Charge Management System Prevents Battery Lockout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable devices can enter a lockout state due to battery safety features, making them inoperable if not charged regularly, with users often unaware of the need to charge them before it's too late, leading to device unavailability and inventory management issues in warehouses.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods for automatically calculating and displaying charge dates to avoid shutdown or lockout, using a real-time clock and power management integrated circuit to notify users and remote systems, ensuring battery health and preventing zero-volt lockout, by providing prompts and notifications based on battery capacity and usage patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If battery safety lockout features are implemented to prevent battery damage, then battery reliability is improved, but device usability deteriorates when lockout occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by calculating and displaying the charge-by date before the lockout state occurs. The power management circuit continuously monitors battery charge levels and predicts the date when the device will enter lockout state, allowing users to charge the device proactively before it becomes inoperable, thus maintaining both battery safety and device usability
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring battery charge levels and providing real-time information to users through the display interface. The power management circuit feeds back the predicted lockout date and charge status to the user, enabling informed decisions about when to charge the device, thereby preventing lockout while maintaining battery safety protections
2Device complexity
If users are not notified about charging needs until lockout occurs, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of time increases as users discover the issue too late
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary notification by calculating and displaying the charge-by date well before the lockout state occurs. Instead of waiting for lockout to happen, the power management circuit proactively informs users of the upcoming charge requirement, giving them sufficient time to charge the device and avoid lockout, thus reducing time loss without adding significant complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically monitoring battery charge levels and calculating predicted lockout dates without requiring user intervention. The power management circuit autonomously tracks charge discharge rates and provides timely notifications, freeing users from needing to manually check battery status while preventing time loss through automated early warning
3Device complexity
If devices are stored in warehouses without monitoring, then inventory management complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to untracked charge-related issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically generating and providing charge-by date information that can be used for inventory management. Devices in storage self-report their charge status and predicted lockout dates, enabling warehouse managers to efficiently track and manage device charge states without complex monitoring systems, thus improving inventory productivity while maintaining simple management processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the displayed charge-by date information as an intermediary that bridges device battery status and inventory management needs. This simple date indicator serves as a mediator that allows warehouse personnel to effectively manage stored devices without requiring complex communication or monitoring infrastructure, balancing management simplicity with operational efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The time remaining until a charge-based event occurs on a computing device can be determined and notification provided to the user in order to prevent a shutdown due to loss of charge, extend the lifetime of the battery, and prevent a device lockout, among other such advantages. The current charge and information about the battery and device can be used to calculate various time periods, such as the time until a 0% state of charge (SOC) whereby a user will be unable to use the device until charging, as well as the time until a 0V lockout, whereby the device will become unusable. The time period and a charge-by date can be displayed on the device at the appropriate time(s), and notifications can be generated when the device is nearing a critical state. Such information also indicates to warehouses when devices become unsellable or at least require charging.