Battery charging status indicator apparatus

• US 6,163,132 A
• Filed: 12/28/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Yoshinari, Hirano, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/221,463
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 320/150, 320/153, 320/DIG. 18, 320/DIG. 21, 320/FOR 142, 320/FOR 147, 324/427, 324/428, 324/431, 324/433
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

There is provided a charging apparatus comprising a charging circuit for charging a battery cell of a battery pack; a computing unit which is supplied with information on detected voltage of the battery cell and information on a quantity of accumulated charging current from the battery pack and information on power consumption of an electronic equipment using the battery pack; and a display unit for indicating the result of computation of the computing unit; and being arranged such that the computing unit calculates a present charged capacity of the battery cell being charged and an usable duration of the electronic equipment using the battery pack by the present charged capacity and indicates them on the display unit.

Claims

1. A battery charging apparatus for recharging a battery pack which powers a piece of electronic equipment, comprising:

a charging circuit for charging a battery cell of said battery pack;

computing means which is supplied with information on detected voltage of said battery cell and information on a quantity of accumulated charging current from said battery pack and information on power consumption of said electronic equipment using said battery pack;

said computing means monitoring battery charge, even while charging, and calculating, even before the battery is used, a present charged capacity of said battery cell and a usable operating time duration of said electronic equipment on the basis of said present charged capacity; and

display means for indicating said present charged capacity and said usable operating time duration calculated by said computing means.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information on temperature of said battery cell is supplied to said computing means.

3. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said charged capacity is indicated stepwise on said display means and the uppermost step of the indicator is flashed.

4. An electronic equipment to which a battery pack is attached, comprising:

a charging circuit for charging a battery cell of said battery pack;

computing means which is supplied with information on detected voltage of said battery cell and information on a quantity of accumulated charging current from said battery pack and information on power consumption of said electronic equipment using said battery pack;

said computing means monitoring battery charge, even while charging, and calculating, even before the battery is used, a present charged capacity of said battery cell and a usable operating time duration of said electronic equipment on the basis of said present charged capacity; and

display means for indicating said present charged capacity and said usable operating time duration calculated by said computing means.

5. The electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein information on temperature of said battery cell is supplied to said computing means.

6. The electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein said charged capacity is indicated stepwise on said display means and the uppermost step of the indicator is flashed.

7. The electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein said electronic equipment is a video camera.