Method, system, software, and signal for estimating battery life in a remote control device

• US 6,449,726 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Kim C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US09/357,792
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/321, 713/310, 713/340, 702/60-64, 702/127, 320/106, 320/134, 320/137, 320/149, 324/428, 324/433, 324/427, 340/636, 700/291, 345/810, 345/771, 429/90, 307/66
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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

The present invention describes a method, signal, and software for use in a system including a host device and at least one remote battery powered device. The status of the battery in the remote device is estimated from the number and duration of messages received by the host. The battery'"'"'s status is then communicated to the user via the host device. The entire method can be implemented without consuming any battery power except the power normally used to transmit messages.

Claims

1. A method, in a system including a host device and at least one remote battery powered device, said host device and at least one remote battery powered device being operably connected via a wireless connection, comprising the steps of:

maintaining information relating to battery life;

metering periods of remote device use; and

estimating remaining battery life from the periods of use and the information relating to battery life.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein metering comprises:

counting remote device activations; and

measuring remote device activation periods.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the host device is fully powered.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information relating to battery life includes statistics for a variety of batteries.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is implemented in the host device.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the action of notifying a user of the remote device'"'"'s battery status.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the action of notifying is implemented in the host device.

8. A system comprising:

a remote battery powered device; and

a host device;

said host device being operably connected to said remote battery powered device via a wireless connection, said host device including;

a least one processor;

memory operably associated with said processor; and

a program of instructions configured to be executed by said processor and stored in said memory, said program of instructions including limitations configured to maintain information relating to battery life, meter periods of remote device use and estimate remaining battery life from said periods of use and said information relating to battery life.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein metering comprises:

counting remote device activations; and

measuring remote device activation periods.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said host device is fully powered.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said information relating to battery life includes statistics for a variety of batteries.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said program of instructions is executed in said host device.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said program of instructions is further configured to notify a user of said remote device'"'"'s battery status.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said user notification is implemented in said host device.

15. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a series of instructions for use in a system including a host device and at least one remote battery powered device, said host device being operably connected to at least one remote battery powered device via a wireless connection, implementing the following method:

maintaining information relating to battery life;

metering periods of remote device use; and

estimating remaining battery life from said periods of use and said information relating to battery life.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein metering comprises:

counting remote device activations; and

measuring remote device activation periods.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said host device is fully powered.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said information relating to battery life includes statistics for a variety of batteries.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said method is implemented in said host device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said method further implements notifying a user of said remote device'"'"'s battery status.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein said notifying is implemented in said host device.

22. A signal embodied in a propagation medium, for use in a system including a host device and at least one remote battery powered device, said host device being operably connected to at least one remote battery powered device via a wireless connection, comprising:

at least one instruction configured to maintain information relating to battery life;

at least one instruction configured to meter periods of remote device use; and

at least one instruction configured to estimate remaining battery life from said periods of use and said information relating to battery life.

23. The signal of claim 22 wherein metering comprises:

counting remote device activations; and

measuring remote device activation periods.

24. The signal of claim 22 wherein said host device is fully powered.

25. The signal of claim 22 wherein said information relating to battery life includes statistics for a variety of batteries.

26. The signal of claim 22 wherein said instructions are further configured to be implemented in said host device.

27. The signal of claim 22 further including at least one instruction configured to notify a user of said remote device'"'"'s battery status.

28. The signal of claim 27 wherein said instruction configured to notify a user is implemented in the host device.