Special battery reserve of portable electronic devices for emergency use

• US 6,668,179 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jiang, Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J
• Application Number:
  US09/731,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/550, 455/572, 455/524, 455/573-574, 455/38.3, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 455/572
• 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

Abstract

A portable electronic device such as a cellular or mobile telephone having a special battery reserve feature for emergency use is disclosed. Such a cellular or mobile telephone comprises a battery; a battery detector arranged to detect a battery power of the battery as a power source of the portable telephone and produce battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value; a memory comprising a program storage area which stores an application software including a special battery reserve for emergency use, and a data storage area which serves as a working memory for storing relevant information, including power setting information V_S of the battery; and a host controller arranged to control operations of the telephone, including the special battery reserve for emergency use, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery.

Claims

1. A portable telephone comprising:

a battery detector arranged to detect a power supply of a battery serving as a power source of the portable telephone and produce battery power information V_d indicating a detected power value;

a memory comprising a program storage area which stores an application software including a special battery reserve for emergency use, and a data storage area which serves as a working memory for storing relevant information, including power setting information V_S of the battery; and

a host controller arranged to control operations of the portable telephone, including to disconnect the power supply from the battery, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery, and to re-connect the power supply from the battery for emergency use, when said special battery reserve is activated.

2. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit arranged to provide a visual display of information necessary for a user to operate the portable telephone, including said special battery reserve for emergency use;

a key input unit arranged to allow the user to input relevant information;

an alarm generator arranged to drive a speaker and a buzzer for sounding an alarm or a vibration to alert their user of a low battery power, when the battery power information V_D indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery;

apd

a switch arranged to disconnect or re-connect the power supply from the battery to a main circuit of the portable telephone.

3. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said host controller comprises a comparator arranged to make a comparison between the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value and the power setting information V_S set by the user, and generate a low battery indication to the alarm generator to alert the user of said low battery indication, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value reaches the power setting information V_S.

4. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery corresponds to any one of an Alkaline, Nickel Cadmium (NiCD), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Zinc Air type of battery.

5. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said key input unit further incorporates a special “

EMERGENCY”

button implemented to function for emergency use, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value from the battery detector approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery.

6. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said memory, said alarm generator, said switch and said main circuit are integrated as part of said host controller so as to control operations of the portable telephone, including said special battery reserve for emergency use.

7. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory further stores alarm setting information set by the user, via said key input unit, for continuous sounding of an alarm, intermittent sounding of an alarm, and flashing of a light, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value from the battery detector approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery.

8. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 7, wherein said key input unit arranged to permit the user to input and vary the power setting information and the alarm setting information for storage in said memory.

9. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host controller is configured to operate between a Normal Full Power State for making regular telephone calls and an Emergency Power Reserve State for making only emergency calls after the battery has run out of power for purposes of making regular telephone calls.

10. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 9, wherein said host controller is configured to:

activate an emergency_only flag to TRUE, and switch the Normal Full Power State to an Emergency Power reserve State indicating that the cellular telephone is out of battery, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value reaches the reference power setting information V_S of the battery;

wait for the user to turn on the cellular telephone, via the key input unit;

after the user has turned on the cellular telephone, activate the power supply from the battery and provide a visual display of user message such as “

Emergency Power Reserve Mode”

to alert the user that the cellular telephone is in an Emergency Power Reserve Mode;

provide a visual display making the user whether the user desires an emergency call;

if the user does not desire to make an emergency call, automatically shut off the power supply from the battery and return to the Emergency Power Reserve State; and

alternatively, if the user desires to make an emergency call, return to the Normal Full Power State to permit the user to make the emergency call.

11. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 9, wherein said host controller is configured to:

activate an emergency_only flag to TRUE, and switch the Normal Full Power State to an Emergency Power Reserve State indicating that the cellular telephone is out of battery, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value reaches the reference power setting information V_S of the battery;

wait for the user to turn on the cellular telephone, via the key input unit;

after the user has turner on the cellular telephone, activate the power supply from the battery and provide a visual display of user message such as “

Emergency Power Reserve Mode”

to alert the user that the cellular telephone is in an Emergency Power Reserve Mode;

provide a visual display asking the user whether the user desires an emergency call;

if the user does not desire to make an emergency call, automatically shut off the power supply from the battery and return to the Emergency Power Reserve State; and

alternatively, if the user desires to make an emergency call, automatically dial a pre-stored emergency number to make the emergency call.

12. A portable telephone comprising:

a first battery arranged to supply battery power for making regular telephone calls;

a second battery arranged independently from the first battery, to supply battery power for making emergency telephone calls;

a memory which stores and application software; and

a controller executed by said application software and arranged to control operations of the portable telephone, including using the battery power of said first battery for making regular telephone calls, and using the battery power of said second battery for making emergency calls.

13. A method for reserving a special portion of a battery for emergency use in a portable telephone, said method comprising:

detecting a power supply of a battery serving as a power source of the portable telephone and generating battery power information V_d indicating a detected power value;

when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery, disconnecting the power supply from the battery, and switching from a Normal Full Power State to an Emergency Power Reserve State indicating that the portable telephone is out of battery;

after the user has turned on the cellular telephone, re-connecting the power supply from the battery, and providing a visual display of user message to alert the user that the cellular telephone is in an Emergency Power Reserve Mode, and user message to ask the user whether the user desires an emergency call;

if the user does not desire to make an emergency call, automatically shutting off the power supply from the battery and returning to the Emergency Power Reserve State; and

alternatively, if the user desires to make an emergency call, returning to the Normal Full Power State to permit the user to make the emergency call.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein, if the user desires to make an emergency call, a pre-stored emergency number is automatically dialed to make the emergency call.

15. A portable telephone comprising:

a battery detector arranged to detect a power supply of a battery and generate battery power information V_D indicating a detected power value;

a memory comprising a program storage area which stores an application software including a special battery reserve for emergency use, and a data storage area which serves as a working memory for storing relevant information, including power setting information V_S set by a user, via a key input unit;

an alarm generator arranged to generate an alarm or a vibration to alert the user of a low battery power, when the battery power information V_D indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery; and

a switch arranged to disconnect or re-connect the power supply from the battery to a main circuit of the portable telephone; and

a host controller arranged to control operations of the portable telephone, including controlling the switch to disconnect the power supply from the battery when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery, and to re-connect the power supply from the battery for emergency use when said special battery reserve is activated.

16. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 15, wherein said host controller comprises a comparator arranged to make a comparison between the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value and the power setting information V_S set by the user, and generate a low battery indication to the alarm generator to alert the user of said low battery indication, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value reaches the reference power setting information V_S.

17. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 16, wherein said key input unit further incorporates a special “

EMERGENCY”

button implemented to function for emergency use, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery.

18. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 16, wherein memory further stores alarm setting information set by the user, via said key input unit, for continuous sounding of an alarm, intermittent sounding of an alarm, and flashing of a light, when the battery power information V_d indicating the detected power value approaches the power setting information V_S of the battery.

19. The portable telephone as claimed in claim 16, wherein said host controller is configured to operate between a Normal Full Power State for making regular telephone calls and an Emergency Power Reserve State for making only emergency calls after the battery has run out of power for purposes of making regular telephone calls.

20. A method of reserving a special portion of a battery for emergency use in a portable telephone, said method comprising:

when a power supply of the battery approaches a predetermined level, disconnecting the power supply from the battery, and switching from a Normal Full Power State to an Emergency Power Reserve State indicating that the portable telephone is out of battery;

after the user has turned on the cellular telephone, re-connecting the power supply from the battery, and providing a visual display of user message to alert the user that the cellular telephone is in an Emergency Power Reserve Mode, and user message to ask the user whether the user desires an emergency call;

if the user does not desire to make an emergency call, automatically shutting off the power supply from the battery and returning to the Emergency Power Reserve State; and

alternatively, if the user desires to make an emergency call, returning to the Normal Full Power State to permit the user to make the emergency call.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein, if the user desires to make an emergency call, a pre-stored emergency number is automatically dialed to make the emergency call.