Patent Application
20090234609
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery capacity detection method, and more particularly to a battery capacity detection method capable of adjusting the battery capacity according to temperature change.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
It is noted the above-described conventional battery capacity indicating method for mobile phone does not consider the influence of temperature on battery capacity. As a chemical property of a cell, the same battery under a relatively high temperature will have a capacity larger than that under a relatively low temperature. And, even if a battery is not used or consumed, its capacity will still increase with rising temperature. Therefore, ignoring of the influence of temperature on the battery capacity would result in error in determining the battery capacity by a user, and it is possible the battery is not fully utilized.
It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a battery capacity detection device for portable electronic apparatus and a detection method thereof in an attempt to accurately show a battery capacity by taking surrounding temperature into consideration.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a battery capacity detection device for portable electronic apparatus and a detection method thereof, in which a temperature surrounding a battery is sensed with a sensing element and a capacity of the battery is adjusted based on a temperature vs. capacity parameter table to enable indication of accurate battery capacity.
To achieve the above and other aspects, the battery capacity detection method according to the present invention is applicable to a portable electronic apparatus having a battery with a capacity. In the battery capacity detection method, a plurality of capacity values and a plurality of temperature values are stored, and each of the capacity values corresponds to one of the temperature values. Then, a temperature surrounding the battery is sensed and a temperature signal is generated. The temperature signal is then compared with the stored temperature values to find a matched temperature value. The battery capacity is adjusted according to the capacity value corresponding to the matched temperature value.
The battery capacity detection device for a portable electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes a sensing element, a storage unit, and a processing unit. The sensing element is arranged in the portable electronic apparatus adjacent to a battery of the portable electronic apparatus for sensing a temperature surrounding the battery and generating a temperature signal. The storage unit has a plurality of capacity values and a plurality of temperature values stored therein, and each of the capacity values corresponds to one of the temperature values. The processing unit receives the temperature signal and compares the received temperature signal with the temperature values stored in the storage unit to find a matched temperature value, and adjusts the battery capacity according to the capacity value corresponding to the matched temperature value. Each of the temperature values is preferably a range of temperature, and the capacity value is preferably expressed in percentage.
The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The storage unit 24 has a plurality of capacity values 241 and a plurality of temperature values 242 stored therein, and each of the capacity values 241 corresponds to one of the temperature values 242. The sensing element 23 is arranged in the portable electronic apparatus 2 adjacent to the battery 21, so as to sense a temperature 26 surrounding the battery 21 and generate a temperature signal 231 accordingly. The processing unit 25 is electrically connected to the battery 21, the display 22, the sensing element 23, and the storage unit 24. When the sensing element 23 senses the temperature 26 surrounding the battery 21 and generates the temperature signal 231, the processing unit 25 receives the temperature signal 231, compares the temperature signal 231 with the temperature values 242 stored in the storage unit 24, finds one of the temperature values 242 as a matched temperature value that matches the temperature 26 indicated by the temperature signal 231, and reads one of the capacity values 241 that corresponds to the matched temperature value 242. Thereafter, the processing unit 25 adjusts the capacity 211 of the battery 21 according to the capacity value 241 corresponding to the surrounding temperature 26, and generates an adjusted battery capacity 251, which is then shown on the display 22.
Each of the temperature values 242 is preferably a range of temperature, such as −10° C.˜5° C., 5° C.˜15° C., 15° C.˜25° C., 25° C.˜35° C., and above 35° C.; and the capacity values 241 corresponding to the temperature values 242 are expressed in percentage (%), such as 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 110%, etc. And, for example, the temperature value −10° C.˜5° C. corresponds to the capacity value of 70%, the temperature value 5° C.˜15° C. corresponds to the capacity value of 80%, the temperature value 15° C.˜25° C. corresponds to the capacity value of 90%, the temperature value 25° C.˜35° C. corresponds to the capacity value of 100%, and the temperature value above 35° C. corresponds to the capacity value of 110%. Preferably, the capacity values 241 and the temperature values 242 are stored in the form of a lookup table.
For instance, when the sensing element 23 senses the temperature 26 surrounding the battery 21 is 30° C., which falls in the range of temperature of 25° C.˜35° C. that corresponds to the capacity value 241 of 100%, the processing unit 25 will multiply the battery capacity by 100% to generate an adjusted capacity and then calculates a ratio of the adjusted capacity to a fully charged capacity of the battery 21. The ratio is then shown by the processing unit 25 on the display 22 as an icon or a numeral. Or, when the sensing element 23 senses the temperature 26 surrounding the battery 21 is 37° C., the corresponding capacity value 241 thereof is 110%. This means it is estimated the battery capacity shall be 10% higher due to the elevated temperature. Therefore, the ratio of the capacity adjusted based on a surrounding temperature of 35° C. to the fully charged capacity would be higher than that obtained at a surrounding temperature of 30° C. In this manner, a user can clearly know the exact present battery capacity. Similarly, when the sensing element 23 senses a surrounding temperature of 17° C., it is estimated the battery capacity would be 10% lower. Therefore, the ratio of the capacity adjusted based on a surrounding temperature of 17° C. to the fully charged capacity would be lower than that obtained at a surrounding temperature of 30° C.
The aforesaid values for the capacity values 241 and temperature values 242 are only for exemplification to help a reader to understand the present invention, and actual values thereof can be supplied by battery manufacturers.
The sensing element 23 is preferably a thermoelectric couple, a thermal resistor, or a temperature sensing element.
According to the above-described battery capacity detection device for portable electronic apparatus, the present invention further provides a battery capacity detection method applicable to a portable electronic apparatus. Please refer to
In brief, in view that a battery capacity will increase in a high-temperature environment, the present invention provides further adjustment of the battery capacity according to a sensed temperature surrounding the battery, in order to more accurately reflect the exact capacity of the battery for a user to properly extend the time of using the battery.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 097108913 | Mar 2008 | TW | national |
