formula to convert the sensed battery voltage to the scaled voltage.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein generating a formula curve includes:

generating a pulsed battery discharge curve including the battery discharge curve for the current load of the respective operating mode, the full current load battery discharge curve, and a voltage drop curve including a first portion having a substantially uniform voltage drop over time, a second portion having a voltage drop that rapidly rises over time, and a transition point between the first and second portions; and

determining an offset, the offset equaling a first value when the sensed voltage is greater than a voltage for the current load of the respective operating mode corresponding to the transition point and equaling a second value when the sensed voltage is less than the voltage for the current load corresponding to the transition point, the first value being equal to the voltage drop at the transition point, the second value being greater than the first value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second value equals the first value plus a portion of a difference between the voltage for the current load of the respective operating mode corresponding to the transition point and the sensed voltage.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a battery level indicative of an approximate amount of energy remaining in the battery.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a message when the scaled voltage is approximately equal to the known turn-off voltage, the message indicating that the respective operating mode should be shut down.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

calculating remaining operating times at current loads of the respective operating modes for the electronic device; and

providing a list of possible operating modes available under a present battery condition.

16. A method for operating an electronic device having multiple modes of operation, each mode operating at a respective current load, the method comprising:

acquiring a sensed battery voltage during a particular mode of operation;

converting the sensed battery voltage to a scaled voltage for a battery discharge curve having a full current load and a known turn-off voltage;

calculating operating times for a plurality of operating modes; and

displaying a list of options indicating the plurality of operating modes and their respective operating times.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating a pulsed battery discharge curve for at least one operating mode, the pulsed battery discharge curve including a discharge curve for the current load of the respective operating mode, the discharge curve for the full current load, and a voltage drop curve; and

generating a voltage scaling equation for the pulsed battery discharge curve, the voltage scaling equation converting the discharge curve for the current load of the respective operating mode to the discharge curve for the known current load.

18. An electronic device including a plurality of applications, each application operating at a respective current load, the electronic device comprising:

a battery electrically coupled to the plurality of applications, the battery providing power to the plurality of applications of the electronic device;

a voltage monitor coupled to the battery, the voltage monitor providing a sensed voltage of the battery; and

a control unit coupled to the plurality of applications, the battery and the voltage monitor, the control unit converting the sensed voltage to a scaled voltage for a known battery discharge curve having a known current load and a known turn-off voltage and comparing the scaled voltage to the known turn-off voltage.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the known battery discharge curve is for a full current load.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a display for presenting a battery level indicative of an amount of energy remaining in the battery.

21. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the control unit calculates remaining operating times at current loads of the respective applications, and further comprising a display for presenting a list of possible operating modes available under the present battery condition.