Method for calibrating rechargeable battery capacity

• US 6,100,666 A
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ryu, Chang-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/333,262
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320/125, 320/135, 320/149, 320/DIG. 21, 324/427, 324/429, 324/433, 429/90, 340/635, 340/636
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A smart battery provides electrical power and reports remaining capacity of the battery. A disparity between the calculated remaining capacity and the actual capacity of the smart battery is calibrated through a maximum power consumption mode. Specifically, a maximum power consumption mode is set, the battery is discharged until a battery capacity learning level is reached, the battery capacity is determined, and the system is then set to a minimum power consumption mode. Power management function is disabled prior to the latter process, and enabled after the process is completed.

Claims

1. A method of calibrating a capacity of a rechargeable battery providing power for a portable electronic system, the method comprising the steps of:

setting the system to a maximum power consumption mode;

discharging the rechargeable battery;

determining the capacity of the rechargeable battery; and

setting the system to a minimum power consumption mode;

wherein the portable electronic system includes a power management function, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of disabling the power management function before said determining step, and enabling the power management function after said determining step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is a smart battery which has a microcontroller and at least one storage device therein.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic system is a portable computer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the portable computer includes at least one system memory, a liquid crystal display device, a cooling fan, a hard disk drive motor, and a fixed disk drive motor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, during the maximum power consumption mode, said at least one system memory is recursively accessed, said LCD device is driven to have a maximum brightness, and said cooling fan, said hard disk drive motor and said fixed disk drive motors are each driven at their maximum speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step, between the discharging and determining steps, of determining whether a discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned has been reached.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the discharging step is continued until the discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached, and wherein the step of determining the capacity of the rechargeable battery is executed when the discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step, prior to the setting step, of fully charging the rechargeable battery.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step, after the fully charging step, of disconnecting an alternating current adapter from the rechargeable battery.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step, prior to the setting step, of disconnecting an alternating current adapter from the rechargeable battery.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the discharging step is continued until a discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached, and wherein the determining step is executed when the discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached.

12. A method of calibrating a capacity of a rechargeable battery providing power for a portable electronic system, the method comprising the steps of:

discharging the rechargeable battery;

determining whether a discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached;

when it is determined that the discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is not reached, continuing to discharge the rechargeable battery until the discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached; and

determining the capacity of the rechargeable battery when the discharge level at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned is reached;

wherein the portable electronic system includes a power management function, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of disabling the power management function before said determining step, and enabling the power management function after said determining step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the rechargeable battery is a smart battery which has a microcontroller and at least one storage device therein.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the portable electronic system is a portable computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the portable computer includes at least one system memory, a liquid crystal display device, a cooling fan, a hard disk drive motor, and a fixed disk drive motor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, during the maximum power consumption mode, said at least one system memory is recursively accessed, said LCD device is driven to have a maximum brightness, and said cooling fan, said hard disk drive motor and said fixed disk drive motors are each driven at their maximum speed.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step, prior to the discharging step, of setting the system to a maximum power consumption mode.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step, prior to the setting step, of fully charging the rechargeable battery.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step, after the fully charging step, of disconnecting an alternating current adapter from the rechargeable battery.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step, prior to the setting step, of disconnecting an alternating current adapter from the rechargeable battery.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step, after the determining step, of setting the system to a minimum power consumption mode.

22. A method of calibrating a capacity of a rechargeable battery providing power for a portable electronic system, the method comprising the steps of:

discharging the rechargeable battery; and

determining the capacity of the rechargeable battery;

wherein the portable system includes a power management function, and wherein the method further comprises the step of disabling the power management function before said determining step.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the rechargeable battery is a smart battery which has a microcontroller and at least one storage device therein.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the portable electronic system is a portable computer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the portable computer includes at least one system memory, a liquid crystal display device, a cooling fan, a hard disk drive motor, and a fixed disk drive motor.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step, prior to the discharging step, of setting the system to a maximum power consumption mode, and wherein, during the maximum power consumption mode, said at least one system memory is recursively accessed, said LCD device is driven to have a maximum brightness, and said cooling fan, said hard disk drive motor and said fixed disk drive motors are each driven at their maximum speed.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step, between the discharging and determining steps, of determining whether a certain discharge level, at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned, has been reached.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the discharging step is continued until the certain discharge level is reached, and wherein the step of determining the capacity of the rechargeable battery is executed when the certain discharge level is reached.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step, prior to the discharging step, of fully charging the rechargeable battery.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step, after the fully charging step, of disconnecting an alternating current adapter from the rechargeable battery.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step, prior to the discharging step, of disconnecting an alternating current adapter from the rechargeable battery.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein the discharging step is continued until a certain discharge level, at which the capacity of the rechargeable battery can be learned, is reached, and wherein the determining step is executed when the certain discharge level is reached.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of enabling the power management function after said determining step.