Portable Electronic Device Free-Fall Sensor Battery Bounce Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices with spring-loaded electrical contacts face battery bounce conditions during sudden G-Force shocks, leading to temporary loss of electrical contact and potential device shutdown, which existing solutions attempt to mitigate with high-capacitance capacitors that increase device expense.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a free-fall condition sensor and processor to detect a pre-battery bounce condition, allowing the device to enter a pre-battery bounce setting by shutting down non-critical components, storing critical data, and preventing memory writes to minimize power consumption and data corruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional circuitry with high-capacitance capacitors is used to prevent battery bounce conditions, then device reliability is improved, but device cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The free-fall sensor detects the drop condition before battery bounce occurs, allowing the system to take preventive actions (shutting down non-critical components, preserving critical data) before the actual bounce event. This preliminary detection and response eliminates the need for high-capacitance capacitors that would otherwise be required to maintain power during the bounce condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the expensive high-capacitance capacitor from the traditional battery bounce protection circuitry by replacing it with a free-fall sensor-based detection system that prevents the bounce condition from affecting critical operations in the first place.
2Reliability
If the device shuts down non-critical components during pre-battery bounce condition, then power consumption is reduced and data corruption is prevented, but device functionality is temporarily limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by shutting down non-critical components before the battery bounce condition can cause data corruption or power loss. This preventive measure protects critical data and operations from the harmful effects of battery bounce, while the temporary limitation of non-critical functions is an acceptable trade-off for ensuring system reliability.
3Reliability
If the free-fall sensor detects pre-battery bounce condition early, then the window for data protection is increased, but the risk of false detection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to monitor the free-fall sensor output and distinguish between actual pre-battery bounce conditions and normal device movement. By analyzing the pattern, duration, and characteristics of the detected event, the system can confirm whether a true threat exists before activating protective measures, thereby reducing false positives while maintaining early detection capabilities.
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
This approach reduces the need for expensive high-capacitance capacitors by using the free-fall sensor's warning to shut down non-critical components and store critical data, effectively preventing data corruption and power loss during a battery bounce event.
Implementation Method 1
a free-fall condition sensor... detect a pre-battery bounce condition... A free-fall condition generally refers to an unintentional or intentional dropping of the portable electronic device from a height above a surface
Data Source
AI summary
A portable electronic device and a method to protect the portable electronic device from a battery bounce are provided. The portable electronic device (100) can comprise a free-fall condition sensor (105) enabled to detect a pre-battery bounce condition in the portable electronic device and a processor (110) coupled to the free-fall condition sensor (105). The processor (110), in response to a detection of the pre-battery bounce condition by the free-fall condition sensor (105), can be programmed to place the portable electronic device (100) in a pre-battery bounce setting. The method can include detecting a pre-battery bounce condition in the portable electronic device (405) and in response to the detection of the pre-battery bounce condition (405), placing the portable electronic device in a pre-battery bounce setting (410).