US5266880A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Battery monitoring circuit
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1992-04-06
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Granted: 1993-11-30
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Expires: 2012-04-06
Abstract
Abstract A battery monitoring circuit provides information as to the level of electrical energy remaining in a battery for determining an appropriate charging rate for the battery from multiple available rates. Such information is obtained without the need for measuring battery voltage and temperature during operation of a battery operated device or prior to the recharging of the battery. Each one of a plurality of representative values is assigned to represent each one of different current levels obtained from the battery while the battery operated device is operated in different current consuming states. The representative values are totaled for providing a measure of the total current consumption of the battery operated device for all periods of operation. In accordance with the measure of total current consumption for the periods of operation, representing the level of discharge in the battery, the battery is charged at one of the multiple available charging rates, i.e., fast, standard or trickle. While the battery is being charged, a count value derived from totaling the representative values is portionally reduced in accordance with the charging rate applied to the battery. As the count value decreases, the charge rate also decreases to a charge rate associated with the count level. The battery charging time is advantageously reduced thereby and an increase in battery life is achieved by limiting the application of only the trickle charging rate to a fully charged battery.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Newland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:30
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/90; H02J7/94
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of determining the discharge level of a battery providing operating power for a portable transceiver, the method comprising the steps of: operating the portable transceiver in a plurality of different current consuming states; assigning a plurality of representative values, each one of the plurality of representative values representing a level of the current consumed by the transceiver from the battery while operating in each one of the plurality of current consuming states; accumulating a total representative value from each one of the plurality of representative values for obtaining a level of total current consumed by the transceiver from the battery, the accumulated total representative value being indicative of accumulated time periods during which the portable transceiver operates in each of said current consuming states; and assigning a level for the total representative value in the absence of said plurality of representative values, the assigned total representative value being indicative of the discharge level of the battery when said battery is partially charged.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of determining the discharge level of a battery providing operating power for a portable transceiver, the method comprising the steps of: operating the portable transceiver in a plurality of different current consuming states; assigning a plurality of representative values, each one of the plurality of representative values representing a level of the current consumed by the transceiver from the battery while operating in each one of the plurality of current consuming states; accumulating a total representative value from each one of the plurality of representative values for obtaining a level of total current consumed by the transceiver from the battery, the accumulated total representative value being indicative of accumulated time periods during which the portable transceiver operates in each of said current consuming states; and assigning a level for the total representative value in the absence of said plurality of representative values, the assigned total representative value being indicative of the discharge level of the battery when said battery is partially charged.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of associating the transceiver with a battery charging device, determining the magnitude of the total representative value stored in an accumulator by the accumulating step or assigned to the accumulator by the total representative value level assigning step, charging the battery by said charging device, and decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value in accordance with the level of current being provided to the battery by the charging step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of selecting a battery charging rate from one of multiple rates available from the battery charging device, the charging rate being selected responsive to the magnitude of the total representative value in the accumulator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the multiple charging rates include a fast charging rate, a standard charging rate and a trickle charging rate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the discharge level of the battery is represented by a total representative value of a first maximum magnitude when said battery is fully or near fully charged, responsive to the total representative value in the accumulator being at or below the first maximum magnitude, the selecting step selecting the trickle charging rate for charging the battery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the discharge level of the battery is represented by a total representative value of a second maximum magnitude when said battery is partially charged, responsive to the total representative value in the accumulator being at or below the second maximum magnitude, the selecting step selecting the standard charging rate for charging the battery.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the discharge level of the battery is represented by a total representative value of a third maximum magnitude when said battery is discharged, responsive to the total representative value in the accumulator being at or below the third maximum magnitude, the selecting step selecting the fast charging rate for charging the battery.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the total representative value of the first maximum magnitude is less than the total representative value of the second maximum magnitude and the total representative value of the second maximum magnitude is less than the total representative value of the third maximum magnitude.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 8 wherein responsive to the charging step decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value to below the value represented by the second maximum magnitude, the selecting step selecting the standard charging rate for the battery.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 8 wherein responsive to the charging step decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value to below the value represented by the first maximum magnitude, the selecting step selecting the trickle charging rate for the battery.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of different current consuming states includes a first state wherein the level of current consumed is assigned a first representative value by the assigning step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of different current consuming states includes a second state wherein the level of current consumed is assigned a second representative value by the assigning step, the second representative value being larger than the first representative value.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the plurality of different current consuming states includes a third state wherein the level of current consumed is assigned a third representative value by the assigning step, the third representative value being larger than the second representative value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
191 words
A battery monitoring circuit for determining the discharge level of a battery providing operating power for a portable transceiver, the portable transceiver operating in a plurality of different current consuming states, the monitoring circuit comprising: means for monitoring the operation of the portable transceiver while in each of the plurality of different current consuming states; means for assigning a plurality of representative values, each one of the plurality of representative values representing a level of the current consumed by the transceiver from the battery while operating in each one of the plurality of current consuming states; means for accumulating a total representative value from each one of the plurality of representative values for obtaining a level of the total current consumed by the transceiver from the battery, the accumulated total representative value being indicative of accumulated time periods during which the portable transceiver operates in each of said current consuming states; and means for assigning a level for the total representative value in the absence of said plurality of representative values, the assigned total representative value being indicative of the discharge level of the battery when said battery is partially charged.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
191 words
A battery monitoring circuit for determining the discharge level of a battery providing operating power for a portable transceiver, the portable transceiver operating in a plurality of different current consuming states, the monitoring circuit comprising: means for monitoring the operation of the portable transceiver while in each of the plurality of different current consuming states; means for assigning a plurality of representative values, each one of the plurality of representative values representing a level of the current consumed by the transceiver from the battery while operating in each one of the plurality of current consuming states; means for accumulating a total representative value from each one of the plurality of representative values for obtaining a level of the total current consumed by the transceiver from the battery, the accumulated total representative value being indicative of accumulated time periods during which the portable transceiver operates in each of said current consuming states; and means for assigning a level for the total representative value in the absence of said plurality of representative values, the assigned total representative value being indicative of the discharge level of the battery when said battery is partially charged.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 14 wherein the plurality of different current consuming states includes a first state wherein the level of current consumed is assigned a first representative value by the means for assigning the plurality of representative values.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 15 wherein the monitoring means includes means for monitoring the operation the portable transceiver in a power on/power-off cycling mode, the transceiver consuming current at the first representative value while operating in this mode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 15 wherein the plurality of different current consuming states includes a second state wherein the level of current consumed is assigned a second representative value by the means for assigning the plurality of representative values, the second representative value being larger than the first representative value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 17 wherein the plurality of different current consuming states includes a third state wherein the level of current consumed is assigned a third representative value by the means for assigning the plurality of representative values, the third representative value being larger than the second representative value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 18 wherein the operating means includes means for operating the portable transceiver in a full power-on mode, the transceiver consuming current at the third representative value while operating in this mode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 14 further comprising interconnecting means connecting the transceiver with a battery charging device, responsive to the interconnecting means, the battery charging device providing charging current to the battery at one of multiple available rates and the decrementing means decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value in accordance with one of the multiple rates of said charging current.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 20 further comprising means for selecting a battery charging rate from the multiple rates from the battery charging device, the charging rate being selected responsive to the magnitude of the total representative value stored in an accumulator by the accumulating means or assigned to the accumulator by the total representative value level assigning means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 21 wherein the multiple charging rates include a fast charging rate, a standard charging rate and a trickle charging rate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
64 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 22 wherein the discharge level of the battery is represented bu a total representative value of a first maximum magnitude when said battery is fully or near fully charged, responsive to the total representative value in the accumulator being at or below the first maximum magnitude, the selecting means selecting the trickle charging rate for charging the battery.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
60 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 23 wherein the discharge level of the battery is represented by a total representative of a second maximum magnitude when said battery is partially charged, responsive to the total representative value in the accumulator being at or below the second maximum magnitude, the selecting means selecting the standard charging rate for charging the battery.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
60 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 24 wherein the discharge level of the battery is represented by a total representative value of a third maximum magnitude when said battery is discharged, responsive to the total representative value in the accumulator being at or below the third maximum magnitude, the selecting means selecting the fast charging rate for charging the battery.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
51 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 25 wherein the total representative value of the first maximum magnitude is less than the total representative value of the second maximum magnitude and the total representative value of the second maximum magnitude is less than the total representative value of the third maximum magnitude.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 26 wherein responsive to the decrementing means decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value to below the value represented by the second maximum magnitude, the selecting means selecting the standard charging rate for the battery.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
The battery monitoring circuit of claim 26 wherein responsive to the decrementing means decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value to below the value represented by the first maximum magnitude, the selecting means selecting the trickle charging rate for the battery.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
239 words
In a communication system, a battery monitoring circuit for determining the discharge level of a battery providing operating power for a portable transceiver capable of operating in a plurality of different current consuming states, the monitoring circuit comprising: means for monitoring the operation of the portable transeceiver while in each of the plurality of different current consuming states; means for assigning a plurality of representative values, each one of the plurality of representative values representing a rate of current consumed by the transceiver from the battery while operating in each one of the plurality of current consuming states; means for accumulating a total representative value from each one of the plurality of representative values for obtaining a level of total current consumed by the transceiver from the battery, the accumulated total representative value being indicative of accumulated time periods during which the portable transceiver operates in each of said current consuming states; means for assigning a level for the total representative value in the absence of said plurality of representative values, the assigned total representative value being indicative of the discharge level of the battery when said battery is partially charged; interconnecting means for connecting the transceiver to battery charging means for providing charging current to the battery at one of multiple available rates; and means for decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value in accordance with the level of said charging current being provided to the battery.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
239 words
In a communication system, a battery monitoring circuit for determining the discharge level of a battery providing operating power for a portable transceiver capable of operating in a plurality of different current consuming states, the monitoring circuit comprising: means for monitoring the operation of the portable transeceiver while in each of the plurality of different current consuming states; means for assigning a plurality of representative values, each one of the plurality of representative values representing a rate of current consumed by the transceiver from the battery while operating in each one of the plurality of current consuming states; means for accumulating a total representative value from each one of the plurality of representative values for obtaining a level of total current consumed by the transceiver from the battery, the accumulated total representative value being indicative of accumulated time periods during which the portable transceiver operates in each of said current consuming states; means for assigning a level for the total representative value in the absence of said plurality of representative values, the assigned total representative value being indicative of the discharge level of the battery when said battery is partially charged; interconnecting means for connecting the transceiver to battery charging means for providing charging current to the battery at one of multiple available rates; and means for decrementing the magnitude of the total representative value in accordance with the level of said charging current being provided to the battery.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-11-29 | 1997-05-31 | 1997-11-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-11-29 | 2001-05-31 | 2001-11-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-11-29 | 2005-05-31 | 2005-11-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |