Dynamic Battery State Detection for Activity Monitors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing activity monitoring devices face challenges in accurately managing battery state and power consumption, leading to inaccurate battery life estimates and inefficient power usage, especially during dynamic charge and discharge cycles.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a dynamic battery state detection system that uses voltage measurements and filtered values to update battery charge tables, allowing for real-time monitoring and management of battery state changes, and prioritizing function deactivation to conserve power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If dynamic battery state detection with voltage measurements and filtered values is implemented, then battery life estimate accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery life estimate accuracyVSAvoidpower management system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic battery state detection by continuously monitoring voltage measurements and applying filtered values that adapt to changing battery conditions. The system updates battery charge tables in real-time based on observed voltage patterns during charge and discharge cycles, allowing accurate battery life estimation without requiring complex static lookup tables for every possible state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where voltage measurements are continuously taken, filtered through processing algorithms, and used to update battery state information. The filtered values provide feedback about actual battery behavior, which is then used to refine charge table data and improve subsequent battery life predictions, creating a self-correcting system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If real-time monitoring and management of battery state changes is implemented, then power usage optimization is improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower usage efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumed by monitoring system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic voltage measurements rather than continuous monitoring, taking samples at intervals during battery operation. The system updates battery state information at specific checkpoints during charge and discharge cycles, reducing the energy overhead of monitoring while still capturing sufficient data to maintain accurate battery life estimates and optimize power usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Measurement precision

If battery charge tables are updated with filtered voltage values, then state of charge detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestate of charge detection accuracyVSAvoidvoltage measurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces filtered voltage values as an intermediary between raw voltage measurements and battery state determination. The filtering process smooths out measurement noise and variations, creating a more stable intermediate value that is used to update charge tables. This intermediary layer reduces the impact of manufacturing tolerances and measurement imperfections on the final state of charge accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2805173B1Power management in an activity monitoring device
Publication Date: 2020.10.28 NIKE INNOVATE CV
  • EP2805173B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2805173B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~4
  • EP2805173B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Batteries for an athletic activity monitoring device may be managed in both charged and discharged state to provide more accurate state information and/or expected charge times. Additionally or alternatively, various power management processes may be executed to maximize an amount of battery charge remaining.