Method for monitoring operating parameters of a rechargeable power supply

Abstract

A method for monitoring various parameters and conditions of a rechargeable battery to accurately determine the remaining charge level of the rechargeable battery, and includes using a temperature sensor to monitor the temperature of the rechargeable battery. The potential level of the rechargeable battery is monitored with a voltage meter coupled to the rechargeable battery. The current flow into and out of the rechargeable battery is monitored with current meter coupled to the rechargeable battery. A current accumulator coupled to the current meter is used to accumulate the net total of current flow, and an oscillatory circuit is used to generate a timing signal to time selected functions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for monitoring at least one parameter associated with a rechargeable power supply, said method comprising the steps of: 
 generating a timing signal with a timekeeper; and    monitoring the at least one parameter associated with the rechargeable power supply at select intervals timed by said timing signal.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in    claim 1   , wherein said step of monitoring the at least one parameter includes measuring, with a current monitor, at least indications of discharging current from the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in    claim 1   , and further comprising the step of accumulating, with a first accumulator, values representing the total amount of charge having flowed out of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in    claim 2   , and further comprising the step of measuring, with the current monitor, at least indications of charging current into the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in    claim 4   , and further comprising the step of accumulating, with a second accumulator, values representing the total amount of charge having flowed into the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in    claim 4   , and further comprising the step of accumulating, with a third accumulator, values representing the net amount of charge having flowed into and out of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in    claim 1   , wherein said step of monitoring the at least one parameter includes monitoring, with a temperature monitor, the temperature of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in    claim 1   , and further comprising the step of generating an end-of-charge timestamp in response to the completion of the charging of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in    claim 1   , and further comprising the step of generating a disconnect timestamp.  
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in    claim 9   , and further comprising the step of calculating the amount of self-discharge of the rechargeable power supply based upon the disconnect timestamp.  
     
     
         11 . A method for monitoring at least on parameter associated with a rechargeable power supply, said method comprising the steps of: 
 generating a timing signal with a timekeeper;    measuring, with a current monitor, the current flow out of the rechargeable power supply at select time intervals timed by the timing signal; and    measuring, with the current monitor, the current flow into the rechargeable power supply at select time intervals timed by the timing signal.    
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in    claim 11   , and further comprising the step of monitoring, with a temperature monitor, the temperature of the rechargeable power supply at select time intervals timed by the timing signal.  
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in    claim 11   , as further comprising the step of monitoring, with a voltage monitor, the potential level of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in    claim 11   , and further comprising the steps of: 
 accumulating the net total current flow into the rechargeable power supply; and    accumulating the net total of current flow out of the rechargeable power supply.    
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in    claim 12   , and further comprising the step of generating a signal corresponding to the temperature measured during said step of monitoring the temperature of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in    claim 12   , and further comprising the step of monitoring, with a voltage monitor, the potential level of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in    claim 16   , and further comprising the steps of: 
 accumulating the net total of current flow into the rechargeable power supply; and    accumulating the net total of current flow out of the rechargeable power supply.    
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in    claim 17   , and further comprising the step of generating a signal corresponding to the temperature measured during said step of monitoring of the temperature of rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in    claim 18   , and further comprising the step of storing data corresponding to the signal generated in said step of generating a signal corresponding to the temperature measured.  
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in    claim 19   , and further comprising the step of generating an end-of-charge timestamp in response to the completion of the charging of the rechargeable power supply.  
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in    claim 20   , and further comprising the step of generating a disconnect timestamp in response to the disconnect of the rechargeable power supply from a system.  
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the timekeeper used in said step of generating clock signals includes an oscillator circuit.  
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in    claim 22   , wherein the timekeeper is connectable to a crystal.  
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in    claim 23   , wherein the voltage monitor, used in said step of monitoring the potential level of the rechargeable power supply, includes an analog-to-digital converter.  
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in    claim 24   , wherein the current monitor, used in said step measuring the current flow into the rechargeable power supply at select time intervals, includes an analog-to-digital converter.  
     
     
         26 . A method for monitoring parameters associated with a rechargeable battery, said method comprising the steps of: 
 generating, with an oscillatory circuit, a timing signal;    monitoring, with a temperature sensor, the temperature of the rechargeable battery at select time intervals time by the timing signal;    measuring, with a voltage meter coupled to the rechargeable battery, at least an indication of the potential level of the rechargeable battery at select time intervals timed by the timing signal;    measuring, with a current meter coupled to the rechargeable battery, at least indications of current flow into and out of the rechargeable battery at select time intervals timed by the timing signal;    accumulating, with an accumulator coupled to the current meter, the net total of current flow into the rechargeable battery and the net total of current flow out of the rechargeable battery.