Mobile device with a smart battery having a battery information profile corresponding to a communication standard

• US 8,032,187 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brubacher, Jonathan Quinn, Guthrie, Martin George Albert, Book, Christopher Simon, Mak-Fan, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost; Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): STERNBANE, LAURENCE J
• Application Number:
  US12/729,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20100178961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/573, 320/112, 320/114
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• 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

Abstract

Various embodiments are described for a mobile communication device having a main processor for controlling the operation of the mobile communication device; a device memory coupled to the main processor for storing a plurality of battery information profiles; and a smart battery coupled to the main processor for providing supply power. The smart battery includes a battery processor for controlling the operation of the smart battery and communicating with the main processor; and a battery memory coupled to the battery processor for storing a Battery ID indicating the model of the smart battery. The main processor is configured to communicate with the battery processor to obtain the Battery ID and select one the battery information profiles based on the Battery ID.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a main processor; and

a device memory coupled to the main processor, the device memory configured to store a plurality of battery information profiles, including a battery information profile corresponding to a communication standard employed by the mobile communication device;

wherein the main processor is configured to communicate with a battery processor of a smart battery to obtain a Battery ID from the smart battery;

wherein the main processor is configured to select the battery information profile corresponding to the communication standard, from among the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the device memory, based on the battery ID; and

wherein the main processor is configured to operate based on the selected battery information profile corresponding to the communication standard.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device is for a communication subsystem providing wireless communication with a wireless network.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the main processor is further configured to:

access a new battery information profile stored in a battery memory of the smart battery, the new battery information profile comprising a version number indicating that the new battery information profile is new; and

store the new battery information profile in the device memory.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3, wherein the main processor is further configured to not use an incorrect battery information profile stored in the battery memory, the incorrect battery information profile comprising a version number that indicates that the battery information profile contains incorrect battery information.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the device memory correspond to a plurality of different communication standards, and the main processor is configured to select from among the plurality of stored battery information profiles the battery information profile that corresponds to the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the device memory comprise a universal battery information profile, and the main processor is configured to calculate a battery information profile for the smart battery based upon the universal battery information profile and load condition information corresponding to the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the device memory comprises a lookup table with voltage versus charge capacity information.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the device memory comprises a set of offsets that are applied to another battery information profile.

9. A method of obtaining battery information for use by a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device comprising a main processor and device memory, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of battery information profiles in the device memory, including a battery information profile corresponding to a communication standard employed by the mobile communication device;

communicating with a battery processor of a smart battery to obtain a Battery ID from the smart battery;

selecting the battery information profile corresponding to the communication standard, from among the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the battery memory, based on the Battery ID; and

operating the main processor based on the selected battery information profile corresponding to the communication standard.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device is for a communication subsystem providing wireless communication with a wireless network.

11. A smart battery for providing supply power to a mobile communication device, the smart battery comprising:

a battery processor controlling the operation of the smart battery; and

a battery memory coupled to the battery processor, the battery memory being configured to store a plurality of battery information profiles corresponding to a plurality of different communication standards;

wherein the battery processor is configured to receive a request for battery information from the mobile communication device; and

wherein the battery processor is configured to transmit to the mobile communication device, in response to the request for battery information, the battery information profile stored in the battery memory corresponding to a communication standard employed by the mobile communication device.

12. The smart battery of claim 11, wherein the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device is for a communication subsystem providing wireless communication with a wireless network.

13. The smart battery of claim 11, further comprising a battery interface coupled to the battery processor, wherein the request for battery information is received and the battery information profile corresponding to the communication standard is transmitted across the battery interface.

14. The smart battery of claim 11, wherein the battery processor is further configured to receive a request for battery identification from the mobile communication device and, in response to the request for battery identification, transmit a battery ID stored in the battery memory to the mobile communication device.

15. The smart battery of claim 14, wherein the request for battery information is based on the battery ID.

16. The smart battery of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the battery memory comprises a lookup table with voltage versus charge capacity information.

17. The smart battery of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the battery memory comprises a set of offsets that are applied to another battery information profile.

18. The smart battery of claim 11, wherein the plurality of battery information profiles stored in the battery memory comprises a universal battery information profile, the universal battery information profile usable with load current information corresponding to the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device to calculate a battery information profile for the smart battery.

19. A method of providing battery information to a mobile communication device by a smart battery, the smart battery comprising a battery processor and battery memory, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of battery information profiles in the battery memory, including a battery information profile corresponding to a communication standard employed by the mobile communication device;

receiving a request for battery information from the mobile communication device; and

transmitting to the mobile communication device, in response to the request for battery information, the battery information profile stored in the battery memory corresponding to a communication standard employed by the mobile communication device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication standard employed by the mobile communication device is for a communication subsystem providing wireless communication with a wireless network.