Patent ID: 6377028
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
A method for determining the charge state of a battery that is used by a system, which system during operation thereof comprises a system load that can vary in accordance with the operation of the system and which charge state will be charged in accordance with the variable system load and a function thereof, comprising the steps of:operating the system with a battery such that the battery load is the system load; determining the amount of charge removed from the battery while under system load and while the battery is discharging, wherein the system load and the current supplied thereto during the operation of the system determine the discharge profile that is a function of the varying system load; initiating the step of determining at a first charge level; terminating the step of determining at a second charge level that is below the first charge level; and defining the capacity of the battery as the amount of charge removed from the battery and delivered to the system load from the step of initiating to the step of terminating and storing the determined capacity in a storage device.