Method of monitoring battery characteristics and radio terminal equipment
The invention relates to a method of monitoring battery characteristics in a radio terminal equipment arrangement. The method comprises measuring battery characteristics of a battery of one or more secondary units communicating with radio terminal equipment; establishing a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) connection between radio terminal equipment and a secondary unit of the radio terminal equipment arrangement. The method also comprises receiving, in the radio terminal equipment, the measured battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units via the established LPRF connection; and giving an indication, by the radio terminal equipment, relating to the battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units.
1. A method comprising:
establishing a low-power radio frequency connection with one or more secondary units;
receiving information related to battery characteristics of at least one of the one or more secondary units via the established low-power radio frequency connection;
providing a visible or audio indication identifying, to a user, the battery characteristics associated with the one or more secondary units based on the received information; and
storing and updating the battery characteristics in a memory of an apparatus that received the information relating to the battery characteristics of the at least one of the one or more secondary units.
2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising detecting, by one or more secondary units, that energy level of the battery is in a predetermined range and sending, by the one or more secondary units, the battery characteristics based on the detection.
3. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising sending the battery characteristics periodically by the one or more secondary units.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein before receiving a measured battery characteristic, the method further comprises requesting the battery characteristics from the one or more secondary units.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication relating to the battery characteristics comprises data on the battery energy level, the battery status, duration of the battery or recharging times.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication relating to the battery characteristics is given in the form of a visual presentation on a display of an apparatus that received the information relating to the battery characteristics of the at least one of the one or more secondary units, a sound indication, a vibration, or any combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising calculating, by the apparatus, battery endurance predictions based on battery characteristics stored by the apparatus.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-power radio frequency connection is a Bluetooth, an infrared, or a WLAN connection.
9. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising using a Bluetooth profile for receiving the battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein Bluetooth Service Discovery is used for receiving the battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units by the battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units from a Service Discovery database maintained by each of the one or more secondary units.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein Bluetooth Inquiry is used for receiving measured battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units by
making an inquiry for searching the one or more secondary units; and
receiving from at least one of the one or more secondary units the measured battery characteristics within a respective name string of the at least one secondary unit when answering to the inquiry.
12. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising using a Link Manager Protocol for receiving measured battery characteristics.
13. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising selecting in advance the one or more secondary units, of which the indication relating to the battery characteristics is to be given by an apparatus that receives information relating to the battery characteristics of at least one of the one or more secondary units.
14. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising activating an indication, when a low-power radio frequency connection to one or more secondary units cannot be established.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus and the one or more secondary units form a multipart radio terminal arrangement.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a user interface of the apparatus provides a user interface for at least one of the one or more secondary units in response to limitations of a user interface of the one or more secondary units.
17. An apparatus comprising:
a transceiver configured to communicate with one or more secondary units by using wireless low-power radio frequency (LPRF) connections, and a control unit configured to receive measured battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units via the LPRF connection, and provide an indication identifying the battery characteristics of the batteries of the one or more secondary units to at least one of a display or a loudspeaker for outputting said indication to a user, wherein the control unit is configured to use a Bluetooth Service Discovery for receiving the battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units, the Bluetooth Service Discovery comprising storing and updating, by the one or more secondary units, the measured battery characteristics in a Bluetooth Service Discovery Database; and downloading, by the apparatus, the battery characteristics from the Service Discovery Database.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the LPRF connection is a Bluetooth, infrared, or WLAN connection.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to use a Bluetooth profile for receiving the battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to use a Bluetooth Inquiry for receiving the measured battery characteristics of the one or more secondary units, the Bluetooth Inquiry comprising making an inquiry, by the apparatus, for searching the one or more secondary units, and sending, by the one or more secondary units, the measured battery characteristics within a respective name string of the secondary unit, when answering to the inquiry of the apparatus.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit of the apparatus is configured to use a Link Manager Protocol for receiving the measured battery characteristics.
22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to give the indication relating to the battery characteristics in the form of a visual presentation, a sound indication, a vibration, or any combination thereof.
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to store and update the battery characteristics in a memory of the apparatus.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the control unit is configured to calculate battery endurance predictions based on battery characteristics stored by the apparatus.
25. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to select in advance the one or more secondary units, of which the indication relating to the battery characteristics is to be given by the apparatus.
26. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate an indication, when an LPRF connection to one or more secondary units cannot be established.
27. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus and/or the one or more secondary units is a mobile station.
28. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus and/or the one or more secondary units is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) device or a portable computer.
29. A method comprising:
establishing a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) connection between a radio terminal equipment and at least one secondary unit;
receiving, in the radio terminal equipment, information indicative of battery characteristics of the at least one secondary unit via the established LPRF connection, wherein Bluetooth Inquiry is used for receiving the measured battery characteristics of the at least one secondary unit, the Bluetooth Inquiry comprising:
making an inquiry, by the radio terminal equipment, for searching the at least one secondary unit; and
sending, by the at least one secondary unit, the measured battery characteristics within a respective name string of the secondary unit, when
answering to the inquiry of the radio terminal equipment; and
providing an indication, by the radio terminal equipment, relating to the battery characteristics of said at least one secondary unit.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the indication relating to the battery characteristics comprises data on the battery energy level, the battery status, duration of the battery or recharging times.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the indication relating to the battery characteristics is given in the form of a visual presentation on a display of the radio terminal equipment, a sound indication, a vibration, or any combination thereof.
32. The method of claim 29 , the method further comprising using a Bluetooth Service Discovery for receiving the battery characteristics of the at least one secondary unit, the Bluetooth Service Discovery comprising:
storing and updating, by the at least one secondary unit, the measured battery characteristics in a Bluetooth Service Discovery Database; and
downloading, by the radio terminal equipment, the battery characteristics from the Service Discovery Database.
33. An apparatus, the apparatus being configured to: establish a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) connection between the apparatus and at least one secondary unit; receive measured battery characteristics of at least one secondary unit via the LPRF connection; and provide an indication relating to the battery characteristics of the batteries of the one or more secondary units in the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured to use a Bluetooth Service Discovery for receiving the battery characteristics of the at least one secondary unit, the Bluetooth Service Discovery comprising storing and updating, by the at least one secondary unit, the measured battery characteristics in a Bluetooth Service Discovery Database; and downloading, by the apparatus, the battery characteristics from the Service Discovery Database.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the indication relating to the battery characteristics comprises data on the battery energy level, the battery status, duration of the battery or recharging times.
35. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the indication relating to the battery characteristics is given in the form of a visual presentation on a display of the radio terminal equipment, a sound indication, a vibration, or any combination thereof.
36. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the apparatus is configured to use a Bluetooth Inquiry for receiving the measured battery characteristics of the at least one secondary unit, the Bluetooth Inquiry comprising making an inquiry, by the apparatus, for searching the at least one secondary unit; and sending, by the at least one secondary unit, the measured battery characteristics within a respective name string of the secondary unit, when answering to the inquiry of the apparatus.
37. A secondary unit of radio terminal equipment, the secondary unit being configured to: communicate via a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) connection with the radio terminal equipment; and transmit measured battery characteristics of the secondary unit via the LPRF connection to the radio terminal equipment for providing to a user of the radio terminal equipment an indication of one or more of an audible and visual indication of the measured battery characteristic associated with the secondary unit, wherein the secondary unit is configured to send the measured battery characteristics within a respective name string of the secondary unit, when answering to a Bluetooth Inquiry request of the radio terminal equipment.
38. The secondary unit of claim 37 , wherein the measured battery characteristics comprise data on the battery energy level, the battery status, duration of the battery or recharging times.
39. The secondary unit of claim 37 , wherein the secondary unit is configured to store and update the measured battery characteristics in a Bluetooth Service Discovery Database for enabling downloading, by the radio terminal equipment, the battery characteristics from the Service Discovery Database.
40. A method comprising:
sending a Bluetooth Inquiry;
receiving a Bluetooth Inquiry response from at least one secondary unit, wherein the Bluetooth Inquiry response comprises information relating to battery characteristics of at least one secondary unit measured by said at least one secondary unit, wherein the battery characteristics information is included within a respective name string of the Bluetooth Inquiry response of said at least one secondary unit; and
providing a visible or audible indication relating to the battery characteristics of said at least one secondary unit.