HK1237473B - Electronic device and battery remaining amount management method - Google Patents

Description

Electronic device and battery remaining management method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electronic device for managing remaining battery power, a remaining battery power management method, and a storage medium.

Background Art

Conventional electronic devices operate by receiving power from batteries such as dry cells or rechargeable batteries. These dry cells or rechargeable batteries are often used in portable electronic devices or small electronic devices that are difficult to power from fixed or large external power sources such as outlets or generators.

Some of these electronic devices have the function of estimating and displaying the remaining battery level, as well as providing a display prompting battery replacement or charging. In electronic devices that operate continuously, it is desirable to prepare replacement dry cell batteries or charge rechargeable batteries before the remaining battery level of dry cell batteries or rechargeable batteries becomes low and the voltage drops, effectively rendering the electronic device inoperable. Therefore, it is desirable to appropriately display the stage before the remaining battery level becomes low in electronic devices.

However, direct measurement of the remaining battery level is difficult. Conventional technology uses the battery's output voltage to indirectly estimate the remaining battery level. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-135347 discloses an electronic clock that divides the output voltage into multiple levels, changes the display level of an indicator, or limits the operating level, according to the level, and notifies the user.

However, batteries used in electronic devices typically maintain an output voltage above the minimum voltage limit for electronic equipment operation for a relatively long period of time, without significantly decreasing, as power consumption increases. Furthermore, the battery's output voltage is affected by ambient conditions such as temperature. Therefore, simply dividing the measured output voltage into multiple levels makes it difficult to appropriately display the remaining battery level at the appropriate time before the battery becomes insufficient.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides an electronic device, a battery level management method, and a storage medium that can more appropriately perform a display operation related to insufficient battery level before the battery level becomes insufficient.

One embodiment of the present invention is an electronic device comprising a display unit and a control unit, wherein the control unit obtains time series information related to a battery output voltage and estimates a dischargeable battery level of the battery based on the obtained time series information, and causes the display unit to perform a predetermined display when the estimated battery level does not reach a predetermined reference level.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a battery remaining capacity management method for an electronic device equipped with a display unit, the battery remaining capacity management method comprising the following steps: a remaining capacity acquisition step for acquiring time series information related to a battery output voltage; a remaining capacity estimation step for estimating the dischargeable battery remaining capacity of the battery based on the acquired time series information; and a display control step for causing the display unit to perform a predetermined display when the estimated battery remaining capacity does not reach a predetermined reference remaining capacity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a communication system including an electronic device and an electronic clock according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the electronic timepiece according to the first embodiment.

FIG3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a smartphone.

FIG. 4 is a table showing types of communication connection requests made in the electronic timepiece.

FIG5A is a graph showing the classification of BLD.

FIG5B is a graph showing the relationship between the output voltage and the battery usage.

6A is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a voltage measurement process related to battery management in the electronic timepiece according to the first embodiment.

6B is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a communication control process related to battery management in the electronic timepiece according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a remaining battery level management process performed by a battery management application of a smartphone.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a display screen on a display unit of a smartphone.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of setting a display related to the remaining battery level.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display example of a display screen on a display unit of a smartphone.

FIG11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an electronic timepiece according to the second embodiment.

FIG12A is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a voltage measurement process executed by the electronic clock according to the second embodiment.

12B is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a remaining battery level management process executed by the electronic timepiece according to the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First embodiment]

FIG1 is an overall diagram of a communication system 1 composed of an electronic clock and external electronic equipment according to a first embodiment.

In this communication system, a one-to-one communication connection is formed between the electronic clock 40 (an external device relative to the smartphone 10) and an electronic device such as the smartphone 10 (a predetermined external device relative to the electronic clock 40) using short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark: Bluetooth) to enable information transmission and reception.

FIG2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the electronic timepiece 40 according to this embodiment.

The electronic clock 40 includes: CPU41 (Central Processing Unit) (control unit), ROM42 (Read Only Memory), RAM43 (Random Access Memory) (voltage information storage unit), oscillation circuit 44, frequency division circuit 45, timing unit 46, operation acceptance unit 47, display unit 48, communication module 49 (communication unit) and antenna AN4, UART50 (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter), lighting unit 51 and its driver 52, buzzer unit 53 and its driver 54, power supply unit 55, bus 56, etc.

The CPU 41 is a processor that performs various calculations and comprehensively controls the overall operation of the electronic timepiece 40. The CPU 41 reads various programs related to the operation of the electronic timepiece 40 from the ROM 42 and executes them. Furthermore, upon obtaining a voltage measurement value from the voltage detection circuit 551 of the power supply unit 55, the CPU 41 converts the measurement value into a predetermined battery level data value (BLD value; voltage level) within a predetermined output voltage range, which is described later, and updates the battery history information 432 in the RAM 43. Alternatively, the voltage detection circuit 551 may convert the measurement value into a BLD value and output it. Furthermore, the CPU 41 performs control related to limiting the operation of various components of the electronic timepiece 40 based on the obtained BLD value.

The ROM 42 stores various control programs and initial setting data related to the operation of the electronic timepiece 40 . The control programs include a communication control program 421 for communicating with the smartphone 10 .

RAM 43 provides memory space for CPU 41's operations and also stores temporary data and various setting data. The setting data stored in RAM 43 includes connection destination information 43, which indicates external devices that are connected to the electronic clock 40 via Bluetooth, and battery history information 432, which stores, in an array, time-series data of BLD values corresponding to the values measured by the voltage detection circuit 551 based on the output voltage of the battery 552 of the power supply unit 55 (time-series information related to the output voltage). Battery history information 432 can store, as arrays of up to 12 (or more) 2-byte data related to measurements (described later). Specifically, as described later, if BLD values are acquired every 8 hours, BLD values for a maximum of four days (the maximum available time period) are stored in battery history information 432. Furthermore, the setting data can include regional time settings for the date and time displayed on the display unit 48, such as whether a time zone or daylight saving time is in effect.

The oscillation circuit 44 generates and outputs a predetermined frequency signal. The frequency dividing circuit 45 divides the frequency output from the oscillation circuit 44 into a frequency signal suitable for use in the electronic clock 40 and outputs the frequency signal.

The timer unit 46 counts the number of inputs of the signal from the frequency divider circuit 45 and adds the number of inputs to the initial date and time data to calculate and store the current date and time. The timer unit 46 is not limited to a hardware counter and may be configured to store the current date and time in software under the control of the CPU 41.

The timer unit 46 may count a separate count value that can be converted to the current date and time, such as UTC, based on a predetermined reference, and convert the count value into the local time of the city set as the UTC date and time or the current location. Alternatively, the timer unit 46 may directly count the UTC date and time or the local time of the current location. Alternatively, a hardware structure such as a counter may be used to count the separate count values and store the converted UTC date and time or local time in RAM. This RAM may be the same as the RAM 43 or may be provided separately.

The operation receiving unit 47 includes a push button switch or a knob as a mechanism for receiving input from the outside, generates an electrical signal corresponding to the user's input operation, and outputs it as an input signal to the CPU 41. Through user operation on the operation receiving unit 47, for example, a communication connection with an external device (including operations related to terminal search operations) can be manually established or terminated.

The display unit 48 selectively or in parallel displays the time and various other information. The display unit 48 may include a liquid crystal display screen and its driver to display digital information on the liquid crystal display screen. Alternatively, a stepping motor may be driven by a signal from a drive circuit to rotate a plurality of hands rotatably provided on a dial via gears, thereby displaying information corresponding to their positional relationship relative to the dial.

The communication module 49 is a control module for Bluetooth communication (wireless communication) with external devices such as the smartphone 10 via the antenna AN4. Transmitted data from the CPU 41 undergoes serial/parallel conversion and other processing via the UART 50 before being transmitted from the communication module 49 to the external device. Furthermore, received data received via the antenna AN4 and the communication module 49 undergoes serial/parallel conversion and other processing via the UART 50 before being output to the CPU 41.

The lighting unit 51 illuminates the dial of the electronic clock 40 in response to a control signal from the CPU 41 and a driving voltage output from the driver 52. For example, an LED (light-emitting diode) can be used as the lighting unit 51. Furthermore, the buzzer unit 53 generates a buzzing sound (beep) in response to a control signal from the CPU 41 and a driving signal output from the driver 54. For example, a piezoelectric element combined with a metal plate can be used to vibrate the metal plate in response to a voltage applied to the piezoelectric element.

The power supply unit 55 includes a voltage detection circuit 551 (voltage measurement unit) and a battery 552. It supplies operating power to various components of the electronic clock 40, including the CPU 41. The voltage detection circuit 551 measures the output voltage and outputs the measured value to the CPU 41. A solar panel 552a and a secondary battery 552b can be used as the battery 552. When the electromotive force generated by the solar panel 552a is higher than the output voltage, the secondary battery 552b is charged and the power is supplied to the various components. If the electromotive force generated is insufficient, the secondary battery 552b discharges to supply power to the various components. Depending on the charging status of the secondary battery 552b based on the solar panel 552a, the remaining battery capacity of the secondary battery 552b that can be discharged at different times is different, but the discharge capacity of the secondary battery 552b that can be discharged without charging from the state where the secondary battery 552b is fully charged until the output voltage required for the operation of the electronic clock 40 can no longer be maintained can be roughly determined in advance. The continuous operating time of the electronic clock 40 corresponding to this discharge capacity is, for example, about several months.

The bus 56 is a communication path that connects the CPU 41 and various components to exchange communication information.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the smartphone 10 .

The smartphone 10 includes: CPU 11 (control unit), ROM 12, RAM 13, storage unit 14, built-in clock 15, display unit 16 and its driver 17, operation acceptance unit 18, speaker 19, microphone 20, codec 21, RF transmitting and receiving circuit 22, antenna AN11 for transmitting and receiving RF communication radio waves, communication circuit 23, short-range communication module 24 (communication unit), UART 25, antenna AN12 for transmitting and receiving radio waves related to short-range wireless communication (Bluetooth), vibration motor 26 and its driver 27, bus 29, etc.

The CPU 11 is a processor that performs various calculations and comprehensively controls the overall operation of the smartphone 10. Furthermore, the CPU 11 connects the smartphone 10 to the electronic clock 40 via Bluetooth through the battery management application 141 to manage and display the battery status of the electronic clock 40.

The ROM 12 stores various programs and initial setting data executed by the CPU 11. In addition, at least a part of the ROM 12 may be a rewritable nonvolatile memory.

The RAM 13 is a volatile memory that provides a memory space for work to the CPU 11 and stores temporary data used for work.

The storage unit 14 includes a non-volatile memory that can be read and overwritten, such as a flash memory or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory). The data stored in the storage unit 14 includes a battery management application 141 (program), battery history information 142, and connection destination information 143. When the battery management application 141 is read and executed by the CPU 11, the CPU 11 obtains the contents of the battery history information 432 from the electronic timepiece 40 set by the connection destination information 143, updates the battery history information 142, and analyzes and determines the remaining battery level of the battery 552 of the electronic timepiece 40 based on the latest battery history information 142. Furthermore, the CPU 11 displays various information on the display unit 16, including the status of the battery 552 of the electronic timepiece 40.

The storage unit 14 also stores information related to the time display set by the electronic clock 40 , for example, regional time setting information such as time zone settings for displaying the time and settings related to daylight saving time.

Here, the battery history information 142 may store a maximum of 12 BLD values as an array, similar to the battery history information 432 , but may store more than 12 BLD values for use in analyzing the remaining battery level.

The built-in clock 15 is a counter that counts and maintains the current time. The current time is counted in software form by the operation of the CPU 11 and stored in RAM or the like. The built-in clock 15 has an RTC (Real Time Clock). When the power of the smartphone 10 is turned off and then restarted, the date and time data is obtained from the RTC and counting is restarted. In the smartphone 10, the current time of the built-in clock 15 is read, and the local time is calculated according to the implementation setting of the time zone or daylight saving time as needed. This is used for various processing displayed on the display unit 16, or various operations are performed by comparing the current time with the set time related to various functions. The current time data of the built-in clock 15 is corrected at any time by the time data obtained from the base station when communicating with the base station of the mobile phone based on the RF transmitting and receiving circuit 22.

The display unit 16 includes a display screen for various displays. For example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) can be used as the display screen. A driver 17 (liquid crystal driver), which operates in response to a control signal sent from the CPU 11, drives the LCD according to the control signal to display various function-related displays on the display screen. The display unit 16 may also include a display screen with other display modes, such as an organic ELD (electro-luminescent display), and the driver 17 will make an appropriate selection based on the display mode of the display screen. The display unit 16 may also include an LED light, etc.

The operation receiving unit 18 includes a touch panel, and detects the position and content of a user's touch operation on the touch panel, which is superimposed on the display screen of the display unit 16. It generates an electrical signal corresponding to the operation and outputs it as an input signal to the CPU 11. The operation receiving unit 18 may also include one or more operation keys or switches, and outputs input signals based on the user's operation of the operation keys or switches to the CPU 11.

Speaker 19 converts electrical signals into audio signals based on signals from codec 21 and outputs the audio. Microphone 20 detects sound waves, converts them into electrical signals, and outputs them to codec 21. Codec 21 decodes the encoded and compressed digital audio signals and transmits them as analog signals to speaker 19. Codec 21 also encodes the audio signals received from microphone 20 and outputs them to CPU 11 or communication circuit 23. Alternatively, a separate speaker for phone calls and a separate speaker for externally outputting other notification sounds, etc., may be provided.

The RF transceiver circuit 22 performs signal transmission and reception processing related to telephone communications or data communications with a mobile phone base station via the antenna AN11 for RF communication transmission and reception. The communication circuit 23 performs various processing related to the data transmitted and received by the RF transceiver circuit 22, and transfers data between the CPU 11 and the codec 21. Furthermore, the RF transceiver circuit 22 can be connected to a wireless LAN access point and transmit and receive data (data communication) with various locations on the Internet, including external data servers, via the wireless LAN.

The short-range communication module 24 is a control module for short-range wireless communication with external devices such as the electronic clock 40 via antenna AN12, specifically for one-to-one, bidirectional communication based on Bluetooth. Alternatively, a one-to-many communication connection can be established. Transmitted data from the CPU 11 undergoes serial/parallel conversion and other processing via the UART 25, and is then transmitted from the short-range communication module 24 to the external device. Furthermore, received data received from the external device using the short-range communication module 24 undergoes parallel/serial conversion and other processing via the UART 25, and is then output to the CPU 11.

The vibration motor 26 is a component for notifying the user by vibrating. If a control signal is sent from the CPU 11 to the driver 27, the driver 27 converts it into a voltage signal required for the vibration motor 26 to be actuated and outputs it. As the vibration motor 26, a rotary motor can be used.

The bus 29 is a data path that connects the CPU 11 and various components inside the smartphone 10 so that signals can be transmitted and received.

Next, the communication connection operation between the electronic watch 40 and the smartphone 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

The electronic watch 40 of this embodiment can establish a one-to-one Bluetooth communication connection with the smartphone 10 based on the connection destination information 431, thereby transmitting and receiving data. This communication connection is established by the electronic watch 40 sending a connection request and a disconnection request, and the smartphone 10 accepting the connection request and establishing the communication connection. This connection continues until the smartphone 10 accepts the disconnection request and disconnects the communication connection.

FIG. 4 is a table showing the types of communication connection requests mainly performed in the electronic timepiece 40 of the present embodiment.

As for the timing of establishing a communication connection, in addition to manual connection at any time based on a predetermined user input operation to the operation receiving unit 47, there is also a communication connection related to the date and time acquisition operation that the electronic clock 40 automatically performs to obtain accurate current date and time information from the smartphone 10 at predetermined times throughout the day, in this case, four times, such as 5:00, 11:00, 17:00, and 23:00. Furthermore, there is a communication connection related to a terminal search operation that establishes a communication connection with the smartphone 10 based on a predetermined user input operation to the operation receiving unit 47 and causes the smartphone 10 to perform a predetermined notification operation. This terminal search operation communication connection is automatically terminated when the user issues a predetermined stop command from the smartphone 10, either manually or after a predetermined time, such as 30 seconds, has passed since the notification operation began.

The battery history information 432 is transmitted from the electronic clock 40 to the smartphone 10 both during manual connection and during the first connection of the day during automatic communication related to the date and time acquisition operation. Specifically, the smartphone 10 acquires the battery history information 432 at least once a day (during each information update period). The acquisition frequency of the battery history information 432 is not limited to this, but may be determined to be at least equal to or less than the maximum retrieval time of the battery history information 432.

Next, the battery state detection operation of this embodiment will be described.

Fig. 5A is a graph showing the classification of BLDs. Fig. 5B is a graph showing the relationship between output voltage and battery usage.

As shown in FIG5A , in the electronic clock 40, when the output voltage of the battery 552 is measured by the voltage detection circuit 551, this output voltage is classified into eight levels as a 2-byte battery level value (BLD value) and stored. The BLD value range is divided by the reference voltages VF, VM1, VM2, VM3, VL1, VL2, and VC, and is set in descending order of voltage, with values ranging from 0x18 to 0x11. These BLD values 0x18 to 0x11 are associated with the estimated battery remaining level of "FULL," "HIGH," "MID-1," "MID-2," "MID-3," "LOW-1," "LOW-2," and "CHARGE," respectively.

As shown in FIG5B , when the electronic clock 40 begins normal time counting and display operations with the battery 552 fully charged, the voltage initially decreases slightly, then, due to the characteristics of secondary batteries, maintains minimal voltage drop while power consumption (discharging of the battery 552) begins. The depth of discharge (here, relative to the nominal capacity; in practice, the initial capacity is often greater than the nominal capacity) increases, meaning the remaining battery charge decreases. Then, as the depth of discharge increases further, the output voltage begins to decrease again. After the voltage VC decreases, the electronic clock 40 reaches the minimum operating voltage required for operation before complete discharge, rendering it inoperable (below the "CHARGE" level). The output voltage decrease is minimal compared to the operating time (difference in depth of discharge) at the "MID-3" level, which allows normal operation, and thus maintains the "MID-3" level for a long period. Meanwhile, the output voltage decreases significantly from the "LOW-2" and "LOW-1" levels until reaching the "CHARGE" level, resulting in a significantly shorter duration compared to the "MID-3" level.

On the other hand, the output voltage of a secondary battery varies depending on the surrounding environment, such as temperature. The output voltage of battery 552 in electronic devices used in various environments, such as electronic watches, can vary as shown by the dashed line (here, -10°C to 60°C) relative to room temperature (25°C) as shown by the solid line. In particular, during the "MID-3" level, which accounts for a large portion of the operating time (depth of discharge), the voltage fluctuation associated with temperature changes is greater than the voltage drop associated with an increase in depth of discharge, making it difficult to accurately estimate the depth of discharge based on the current output voltage.

To ensure stable and continuous operation of the electronic timepiece 40, it is necessary to display a message indicating that there is enough battery left but charging is required before the battery reaches the "CHARGE" level and stops operating. On the other hand, if the charging display is displayed too early, charging will become necessary frequently, causing the user trouble due to unnecessary charging. In other words, the display will be too late when the battery reaches the current "LOW-1" level, and too early when it reaches the "MID-3" level. In this embodiment, the remaining battery level of the electronic timepiece 40 is managed by the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 estimates the remaining battery level not only based on the current output voltage measurement value, but also based on its time series information, namely, the changing trend of the BLD value within the array data, to determine the start time of the display indicating the need for charging.

6A and 6B are flowcharts showing a control procedure of the CPU 41 based on a control process related to battery management in the electronic timepiece 40 according to the present embodiment.

FIG6A is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the voltage measurement process.

The voltage measurement process is automatically started and executed once at a predetermined time, for example, every 10 minutes. If the voltage measurement process is started, the CPU 41 obtains the output voltage measurement value from the voltage detection circuit 551, converts it into a BLD value and stores it as the current value (step S401). The CPU 41 determines whether the current date and time is a predetermined time every 8 hours (predetermined time interval), for example, at exactly 0 o'clock, 8 o'clock, and 16 o'clock (step S402). If it is determined that it is not a predetermined time every 8 hours ("no" in step S402), the CPU 41 ends the voltage measurement process. If it is determined that it is a predetermined time every 8 hours ("yes" in step S402), the CPU 41 obtains the output voltage measurement value from the voltage detection circuit 551 again, and stores the BLD value corresponding to the obtained voltage value as the latest value of the battery history information 432 (step S403). Alternatively, the CPU 41 can also copy the current value as the latest value of the battery history information 432.

In addition, as described above, a maximum of 12 BLDs can be stored in the battery history record information 432. However, when 12 data have been stored, the CPU 41 deletes the oldest data and moves the remaining data to the array positions of the corresponding sequence, or manages and maintains the historical data according to FIFO (First-In First-Out) by changing the head position information of the array.

Then, the CPU 41 ends the voltage measurement process.

FIG6B is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the communication control process.

Among the types of communication connection requests, the communication control process is automatically or manually called and started based on a date and time information acquisition operation (communication connection for a predetermined purpose) and a manual connection operation.

When the communication control process is started, the CPU 41 determines whether the communication connection request is related to the second or subsequent date and time information acquisition operation of the day (step S421). If it is determined to be related to the second or subsequent date and time information acquisition operation ("Yes" in step S421), the CPU 41 ends the communication control process.

If the communication connection request is determined not to be related to the second or subsequent date and time information acquisition operation, i.e., the first date and time information acquisition operation, or is based on a manual connection operation ("No" in step S421), the CPU 41 determines whether the current value of the BLD value is 0x14 or greater (step S422). If it is determined not to be 0x14 or greater ("No" in step S422), the CPU 41 terminates the communication control process because the output voltage has reached a battery level that stabilizes the communication operation and has not reached the executable lower limit.

If the current BLD value is determined to be 0x14 or greater ("YES" in step S422), the CPU 41 refers to the connection target information 431 and transmits a communication connection request to the referenced connection target external device, i.e., the smartphone 10 (step S423). If the communication connection (wireless communication connection) is established, the CPU 41 requests the smartphone 10 to start the battery management application 141 (step S424).

Furthermore, the CPU 41 transmits the current value and all historical values stored as battery history information 432 to the smartphone 10 (step S425). The CPU 41 deletes all transmitted battery history information 432 (step S426). The CPU 41 requests the smartphone 10 to terminate the communication connection, thereby terminating the communication connection (step S427). The CPU 41 then terminates the communication control process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the CPU 11 in a battery remaining amount management process performed by the battery management application 141 of the smartphone 10 .

This remaining battery management process is an embodiment of the remaining battery management method of the present invention and is started when a start request is received from the electronic timepiece 40 and when a start command manually executed by a user input operation to the operation reception unit 47 is detected.

When the battery remaining charge management process begins, the CPU 11 obtains the current value and history information regarding the output voltage of the battery 552 transmitted from the electronic clock 40 (step S201). The CPU 11 updates the battery history information 142 with the latest, maximum 12, BLDs included in the obtained history information (step S202). Specifically, the CPU 11 stores all BLDs in the obtained history information in the battery history information 142. If the number of BLDs in the obtained history information is less than 12, the CPU 11 retains the BLDs in the history information until the number of BLDs previously obtained and stored in the battery history information 142 is updated in the new order (the number of BLDs to be obtained).

Steps S201 and S202 constitute a remaining amount obtaining step (remaining amount obtaining unit).

The CPU 11 determines whether the current value of the acquired BLD value is 0x14 (step S203). If it is not 0x14 ("No" in step S203), the current value is 0x15 or higher, and the CPU 11 selects an estimated battery level corresponding to the current value (i.e., "FULL" to "MID-2") (step S204). The CPU 11 then proceeds to step S210.

If the BLD value is determined to be 0x14 ("YES" in step S203), the CPU 11 determines whether a value of 0x15 or higher is included among the maximum 12 BLD values included in the battery history information 142 (step S205). If it is included ("YES" in step S205), the CPU 11 sets the estimated battery level to "MID-3H" (i.e., the estimated battery level) (step S206). The CPU 11 then proceeds to step S210.

If it is determined that the BLD values included in the battery history information 142 do not contain a BLD value of 0x15 or greater ("No" in step S205), the CPU 11 determines whether the BLD values contain a value of 0x13 or less (step S208). If it is determined that no BLD values are contained, that is, if all BLD values included in the battery history information 142 are 0x14 ("No" in step S208), the CPU 11 sets the estimated battery remaining level to "MID-3M" (step S208). The CPU 11 then proceeds to step S210.

If it is determined that the BLD value included in the battery history information 142 includes a value equal to or less than 0x13 (YES in step S208 ), the CPU 11 sets the estimated level of the remaining battery to “MID-3L” (step S209 ).

The processing of steps S203 to S209 constitutes a remaining amount estimating step (remaining amount estimating unit).

When the process proceeds to step S210 from any of steps S204, S206, S208, and S209, the CPU 11 outputs a control signal to the driver 17, causing the display unit 16 to display the estimated battery level (step S210). The CPU 11 determines whether the estimated level is "MID-3M" or "MID-3L" (step S211). If the estimated level is neither ("No" in step S211), the CPU 11 terminates the battery level management process.

In the determination process of step S211, if the estimated battery level is determined to be "MID-3M" or "MID-3L" ("YES" in step S211), CPU 11 determines whether the notification action request of step S213 has been made during the same day (unit notification period) (step S212). If it is determined that the notification action request has been completed, that is, the "MID-3M" or "MID-3L" level has been estimated for the second or later time during the same day (when the second or later estimation is made within the unit notification period) ("YES" in step S212), CPU 11 ends the battery level management process.

If it is determined that the notification request has not been completed ("No" in step S212), the CPU 11 requests that the smartphone 10 OS be notified of the low remaining power level of the battery 552 via a local push notification (step S213). Examples of the notification include a direct warning of low remaining power and/or a request to charge the battery 552. The CPU 11 then terminates the remaining battery management process.

Furthermore, when the battery level management process is activated while the display is locked, it can be executed in the background, and in this case, it is not necessary to display the information in real time during the above process. The battery management application 141 is then activated, and the estimated result can be retrieved and displayed even when a communication connection with the electronic timepiece 40 is not established.

The processing of steps S211 and S213 constitutes a display control step (display control unit). The display control unit may also include the processing of S212.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a display screen on the display unit 16 of the smartphone 10 .

When the battery management application 141 is activated, the upper area 16a of the display unit 16 displays a message indicating that the battery management application 141 is currently being executed. Furthermore, the center area 16b displays information related to the current local time and time zone or real-time daylight saving time, based on the local time setting information for the electronic clock 40 stored in the storage unit 14. Furthermore, the lower area 16c displays a display 161 corresponding to the estimated battery level set in relation to the remaining battery charge. Furthermore, if the local time of the electronic clock 40 and the local time of the smartphone 10 are always synchronized, the date and time and local time setting counted by the smartphone 10's built-in clock 15 may be used directly for display, without reference to the local time setting information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a setting example of the display 161 related to the remaining battery level.

As described above, the estimated battery level set in the smartphone 10 is seven levels: "FULL" to "MID-2" and "MID-3H," "MID-3M," and "MID-3L." Display graphics (battery level displays) corresponding to each of these seven levels are set in the battery management application 141. Here, five blocks are set within a battery-shaped frame, and the display is displayed so that the greater the battery level, the more blocks colored black.

In addition, in particular, among the three levels (detailed levels) formed by further dividing (subdividing) the classification based only on the most recent output voltage of the battery 552, that is, "MID-3" based on the change trend of the BLD value in the battery history information 142, in the "MID-3M" and "MID-3L" levels, in order to be aware of the operation stop due to insufficient battery remaining capacity, the colored program block is made to flash (here, both the "MID-3M" and "MID-3L" levels), or the color is further changed to other colors (for example, red) (here in the case of the "MID-3L" level).

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display example of a notification based on local push.

When the estimated battery level is set to "MID-3M" or "MID-3L," the remaining battery level falls below the baseline level that urges the user to charge. A local push notification is used to notify the user even outside the app, rather than just displaying the action when the app is launched. In other words, in smartphone 10, even when the user does not launch an app, the need for battery charging increases. In this situation, a notification (display) urging the user to charge secondary battery 552b is more reliably delivered (predetermined display). Here, the notification list display screen 16d displayed on the display unit 16 includes a display related to the remaining battery level as a notification from the watch app.

In this case, the display in the notification via local push can be different depending on the remaining battery level, i.e., the estimated level, for "MID-3M" and "MID-3L". For example, the display content can be predetermined to read "Charging is required immediately" for "MID-3M" and "Charging is required" for "MID-3L".

This notification is performed at a predetermined frequency, here only once a day, but the frequency setting can also be changed by user operation. However, if the notification frequency is set high, the BLD value may drop below 0x13 once, return to 0x14 during charging, and may be repeated if it does not reach 0x15.

While the electronic timepiece 40 equipped with the battery 552 is not configured to display any indication of low battery level, information regarding the estimated battery level set by the smartphone 10 may be transmitted to the electronic timepiece 40 via Bluetooth communication, causing the CPU 41 of the electronic timepiece 40 to display the information on the display unit 16. Examples of display methods include using a predetermined pointer to indicate a low battery indicator pre-set on the dial, or lighting up a portion of the digital display screen indicating low battery level. Even if the predetermined pointer indicating low battery level is not used for normal date and time display, the predetermined pointer may continue to be displayed. When displaying the information using a pointer used for date and time display, the display period may be set from the time the estimated level information is received until a predetermined time has passed, or until the user cancels the display by a predetermined input operation on the operation reception unit 47.

As described above, the smartphone 10 of the first embodiment is an electronic device having a display unit 16 and a CPU 11. The CPU 11 obtains battery history information 432 related to the output voltage of the battery 552 of the electronic clock 40, and estimates the dischargeable battery level of the battery 552 based on the obtained battery history information 432 (142). When the estimated battery level does not reach a predetermined reference level, the display unit 16 performs a predetermined display.

In this way, the battery remaining amount is estimated based on the time series data related to the output voltage of the battery 552 up to the present, i.e., the battery history record information 432, and while taking into account the past output voltage, rather than directly estimating the battery remaining amount based on the output voltage of the battery 552 at the measured moment. This improves the estimation accuracy of the period of battery remaining amount during which the output voltage does not drop significantly based on the characteristics of the secondary battery, i.e., the period before the battery remaining amount falls into insufficient battery remaining amount soon after from a moderate level, thereby more appropriately performing the display action related to insufficient battery remaining amount to the user before the battery remaining amount becomes insufficient.

In addition, if the output voltage of the battery 552 in the electronic clock 40 begins to decrease, before it drops to the final lower limit voltage for operation, in order to accurately maintain the count of the minimum date and time, communication with the smartphone 10 becomes difficult, or there is a need to limit the normal display on the display unit 48, such as the pointer movement per second. Therefore, an appropriate display can be used to notify the user so that charging is performed in advance before this state occurs. Thus, by allowing the user to charge at an appropriate time, stable operation can be continued without restricting the functional operation of the electronic clock 40.

In addition, the battery history information 432 includes array data of the voltage levels obtained by converting multiple output voltage measurement values into voltage levels (0x18 to 0x11) set according to each predetermined voltage range, and the CPU 11 estimates the remaining battery capacity based on the trend of changes in the voltage levels in the battery history information 432 (142).

That is, since the output voltage value is not used directly, the influence of subtle changes in the output voltage value corresponding to temperature changes can be reduced, making it easier to observe the overall output voltage changes and estimate the remaining battery level. In addition, by using a 2-byte value, the size of data storage and transmission can be reduced.

Furthermore, CPU 11 determines detailed levels (MID-3H to MID-3L) by further subdividing the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement value based on past voltage level change trends, and estimates the remaining battery level based on these detailed levels. Specifically, the "MID-3" level, where output voltage changes less than power consumption, is further subdivided based not only on the most recent output voltage value but also on past output voltage value trends, thereby estimating the remaining battery level. This allows for more appropriate acquisition of the remaining battery level.

Furthermore, when the battery remaining level range estimated based on the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement value includes the reference remaining level for determining that the battery 552 is insufficient, that is, when the remaining level is at the "MID-3" level, the CPU 11 determines the remaining level to be between "MID-3H" and "MID-3L." This allows for more accurate differentiation between the "MID-3H" level, which indicates a low need for charging, and the "MID-3M" level or lower, which indicates a high need for charging. This improves the accuracy of the start of the low battery indication.

In addition, when the reference remaining amount is included in the range of the battery remaining amount estimated based on the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement value, that is, when the voltage level is 0x14, the CPU 41 determines whether the battery remaining amount is above the reference remaining amount based on whether data of a voltage level higher than the voltage level 0x14 is included within 12 data from the data side of the most recent voltage level in the battery history information 142 (432), that is, here, whether it is included in the number of data that can be maintained as the battery history information 142. That is, when the data of 0x14, a level at which the output voltage hardly changes compared to the increase in power consumption, and data of 0x15 or above are included in the battery history record information 142, since the output voltage has hardly changed and not much time has passed since entering the level at which the output voltage hardly changes, it can be determined that there is still a margin until the battery remaining amount becomes insufficient. On the other hand, if there is no data above 0x15, it can be determined that there is no margin until the battery remaining amount becomes insufficient. Therefore, the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage value, i.e. 0x14, can be simply further divided appropriately to determine with higher accuracy whether the battery remaining amount is close to insufficient.

Furthermore, if the CPU 11 estimates that the battery level has fallen below the reference level multiple times within the same day, it will not request the display of a local push notification regarding low battery level for the second or subsequent estimates of the day. This reduces the frequency and repetition of notifications that the user sees, compared to daily fluctuations until the battery level actually reaches low. Furthermore, by displaying the notification at the time of the first low battery level estimate, it is easier for the user to charge the battery during the day, particularly during daily activities, when charging is performed using a solar panel.

Furthermore, a short-range communication module 24 for wirelessly communicating with the electronic timepiece 40 is provided. The CPU 11 acquires battery history information 432 of the battery 552 that supplies operating power to the electronic timepiece 40 through the short-range communication module 24 .

That is, the status of the battery 552 of the electronic clock 40 is obtained and analyzed by the smartphone 10 and displayed, thereby making it easier to manage the remaining amount of the battery 552 than in an electronic clock 40 that is difficult to display or operate in detail. In addition, there is no need to improve the performance of the CPU 41 or RAM 43 of the electronic clock 40 beyond that required for existing clock operation.

Furthermore, the CPU 11 acquires the battery history information 432 from the electronic timepiece 40 at least once per day for a maximum period of four days or less. The CPU 11 estimates the remaining battery level each time the battery history information 432 is newly acquired. This allows the CPU 11 to seamlessly acquire the output voltage information of the electronic timepiece 40 and appropriately estimate and display the remaining battery level of the electronic timepiece 40 at desired intervals.

Furthermore, when data for a period shorter than the maximum obtainable period of four days for battery history information 432 is obtained from the electronic watch 40, the CPU 11 combines the newly obtained battery history information 432 with a portion of the more recent information previously obtained and stored as battery history information 142 to generate four days of battery history information 142. This eliminates the need for the electronic watch 40 to manage the update timing of the battery history information 432, and allows the smartphone 10 to estimate the remaining battery level using battery history information 142 related to output voltage measurements over an appropriate period of time, i.e., four days of continuous use.

Furthermore, the CPU 11 obtains battery history information 432 from the electronic timepiece 40 based on at least some instances when the electronic timepiece 40 is communicating with the electronic timepiece 40 to obtain date and time information. Acquiring battery history information 432 during a communication connection for other purposes allows efficient acquisition of voltage level information without requiring additional communication connections and the associated labor and time. In particular, acquiring information based on a regularly scheduled communication connection, such as acquiring date and time information, allows for more stable and reliable determination of the timing and frequency of acquisition.

Furthermore, the external device from which the battery history information 432 is obtained is the electronic clock 40. Specifically, the time series information of the voltage level makes it easier to more accurately estimate the remaining battery level of a small electronic device such as the electronic clock 40, which operates continuously and has a large variation in power consumption from day to day. Therefore, the present invention can be used more effectively to appropriately display information indicating a low battery level.

Furthermore, when the estimated remaining battery level does not reach the reference level, the CPU 11 displays predetermined information corresponding to the remaining battery level "MID-3M" or "MID-3L," respectively. This allows the user to more accurately recognize the urgency of the need for charging.

Furthermore, the CPU 11 displays the estimated remaining battery level on the display unit 16. Therefore, the user can easily know the remaining battery level, not just when the battery level is nearly low. In particular, when the display unit 16 of the smartphone 10 is used for display, the user can easily recognize the remaining battery level due to the ease of display and the wide range of display options.

Furthermore, the battery 552 includes a secondary battery 552b, and as an indication that the battery level is approaching low, a display urging secondary charging of the battery 552b is displayed, so that charging or charging preparations can be performed appropriately at a time not before the battery runs out and not too early.

In addition, the battery remaining capacity management method of the smartphone 10 of this embodiment having the display unit 16 includes: a remaining capacity acquisition step of acquiring battery history information 432 including time series array data related to the output voltage of the battery 552; a remaining capacity estimation step of estimating the battery remaining capacity that can be discharged from the battery 552 in the future based on the acquired battery history information 432; and a display control step of performing a predetermined display on the display unit 16 when the estimated battery remaining capacity does not reach a predetermined reference remaining capacity.

In this way, the remaining battery level is estimated based on historical data rather than a single output voltage measurement. This allows for more accurate and appropriate estimation of the remaining battery level during the period from a moderate level to a point where the output voltage changes less as battery power consumption increases. Therefore, a low battery level indication can be displayed at an appropriate time before the battery level actually becomes low. This allows the user to charge the battery 552 in advance, thereby ensuring more reliable and stable operation of the electronic clock 40.

In addition, the battery management application 141 is a program characterized in that it functions as the following parts: a remaining power acquisition unit, which enables the computer (CPU 11) of the smartphone 10 equipped with the display unit 16 to obtain time series array data related to the output voltage of the battery 552, namely the battery history record information 432; a remaining power estimation unit, which estimates the battery remaining power that the battery 552 can discharge in the future based on the obtained battery history record information 432; and a display control unit, which requests a local push notification to the OS and performs a predetermined display on the display unit 16 when the estimated battery remaining power does not reach a predetermined reference power level (the estimated level is MID-3M or MID-3L).

Therefore, the battery management application 141 is installed in the smartphone 10 and communicates with the smartphone 10, here by combining it with the electronic clock 40 that can communicate with each other based on Bluetooth, thereby improving the estimation accuracy of the battery remaining period during which the output voltage does not drop significantly due to the characteristics of the secondary battery, that is, the period from the battery remaining level being moderate to the time before the battery remaining level becomes insufficient. Therefore, the management of the battery remaining level of the electronic clock 40 will become more appropriate and easier, and the user is urged to charge the battery 552 at an appropriate time before the battery remaining level of the electronic clock 40 becomes insufficient, thereby allowing the operation of the electronic clock 40 to continue stably without adding extra time.

Furthermore, the electronic clock 40 of this embodiment includes: a battery 552, a voltage detection circuit 551 for measuring the output voltage of the battery 552, a RAM 43 for storing time series array data of a voltage level corresponding to the output voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit 551 as battery history information 432, a communication module 49 for wirelessly communicating with an external device, a timer 46 for counting the current date and time, a display 48 for displaying the date and time based on the current date and time counted by the timer 46, and a CPU 41. The CPU 41 stores time series array data corresponding to the output voltage measured multiple times at intervals of 8 hours by the voltage detection circuit 551 as battery history information 432 in the RAM 43 and transmits the battery history information 432 to the smartphone 10 when establishing a wireless communication connection with the smartphone 10 via the communication module 49.

Thus, even if the electronic watch 40 does not manage the remaining battery level, it can be managed by the smartphone 10, making it easier to manage the remaining battery level. Specifically, in particular, in analog electronic watch types or electronic watch types that use a simple display based on a segmented format, there is no need to provide a display structure for managing the remaining battery level.

[Second embodiment]

Next, an electronic timepiece 40 a according to the second embodiment will be described.

FIG11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an electronic timepiece 40 a according to the second embodiment.

The electronic timepiece 40 a has the same configuration as the electronic timepiece 40 of the first embodiment except that a battery management program 422 is stored in the ROM 42 a . Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations and their description is omitted.

The battery management program 422 is a program for executing processing operations corresponding to the battery management application 141 stored in the storage unit 14 of the smartphone 10 in the electronic timepiece 40 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the electronic timepiece 40a uses the battery history information 432 alone, without using the smartphone 10, to determine an estimated level of remaining battery power, and displays the estimated level on the display unit 48.

Furthermore, since Bluetooth communication with the smartphone 10 is also possible, the electronic clock 40a and the smartphone 10 can both perform display operations corresponding to the categories. The smartphone 10 can operate in the same manner as the electronic clock 40 in the first embodiment, or simply obtain and display the estimated power level information determined by the electronic clock 40a, or perform a display request for charging based on a local push notification.

FIG. 12A is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the CPU 41 based on the voltage measurement process executed by the electronic timepiece 40 a according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG12A , in the voltage measurement process, after the processing of step S403, the only difference is that the CPU 41 calls up and executes the battery remaining management process shown in FIG12B . The other aspects are the same as the electronic clock 40 of the first embodiment described above, so the same processing contents are marked with the same figure marks and the description is omitted.

The battery level management process called in step S404 is executed by directly referencing the current value and battery history information 432 acquired and updated in steps S401 and S403. Furthermore, steps S443 to S450 in this battery level management process correspond to steps S203 to S210 in the battery level management process executed by the smartphone 10. The differences between step S444 and step S204 are described below.

In the process of step S444, the CPU 41 selects the estimated level of the remaining battery power corresponding to the current value (step S444). In this case, the CPU 41 can select the value (0x13 to 0x11) less than 0x14, not only when the BLD value is greater than 0x14, and sets the estimated level of the remaining battery power to "LOW-1", "LOW-2", or "CHARGE" according to the BLD value.

In the electronic clock 40a, when a predetermined display action is performed in the processing of step S450, the estimated level information is returned to the electronic clock 40 and displayed on the electronic clock 40, similar to the case in the first embodiment described above, for example, a mark indicating insufficient battery power set on a predetermined dial is indicated by a predetermined pointer, or a portion indicating insufficient battery power set on a digital display screen is lit.

Furthermore, independently of these display controls, based on the measured voltage value (or converted BLD value) acquired at the current value or at shorter time intervals (e.g., every second), the CPU 41 can restrict the execution of display and functional operations at any time while the output voltage does not reach VL1. For example, when the output voltage does not reach voltage VL1, the CPU 41 sets the movement of the second hand of the display unit 48 to 2 seconds and prohibits communication with the external electronic device (smartphone 10) via the communication module 49. Furthermore, when the output voltage does not reach voltage VC, all display operations are suspended, and only the current date and time is counted.

As described above, the electronic clock 40a of the second embodiment includes: a battery 552, a voltage detection circuit 551 for measuring the output voltage of the battery 552, and a RAM 43 for storing time series array data of a voltage level corresponding to the output voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit 551 as battery history information 432. The CPU 41 stores the time series information of the voltage level based on the output voltage measurement value of the voltage detection circuit 551 in the RAM 43 as the battery history information 432, and estimates the battery remaining amount based on the battery history information 432 stored in the RAM 43.

In this way, since the electronic clock 40a itself can estimate the remaining battery level based on the time series information of the voltage level, the user can use the electronic clock 40a to identify the remaining battery level before the battery level becomes low with higher accuracy than with the existing technology without using an external device such as the smartphone 10, thereby allowing the user to charge the battery more appropriately before it runs out.

In addition, in an electronic clock 40a having a timing unit 46 for counting the current date and time, and a display unit 48 for displaying the date and time based on the current date and time counted by the timing unit 46, the above-mentioned estimation and display of the remaining battery level can be performed. Therefore, in such an electronic device in which the daily increase or decrease in power consumption is small, the remaining battery level can be estimated more accurately, and a display indicating that the remaining battery level is close to being low can be performed at an appropriate time.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

For example, in the above embodiment, the measured value is converted into a voltage level and the remaining battery level is estimated based on the change trend of the voltage level. However, the remaining battery level can also be estimated by directly processing and analyzing the output voltage measured value. In this case, for example, a low-pass filter can be applied to the change of the measured value for analysis.

In the above embodiment, only the voltage levels corresponding to the measured values at predetermined intervals are stored as array data. However, the measurement intervals can also be uneven. In this case, data on the acquisition time or the interval since the last measurement can also be stored, and weights corresponding to the acquisition frequency, etc., can be applied for analysis.

In the above embodiment, only the estimated level "MID-3" is further divided into "MID-3L", "MID-3M", and "MID-3H", but this does not prevent further subdivision for other estimated levels.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the "MID-3M" and "MID-3L" levels are separated. However, these do not necessarily need to be separated, and may not be separated. At a minimum, the level at which the low battery indication is not displayed (here, "MID-3H") and the level at which such indication is displayed are differentiated based on the time-series information related to the output voltage. Furthermore, even if the "MID-3M" and "MID-3L" levels are differentiated, it is not necessary to display them separately on the display unit 16.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the estimated level of remaining battery capacity corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement value (voltage level) is broken down based on the history of measured values (voltage levels) to obtain a more appropriate estimated level. However, this is not limiting. For example, if the most recent voltage level has clearly shifted due to environmental changes such as temperature, it may be possible to obtain an estimated level different from the estimated level corresponding to the most recent voltage level based on the voltage level history information.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the most recent voltage level is 0x14, the level is further subdivided based on whether the battery history information 142 contains data on other voltage levels. However, this is not limiting. For example, the time (position within the array) at which other voltage level data is included or the positional relationship between them may also be considered.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the battery remaining capacity is estimated using data for 12 voltage levels, but this is not limiting. For example, even if the electronic clock 40 only stores data for 12 voltage levels for four days, the smartphone 10 may store more voltage level data to estimate the battery remaining capacity. For example, the smartphone 10 may store voltage level data for a length corresponding to a predetermined ratio (e.g., half) of the assumed duration of voltage level 0x14.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, battery history information 432 is transmitted and received at the beginning of the day and at the time of manual connection during a communication connection related to the date and time information acquisition operation. However, this is not limiting. For example, battery history information 432 may be transmitted and received each time a communication connection is established for the date and time information acquisition operation. In the case of a manual connection, battery history information 432 cannot be obtained unless the battery management application 141 is activated by the smartphone 10. Alternatively, battery history information 432 may be obtained during a communication connection for a different purpose.

In the above embodiment, the battery history information 432 transmitted to the smartphone 10 is deleted. However, the 12 voltage level data may be retained at all times. In this case, each time the electronic timepiece 40 transmits the battery history information 432 containing the 12 voltage level data to the smartphone 10, the smartphone 10 may directly use the received battery history information 432 as the battery history information 142 for analysis. Furthermore, as described above, if the voltage level data stored by the smartphone 10 differs (or differs significantly) from the voltage level data stored by the electronic timepiece 40, it may be necessary to determine the positional correspondence between the array data of the battery history information 432 of the electronic timepiece 40 and the array data of the battery history information 142 of the smartphone 10, for example, based on the time elapsed since the last acquisition, and to align the array data.

In the above embodiment, the battery level of the battery 552 of the electronic clock 40 is estimated as an example. However, the battery to be estimated is not limited to the battery of the electronic clock and may also be the battery of another electronic device. In this case, the electronic device is preferably one whose daily power consumption does not fluctuate significantly. For example, a sensor that measures power consumption for a predetermined period of time or at all times can be used.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the estimated level is displayed. However, this is only a display operation before the battery level becomes insufficient, and the estimated level display may not be performed normally.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the smartphone 10 displays a low battery status via a local push notification, but this is not limiting. If a display based on the estimated battery status is possible while running in the background, a similar display process, such as displaying an error output on the system console of a window display screen, can also be employed. Alternatively, the user may be notified when an email is received and displayed, rather than interrupting the display regardless of the display status.

In the above embodiment, the smartphone 10 is used as an example of an electronic device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Any device that regularly establishes a Bluetooth communication connection with an external device such as an electronic clock 40 and allows the user to receive notification of low battery status at a certain frequency, such as a tablet terminal or a mobile phone, may be used.

In addition, in the above embodiment, it is assumed that the battery 552 includes a secondary battery 552b, and a judgment and display are made as to whether the secondary battery 552b needs to be charged. However, it is also possible to use a dry cell battery instead of the secondary battery 552b to judge and display whether the dry cell battery needs to be replaced (whether preparation for replacement is required).

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that a wireless communication unit that performs Bluetooth communication is used. However, a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication based on other communication standards may also be used.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the CPU11 (CPU41) as the processor (control unit) performs all control processing related to the management of the battery remaining amount, but part or all of the processing of the processor (control unit) can also be executed by a dedicated hardware circuit, etc.

In the above description, the computer-readable medium for storing the battery management application 141 (battery management program 422) related to the battery remaining charge management process of the present invention is described using the storage unit 14 or ROM 42a composed of non-volatile memory such as flash memory, but the present invention is not limited to this. Other computer-readable media can be removable storage media such as HDDs (hard disk drives), CD-ROMs, or DVDs. In addition, as a medium for providing program data related to the present invention via a communication line, a carrier wave can also be used in the present invention.

In addition, specific details such as the structure, control process, and display examples shown in the above embodiments can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and the scope equivalent thereto.

Claims (15)

1. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a display unit and a control unit. The control unit acquires time-series information related to the battery output voltage and estimates the remaining battery capacity that the battery can discharge based on the acquired time-series information. When the estimated remaining battery capacity does not reach a predetermined reference capacity, the display unit performs a predetermined display. The time series information includes: an array of voltage levels obtained by converting multiple output voltage measurements into voltage levels set according to each predetermined voltage range. The control unit estimates the remaining battery capacity based on the trend of voltage level changes in the array data; When the control unit includes the reference margin within the range of the battery balance estimated based on the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement value, it determines whether the battery balance is above the reference margin based on whether data with a voltage level higher than the voltage level is included in the array data within a predetermined number of arrays obtained from the most recent voltage level data side. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit determines a detailed level by subdividing the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement based on the change trend, and estimates the remaining battery capacity based on the detailed level. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control unit determines the detailed level when the range of the battery remaining capacity estimated based on the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement value includes the reference margin. 4. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the control unit repeatedly estimates that the battery balance has not reached the baseline balance within a predetermined unit notification period, it will not perform the predetermined display at the second and subsequent estimations within that unit notification period. 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, This electronic device has a communication unit that enables wireless communication with external devices. The control unit obtains the time-series information of the battery that supplies operating power to the external device through the communication unit. 6. The electronic device according to claim 5, characterized in that, During each predetermined information update period below the maximum available time of the time series information in the external device, the control unit obtains the time series information from the external device at least once, and estimates the remaining battery capacity each time the new time series information is obtained. 7. The electronic device according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the control unit obtains time series information for a period shorter than the maximum obtainable time from the external device, it combines the newly obtained time series information with a portion of the time series information obtained up to the last time to generate the time series information for the maximum obtainable time. 8. The electronic device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit acquires the time series information in at least a portion of cases when it establishes a communication connection with the external device for a predetermined purpose. 9. The electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The external device is an electronic clock. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: Battery; The voltage measuring unit measures the output voltage of the battery; and A voltage information storage unit stores time-series information related to the output voltage measured by the voltage measurement unit. The control unit stores the time-series information based on the output voltage measurement value of the voltage measurement unit in the voltage information storage unit, and estimates the remaining battery capacity based on the time-series information stored in the voltage information storage unit. 11. The electronic device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: The timing unit, which counts the current date and time; and The display unit displays the date and time based on the current date and time counted by the timing unit. 12. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the estimated remaining battery level does not reach the reference remaining level, the control unit will display the predetermined information corresponding to the remaining battery level. 13. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit causes the display unit to display the estimated remaining battery level. 14. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery includes a secondary battery. The predetermined display is a prompt to charge the secondary battery. 15. A method for managing battery balance in an electronic device having a display, characterized in that, This battery capacity management method includes the following steps: The margin acquisition step obtains time-series information related to the battery output voltage; The remaining capacity estimation step estimates the remaining discharge capacity of the battery based on the obtained time series information; and The display control step involves causing the display unit to perform a predetermined display when the estimated remaining battery level does not reach a predetermined baseline level. The time series information includes: an array of voltage levels obtained by converting multiple output voltage measurements into voltage levels set according to each predetermined voltage range. The remaining battery capacity is estimated based on the trend of voltage level changes in the array data. Specifically, when the battery balance estimated based on the voltage level corresponding to the most recent output voltage measurement includes the reference balance, it is determined whether the battery balance is above the reference balance based on whether data with a voltage level higher than that voltage level is included in the array data within a predetermined number of arrays obtained from the most recent voltage level data side.