Management of fast battery charging in mobile devices
View Patent ↗For laptops or other mobile devices, a battery charging arrangement wherein fast-charging and/or slow-charging is governed by something other than a fixed, immovable battery level threshold. Particularly, a variable threshold is broadly contemplated herein which may be governed by any of a very wide variety of conceivable factors, including (but by no means limited to) information relating to a user's schedule or calendar, especially as regards “free” time when a user is not using a computer. Accordingly, if there is a long uninterrupted period of computer “downtime” (i.e., when a user is not using the computer), the battery level threshold below which fast-charging takes place can be lower. By the same token, for short periods of computer downtime, this threshold can be higher. In this manner, fast-charging is reserved only for the most compelling, time-based circumstances.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a battery for providing power to said apparatus;
a medium for connection to an AC power source; and
a battery charge manager which manages charging of said battery during connection of said connection medium with an AC power source;
said battery charge manager acting to lower a threshold amount of battery capacity at which a slow-charge is applied to said battery
responsive to determining enough time is available for slow-charging said battery.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises a laptop, said laptop comprising a main memory and a system processor, said battery acting to power said main memory and said system processor.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said battery charge manager acts to:
lower the threshold responsive to determining sufficient downtime is available for slow-charging the battery; and
increase the threshold responsive to determining insufficient downtime is available for slow-charging the battery.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said battery charge manager acts to lower the threshold battery charge as a function of time ascertained to be available for slow-charging said battery.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said battery charge manager acts to lower the threshold battery charge responsive to a user-input parameter.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said battery charge manager acts to lower the threshold battery charge responsive to ascertaining historical data relating to connection of said connection medium with an AC power source.
7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said battery charge manager acts to lower the threshold battery charge responsive to calendar data.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said battery charge manager comprises a charge control arrangement disposed separately from said battery and in said mobile device.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said battery charge manager comprises a battery management unit disposed in said battery.