Battery module and battery safety method

• US 10,084,212 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Liao, Shun-Yung, Huang, Yu-An, Chiou, Li-Sheng, Wang, Chih-Chiang, Lin, Yu-Ti
• Primary Examiner(s): Douyette, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US14/920,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20170047617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module and a battery safety method are provided herein. The battery module includes at least one connection unit and a determining unit. The at least one connection unit is configured to be detachably and electrically connected to an electronic device. The determining unit is configured to determine whether the battery module is detached from the electronic device through the at least one connection unit. When determining that the battery module is detached from the electronic, the determining unit controls the battery module to enter a shipping mode.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

at least one connection unit, configured to be detachably and electrically connected to an electronic device;

a determining unit, programmed to determine whether the battery module is detached from the electronic device through the at least one connection unit;

when the determining unit determines that the battery module is detached from the electronic device, the determining unit controls the battery module to enter a shipping mode;

wherein after the battery module enters the shipping mode, the battery module stops outputting power, and the determining unit stops operation;

wherein when the battery module that enters the shipping mode is mounted on the electronic device, and the electronic device receives power through a power adapter unit, the determining unit releases the battery module from the shipping mode.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the determining unit is programmed to determine whether the battery module is detached from the electronic device according to at least one electrical signal of the at least one connection unit.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein when the determining unit is programmed to determine that the battery module is detached from the electronic device, the determining unit starts to count a time value;

and, when the time value is greater than a predetermined time value, the determining unit controls the battery module to enter the shipping mode.

4. A battery safety method, comprising:

determining whether a battery module is detached from an electronic device through at least one connection unit of the battery module, wherein the at least one connection unit is configured to be detachably and electrically connected to the electronic device;

controlling the battery module to enter a shipping mode when it is determined that the battery module is detached from the electronic device;

stopping the battery module from outputting power after the battery module enters the shipping mode; and

releasing the battery module from the shipping mode when the battery module that enters the shipping mode is mounted on the electronic device, and the electronic device receives power through a power adapter unit.

5. The battery safety method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the battery module is detached from the electronic device is performed according to at least one electrical signal of the at least one connection unit.

6. The battery safety method of claim 4, wherein controlling the battery module to enter the shipping mode when the battery module is determined to be detached from the electronic device comprises:

starting to count a time value when the battery module is determined to be detached from the electronic device; and

controlling the battery module to enter the shipping mode when the time value is greater than a predetermined time value.