The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a group that counts 375,000 members in 150 countries, is working on an industry standard called IEEE P1625 that’s designed to improve the battery life of future laptop computers.
It’s in the works at the IEEE P1625 Laptop Battery Working Group. Such companies as Hewlett Packard, Dell, IBM, Motorola, Panasonic, Compaq, Quanta, Sony, Sanyo and Toshiba are contributing resources to the project. Other interested organizations with portable battery systems expertise — such as, say, Apple — are invited to join. The Laptop Battery Working Group will hold its first meeting on Oct 17 and 18 in San Jose, California. A draft standard is expected to be ready for final balloting by May 2003.
The IEEE P1625 standard will purportedly focus on system management and control, battery pack communications, energy density and reliability. The goal: smarter battery system designs, including self-monitored charge, discharge and environmental conditions. The standard will also address redundant protections needed to assure system reliability.