Information handling system external adapter and battery source
First Claim
1. A portable information handling system comprising:
- a housing;
a processor disposed in the housing and operable to execute instructions to process information;
a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information;
a display disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor and memory, the display operable to present the information as visual images;
a power controller disposed in the housing and operable to accept external power and provide the external power to the processor, memory and display;
a port interfaced with the power controller and configured to accept a cable having power provided from an external power source;
a controller module separate from and external to the housing, the controller module having a cable configured to couple with the port, the controller module including a power controller circuit operable to coordinate power transfer with the power controller and lacking an integrated power source; and
a power source module separate from and external to the housing, the power source module removeably coupled to the controller module and interfaced with the power controller circuit, the power controller circuit controlling transfer of power between the power source module and the port;
wherein the controller module and power source module each have self-contained housings that removeably couple directly to each other to form a contiguous unit; and
wherein the controller module issues a warning if no external power is available from a power source module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable information handling system power source has plural separate modules that removeably couple to each other to selectively provide external power from battery and AC power sources. A controller module includes logic to coordinate power transfer to and from an information handling system. An AC-to-DC adapter module couples to the controller module to provide power from an AC power source to the information handling system through the controller module, which coordinates power transfer with the information handling system. A battery power source module couples to the controller module to provide battery power, with the battery charged by power from either the information handling system or the AC-to-DC adapter module.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A portable information handling system comprising:
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a housing; a processor disposed in the housing and operable to execute instructions to process information; a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information; a display disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor and memory, the display operable to present the information as visual images; a power controller disposed in the housing and operable to accept external power and provide the external power to the processor, memory and display; a port interfaced with the power controller and configured to accept a cable having power provided from an external power source; a controller module separate from and external to the housing, the controller module having a cable configured to couple with the port, the controller module including a power controller circuit operable to coordinate power transfer with the power controller and lacking an integrated power source; and a power source module separate from and external to the housing, the power source module removeably coupled to the controller module and interfaced with the power controller circuit, the power controller circuit controlling transfer of power between the power source module and the port; wherein the controller module and power source module each have self-contained housings that removeably couple directly to each other to form a contiguous unit; and wherein the controller module issues a warning if no external power is available from a power source module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for powering a portable information handling system, the method comprising:
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removeably coupling an AC-to-DC adapter self-contained module directly to a controller self-contained module to form a contiguous unit, the controller self-contained module lacking an integrated power source capable of converting AC to DC power or of storing DC power, the AC-to-DC adapter lacking communication interfaces to an information handling system; applying AC power to the AC-to-DC adapter self-contained module; converting the AC power to DC power with the AC-to-DC adapter self-contained module; removeably coupling the controller self-contained module to a portable information handling system; controlling transfer of the DC power from the AC-to-DC adapter self-contained module to the portable information handling system with the controller self-contained module; and communicating a lack of the AC-to-DC adapter self-contained module to the portable information handling system from the controller self-contained module if the controller self-contained module couples to the portable information handling system without the AC-to-DC adapted self-contained module. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A portable information handling system power system comprising:
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a power controller integrated in an information handling system and operable to coordinate power transfer with an external power source; and an external power source having a cable to couple with the information handling system, the external power source having plural separate self-contained modules removeably coupled directly to each other to form a contiguous unit including at least a controller module and a separate power source module, the controller module operable to coordinate power transfer with the power controller for the power source to provide power routed through the controller module to the information handling system, the controller module lacking a capability to provide power unless coupled to a separate power source module, the controller module communicating a lack of a power source module to the power controller; wherein the power controller issues a warning at the information handling system if the controller module lacks an interface with a power source module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification