Power storage adapter using high efficiency charging for low power states

• US 10,181,739 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sultenfuss, Andrew Thomas, Thompson, Richard Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kyaw, Htet Z
• Application Number:
  US15/631,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20180375357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 323220, 320103, 320104, 320107, 320112, 320113, 320127, 320128, 320132, 320137, 320138, 307 43- 46, 307 48, 307 64- 66, 307 80- 81, 307 85- 86, 361 90
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power storage adapter may use a high efficiency charging method when supplying electrical power to a portable information handling system when the power storage adapter is not connected to AC line power. In particular, when the portable information handling system draws the electrical power below a low load threshold, such as during a low power state, the power storage adapter may avoid supplying electrical power. When an internal battery of the portable information handling system has an SOC less than a recharging state of charge for the internally battery, the power storage adapter may resume supplying power to the portable information handling system.

Claims

1. A power storage adapter (PSA), comprising:

a PSA port;

a PSA battery; and

a PSA controller having access to memory media storing instructions executable by the PSA controller,

wherein when a portable information handling system is connected to the PSA port to receive first electrical power supplied by the power storage adapter, an AC line power source does not supply electrical power to the power storage adapter, and a first state of charge of the PSA battery is above a first recharging state of charge, the instructions are executable by the PSA controller to;

determine that the first electrical power is below a low load threshold;

responsive to determining that the first electrical power is below the low load threshold, discontinue supplying the first electrical power at the PSA port;

determine a second state of charge of an internal battery included with the portable information handling system; and

when the second state of charge is less than a second recharging state of charge for the internal battery, resume supplying the first electrical power at the PSA port.

2. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the PSA port is a USB Type-C port; and

the instructions to discontinue supplying the first electrical power further comprise instructions to;

perform a soft reset at the PSA port, wherein a first universal serial bus (USB) power delivery contract in effect between the portable information handling system and the power storage adapter is terminated.

3. The power storage adapter of claim 2, further comprising instructions to:

establish a second USB power delivery contract between the portable information handling system and the power storage adapter to deliver zero electrical power by the power storage adapter at the PSA port.

4. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein the instructions to determine that the first electrical power is below the low load threshold further comprise instructions to:

detect that the first electrical power is below the low load threshold for a minimum duration.

5. The power storage adapter of claim 3, wherein:

the PSA port is a USB Type-C port; and

the instructions to resume supplying the first electrical power further comprise instructions to;

terminate the second USB power delivery contract; and

reestablish the first USB power delivery contract between the portable information handling system and the power storage adapter.

6. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein the instructions to determine the second state of charge further comprise instructions to:

communicate with the portable information handling system via the PSA port to receive information indicative of the second state of charge.

7. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein the second recharging state of charge is less than or equal to 10%.

8. A method, comprising:

when a portable information handling system is connected to a PSA port of a power storage adapter to receive first electrical power supplied by the power storage adapter, an AC line power source does not supply electrical power to the power storage adapter, and a first state of charge of a PSA battery included with the power storage adapter is above a first recharging state of charge;

determining that the first electrical power is below a low load threshold;

responsive to determining that the first electrical power is below the low load threshold, discontinuing supplying the first electrical power at the PSA port;

determining a second state of charge of an internal battery included with the portable information handling system; and

when the second state of charge is less than a second recharging state of charge for the internal battery, resuming supplying the first electrical power at the PSA port.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the PSA port is a USB Type-C port; and

discontinuing supplying the electrical power further comprises;

performing a soft reset at the PSA port, wherein a first universal serial bus (USB) power delivery contract in effect between the portable information handling system and the power storage adapter is terminated.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

establishing a second USB power delivery contract between the portable information handling system and the power storage adapter to deliver zero electrical power at the PSA port.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the first electrical power is below the low load threshold further comprises:

detecting that the first electrical power is below the low load threshold for a minimum duration.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the PSA port is a USB Type-C port; and

resuming supplying electrical power further comprises;

terminating the second USB power delivery contract; and

reestablishing the first USB power delivery contract between the portable information handling system and the power storage adapter.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the second state of charge further comprises:

communicating with the portable information handling system via the PSA port to receive information indicative of the second state of charge.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the second recharging state of charge is less than or equal to 10%.