Power supply usage determination

Abstract

The remaining capacity of a power source, such as a battery, may be monitored with a microprocessor, such as by counting electrons flowing through the power source. The microprocessor may measure electrons passing through the battery and sleep for predetermined periods, waking up to determine an updated capacity of the battery. The remaining capacity may be communicated to remote users through a network and displayed in an executive dashboard. In one example, the updates regarding remaining capacity may be pushed to users through a graphical user interface or a web page.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 counting, by an integrator, electrons flowing through a power source;   when the electron count reaches a predetermined number:   waking, by the integrator, a processor from a low power state;   activating, by the processor, a storage device to add the electron count to a total electron count;   determining, by the processor, a capacity of the power source from the total electron count after activating the storage device; and   entering, by the processor, the low power state after activating the storage device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a battery. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising reading, by the processor, a calibration value from a memory, wherein the step of determining the capacity comprises determining the capacity of the battery based, at least in part, on the calibration value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the electron count reaches the predetermined number, resetting, by the processor, the electron count after activating the storage device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring, by the processor, a capacity of the power source by counting electrons flowing through the power source. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, a band gap reference signal from a band gap regulator, wherein the step of determining the capacity comprises determining the capacity of the power source based, at least in part, on the band gap reference signal. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a current sensor coupled to an output of a power source;   an integrator coupled to the current sensor;   a memory configured to store a total electron count value and a calibration value;   a processor coupled to the current sensor, to the integrator, and to the memory, in which the processor is configured to:
 exit from a low power state at a predetermined interval; 
 obtain an electron count from the integrator after exiting from the low power state; 
 increment the total electron count value stored in the memory by the electron count obtained from the integrator; 
 calculate a power usage of the power source based, at least in part, on the total electron count value; and 
 return to the low power state after incrementing the total electron count value. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the power source comprises a battery. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to read a calibration value from the memory, and wherein the calculated power usage is based, at least in part, on the calibration value. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to reset the integrator after obtaining the electron count. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a band gap reference value, and wherein the calculated power usage is based, at least in part, on the band gap reference value. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a resistor disposed between the integrator and the processor. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 monitoring, by the processor, electrons flowing through a power source;   determining, by the processor, a capacity of the power source from the monitored electron flow through the power source; and   transmitting, by the processor, data comprising the capacity of the power source determined from the monitored electron flow to a user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of monitoring electrons comprises monitoring electrons flowing through a power source, and wherein the step of determining a capacity comprises determining a capacity of the power source. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 reading, by the processor, a calibration value from a memory,   wherein the determined capacity is based, at least in part, on the calibration value.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processor, a second capacity of a second power source; and   pushing, by the processor, additional data comprising the second capacity of the second power source to the user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of transmitting the capacity of the power source over a network comprises transmitting the capacity of the power source over a power line. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of transmitting the data comprises pushing the data to the user over a network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of pushing the data comprising the capacity of the power source comprises pushing real-time data regarding the capacity of the power source. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of pushing the data comprises pushing the data to a graphical user interface device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of pushing the data comprises pushing the data to a web page. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of monitoring comprises:
 counting electrons flowing through the power source;   determining whether the electron count has reached a predetermined number;   activating a storage device to add the electron count to a total electron count after the determining step indicates the electron count has reached the predetermined number; and   resetting the electron count after the determining step indicates the electron count has reached the predetermined number,   wherein the step of determining the capacity comprises determining the capacity of the power source based, at least in part, on the total electron count.   
     
     
         23 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a current sensor coupled to an output of a power source;   a processor coupled to the current sensor and configured to:
 monitor electrons flowing through the power source with the current sensor; 
 determine a capacity of the power source based, at least in part, on the monitored electron flow through the power source; and 
 transmit data comprising the capacity of the power source determined from the monitored electron flow to a user. 
   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the power source comprises a battery. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a memory coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
 read a calibration value from the memory, and   determine the capacity of the battery based, at least in part, on the calibration value.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the capacity of the power source over the network by transmitting the capacity of the power source over a power line. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the capacity of the power source by pushing the capacity of the power source over a network to a user. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is configured to push the capacity of the power source to the user through a graphical user interface display. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is configured to push the capacity of the power source to the user through a web page. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine a second capacity of a second power source; and   transmit additional data comprising the second capacity of the second power source to the user.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 an integrator coupled to the current sensor;   a memory configured to store a total electron count,   wherein the processor is coupled to the integrator and the memory and is further configured to:
 count electrons flowing through the power source with the integrator; 
 determine whether the electron count has reached a predetermined number; 
 add the electron count to the total electron count after the determining step indicates the electron count has reached the predetermined number; and 
 reset the electron count after the determining step indicates the electron count has reached the predetermined number, and 
   wherein the processor is configured to determine the capacity of the power source based, at least in part, on the total electron count.