Apparatus, method, and computer program product for reducing power consumption in a high accuracy sensing device

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a microcontroller; and

a sensing device electrically connected to the microcontroller,

wherein, in an instance in which the microcontroller is enabled, the microcontroller enables the sensing device and enters a low-power mode for a pre-determined sensor wait time,

wherein, the microcontroller is further configured to, upon expiration of the pre-determined sensor wait time, receive electrical data from the sensing device, and

wherein, upon receipt of the electrical data, the microcontroller disables power to the sensing device.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a switch electrically connected between the sensing device and a power source,

wherein the microcontroller is further configured to send an electrical signal to the switch to control an input power to the sensing device.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising two modes: (1) a sleep mode; and (2) an active mode,

wherein, during the sleep mode, both the microcontroller and the sensing device are disabled, and

wherein, at an onset of the active mode, the microcontroller and the sensing device receive power.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further configured to alternate between the sleep mode and the active mode at a pre-determined interval.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the sleep mode has a longer duration than the active mode.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to perform an action based on the electrical data after the microcontroller disables power to the sensing device, and

wherein, the electrical data represents a physical characteristic of an environment proximate the sensing device.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the sensing device is in close proximity to a battery cell.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the sensing device comprises at least one of a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, and a sound sensor.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the action comprises at least one of determining an onset of thermal runaway in the battery cell and transmitting a warning.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined sensor wait time is determined based at least in part on a minimum stabilization time for the sensing device.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the pre-determined sensor wait time is initially set to the minimum stabilization time and an initial sensor output correlated with the minimum stabilization time is determined,

wherein, an update to the pre-determined sensor wait time is performed periodically by:

(1) determining an updated pre-determined sensor wait time by reducing the pre-determined sensor wait time by a delta time;

(2) determining an updated sensor output correlated with the updated pre-determined sensor wait time, and

(3) in an instance in which the updated sensor output is within a threshold variation of the initial sensor output, set the pre-determined sensor wait time to the updated pre-determined sensor wait time.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to update the pre-determined sensor wait time based on an environment temperature at or near the sensing device.

13 . A method for controlling a sensing device, the method comprising:

enabling, by a microcontroller, the sensing device;

entering, by the microcontroller, a low-power mode for a pre-determined sensor wait time;

upon expiration of the pre-determined sensor wait time, the microcontroller entering an operational mode and receiving electrical data from the sensing device; and

upon receipt of the electrical data, the microcontroller disabling power to the sensing device.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

sending an electrical signal to a switch electrically connected between the sensing device and a power source to control an input power to the sensing device.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

alternating, by the microcontroller, between a sleep mode and an active mode at a pre-determined interval,

wherein enabling the sleep mode, comprises entering into the low-power mode and disabling the sensing device, and

wherein enabling the active mode, comprises entering into the operational mode and enabling the sensing device.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

performing, by the microcontroller, an action based on the electrical data after the microcontroller disables power to the sensing device,

wherein, the electrical data represents a physical characteristic of an environment proximate the sensing device.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the action comprises at least one of determining an onset of thermal runaway in a battery cell proximate the sensing device and transmitting a warning.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the pre-determined sensor wait time is determined based at least in part on a minimum stabilization time for the sensing device.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

updating, by the microcontroller, the pre-determined sensor wait time,

wherein the pre-determined sensor wait time is initially set to the minimum stabilization time and an initial sensor output correlated with the minimum stabilization time is determined, and

wherein, an update to the pre-determined sensor wait time is performed periodically by:

(1) determining an updated pre-determined sensor wait time by reducing the pre-determined sensor wait time by a delta time,

(2) determining an updated sensor output correlated with the updated pre-determined sensor wait time, and

(3) in an instance in which the updated sensor output is within a threshold variation of the initial sensor output, setting the pre-determined sensor wait time to the updated pre-determined sensor wait time.

20 . A computer program product for controlling a sensing device, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising an executable portion configured to:

enable, by a microcontroller, the sensing device;

enter, by the microcontroller, a low-power mode for a pre-determined sensor wait time;

upon expiration of the pre-determined sensor wait time, the microcontroller enters an operational mode and receive electrical data from the sensing device; and

upon receipt of the electrical data, the microcontroller disables power to the sensing device.