Patent ID: 9625529
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: G01R

Claim:
1. A method, comprising: measuring a voltage of a battery using measurement circuitry associated with the battery in real time while the battery is discharging; determining in real time while the battery is discharging and while the voltage of the battery is being measured, and using a processor coupled to the measurement circuitry, a plurality of time periods, each time period being determined as a function of the measured voltage of the battery that was measured in real time while the battery is discharging and each time period corresponding to an elapsed time for the measured voltage of the battery to change in a voltage step from an initial voltage for that time period to a final voltage for that time period, and each time period being associated with a first condition of the battery; calculating in real time while the battery is discharging and while the voltage of the battery is being measured, using the processor, a run time to empty of the battery based on a given one of the determined plurality of time periods that was determined as a function of the measured voltage of the battery that was measured in real time while the battery is discharging; compensating in real time while the battery is discharging and while the voltage of the battery is being measured, using the processor, a remaining capacity of the battery based on the calculated run time to empty of the battery, the compensating being performed due to self discharge of the battery, based upon lack of variation of the first condition associated with the given one of the determined plurality of time periods used in calculating the run time to empty of the battery, the given one of the determined plurality of time periods having been determined as a function of the measured voltage of the battery that was measured in real time while the battery is discharging; compensating in real time while the battery is discharging and while the voltage of the battery is being measured, using the processor, the remaining capacity of the battery based on the calculated run time to empty of the battery, the compensating being performed due to the first condition of the battery, associated with the given one of the determined plurality of time periods used in calculating the run time to empty, based upon variation of the first condition, wherein the self discharge of the battery is a second condition of the battery, the given one of the determined plurality of time periods having been determined as a function of the measured voltage of the battery that was measured in real time while the battery is discharging.