Battery Charge Indicator Using LED Duration Ratios
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging-based barcode scanners lack a method to inform users of the battery state without a display screen, making it difficult for users to determine the battery's charge level, especially in settings where immediate knowledge is crucial, such as industrial warehouses.
Innovation Solution
The use of a green LED and a red LED to represent the battery state through varying light durations, where the ratio of green to red light emission indicates the percentage of remaining energy, allowing users to assess the battery charge by observing the LEDs after a triggering event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If imaging-based barcode scanners are designed without a display screen to reduce device complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to inform users of battery state is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses different colors of light (green and red LEDs) to represent different battery charge levels. Green light indicates higher charge levels while red light indicates lower charge levels, allowing users to understand battery state without a display screen. This color-coding system transforms abstract battery percentage data into intuitive visual signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic light emission patterns where LEDs flash or illuminate in sequences to convey battery charge information. The timing, duration, and frequency of light emission vary based on charge level, providing dynamic visual feedback that communicates battery state over time without requiring a static display.
2Device complexity
If no display screen is provided in the scanner, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but users cannot determine battery charge level in a timely manner
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing LED indicators (typically used for decoding status) to serve a dual purpose: indicating both operational status and battery charge level. By repurposing these existing components, the system provides battery information without adding new hardware, maintaining simplicity while eliminating the need for separate display infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electronic display screen with an optical system using light emission. Instead of using a visual display device that requires pixels, backlighting, and processing, the system uses simple light-emitting diodes that directly provide visual feedback through their emission characteristics, substituting a complex electronic display with a simpler optical signaling system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to determine the battery state effectively without a display screen, providing timely information on the battery's charge level to prevent unexpected power loss and allowing for appropriate action, such as switching to a charged scanner.
Implementation Method 1
The use of a green LED and a red LED to represent the battery state through varying light durations
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a battery in the housing, a first light indicator operative to emit light in a first color with the duration of a first time period after a predetermined triggering event, and a second light indicator operative to emit light in a second color with the duration of a second time period after the predetermined triggering event. The ratio between the first time period and the second time period monotonically depends upon a state of charge on the battery.