Intelligent determination of charges remaining via a power bank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11233412-B2
Application number	US-202016827564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 23, 2020
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A portable power bank and mobile computing device are described, where the mobile computing device includes a rechargeable battery that receives electric charge from the power bank via an electrical connection. Systems and methods facilitate determination of a “number of potential rechargings” of the mobile computing device battery via the power bank, e.g., how many times the power bank can charge the mobile computing device battery to a desired fuel gauge (e.g., 100%) before the power bank is depleted. The number of potential rechargings is determined based upon the desired fuel gauge of the mobile computing device, present fuel gauges of the mobile computing device and the power bank, and charging efficiency factors corresponding to the mobile computing device and the power bank, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile computing device, comprising:
an internal battery configured to act as a power supply for the mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device battery is configured to receive electric charge from a portable power bank device external to the mobile computing device, via an electrical connection between a battery of the power bank and the mobile computing device battery;
a communication module for exchanging communication signals with the power bank; and
a control module comprising one or more processors and a memory storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the mobile computing device to:
determine a present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device, the present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device corresponding to a first percentage of a capacity of the mobile computing device battery,
obtain, via the communication module, a communication signal from the power bank, the obtained signal being indicative of a present fuel gauge of the power bank, the present fuel gauge of the power bank corresponding to a percentage of a capacity of the power bank battery,
determine a first charging efficiency factor of the power bank battery, the first charging efficiency factor being determined based upon the present fuel gauge of the power bank,
determine a second charging efficiency factor of the mobile computing device battery, the second charging efficiency factor being determined based upon the present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device, and
determine and display a number of potential rechargings of the mobile computing device from the power bank via the electrical connection, each of the potential rechargings corresponding to charging of the mobile computing device battery to a desired fuel gauge, the desired fuel gauge corresponding to a second percentage of the capacity of the mobile computing device battery, and the number of rechargings being determined based at least on the desired fuel gauge, the present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device, the present fuel gauge of the power bank, and the first and second charging efficiency factors.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the desired fuel gauge is substantially equal to 100% of the capacity of mobile computing device battery.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the desired fuel gauge is less than 90% of the capacity of the mobile computing device battery, and wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the mobile computing device to interrupt charging of the mobile computing device battery when the present fuel gauge is substantially equal to the desired fuel gauge.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the number of potential rechargings includes (1) a first recharging of the mobile computing device from the present fuel gauge to the desired fuel gauge, and (2) one or more rechargings of the mobile computing device from substantially zero charge to the desired fuel gauge.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to obtain the communication signal include instructions to obtain the communication signal via wireless radio frequency (RF) communications between the mobile computing device and the power bank.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery comprises a wireless electrical connection between the power bank and the mobile computing device.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery comprises a wired electrical connection between the power bank and the mobile computing device.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the number of potential rechargings is determined further based upon a third charging efficiency factor corresponding to the electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery.

9. A method comprising:
determining, by a processor of a mobile computing device, a present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device, the present fuel gauge corresponding to a first percentage of a capacity of a battery of the mobile computing device;
obtaining, via a communication module of the mobile computing device, a communication signal from a portable power bank device external to the mobile computing device, the obtained signal being indicative of a present fuel gauge of the power bank, the present fuel gauge of the power bank corresponding to a percentage of a capacity a battery of the power bank;
determining, via the processor, a first charging efficiency factor of the power bank battery, the first charging efficiency factor being determined based upon the present fuel gauge of the power bank;
determining, via the processor, a second charging efficiency factor of the mobile computing device battery, the second charging efficiency factor being determined based upon the present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device; and
determining and displaying, via the processor, a number of potential rechargings of the mobile computing device from the power bank via an electrical connection between the mobile computing device battery and the power bank battery, each of the potential rechargings corresponding to charging of the mobile computing device battery to a desired fuel gauge, the desired fuel gauge corresponding to a second percentage of the capacity of the mobile computing device battery, and the number of rechargings being determined based at least on the desired fuel gauge, the present fuel gauge of the mobile computing device, the present fuel gauge of the power bank, and the first and second charging efficiency factors.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the desired fuel gauge is substantially equal to 100% of the capacity of mobile computing device battery.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the desired fuel gauge is less than 90% of the capacity of the mobile computing device battery, and wherein the method further comprises, via the processor, causing the mobile computing device to interrupt charging of the mobile computing device battery when the present fuel gauge is substantially equal to the desired fuel gauge.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the number of potential rechargings includes (1) a first recharging of the mobile computing device from the present fuel gauge to the desired fuel gauge, and (2) one or more rechargings of the mobile computing device from substantially zero charge to the desired fuel gauge.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the communication signal includes obtaining the communication signal via wireless radio frequency (RF) communications.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery comprises a wireless electrical connection between the power bank and the mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery comprises a wired electrical connection between the power bank and the mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the number of rechargings is determined further based upon a third charging efficiency factor corresponding to the electrical connection between the power bank battery and the mobile computing device battery.

Assignees

• Duracell Us Operations Inc

Inventors

• Bourilkov Jordan
• Rotondo John
• Restrepo Francisco Jose
• Coronado Hortal Sergio

Classifications

• H02J7/44

  between battery management systems and power sources · CPC title

• H02J7/80 Primary

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• Y02B40/00

  Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers · CPC title

• G06F1/28

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title