CA1298616C - Accurately indicating a status of consumption of a battery by which anelectronic circuit is controllably put into operation - Google Patents

Accurately indicating a status of consumption of a battery by which anelectronic circuit is controllably put into operation

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Publication number
CA1298616C
CA1298616C CA000575958A CA575958A CA1298616C CA 1298616 C CA1298616 C CA 1298616C CA 000575958 A CA000575958 A CA 000575958A CA 575958 A CA575958 A CA 575958A CA 1298616 C CA1298616 C CA 1298616C
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Canada
Prior art keywords
signal
battery
pulse sequence
status
electronic circuit
Prior art date
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA000575958A
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French (fr)
Inventor
Koichi Yoshido
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Individual
Original Assignee
NEC Corp
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Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/36Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
    • G01R31/3644Constructional arrangements
    • G01R31/3648Constructional arrangements comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M10/00Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M10/42Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells
    • H01M10/48Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/10Energy storage using batteries
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10STECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S320/00Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
    • Y10S320/18Indicator or display
    • Y10S320/21State of charge of battery

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

34 Abstract of the Disclosure: In an arrangement which is for use in an electronic circuit controllably put into operation by a battery (20) and which is for indicating a consumption status of the battery, a measuring circuit (22) measures a total time interval of operation of the electronic circuit. A processing circuit (21, 27) processes the total time interval into a calculated status for the battery. An indicator (32) indicates the consumption status based on the calculated status. The processing circuit may comprise a memory (21) for memorizing various current rates which are used in the electronic circuit and on which an arithmetic circuit (27) calculates the calculated status. Alternatively, first and second measuring circuits (25, 26) may be used with first and second current rates memorized in the memory for the first and the second measuring circuits. Instead of the measuring circuits, a summing circuit may be supplied with a succession of the current rates repeatedly read out of the memory to sum up a total amount of consumed current consumed by the electric circuit. As a further alternative, a counter counts down to obtain the total time interval in response to a pulse sequence of a pulse repetition period variable in proportion to a varying level of electric current supplied from the battery to the electronic circuit.

Description

. ~Z9~ ACCURATELY INDICATING A STATUS OF CONS~MPTION OF A BATTERY BY ~HICH AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT IS CONTROLLABLY PUT INTO OPERATION Back round of the Invention: ' g This invention relates to a battery status indicating arrangement for use in an electronic circuit. An electronic circuit of the type described, is 5 typically a radio communication apparatus of a radio pager receiver, a mobile radio telephone set, a mobile radio transceiver, or the like. The electronic circui-t is controllably put into operation by a battery~ More specifically, -the electronic circuit is con-trollably put 10 into op.eration by electric current supplied from the battery~ The battery status indicating arrangement is Eor indicating a status of consumption of the battery. A conventional battery status indicatiny arrangement comprises a vol-tme-ter connected to a pair of 15 terminals of the battery for measuring a voltage difference between the terminals and for indicating the voltage difference as the sta-tus of consumption of the 6~6 battery. In general, the battery has not a linear characteristic of a voltage decrease relative to a total amount of the electric current which the electronic circuit consumes. The -total amount of the electric 5 current consumed by the elec-tronic circuit is equivalent in meaning to a consumed ~uantity of energy which the elec-tronic circuit consumes as the electric current. Therefore, the conventional battery status indicating arrangement is defective in that it is difficult for a 10 user of the electronic circuit to judge and guess with reference to an indication of the voltmeter how long the electronic circuit can further be put into operation by the battery. Summary of the Invention: It is -therefore an object of the present invention to provide a battery status indicating arrangement which is for use in an electronic circuit controllably put into opera-tion by a battery and which is capable of accurately indicating a status of 20 consumption of the battery. It is another object of -this invention to provide a battery status indicating arrangement of the type described, which is suitable for indicating how long the electronic circuit can fur-ther be put into 25 operation by the battery. Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds. 2g~6~ On describing the gist of this invention, it will be possible to understand that a battery status indicating arrangement is for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into operation by a battery. The battery status indicating arrangement is for indicating a status of consumption of the battery. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery status indicating arrangement for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into operation by a battery, said battery status indicating arrangement being for indicating a status of consumption of said battery, wherein the improvement comprises: measuring means couple to said electronic circuit for measuring a total time interval during which said electronic circuit is put into operation, said measuring means thereby producing a time duration signal indicative of said total time interval; memory means for preliminarily memorizing a current rate signal representative of a current rate at which said electronic circuit is controllably put into operation; arithmetic means coupled to said memory means and to said measuring means for multiplying said current rate signal and said time duration signal to produce a mu~tiplied signal representative of a product of said current rate and said total time interval as a status signal representative of a calculated status for said battery; and indicating means responsive to said status signal for indicating said status of consumption based on said calculated status. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery status indicating arrangemant for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into operation by a battery, said battery status indicating arrangement being for indicating a status of consumption of said battery, wherein the improvement comprises: ,,; ,. ~ i ~L2~8~ memory means for preliminarily memorizing a current rate signal representative of a current rate at which said electronic circuit is controllably put into operation: reading means for periodically reading said current rate signal out of said memory means at a predetermined time interval while said electronic circuit is controllably put into operation, said reading means thereby producing a read- out signal having a form of a succession of said current rate signals; summing means responsive to said read-out signal for summing up said current rates to produce a sum signal representative of a sum of said current rates as a status signal representative of a calculated status for said battery; and indicating means responsive to said status signal for indicating said status of consumption based on said calculated status. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery status indicating arrangement for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into operation by electric current supplied ~rom a battery with a varying level, said battery status indicating arrangement being for indicating a status of consumption of said battery, wherein the improvement comprises: pulse producing means coupled to said electronic circuit and responsive to said electric current for producing a basic pulse sequence of a pulse repetition period which changes in proportion to said varying level; temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature of said battery to produce a detection signal representative of said ambient temperature; first clock generating means responsive to said detection signal for generating a first clock pulse sequence of a pulse repetition period which incr~ases in proportion to said ambient temperature, each pulse of said first clock pulse sequence having a pulse width which is substantially equal to ~,~ ., L29~3611Ei 4a that of each pulse of said basic pulse sequence, the pulse repetition period of said first clock pulse sequence being longer than the pulse repetition period of said basic pulse sequence; pulsa processing means for processing said basic pulse sequence and said first clock pulse sequence into a processed pulse sequence; counting means coupled to said pulse processing means and given an initial count for counting down said initial count to a reduced count in response to said processed pulse sequence to produce a count signal representative of said reduced count; and indicating means responsive to said count signal for indicating said status of consumption. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a mobile radio telephone set which comprises a battery status indicating arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of another mobile radio telephone set which comprises a battery status indicating arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit which comprises a battery status indicating arrangement according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a block diagram of another electronic circuit which comprises a battery status indicating arrangement according to a forth embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 shows a graphical representation for use in describing operation of he battery status indicating arrangement of the battery status indicating arrangement of the electronic circuit illustrated in Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a diagram for use in describing another operation of the battery status indicating ~2~98~ arrangement of the electronic circuit illustrated in Fig. 4. Description of the Preferred Embodiments: Referring to Fig. 1, a battery status indicating 5 arrangement according to a first embodiment of this invention is for use in an electronic circuit which is a mobile radio telephone set in the example being illustrated. The mobile radio telephone set comprises an antenna 11, an antenna coupler 12, a recei~ing 10 circuit 13, a transmitting circuit 14, a local oscillator 15, a speaker portion 1~, a microphone portion 17, a controller 18, and a manually operable key input portion 19. When put into the mobile radio telephone set, a battery 20 becomes capable of supplying 15 electric current to the receiving circuit 13, the transmitting circuit 14, the local oscillator 15, -the speaker portion 16, the microphone portion 17, the controller 1~, and the key input portion 19. The mobile radio telephone set is controllably 20 put into operation by the key input por-tion 19. More specifically, the mobile radio telephone set is controllably put into a waiting or first mode of operation when the key input portion 19 is manipulated. On carrying out communication, the mobile radio 25 telephone set is automatically turned into a communication or second mode of operation~ The waiting and the communication modes of the mobile radio telephone set will now be described. 1L6 The m~bile radio -telephone set is usually put into the waiting mode of operation under the control of the controller 18. ~t the waiting mode, the eontroller 18 drives the receiving circuit 13 and the local 5 oscillator 15 to put each of the receiving eireuit 13 and the local oseillator lS into an operation s-tate. In this event, the loeal oscillator lS supplies the receivin~ circuit 13 with a fre~uency signal which speeifies a control channel. That is, the receiving 10 cireui-t 13 can receive, through the antenna 11 and the antenna eoupler 12, an ineoming signal which is sent through the control channel by a fixed or base station. Responsive to the incoming signal, the receiving circuit 13 delivers the incoming signal to the 15 controller 18. When the eontroller 18 receives the incoming signal, the eontroller 18 judges whether or not the ineoming signal is a eall signal specifie to the mobile radio telephone set. Only when the ineoming signal is the eall signal speeific to the mobile radio 20 telephone set, the controller 18 drives not only the receiving circuit 13 and -the loeal oseillator 15 but also the transmitting eircuit 14 to put each of the receiving eircuit 13, the local oscillator 15, and the transmitting eircuit 14 into an operation state~ In 25 this event, the loeal oscillator 15 supplies the reeeiving eireuit 13 and the transmitting eireui-t 14 with another frequeney signal whieh speeifies one of eommunieation or speeeh ehannels. As a result, the ~Z986~6 mobile radio telephone set is put into the communication mode of operation in which the mobile radio telephone se-t can transmit and receive a communication signal to and from the flxed station through the above-mentioned 5 one of the communication channels by the use of the microphone and the speaker por-tions 17 and 16. As is known in the art, the controller 18 also drives a tone generator (not shown) to make the tone generator generate a call tone when the controller 18 judges that 10 the incoming signal is the call signal specific to the mobile radio telephone se-t. The mobile radio telephone set can also be put into the communication mode of operation when the key input portion 19 is manually operated by a user of the 15 mobile radio telephone set in order to start communication with the fixed station. When the key input portion 19 is operated so as to start communication with the fixed station, the key input portion 19 generates a communication start signal. 20 Responsive to the communication start signal, the controller 18 drives the transmitting circuit 14 in addition to the receiving circuit 13 and the local oscillator 15 in a similar manner described above. At any rate, the transmitting circuit 14 is not 25 put into the operation sta-te at the waiting mode of operation but put into -the operation state in the communication mode of opera-tion. The mobile radio telephone set consumes a first quantity of electricity ` lZ~i16 at the waiting mode and a second quantity of electricity in the communication mode. The first quantity is less than the second quanti-ty. The first quantity of electricity per unit time will be referred to as a first 5 current rate while the second quantity of electricity per unit time will be referred to as a second current rate. The first and the second current rates are, for example, two hundred milliamperes and two amperes, respectively. The battery status indicating arrangement is for indicating a status of consumption of the bat-tery 20 and comprises a memory 21 for memorizing first and second current rate signals representative o~ the first and the second current rates at which the mobile radio telephone lS set is controllably put into the waiting and the communication operation modes, respectively. Summarizing, the memory 21 memorizes a current rate signal representative of a current rate at which the mobile radio telephone set is con-trollably put into 20 operation. The battery status indicating arrangement further comprises a measuring circuit 22 coupled to the mobile radio telephone set ~or measuring a total time interval during which the mobile radio telephone set is 25 put into operation. The measuring circuit 22 thereby produces a time duration signal indicative of the total time interval. More specifically, the measuring circuit 22 compri$es an integrating circuit 23 coupled to the 1%9~36~6 mobile radio ~elep~lone set for integrating or totalizing the total time interval to produce the time duration signal and a resetting circuit 24 connected to the integrating circuit 23 for resetting the time duration 5 signal to an initial duration signal indicative o~ zero as the total time interval when the battery 20 is detached from the mobile radio telephone set. Alternatively, such a resetting operation for the inteyrating circuit 23 may be carried out by a lO manual operation of a user of the mobile radio telephone set when a ne~ battery is attached to the mobile radio telephone set as the battery 20 instead of an old battery. For this purpose, the key input portion l9 produces a reset-ting signal when the key input portion 15 19 is manually operated by the user in order to carry out the resetting operation for the integrating circuit 23. Responsive to the resetting signal, the controller 18 carries out the rese-tting operation for the integrating circuit 23 instead of the resetting circuit 20 24. The integrating circuit 23 of the measuring circuit 22 comprises first and second partial measuring circuits 25 and 26. Being coupled to the mobile radio telephone se-t, the first partial measuring circuit 25 measures a 25 first -total time interval during which the mobile radio telephone set is put into the waiting or first mode of operation. The first partial measuring circui-t 25 thereby produces a first time duration signal i.ndicative \ 129~6~Lt; of the first -total time interval. Likewise, the second partial measuring circuit 26 is coupled to the mobile radio telephone set and measures a second total time interval during which -the mobile radio telephone set is 5 put into the communication or second mode of operation. The second partial measuring circuit 26 thereby produces a second time duration signal indicative of the second totAl time interval. Each of the first and the second partial measuring circuits 25 and 26 may be a timer 10 known in the art. Coupled to the memory 21 and to the measuring circuit 22, an arithmetic cixcuit 27 multiplies the current rate signal and the time duration signal to produce a multiplied signal representative of a product 15 of the current rate and the total time interval. The multiplied signal is used as a status signal representative of a calculated status for the battery 20. More specifically, the arithmetic circuit 27 20 comprises first and second multipliers 29 and 30 and an adder 31. Coupled to the memory 21 and to the first partial measuring circuit 25, the first multiplier 29 multiplies the first current rate signal and the first time duration signal. The first multiplier 29 thereby 25 produces a first multiplied signal representative of a first product of the first current rate and the first total time in-terval. .... ~2981~1~ Likewise, the second multipliar 30 i5 coupled to the memory 21 and to the second par~ial measuring circuit 26 for multiplying the second current rate signal and the second time duration signal. The second 5 multiplier 30 thereby produces a second multiplied signal representative of a second product of the second current rate and the second total time interval. The adder 31 is coupled to the first and the second multipli~rs 29 and 30. The adder 31 adds the 10 first and the second multiplied signals to make the status signal represent a sum of the first and the second products. Thus, a combination of the memory 21 and the arithmetic circuit 27 serves as a processing circuit 15 coupled to ~he measuring circuit 22. Responsive to the time duration signal supplied rom the measuring circuit 22, the processing circuit processes the total time interval into the calculated status for the battery 20 to produce the status signal represen-tative oE the 20 calculated status. Responsive to the status signal, an indicator 32 of, for example~ a visual display unit indicates the status of consumption based on the calculated status. For example, -the indicator 32 indicates, by the use of a 2S bar graph, the sum of the first and the second products as a consumed quan-tity of electricity which the mobile radio telephone set consumes up to -the present time. In the bar graph, a bar is displayed to have a short bar `- ~LZ9~ 16 length when the consumed quantity of electricity is great. The.refore, the bar has a maximum bar length when a new battery i5 attached to the mobile radio telephone set instead of the battery 20 illustrated in Fig. 1. It 5 is preferred -to make the indicator 32 further indicate a using limit ma.rk indicative of a using limit of the battery 20. A value of percentage of the consumed quantity of electricity to maximum quantity of electrici-ty of the 10 battery 20 may be indicated instead of the bar graph. Alternatively, indication may be made as regards another value of percen-tage of a remaining amount of energy convertible to electricity to the maximum amount of the energy. The indicator 32 may indicate how long the 15 mobile radio telephone set can further be put into operation by the battery 20. More specifically, the indicator 32 may indicate how long the mobile radio telephone set is put into either the waiting opera-tion mode or -the communication operation mode by the battery 20 20. I-t may be apparent-that the electric current is s-lpplied from the battery 20 to the memory 21, the integrating circuit 23, the resetting circuit 24, the arithmetic circuit 27, and the indicator 32 when 25 the ba-ttery 20 is attached to the mobile radio -telephone set. Referring to Fig. 2, a battery status indicating arrangement according to a second embodiment of this ~9~6~ invention is also for use in the mobile radio telephone set. The battery status indicating arrangement is similar to the battery status indicating arrangement illustrated i~ Fig. 1 except that a different arithmetic 5 circuit 33 is included in the controller 1~ ins-tead of the arithmetic circui-t 27 il]ustrated in Fig. 1 and that a consumed current summing circuit 34 is coupled to the arithmetic circuit 33 instead of the measuring circuit 22. The arithmetic circuit 33 comprises a reading circuit 35 coupled to the memory 21 for periodically reading the curren-t rate signal out of -the memory 21 at a predetermined time interval of, for example, a unit time while the ~obile radio telephone set is 15 controllably pu-t into operation. The reading circuit 35 thereby produces a read-out signal having a form of a succession of the current rate signals. The unit time is, for example, one second. In this event, the reading circuit 35 20 periodically reads the first current rate signal out of the memory 21 at the predetermined time interval while the mobile radio telephone set is controllably put into the waiting or the first mode of opexation. The reading circuit 35 thereby produces a first read-out signal 25 having a form of a succession of the first current signals. While the mobile radio telephone set is controllably put into the communication of the second mode of operation, the reading circuit 35 periodically ~298~ 14 reads the second current rate signal out of the memory 21 at -the predetermined time interval to thereby produce a second read-out signal having another succession of the second current rate signals. The consumed current summing circuit 34 comprises a consumed current integrating circuit 39 responsive to the read-out signal for summing up-~e current rates to produce a sum signal representative of a sum oE the curren-t rates. Connected to the consumcd current integrating circuit 39, a resetting 10 circuit 40 is for resetting the sum signal to an initial signal indicative of zero. More speciEically, the consumed current integra~ing circuit 39 of the consumed current summing circuit 34 comprises first and second partial summing 15 circuits 41 and 42. The first partial summing circuit 41 sums up the first current rates in response to the Eirst read-out signal to produce a first sum signal representative of a first sum of the first current rates. Likewise, -the second partial summing circuit 42 20 sums up the second current rates in response to the second read-out signal to produce a second sum signal representa-tive of a second sum o~ the second current rates. Each of the first and the second partial summing circuits 41 and 42 may be an up counter known in the art. Coupled to the first and the second partial summing circuits 41 and 42, an adding circuit 43 adds the first and the second sum signals to make the status signal represent a total sum of -the first and 129~361~ the second sums. In other words, the adding circuit 43 is operable as a supplymg circuit responsive to the sum signal for supplying the sum signal to the ~dicator ~ as the status signal. Thus, a combination of arithmetic circuit 33 and 5 the consumed current summing circuit 34 serves as a current ra-te processing circuit responsive to the current rate signal for processing the current rate into a calculated status for the battery 20 to produce a status signal representative of the calculated status. Referring to Fig. 3, a battery status indicating arrangement according to a third embodiment oE this invention is for use in another electronic circuit 50. I`he electronic circuit 50 is controllably put into operation by electric current supplied from a battery 51 15 with a varying level. The battery 51 is a secondary battery of, for example, a nickel-cadmium battery. The battery status indicating arrangement is for indicating a status of consumption of the battery 51 and comprises a pulse producing circuit 52 coupled to the 20 electronic circuit 50. Responsive to the electric current, the pulse producing circuit 52 produces a pulse sequence of a pulse repeti-tion period which decreases in proportion to the varying level. It will be assumed that the pulse producing circuit 52 produces ten pulses 25 per T seconds when the electric current has a level of one ampere, where T represents a positive integer. In this case, the pulse repetition period is equal to T/10. :; ~, :: ... ~136~6 16 When the electric current has a level of 1/10 amperes, the pulse repetition period is equal to T. Coupled to the electronic circuit 50, a mode signal producing circuit S3 produces a discharge mode 5 signal of a logic "0" level when the electronic circuit 50 is put into operation. When the electronic circuit 50 is put into operation, the battery 51 is put into a discharge mode at which the battery 51 supplies the electric curren-t to the electronic circuit 50. When the 10 battery 51 is put into a charge mode at which the battery 51 is subjected to a charge operation, the mode signal producing circuit 53 produces a charge mode signal of a logic "1" level. The battery 51 is put into the charge mode by a user of the electxonic circuit 50 lS when the electronic circuit 50 is no-t put into operation. An up/down counter 54 is coupled to the pulse producing circuit 52 and to the mode signal producing circuit 53. On reception of the charge mode signal~ the 20 up/down counter 54 is operable as an up counter in the manner which will presently be described. On reception of-~e discharge mo~e signal, the up/dcwn counter 54 is operable as a down counter in the manner which will also presently be described. The up/down counter 54 has a clock input terminal labelled "CLK", a signal input terminal labelled "U/D", and an output terminal labelled "Qn". The clock and the signal input terminals are connec-ted ,.... ..... .. ~' . - lZg~6~ to the pulse and the mode signal producing circuits 52 and 53, respectively. It will be assumed that -the up/down counter 54 has a particular count when the battery 51 is put into 5 the charge mode by the user of the electronic circuit 50. In this caser the up/down counter 54 is supplied with the charge mode signal and the pulse sequence to the signal input terminal U/D and the clock input terminal CLK, respectively. ~s a result, the upjdown 10 counter 54 counts up the particular count to an increased count in response to the pulse sequence and gives the output terminal a counted up signal representative of the increased count. When the charge operation of the battery 51 comes to an end, the 15 increased coun-t indicates a maximum count. When the bat-tery 51 is put in-to the discharge mode, the up~down counter 54 is supplied with the discharge mode signal and the pulse sequence to the signal input terminal U/D and the clock input terminal 20 CLK, respectively. The maximum count serves as an initial count. The up/down counter 54 counts down from the maximum count to a reduced count in response to the pulse sequence and supplies the output terminal with a counted down signal representative of the reduced count. 25 Each of the counted up signal and the counted down signal will be referred to simply as a count signal. It should be understood tha-t a combination of the pulse producing circuit 52 and the up/down counter ~Z9i~ 18 54, when put into the discharge mode, serves as a measuring circuit coupled to the electronic circuit S0. The measuring circuit measures a total time interval during which -the electronic circuit 50 is put into 5 operation, namely, the discharge mode of the battery 51. The total time interval is specified by tlle reduced count of the up/down counter 5~. The measuring circuit thereby produces a time duration signal indicative of the total time interval. The up/down counter 54 10 produces the count signal as the time duration signal. ~ judging circuit 55 is coupled to the up/down counter 54 and is given a plurality of reference signals representative of xeference counts, respectively, which will presently become clear. Responsive to the count 15 signal, the judging circuit 55 judges whether or not the increased count reaches any one of the reference counts to produce a status signal representative of this one of the reference counts. Likewise, the judging circuit 55 judges whether or not the xeduced count reaches any one 20 of the reference counts to produce the status signal. Thus, the judging circuit 55 serves as a processing circuit. ~esponsive to the time duration signal, namely, the count signal, the processing circuit processes the total time interval, namely, the reduced 25 count, into a calculated sta-tus for the battery 51 to produce a status signal representative of the calculated status. ~Z9~ 19 Responsive to the status signal, an indiGator 56 indicates a value of percentage of a remaining amount of energy of the battery 51 to a maximum amount of the energy. The maximum amount of the energy corresponds to 5 -the maximum count which is obtained by the up/down counter 54 when the charge operation of the battery 51 comes to an end. The remaining amount corresponds to one of the reference counts ~hat either the increased count or the reduced count reaches. Thus, the indicator 10 56 indicates, in response to the status signal, the status of consumption based on the calculated status like the indicator 32 illustrated in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 4, a bat-tery status indicating arrangement according to a fourth embodiment of this 15 invention is also for use in the electronic circuit 50. The battery s-tatus indicating arrangement comprises similar parts designated by like reference numerals. The battery status indicating arrangement further comprises first and second compensating circuits which 20 will be described hereunder. Description will be made at first as regards the first compensa-ting circuit. Wllen the electronic circuit 50 is put into operation, the battery 51 is put into the discharge mode at which the battery 51 supplies the 25 electric current to the elec-~ronic circuit 50 as mentioned above. ~owever, energy of the battery 51 can not entirely be used as the electric current supplied to the elec-tronic circuit 50. ~ctually, a part of energy oE the battery 51 is inevitably los~ as a self-discharge component when the ba-ttery 51 is put into the discharge mode. Moreover, the self-discharge component changes in accordance with an ambient temperature of the battery 5 51. The self-discharge component becomes large as the ambient temperature becomes high. The first compensating circuit is for compensating for such a change of the self-discharge component. The first compensating circuit comprises a 10 temperature sensor 57 for detecting the ambient temperature to produce a detection signal. Responsive to the detection signal, a first clock generator 58 produces a first clock pules sequence of a pulse repetition period which increases in lS proportion to the ambient temperature. Each pulse of the first clock pulse sequence has a pulse width substantially equal to that of each pulse of the pulse sequence produced by the pulse producing circuit 52. The pulse repetition period of the first clock pulse 20 sequence is considerably longer than the pulse repetition period of the pulse sequence produced by the pulse producing circuit 52. This is because the self-discharge component is much less than that eneryy of the battery 51 which is used as the electric current 25 supplied to the electronic circui-t 50. The first clock generator 5~ is of, for example, an oscillator having a capacitor and a resistor. lZ986~6 21 A first ~ND circuit 59 is coupled to the ~irst clock generator 58 directly and the mode signal producing cir~uit 53 through an inverter circuit 60. Responsive to the first clock pulse sequence and the 5 discharge mode signal of a logic l0 level~ the first AND circuit 59 carries out an AND opera-tion of the first clock pulse sequence and an inverted signal of the discharge mode signal to produce a first AND signal. The first AND signa~ is supplied to the clock input 10 terminal CLK of the up/down counter 54 through an OR - circuit 61. Thus, the first compensating circuit compensates for the change of the self-discharge component of the battery 51. Description will proceed to the second compensating circuit. The second compensating circuit is for compensating for a change of a capacity of the ba-ttery 51. Turning to Fig. 5, description will be made as 20 regards the change of such a battery capacity. The battery capacity changes depending on the ambient temperature. The battery capacity becomes maximum when the ambien-t temperature is twenty degrees Celsius. The ba~tery capacity decreases as the ambient temperature 25 becomes lower or higher than twenty degrees. Turning back to Fig. 4, a second clock generator 62 is coupled to the temperature sensor 57 and to the mode signal producing circuit 53. Responsive to the `` 3L~gB~ detection siynal and either -the charge mode signal or the discharge mode signal, the second clock generator 62 produces a second clock pulse sequence of a predetermined pulse repetition period. The 5 predetermined pulse repetition period of the second clock pulse sequence is selected so as to become considerably longer than the pulse repetition period of the pulse sequence produced by the pulse producing circuit 52. Each pulse of the ~cond clock pulse sequence has lO a pulse width which varies in accordance with the ambient temperature and in dependency upon reception of either the charge mode signal or the discharge mode signal in the manner which will be described hereunder. Turning to Fig. 6, description will proceed to 15 the pulse width of each pulse of the second clock pulse sequence. Description will be made at first abou-t a case where the battery 51 (Fig. 4) is put into the charge modeO When the ambient temperature is a low tempera-ture lower than normal temperature, each pulse of 20 the second clock pulse sequence has a pulse width Wcl as depicted along a -top line. As depicted along a middle line, each pulse of the second clock pulse sequence has a pulse width Wcn when the ambien-t temperature is normal temperatu~e. When the ambient is a high temperature 25 higher than normal temperature, each pulse of the second clock pulse sequence has a pulse width Wch as depicted along a bottom line. ~2~861~i 23 Each of the pulse widths Wel and Wch is shorter -than the pulse width Wcn. The pulse widths Wcll Wcn, and Wch are controlled by the detection signal produced by the temperature sensor 57 (Fig. 4). When the ambient temperature changes ~rom normal temperature to the high temperature during the battery 51 is subjected to the charge operation, the battery capacity decreases as mentioned above. This is equivalent to decrease of the amount of electric current 10 to be stored in the battery 51 as chemical energy. Description will proc~ed to another case where the battery 51 is put into the discharge mode. When the ambient temperature is the low temperature, each pulse of the second clock pulse sequence has a pulse width Wdl 15 as depicted along a top line. As depicted along a middle line, each pulse of the seeond cloek pulse sequence has a pulse width Wdn when the ambient temperature is normal temperature. When the ambient temperature becomes equal to the high temperature, each 20 pulse of the second clock pulse sequenee has a pulse width Wdh as depieted along a bottom line. Each of the pulse wid-ths Wdl and Wdh is longer than the pulse width Wdn. The pulse widths Wdl, Wdn, and Wdh are controlled by the detection signal produced 25 by the temperature sensor 57. The pulse width Wdn is substantially equal to the pulse width Wcn. Turning back to Fig. 4, a second ~ND circuit 63 is coupled to the second clock generator 62 and to the ` 12~8~i~6 24 pulse producing circuit 52. Responsive to the second clock pulse sequence and the pulse sequence produced by the pulse producing circuit 52, the second AND circuit 63 carries ou-t an AND operation of the second clock 5 pulse sequence and the pulse sequence produced by the pulse producing circui-t 52. The AND circuit 63 thereby produces a second ~ND signal. Responsive to -the second AND signal and to the first AND signal produced by the first AND circuit 59, 10 the OR circuit 61 carries out an OR operation of the first and the second~AND signals to produce an OR signal. The O~ signal is supplied to the clock inpu-t terminal CLK of the up/down counter 54. Thus, the second compensating circuit 15 compensates for the change of the capacity of the battery 51 in accordance with the ambient temperature. While this invention has thus far been described in conjunction with a few embodiments thereof, it will readily be possible for those skilled in the art to put 20 this invention into practice in various other manners. For example, this invention is applicable to a radio pager receiver which is controllably put into a waiting mode of operation by a ba-ttery. This invention is ~urther applicable to a mobile radio telephone set which 25 is controllably put into a plurality of transmission modes of operation. At each of the transmission modes, the mobile radio telephone set needs different electric power or energy to transmit a transmission signal. At . - ~z~ any rate, the scope of this invention is never restricted by the number of modes of operation of the electric circuit.

Claims (9)

  1. THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS: 1. A battery status indicating arrangement for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into operation by a battery, said battery status indicating arrangement being for indicating a status of consumption of said battery, wherein the improvement comprises: measuring means couple to said electronic circuit for measuring a total time interval during which said electronic circuit is put into operation, said measuring means thereby producing a time duration signal indicative of said total time interval; memory means for preliminarily memorizing a current rate signal representative of a current rate at which said electronic circuit is controllably put into operation; arithmetic means coupled to said memory means and to said measuring means for multiplying said current rate signal and said time duration signal to produce a multiplied signal representative of a product of said current rate and said total time interval as a status signal representative of a calculated status for said battery; and indicating means responsive to said status signal for indicating said status of consumption based on said calculated status.
  2. 2. A battery status indicating arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said measuring means comprises: integrating means coupled to said electronic circuit for measuring said total time interval to produce said time duration signal; and resetting means connected to said integrating means for resetting said time duration signal to an initial duration signal indicative of zero as said total time interval.
  3. 3. A battery status indicating arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said electronic circuit being controllably -26- put into a first and a second mode of operation by said battery, wherein: said memory means is for preliminarily memorizing a first and a second current rate signal representative of a first and a second current rate at which said electronic circuit is controllably put into said first and said second modes, respectively; said measuring means comprising: first partial measuring means coupled to said electronic circuit for measuring a first total time interval during which said electronic circuit is put into said first mode, said first partial measuring means thereby producing a first time duration signal indicative to said first total time interval; and second partial measuring means couple to said electronic circuit for measuring a second total time interval during which said electronic circuit is put into said second mode, said second partial measuring means thereby producing a second time duration signal indicative of said second total time interval; said arithmetic means comprising: first multiplying means coupled to said memory means for multiplying said first current rate signal and said first time duration signal to produce a first multiplied signal representative of a first product of said first current rate and said first total time interval; second multiplying means couple to said memory means for multiplying said second current rate signal and said second time duration signal to produce a second time multiplied signal representative of a second product of said second current rate and said second total time interval; and adding means coupled to said first and said second multiplying means for adding said first multiplied signal and said second multiplied signal together to make said status signal represent a sum of said first and said second products.
  4. 4. A battery status indicating arrangement for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into -27- operation by a battery, said battery status indicating arrangement being for indicating a status of consumption of said battery, wherein the improvements comprises: memory means for preliminarily memorizing a current rate signal representative of a current rate at which said electronic circuit is controllably put into operation; reading means for periodically reading said current rate signal out of said memory means at a predetermined time interval while said electronic circuit is controllably put into operation, said reading means thereby producing a read- out signal having a form of a succession of said current rate signals; summing means responsive to said read-out signal for summing up said current rates to produce a sum signal representative of a sum of said current rates as a status signal representative of a calculated status for said battery; and indicating means responsive to said status signal for indicating said status of consumption based on said calculated status.
  5. 5. A battery status indicating arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said summing means comprises: integrating means responsive to said read-out signal for summing up said current rates to produce said sum signal; and resetting means connected to said integrating means for resetting said sum signal to an initial signal indicative of zero.
  6. 6. A battery status indicating arrangement as claimed in Claim 4, said electronic circuit being controllably put into a first and a second mode of operation by said battery, wherein: said memory means is for preliminarily memorizing a first and a second current rate signal representative of a first and a second current rate at which said electronic -28- circuit is controllably put into said first and said second modes, respectively; said reading means being for periodically reading said first and said second current rate signals out of said memory means at said predetermined time interval while said electronic circuit is controllably put into said first mode and while said electronic circuit is controllably put into said second mode, respectively, said reading means thereby producing a first read-out signal having a first form of a succession of said first current rate signals and a second read-out signal having a second form of another succession of said second current rate signals, respectively; said summing means comprising: first partial summing means responsive to said first read-out signal for summing up said first current rates to produce a first sum signal representative of a first sum of said first current rates; and second partial summing means responsive to said second read-out signal for summing up said second current rates to produce a second sum signal representative of a second sum of said second current rates; said battery status indicating arrangement further comprising current rate adding means coupled to said first and said second partial summing means for adding said first and said second sum signals together to make said status signal represent a total sum of said first and said second sums.
  7. 7. A battery status indicating arrangement for use in an electronic circuit which is controllably put into operation by electric current supplied from a battery with a varying level, said battery status indicating arrangement being for indicating a status of consumption of said battery, wherein the improvement comprises: pulse producing means coupled to said electronic circuit and responsive to said electric current for producing a basic pulse sequence of a pulse repetition period which changes in proportion to said varying level; -29- temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature of said battery to produce a detection signal representative of said ambient temperature; first clock generating means responsive to said detection signal for generating a first clock pulse sequence of a pulse repetition period which increases in proportion to said ambient temperature, each pulse of said first clock pulse sequence having a pulse width which is substantially equal to that of each pulse of said basic pulse sequence, the pulse repetition period of said first clock pulse sequence being longer than the pulse repetition period of said basic pulse sequence; pulse processing means for processing said basic pulse sequence and said first clock pulse sequence into a processed pulse sequence; counting means coupled to said pulse processing means and given an initial count for counting down said initial count to a reduced count in response to said processed pulse sequence to produce a count signal representative of said reduced count; and indicating means responsive to said count signal for indicating said status of consumption.
  8. 8. A battery status indicating arrangement as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said pulse processing means comprises OR operation means responsive to said basic pulse sequence and said first clock pulse sequence for carrying out OR operation of said basic clock pulse sequence and said first clock pulse sequence to produce an OR'ed pulse sequence as said processed pulse sequence.
  9. 9. A battery status indicating arrangement as claimed in Claim 7, wherein: said battery status indicating arrangement further comprises second clock generating means responsive to said detection signal for detecting a second clock pulse sequence of a predetermined pulse repetition period which is longer than the pulse repetition period of said basic pulse sequence, each pulse of said second clock -30- pulse sequence having a pulse width which increases in proportion to an absolute value of a difference between said ambient temperature and a reference temperature; said pulse processing means comprising: AND operation means responsive to said basic pulse sequence and said second clock pulse sequence for carrying out AND operation of said basic pulse sequence and said second clock pulse sequence to produce an AND'ed pulse sequence; and OR operation means responsive to said AND'ed signal and said first clock pulse sequence for carrying out OR operation of said AND'ed pulse sequence and said first clock pulse sequence to produce an OR'ed pulse sequence as said processed pulse sequence. -31-
CA000575958A 1987-08-27 1988-08-29 Accurately indicating a status of consumption of a battery by which anelectronic circuit is controllably put into operation Expired - Lifetime CA1298616C (en)

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JP21388487 1987-08-27
JP213884/1987 1987-08-27

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EP (1) EP0307117B1 (en)
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EP0307117B1 (en) 1995-04-19
EP0307117A3 (en) 1990-09-26
AU602647B2 (en) 1990-10-18
US4914393A (en) 1990-04-03
EP0307117A2 (en) 1989-03-15
AU2164488A (en) 1989-03-02

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