Battery monitor which indicates remaining capacity by continuously monitoring instantaneous power consumption relative to expected hyperbolic discharge rates

Claim 1

A battery monitoring system comprising: current measuring means for evaluating the level of instantaneous current drawn from a battery when supplying a load; voltage measuring means for evaluating the level of instantaneous battery voltage when the battery is supplying the load; means for selecting a final battery voltage level at which the capacity of the battery is to be considered exhausted; and arithmetic means for continuously receiving measurement values outputted from said means and for computing continuously on a rapid sampling basis a measure of remaining battery life; wherein said arithmetic means comprises: a first arithmetic unit (13-16) for computing the instantaneous power level delivered by the battery and for evaluating continuously on a rapid sampling basis according to a first predetermined algorithm the total discharge duration (T) available from the battery when continuing to supply power at the measured instantaneous power level based upon the selected final battery voltage level; a second arithmetic unit (17) for evaluating continuously on a rapid sampling basis according to a second predetermined algorithm a measure of elapsed discharge time (t) from the measured instantaneous battery voltage and battery current; a third arithmetic unit (18) for evaluating continuously on a rapid sampling basis the remaining life of the battery if it continues to supply power at the measured instantaneous power level, by subtracting the measure evaluated by the second arithmetic unit (17) from that evaluated by the first arithmetic unit (13-16); and wherein (i) said first predetermined algorithm comprises the hyperbolic equation T=a+b(i.sub.f).sup.-1 +c(i.sub.f).sup.-2 where a,b,c are co-efficients which are a function of the final battery voltage level and which are held in sets in a storage table to be outputted according to the selected final battery voltage level; and (i) said second predetermined algorithm comprises the cubic equation V=A+Bt+Ct.sup.2 +Dt.sup.3 where A,B,C,D are co-efficients which are a function of instanteneous battery current (i p ), and which are held in sets in a storage table to be outputted according to the measured value of instantaneous battery current (i p ), and V is the measured value of instantaneous battery voltage.