Backup Battery Charging Control for SOC and SOH Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered devices often have backup batteries that are kept fully charged for extended periods, leading to reduced battery performance and increased risk of failure, while passive discharging methods fail to prevent performance issues in large capacity or low rate self-discharging batteries.
Innovation Solution
A battery charging system that actively manages the state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) of batteries based on user demand profiles and device usage characteristics, using a server system to learn about battery drain and charging patterns and notify users when to swap batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If backup batteries are kept fully charged for extended periods, then users have ready-to-use backup batteries available, but battery performance deteriorates and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging system dynamically adjusts the charging state of backup batteries based on predicted usage timing. Instead of maintaining a static fully-charged state, the system learns user patterns and charges batteries to optimal levels at optimal times, allowing the battery state to be flexible and adaptive rather than fixed
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary charging actions based on predicted future needs. By learning user usage patterns, the system charges backup batteries in advance of when they will be needed, ensuring availability while avoiding the harmful effect of prolonged full-charging. The charging is performed preliminarily but not excessively
2Reliability
If passive discharging is used to maintain backup batteries, then some charge is depleted over time, but large capacity batteries still remain in high voltage state for weeks or months
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the charging parameters dynamically based on battery capacity characteristics and predicted usage. For large capacity batteries with slow self-discharge rates, the system adjusts the charging schedule and rate to achieve optimal charge levels without requiring weeks or months of passive discharging. The parameters are changed to match the specific battery characteristics
3Reliability
If users override protection measures to force full charging, then backup batteries are fully charged, but device downtime is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback loops that monitor battery status, charging progress, and usage patterns. This feedback enables the system to automatically adjust charging strategies, notify users of charging status, and optimize the timing of charging operations to minimize downtime while ensuring batteries are adequately charged. The feedback mechanism eliminates the need for users to manually override protection measures
Data Source
AI summary
The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for managing battery usage and charging In one aspect, a method is performed at a battery charging device that includes one or more processors and memory. The method includes receiving first battery life information for a first battery installed in an electronic device, receiving user demand information for the electronic device, and based on the first battery life information and the user demand information, adjusting a charging rate for a second battery electrically coupled to the battery charging device for charging, the second battery configured for use in the electronic device.