JP2002335307A - Portable communication terminal with battery residual capacity level display function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable communication terminal with a battery residual capacity level display function that can accurately display a level of a battery residual capacity of a battery whose discharge characteristic is hardly made be correspondent to the battery residual capacity level. SOLUTION: A ROM 7 of the mobile phone 1 stores an average current consumption table in each of states such as speech, standby, lighting of a backlight 12 and operation of a VIB(vibrator) 13 in addition to a battery residual level switching voltage table at a speech and in a standby state, and an SRAM 8 temporarily storing an arithmetic result of a CPU 9 temporarily stores the current consumption calculated by the CPU 9 and the calculated current consumption is referred to for switching the battery residual level. The CPU 9 calculates the current consumption after a battery voltage reaches the vicinity of a level switching threshold value to estimate the battery residual capacity and switches the display level when the current consumption exceeds a prescribed value.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for displaying a remaining battery level in a portable communication terminal such as a portable telephone powered by a battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When communication is performed by a portable communication terminal such as a cellular phone using a battery as a power source, the remaining battery which can be operated by the battery being attached is used to prevent the battery from running out during standby or during a call. A technology for displaying a rough indication of time on an LCD display of a terminal is disclosed in, for example,
-69442, and Japanese Patent No. 3001516.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a power supply unit and a control unit in a portable telephone.

[0006] The mobile phone 1 has a CPU 9 for controlling and judging a call, standby, LCD display and the like performed by the device.
And a battery 4 for supplying power to the device, a charging circuit 3 for charging the battery 4 and providing information on the start or end of charging to the CPU 9, and an external power supply for supplying power from an external power supply when charging. A terminal 2, an A / D conversion circuit 5 for converting a battery voltage value from an analog value to a digital value, a battery presence / absence detection circuit 6 for detecting the presence / absence of a battery 4, and a battery remaining level switching at the time of a call or a standby ROM 7 storing voltage table values, SRAM 8 for temporarily storing the calculation results of CPU 9, and LCD 1 for displaying the remaining battery level
0, a timer 11, a backlight 12, a VIB 13, and the like that are turned on or vibrated when an incoming call is received.

In order to display the remaining battery level, a voltage value for switching the remaining battery level is stored in the ROM 7 in advance as a table value based on the discharge characteristics of the battery mounted on the portable telephone device. The voltage of the battery 4 is periodically measured, and when the threshold value of the table is detected by referring to the table in the ROM 7, the display of the remaining battery level is switched and displayed on the LCD 10 as the remaining battery level. .

[0006] Generally, the discharge characteristics of a battery mounted on a portable telephone device have a characteristic that the voltage decreases with the passage of time under a certain load condition. By measuring the voltage periodically, the approximate remaining battery level can be grasped.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a general discharge characteristic of the battery 4 mounted on the portable telephone device. For example, a battery voltage range of 4.2 V to 3.2 V is set as an operable range, and the battery in the range is operable. The remaining amount is switched and displayed as, for example, level 3, level 2, level 1, and an alarm.

Level 3, level 2, and level 1 are set so that the time intervals in the discharge characteristics shown in FIG. 9 are, for example, a ratio of 7: 2: 1. Are 3.7V, 3.5V, 3.
Set to 3V. When the voltage is 3.3 V or less, an alarm is displayed.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a battery level switching table stored in the ROM 7, wherein A is a battery level switching table during a call, and B is a battery level switching table during standby. Is shown.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a conventional battery remaining amount display operation when a battery having the characteristics shown in FIG. 9 is used. Hereinafter, FIGS. 1, 9, 10, and 1
1 will be described with reference to FIG.

When the power of the portable telephone 1 is turned on, there are two main states, a call when talking to the other party and a standby when the power is turned on without talking. At this time, the battery voltage decreases during a call with a heavy load, and the discharge characteristics are different from those during standby.

The CPU 9 periodically measures the battery voltage of the battery 4 by the A / D conversion circuit 5 in each state of the call and the standby. For example, when waiting
The CPU 9 compares the voltage of the battery 4 obtained by the A / D conversion circuit 5 with the standby table B stored in the ROM 7 in advance, and displays a level 3 on the LCD 10 if the voltage is 3.7 V or more.

When the battery voltage VB is 3.5V ≦ VB <
3.7 V, 3.3 V ≦ VB <3.5 V, VB <3.3 V
In the case of, level 2, level 1, and alarm are displayed on the LCD 10, respectively.

[0014] Even during a call, similarly to the standby mode, this time, compared with the table A at the time of the call shown in FIG.
For example, if the battery voltage is equal to or higher than 3.4 V and lower than 3.6 V, a level 2 display is performed on the LCD 10.

If the battery voltage rises due to battery replacement or charging while the level 2 is displayed at the time of standby, the battery voltage is compared with the standby table B stored in the ROM 7 and the battery voltage becomes 3 .8V or more, L
The level 3 is displayed on the CD 10.

As described above, the conventional simplified battery remaining amount display device assumes that the discharge characteristics of the battery 4 draw a curve as shown in FIG. Is determined in advance in such a manner as to optimize the battery level, the threshold value table is stored in the ROM 7, and the battery level display is switched by comparing with the threshold value.
You can check the battery level.

[0017]

In the above conventional example, it is assumed that the discharge characteristic of a battery mounted on a portable telephone device draws a curve as shown in FIG. In the case where the battery voltage temporarily maintains a constant value at the level switching threshold value and has discharge characteristics such that the voltage does not change for a while, the ratio of the remaining battery level is set to, for example, 7: 2: 1. , The point at which the remaining battery level is switched in the discharge characteristics is shifted, and there is a problem that the remaining battery level cannot be displayed accurately.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a discharge characteristic that may cause the above-mentioned problem. The threshold voltage at which the remaining battery level is switched from level 2 to level 1 when waiting for an incoming call is 3.5 V.
Therefore, even if the ratio of the remaining battery level is set to, for example, 7: 2: 1, when the switching from the level 2 to the level 1 is performed, the remaining battery level is not changed. Inability to display quantity level.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to associate the discharge characteristic of a battery with the remaining battery level because the battery has a characteristic that the discharge characteristic does not temporarily change near the battery level switching. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for improving the accuracy of displaying the remaining battery level by enabling the battery remaining level to be optimally displayed even for a battery that is difficult to perform.

[0020]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a battery for which the discharge voltage of a battery does not change temporarily near the level switching threshold so that the remaining battery level can be optimally displayed. It is characterized by adding a means for calculating a current consumption amount from a time point when the power consumption reaches a value close to a level switching threshold, estimating a remaining battery level, and performing a level switching when the current consumption amount exceeds a predetermined value. I do.

More specifically, in addition to the conventional method, the respective current consumptions such as a call operation from a certain point in time, a VIB vibration operation, a backlight lighting, and the like are calculated, and a certain amount of current consumption is reached. It is characterized in that the accuracy of displaying the remaining battery level is improved by performing a method of switching the battery level when the battery level is changed.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The overall structure of a portable telephone to which the present invention is applied is the same as that of the conventional example. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the portable telephone shown in FIG. I do.

As in the conventional example, the portable telephone 1 has a CPU 9 for performing all control and judgment processing such as telephone conversation, standby, LCD display, and a battery 4 for supplying power to the apparatus.
A charging circuit 3 for charging the battery 4 or for giving information on the start or end of charging to the CPU 9, an external power supply terminal 2 for supplying power from an external power supply when charging, and an analog value for the battery voltage value. A / D conversion circuit 5 for converting the data into a digital value, a battery presence / absence detection circuit 6 for detecting the presence or absence of the battery 4, a ROM 7, an SRAM 8, an LCD 10 for displaying the remaining battery level, a timer 11, A backlight 12, a VIB 13, and the like that are turned on or vibrated at the time are provided.

In the ROM 7 of the present invention, in addition to the battery remaining level switching voltage table at the time of a call and at the time of standby, a call, standby, lighting of the backlight 12, VIB
An average current consumption table in each state such as the operation of the CPU 13 is stored. In the SRAM 8 for temporarily storing the calculation result of the CPU 9, the current consumption calculated by the CPU 9 is also temporarily stored. Referenced for volume level switching.

FIG. 3 is a table showing the embodiment of the present invention stored in the ROM 7 in advance when the discharge characteristics of the battery have the characteristics shown in FIG. Tables C and D showing switching voltage values,
A table E indicating an average current consumption value during standby, when the backlight is lit, and during the VIB operation, and a current consumption amount used by the mobile phone is calculated based on the table E. A table F indicating values for switching levels is provided.

In the present embodiment, for example, according to the standby battery remaining amount switching voltage table D, instead of the threshold value 3.5V for switching from level 2 to level 1, 3.52, 3.52 is used.
A level 2A point equal to or lower than V and a level 2B point equal to or higher than 3.48 V are set.
Between points A and 2B, the remaining battery level is switched according to the amount of current consumed during that time.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present embodiment when the remaining battery level shown in FIG. 2 falls below the point A. FIG. 5 shows that the CPU 9 performs the VIB operation during the basic flow operation of FIG. As an example, when there was a CPU then
9 is a flowchart for calculating the amount of current consumed by the VIB operation. Switching from level 3 to level 2 is the same as in the conventional example (FIG. 11). Hereinafter, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIG.

As the remaining battery level table stored in the ROM 7 in advance, the table C during a call and the table D during a standby state shown in FIG. 3 are used. For example, when switching from the battery level 2 to the A point of the level 2 during the standby state, That is, after the battery level 2 is displayed in the conventional battery remaining amount display flow shown in FIG.
The operation of the basic flow for switching to is performed.

From the time point when the point A is detected, the CPU 9 uses the current value in the table E shown in FIG.
Operate and calculate according to the basic flow of switching from level 2 to level 1 shown in FIG.

For example, when the CPU 9 waits for the VIB 1
When the CPU 9 is controlled and operated, an event that the VIB 13 is operated occurs. Therefore, the CPU 9 jumps to the flow shown in FIG.
3 is operated and the time is measured.

Here, the time when the VIB 13 vibrates is multiplied by the average current consumption of the VIB in the table E to obtain VI
The amount of current consumed when B13 vibrates is calculated. Also, VI
The CPU 9 also calculates the average amount of current consumed during standby because the B13 is vibrating at the same time as the standby state.
The calculation result is stored in M8.

Similarly, when a call is made,
U9 calculates the current consumption of the mobile phone 1 from the average current consumption at the time of talking and the talking time of the table E by the same operation as the flow of FIG. 5, and when the backlight 12 is turned on,
The amount of current consumption of the mobile phone 1 is calculated from the average amount of current consumption when the backlight of Table E is turned on and the time when the backlight 12 is turned on, and the result is stored in the SRAM 8.

At this time, when the total current consumption stored in the SRAM 8 exceeds the current consumption shown in the table F previously stored in the ROM 7, the CPU 9 switches the battery level display on the LCD 10 to level 1.

As described above, even in the case of a battery having a discharge characteristic as shown in FIG. 2, by using the conventional method and the method of calculating the current consumption of the present invention together, the battery remaining level can be reduced. The display can be displayed on the LCD 10 with higher accuracy.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing the operation in the case where the remaining battery exceeds the A point of level 2 and the battery is disconnected during the measurement of the current consumption.

When the remaining battery level exceeds point A of level 2 and the battery is removed during the measurement of the amount of current consumption, the CPU 9 determines whether the instantaneous interruption or the instantaneous interruption is detected by the battery presence / absence detection circuit 6. I do. The instantaneous interruption means that the battery is disconnected for about 1 to 4 seconds, and can return to the state before the instantaneous interruption for about 4 seconds.

This is a well-known function as a portable telephone. For example, when the battery is detected to be dead, an instantaneous interruption timer operated by a backup battery or the like is operated to count the instantaneous interruption time, and the time after the battery is disconnected is measured. CPU 9 at wake-up
Refers to this count value to determine whether there is a momentary interruption.

In the case of an instantaneous interruption, it is possible to judge that the same battery has been reattached. At this time, it is also possible to quickly replace the battery. If the level is higher than the level A point A, it can be considered that the battery has been replaced.

Therefore, in this case, since the data of the current consumption of the SRAM 8 stored up to that point becomes unnecessary, it is cleared and the LCD 10 displays the level according to the table C based on the measured voltage.

If the measured battery voltage level is lower than the point A of level 2, it is determined that the same battery is attached again. If the measured battery voltage is higher than the point B of level 2, the SRAM 8 is stored in the SRAM 8. The data stored so far is used as it is and the measurement of the current consumption is continued, and the level 2 is displayed on the LCD 10 as it is.

On the other hand, when there is no instantaneous interruption (power is completely turned off)
State), the current consumption data stored in the SRAM 8 is considered to have been destroyed due to the power-off, so the CPU 9 cleared the data in the SRAM 8 at the next power-on, as shown in FIG. Thereafter, measurement of the battery voltage is started.

If the measured battery voltage level is higher than the point A of level 2, it is considered that the battery has been replaced, and the LCD 10 displays the level according to the table C based on the measured voltage. I do.

When the measured battery voltage level is lower than the point A of level 2 (for example, the battery voltage level at standby after battery reattachment is 3.48 V or more and 3.5 or more)
If it is 2 V or less), it is considered that the same battery has been remounted, but since the data in the SRAM 8 has been cleared, it is impossible to display the remaining battery level with high accuracy according to the above embodiment. However, in such a case, the display error is reduced by taking the following measures.

That is, in the case of 3.48 V or more and 3.52 V or less, it is not possible to determine where the remaining battery level is.
The CPU 9 displays the level 2 on the LCD 10 and changes to the battery level 1 at the earlier time when the consumed current amount reaches, for example, 50% of the F table value or the battery voltage becomes less than 3.48 V, whichever is earlier. Control to switch.

Here, as an example, a condition for switching the battery level from 2 to 1 at 50% of the F table value is set.
This means that if the remaining battery level of the same battery that has been remounted is set at the midpoint between 3.52V and 3.48V, the deviation from the point at which the battery should be switched can be reduced stochastically.

FIG. 8 shows a state in which the CPU 9 starts charging from the external power supply terminal 2 at the time of standby while measuring the current consumption amount when the remaining battery level exceeds the point A of level 2.
6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

When the battery 4 is started to be charged by the charging circuit 3 from the external power supply terminal 2 during standby while the battery remaining amount exceeds the level 2 point A and the current consumption is being measured, the CPU 9 , Clears the data of the current consumption amount stored so far in the SRAM 8 and displays the battery level 3 on the LCD 10.

When the charging is completed in the middle of the charging at the time of standby, the measured battery voltage at the end of the charging is 3.5.
When the measured voltage is 2 V or more, level 3 is displayed if the measured voltage is 3.7 V or more, and level 2 is displayed if the measured voltage is 3.7 V or less.

On the other hand, the measured voltage is 3.48 V or more and 3.52
V or less, it is not possible to determine where the remaining battery level at the end of charging is located.
, The measurement of the amount of current consumption is started from the end of charging, and the amount of current consumed thereafter reaches, for example, 50% of the F table value, or Control is performed so that the battery level is switched to battery level 1 at an earlier time when the voltage becomes less than 3.48V.

[0050]

According to the present invention, even when a battery having a discharge characteristic that causes a small voltage change at the switching point of the remaining battery level and causes a switching display error is used, the ratio of the remaining battery level is reduced. It can be displayed on the LCD so as to be optimal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a mobile phone device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of discharge characteristics of a battery to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a table stored in a ROM according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a basic flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial flowchart in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a typical discharge characteristic example of a battery mounted on a mobile phone device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a table stored in a conventional ROM.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a conventional battery remaining amount display operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 mobile phone device 2 external power supply terminal 3 charging circuit 4 battery 5 A / D conversion circuit 6 battery presence / absence detection circuit 7 ROM 8 SRAM 9 CPU 10 LCD 11 timer 12 backlight 13 VIB

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page F term (reference) 2G016 CB13 CC01 CC03 CC04 CC06 CC07 CC10 CC12 CC14 CC16 CC23 CC27 CC28 CE03 5G003 AA01 BA01 CA11 EA05 EA06 GC05 5H030 AA04 AA10 AS11 BB09 DD06 FF44 5K027 AA11 BB01 FF01 FF22

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A means for measuring a voltage of a battery mounted on a mobile phone, and a battery level switching voltage table in which a level switching threshold voltage of a battery level is set according to a discharge characteristic of the battery are stored. The first battery and the battery voltage are periodically measured, and the remaining battery level switching is performed by referring to the measured battery voltage and the threshold voltage stored in the battery remaining level switching voltage table. In a portable communication terminal comprising a control unit for performing control and a display unit for displaying the level of the remaining battery level, the battery remaining level switching voltage table stored in the first memory includes the remaining battery level. A first voltage higher than the threshold voltage and a second voltage lower than the threshold voltage are set near the threshold voltage for switching the amount Means for measuring a current consumption amount of the mobile phone from the time when the battery voltage becomes equal to or lower than the first voltage; and A portable communication terminal having a battery remaining level display function, comprising a level switching means for switching the level of the remaining battery level when the battery level is low. 2. The battery remaining level switching voltage table includes a battery remaining level switching voltage table referred to during a telephone call and a battery remaining level switching voltage table referenced during a standby state. Item 1. A portable communication terminal with a battery remaining level display function according to item 1. 3. An average current consumption table in each state indicating a relationship between a plurality of operation states of the portable terminal and an average current consumption value in each operation state, the first memory, and the measured current consumption amount. A battery level switching current consumption table in which a predetermined threshold value for the level switching of the remaining battery level is set is stored, and the current amount measuring means calculates an average current consumption table for each state. 3. The remaining battery level according to claim 1, wherein the total level of the consumed current amount is measured by referring to the battery level switching unit, and the level switching unit controls the level switching by referring to the battery level switching consumed current amount table. Mobile communication terminal with display function. 4. The control means, when the measured value of the battery voltage becomes equal to or less than the second voltage before the total of the measured current consumption reaches the predetermined threshold value, The portable communication terminal with a remaining battery level display function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising level switching means for switching a remaining battery level. 5. A second memory for storing a total amount of the current consumption measured by the current amount measuring means, wherein the control means includes a total memory of the current consumption stored in the second memory. 5. The portable communication terminal with a remaining battery level display function according to claim 3, wherein level switching control is performed by referring to the predetermined threshold value stored in the first memory. . 6. The current amount measuring means includes an instantaneous interruption determining means for receiving an out-of-battery information from a battery presence / absence detecting means for detecting a battery mounting state and for judging whether or not an instantaneous interruption occurs. When the battery disconnection caused during the measurement of the current consumption is determined to be an instantaneous interruption, the data in the second memory is cleared when the battery voltage level after the instantaneous interruption recovery is higher than the first voltage. In addition, the display means displays a level according to the remaining battery level switching voltage table, and when the battery voltage level after the instantaneous interruption recovery is lower than the first voltage and lower than the second voltage, 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the current consumption is continuously measured using the data stored in the second memory as it is, and the level immediately before the instantaneous interruption is displayed on the display means. Battery level indicator Mobile communication terminal with Noh. 7. When the current amount measuring means determines that a battery disconnection occurred during the measurement of the consumed current amount is a non-instantaneous interruption,
A function of clearing the data in the second memory and displaying a level according to the battery remaining level switching voltage table on the display means when the battery voltage level after battery replacement is higher than the first voltage. And when the battery voltage after battery replacement is lower than the first voltage and higher than the second voltage, the level immediately before the battery is removed is displayed on the display means, and the current consumption by the current amount measurement means is displayed. At the time when the total of the measured current consumption reaches 50% of the predetermined threshold value or when the battery voltage becomes lower than the second voltage, whichever is earlier. 7. The portable communication terminal according to claim 6, further comprising a function of switching a level display. 8. A method for charging the battery,
A charging unit that notifies the control unit of charging start or end information, wherein the control unit receives the charging start information for the battery while the current amount measuring unit is measuring the current consumption. A function of clearing the current consumption data stored in the second memory and setting the display level to the maximum remaining battery level, and receiving information indicating that the charging has been completed in an incomplete state. Determining whether or not the battery voltage is equal to or higher than the first voltage, and if the battery voltage is higher than the first voltage, displaying a level according to the battery remaining level switching voltage table on the display means. When the voltage is lower than the first voltage and higher than the second voltage, a level immediately before the start of charging is displayed on the display means, and the current consumption is measured by the current amount measuring means. Is started, and the battery level is reduced at the earlier time when the total of the measured current consumption reaches 50% of the predetermined threshold value or when the battery voltage becomes lower than the second voltage, whichever is earlier. The portable communication terminal with a remaining battery level display function according to claim 5, further comprising a function of switching a display.