Battery management system

1. A battery management system for one or more batteries coupleable to a healthcare delivery system, the one or more batteries coupled to the healthcare delivery system when the system is not coupled to an alternate power supply, the system comprising:

a display unit;

a controller coupled to the display unit and programmed:

to determine when the healthcare delivery system is coupled to the one or more batteries,

to control the display unit to display an initial number corresponding to a time remaining on battery (TROB) when the healthcare delivery system is coupled to the one or more batteries,

to determine if the TROB is within a reserve range extending up to a reserve range maximum, the reserve range maximum being less than a maximum TROB,

to change the TROB according to an operational state of the healthcare delivery system if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum, and

to decrease the TROB to count down the TROB without regard for the operational state of the healthcare delivery system if the TROB is less than the reserve range maximum.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed, if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum:

to determine a first projected TROB according to a first operational state of the healthcare delivery system;

to determine that the healthcare delivery system has changed from the first operational state to a second operational state; and

to determine a second projected TROB according to the second operational state of the healthcare delivery system.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is programmed to add the reserve range maximum to either the first projected TROB or the second projected TROB to determine the TROB.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is programmed to determine the first projected TROB according to an effective battery capacity and a first battery life projection and to determine the second projected TROB according to the effective battery capacity and a second battery life projection.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the TROB is determined according to a conservative modeling of the one or more batteries and the healthcare system, if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the TROB, the maximum TROB, and the reserve range estimate are based on modeled behavior of the one or more batteries and the healthcare delivery system.

7. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising a charger unit couplable to the one or more batteries, the controller coupled to the charger unit and further programmed:

to activate the charger when the healthcare system is coupled to a mains voltage to charge the one or more batteries, and

to increase the TROB either by a first increment or to the TROB maximum according to a recharge state of the one or more batteries.

8. The system according to claim 7 , the system further comprising a charger unit couplable to the one or more batteries, the controller coupled to the charger unit and further programmed:

to activate the charger when the healthcare system is coupled to a mains voltage to charge the one or more batteries, and

to increase the TROB by a first increment, by a second increment or to the TROB maximum according to a recharge state of the one or more batteries.

9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the recharge state is dependent upon a charge current through the one or more batteries.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the TROB is increased by the first increment according to a first recharge state associated with a first electric charge measurement, and the TROB is increased to the maximum TROB according to a second recharge state associated with a second charge current measurement, the second charge current measurement being less than the first charge current measurement.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the TROB is based on energy capacity for the one or more batteries dependent upon battery cycling and final discharge voltage of the one or more batteries, if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the reserve range is based on energy capacity for the one or more batteries dependent upon battery cycling, battery temperature and final discharge voltage of the one or more batteries and an extreme operational duration for the healthcare delivery system.

13. A healthcare delivery system comprising:

one or more batteries;

a portable pump for use in intravenous delivery of medical fluids, the portable pump being coupleable the one or more batteries;

a display unit;

an input unit;

a pump controller coupled to the portable pump, the display unit and the input unit, the pump controller programmed to receive an input from the input unit and to control the portable pump to enter an operational state according to the input received; and

battery management system comprising a charger coupled to the one or more batteries and a controller coupled to the display unit, wherein the controller is programmed:

to determine when the portable pump is coupled to the one or more batteries,

to control the display unit to display an initial number corresponding to a TROB when the portable pump is coupled to the one or more batteries,

to determine if the TROB is within a reserve range extending up to a reserve range maximum, the reserve range maximum being less than a maximum TROB,

to change the TROB according to an operational state of the healthcare delivery system if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum,

to decrease the TROB to count down the TROB without regard for the operational state of the healthcare delivery system if the TROB is less than the reserve range maximum,

to activate the charger when the portable pump is coupled to the mains voltage to charge the one or more batteries, and

to increase the TROB either by a first increment or to the TROB maximum according to a recharge state of the one or more batteries.

14. The system according to claim 13 , the system further comprising a charger unit couplable to the one or more batteries, the controller coupled to the charger unit and further programmed:

to activate the charger when the healthcare system is coupled to a mains voltage to charge the one or more batteries, and

to increase the TROB either by a first increment or to the TROB maximum according to a recharge state of the one or more batteries.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the recharge state is dependent upon a charge current through the one or more batteries.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the TROB is increased by the first increment according to a first recharge state associated with a first electric charge measurement, and the TROB is increased to the maximum TROB according to a second recharge state associated with a second charge current measurement, the second charge current measurement being less than the first charge current measurement.

17. The system according to claim 14 , the system further comprising a charger unit couplable to the one or more batteries, the controller coupled to the charger unit and further programmed:

to activate the charger when the healthcare system is coupled to a mains voltage to charge the one or more batteries, and

to increase the TROB by a first increment, by a second increment or to the TROB maximum according to a recharge state of the one or more batteries.

18. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is programmed, if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum:

to determine a first projected TROB according to a first operational state of the healthcare delivery system;

to determine that the healthcare delivery system has changed from the first operational state to a second operational state; and

to determine a second projected TROB according to the second operational state of the healthcare delivery system.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the controller is programmed to add the reserve range maximum to either the first projected TROB or the second projected TROB to determine the TROB.

20. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the controller is programmed to determine the first projected TROB according to an effective battery capacity and a first battery life projection and to determine the second projected TROB according to the effective battery capacity and a second battery life projection.

21. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the TROB is determined according to a conservative modeling of the one or more batteries and the healthcare system, if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum.

22. The system according to claim 21 , wherein the TROB, the maximum TROB, and the reserve range estimate are based on modeled behavior of the one or more batteries and the healthcare delivery system.

23. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the TROB is based on energy capacity for the one or more batteries dependent upon battery cycling and final discharge voltage of the one or more batteries, if the TROB is greater than the reserve range maximum.

24. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the reserve range is based on energy capacity for the one or more batteries dependent upon battery cycling, battery temperature and final discharge voltage of the one or more batteries and an extreme operational duration for the healthcare delivery system.