Monitoring a battery in a portable electronic device

1. A method for monitoring a battery of an electronic device, the method comprising:

monitoring a voltage of a battery powering an electronic device;

reducing power drawn by the electronic device responsive to satisfaction of a first criteria, the first criteria comprising whether a plurality of transient voltage-dips below a predetermined threshold voltage are detected; and

further reducing power drawn by the electronic device responsive to satisfaction of a second criteria, the second criteria comprising whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined threshold voltage per unit time exceeds a predetermined value,

wherein the predetermined threshold voltage is greater than a brownout voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that a predetermined termination voltage of the battery has been reached responsive to satisfaction of a third criteria, the third criteria comprising at least one of, whether a steady state voltage below the predetermined termination voltage has been measured, and whether a persistence voltage below the predetermined termination voltage has been measured; and

upon such determination, placing the electronic device into at least one of a shutdown state and a hibernation state,

wherein the predetermined termination voltage is greater than the brownout voltage.

3. The method of claim 2 , the third criteria further comprising at least one of whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined termination voltage per unit time exceeds a predetermined value, whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined termination voltage exceeds a predetermined number, and whether a duration of at least one transient voltage-dip below the predetermined termination voltage exceeds a predetermined duration.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined termination voltage is equal to the predetermined threshold voltage.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined termination voltage is user selectable.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing power drawn by the electronic device comprises at least one of reducing a brightness of a screen, reducing a volume of a speaker, or shutting down a wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein further reducing power drawn by the electronic device comprises at least one of further reducing the brightness of the screen, further reducing the volume of the speaker, and shutting down one or more other resources of the electronic device.

8. A system for monitoring a battery powering an electronic device, the system comprising a voltage monitoring mechanism coupled to the battery, the voltage monitoring mechanism configured to:

monitor a voltage of a battery powering an electronic device;

reduce power drawn by the electronic device responsive to satisfaction of a first criteria, the first criteria comprising whether a plurality of transient voltage-dips below a predetermined threshold voltage are detected; and

further reduce power drawn by the electronic device responsive to satisfaction of a second criteria, the second criteria comprising whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined threshold voltage per unit time exceeds a predetermined value,

wherein the predetermined threshold voltage is greater than a brownout voltage.

9. The system of claim 8 , the voltage monitoring mechanism further configured to:

determine that a predetermined termination voltage of the battery has been reached responsive to satisfaction of a third criteria, the third criteria comprising at least one of, whether a steady state voltage below the predetermined termination voltage has been detected, and whether a persistence voltage below the predetermined termination voltage has been detected; and

upon such determination, place the electronic device into one of a shutdown state and a hibernation state,

wherein the predetermined termination voltage is greater than the brownout voltage.

10. The system of claim 9 , the third criteria further comprising at least one of whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined termination voltage per unit time exceeds a predetermined value, whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined termination voltage exceeds a predetermined number, and whether a duration of at least one transient voltage-dip below the predetermined termination voltage exceeds a predetermined duration.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined termination voltage is equal to the predetermined threshold voltage.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined termination voltage is user selectable.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein reducing power drawn by the electronic device comprises at least one of reducing a brightness of a screen, reducing a volume of a speaker, or shutting down a wireless communication device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein further reducing power drawn by the electronic device comprises at least one of further reducing the brightness of the screen, further reducing the volume of the speaker, and shutting down one or more other resources of the electronic device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by an electronic device cause the electronic device to:

monitor a voltage of a battery powering an electronic device;

reduce power drawn by the electronic device responsive to satisfaction of a first criteria, the first criteria comprising whether a plurality of transient voltage-dips below a predetermined threshold voltage are detected; and

further reduce power drawn by the electronic device responsive to satisfaction of a second criteria, the second criteria comprising whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined threshold voltage per unit time exceeds a predetermined value,

wherein the predetermined threshold voltage is greater than a brownout voltage.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further storing instructions to:

determine that a predetermined termination voltage of the battery has been reached responsive to satisfaction of a third criteria, the third criteria comprising at least one of, whether a steady state voltage below the predetermined termination voltage has been measured, and whether a persistence voltage below the predetermined termination voltage has been measured; and

upon such determination, place the electronic device into one of a shutdown state and a hibernation state,

wherein the predetermined termination voltage is greater than the brownout voltage.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , the third criteria further comprising at least one of whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined termination voltage per unit time exceeds a predetermined value, whether a number of transient voltage-dips below the predetermined termination voltage exceeds a predetermined number, and whether a duration of at least one transient voltage-dip below the predetermined termination voltage exceeds a predetermined duration.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of 17 , wherein the predetermined termination voltage is equal to the predetermined threshold voltage.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined termination voltage is user selectable.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of 15 , wherein reducing power drawn by the electronic device comprises at least one of reducing a brightness of a screen, reducing a volume of a speaker, or shutting down a wireless communication device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of 20 , wherein further reducing power drawn by the electronic device comprises at least one of further reducing the brightness of the screen, further reducing the volume of the speaker, and shutting down one or more other resources of the electronic device.