Bluetooth Device Battery Level Estimation and Alert
Solution Overview
Problem
Bluetooth communication-enabled devices, such as headsets and speakers, continue to drain battery power even when turned off, leading to unexpected low battery levels, with no effective solutions to alert users before they become unusable.
Innovation Solution
A device with a processor and Bluetooth transceiver communicates with another device to determine its battery charge level, disconnects, and then determines a subsequent charge level using historical data or an artificial neural network, providing notifications when the charge falls below a threshold, prompting the user to charge the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If Bluetooth device components remain active to enable quick reconnection, then connection speed is improved, but battery power is depleted during off state
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring battery charge levels and sending notifications to the user before the battery is fully depleted. This allows the user to charge the device proactively rather than reactively after discovering it's dead, resolving the contradiction by enabling quick reconnection capability while preventing complete battery exhaustion through advance warning.
2Loss of information
If the device monitors battery level continuously while inactive, then battery status awareness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system applies partial action by checking battery levels at intervals or based on specific triggers (such as when the device is turned on). This provides sufficient battery status awareness to alert users before depletion occurs, while avoiding the excessive energy consumption of continuous monitoring during inactive states.
3Loss of time
If the device provides advance battery low warnings, then user preparedness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the battery level is monitored, compared against a threshold, and when the threshold is breached, a notification is sent to the user. This relatively simple feedback loop provides effective advance warning to improve user preparedness without requiring complex predictive algorithms or sophisticated system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a first device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to determine, while the first device is not in communication with a second device and/or while the second device is in an inactive state, an estimated current charge level of a battery in the second device. The instructions may also be executable to provide a notification to charge the battery in the second device responsive to a determination that the estimated current charge level does not meet a predetermined threshold charge level.