Battery lifetime prediction for energy-aware computing

Predicting the time of full discharge of a finite-capacity energy source, such as a battery, is important for the design of portable electronic systems and applications. In this paper we present a novel analytical model of a battery that not only can be used to predict battery lifetime, but also can serve as a cost function for optimization of the energy usage in battery-powered systems. The model is physically justified, and involves only two parameters, which are easily estimated. The paper includes the results of extensive experimental evaluation of the model with respect to numerical simulations of the electrochemical cell, as well as measurements taken on a real battery. The model was tested using constant, interrupted, periodic and non-periodic discharge profiles, which were derived from standard applications run on a pocket computer.