Apple patents dynamic battery shutdown for older devices
Apple has been granted a patent for a method where a device adjusts its battery shutdown voltage in real time. The system uses a controller to monitor the battery's age, temperature, and power usage to set a safe cutoff point. This ensures the device shuts down safely even as the battery degrades over time.
In the filing’s own words
The disclosed technology relates to a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device may comprise a battery, a battery controller, and a system controller. The battery controller may be configured to determine real time battery state information associated with the battery, the real time battery state information including a system load current draw, a battery age indicator, and a battery temperature. The system controller may be configured to determine a user initiated current low voltage mode state of the portable electronic device of a plurality of low voltage mode states, receive current battery state information from the battery controller, and adaptively generate a real time shutoff voltage threshold based on the current determined low voltage mode state and the current battery state information.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A portable electronic device comprising: a battery; a battery controller configured to determine real time battery state information associated with the battery, the real time battery state information including a system load current draw, a battery age indicator, and a battery temperature; and a system controller configured to: determine a user initiated current low voltage mode state of the portable electronic device of a plurality of low voltage mode states; receive current battery state information from the battery controller; and adaptively generate a real time shutoff voltage threshold based on the user initiated current low voltage mode state and the current battery state information.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Electronic device with dynamically adjusted shutdown voltage
- Patent number
- US12756212B2
- Application number
- 18458964
- Filed
- Aug 30, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H02J 7/63 Electricity & electronicsG06Q 20/322 Physics & computingH02J 7/82 Electricity & electronicsH02J 7/855 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Batteries & energy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.