Systems and methods for integration of charger regulation within a battery system

• US 20060181244A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ligong, Luo, Shiguo, Breen, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,391,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

One or more charger regulation tasks (e.g., one or more of those tasks typically performed by charger regulator circuitry of a separate battery charging apparatus) are integrated within a battery system (e.g., a battery pack of a portable information handling system) by utilizing component/s common to the battery system (e.g., microcontroller and FET components).

Claims

1. A battery system, comprising:

one or more battery cells; and

charge regulation circuitry integrated within said battery system;

wherein said charge regulation circuitry comprises a microcontroller within said battery system, said microcontroller also being configured to manage operation of said battery system.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein said battery system is configured to be coupled to a battery charging apparatus, and wherein said battery system further comprises:

battery current control circuitry configured to be coupled between said battery charging apparatus and said one or more battery cells, said integrated charge regulation circuitry further comprising one or more components of said battery current control circuitry;

a battery system monitor/controller coupled to control operation of one or more components of said battery current control circuitry, said battery system monitor/controller being implemented by said microcontroller; and

a charge monitor/regulator coupled to control operation of one or more components of said battery current control circuitry, said charge monitor/regulator being implemented by said microcontroller.

3. The battery system of claim 2, wherein said battery system comprises a battery management unit (BMU), said BMU comprising said microcontroller and an analog front end.

4. The battery system of claim 2, wherein said battery current control circuitry comprises a charge FET switching element that is controlled by said charge monitor/regulator;

said charge FET switching element comprising at least a portion of said charger regulation circuitry.

5. The battery system of claim 4, wherein said battery current control circuitry comprises a discharge FET switching element that is controlled by said battery system monitor/controller.

6. The battery system of claim 1, wherein said battery system comprises a battery pack of a portable information handling system.

7. A battery system for a portable information handling system configured to be coupled to a battery charging apparatus, said battery system comprising:

one or more battery cells;

battery current control circuitry configured to be coupled between said battery charging apparatus and said one or more battery cells; and

a battery management unit (BMU) coupled to said battery current control circuitry;

wherein said BMU is configured to monitor one or more operating parameters of said battery charging apparatus and to control operation of said battery current control circuitry to perform one or more charger regulation tasks; and

wherein said BMU is configured to monitor one or more operating parameters of said battery system and to control operation of said battery current control circuitry to perform one or more battery system management tasks.

8. The battery system of claim 7, wherein said BMU comprises a microcontroller, said microcontroller being coupled to control said battery current control circuitry.

9. The battery system of claim 8, wherein said battery current control circuitry is configured to receive current from said battery charging apparatus;

and wherein said BMU is configured to monitor a flow of current within said battery charging apparatus.

10. The battery system of claim 7, wherein said battery current control circuitry is configured to receive current from said battery charging apparatus;

wherein said battery current control circuitry comprises a charge FET switching element and a discharge FET switching element;

wherein said BMU is configured to control operation of said charge FET switching element to perform said one or more charger regulation tasks; and

wherein said BMU is configured to control operation of at least one of said charge FET and discharge FET switching elements to perform said one or more battery system management tasks.

11. The battery system of claim 10, wherein said one or more charger regulation tasks comprise at least one of implementing switching mode maintenance charging of said one or more battery cells by opening and closing said charge FET switching element, selecting charge current path within said battery current control circuitry by opening and closing said charge FET;

and wherein said one or more battery system management tasks comprises opening said charge FET switching element to prevent further charging of said one or more battery when an over-voltage condition of said one or more battery cells is detected, opening said discharge FET switching element when an under-voltage condition of said one or more battery cells is detected, controlling disabling said battery system upon failure of said charge FET switching element, controlling one or more components within said battery current control circuitry to produce required charging current, or a combination thereof.

12. The battery system of claim 7, wherein said battery system further comprises small logic and interface circuitry coupled to interface between said BMU and said battery current control circuitry.

13. A portable information handling system comprising said battery charging apparatus and said battery system of claim 7.

14. A method of charging one or more battery cells of a battery system coupled to a battery charging apparatus, comprising:

receiving a charging current in said battery system from said battery charging apparatus, said battery system comprising charge regulation circuitry integrated within said battery system and said integrated charge regulation circuitry comprising a microcontroller; and

using said microcontroller of said integrated charge regulation circuitry to regulate said charging current received in said battery system and to manage operation of said battery system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said battery system further comprises a battery system monitor/controller coupled to control operation of one or more components of said battery current control circuitry, said battery system monitor/controller being implemented by said microcontroller;

wherein said battery system further comprises a charge monitor/regulator coupled to control operation of one or more components of said battery current control circuitry, said charge monitor/regulator being implemented by said microcontroller; and

wherein said method further comprises;

using said charge monitor/regulator to monitor one or more operating parameters of said battery charging apparatus, and to control operation of said battery current control circuitry to perform one or more charger regulation tasks; and

using said battery system monitor/controller to monitor one or more operating parameters of said battery system, and to control operation of said battery current control circuitry to perform one or more battery system management tasks.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said battery system further comprises a battery management unit (BMU) coupled to said battery current control circuitry, said BMU comprising said microcontroller and an analog front end.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said battery system further comprises small logic and interface circuitry coupled to interface between said BMU and said battery current control circuitry.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said battery system comprises a battery pack of a portable information handling system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said battery current control circuitry comprises a charge FET switching element and a discharge FET switching element, and wherein said method further comprises:

using said microcontroller to control operation of said charge FET switching element to perform said one or more charger regulation tasks; and

using said microcontroller to control operation of at least one of said charge FET and discharge FET switching elements to perform said one or more battery system management tasks.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said one or more charger regulation tasks comprise at least one of implementing switching mode maintenance charging of said one or more battery cells by opening and closing said charge FET switching element, selecting a charge path within said battery current control circuitry by opening and closing said charge FET element;

and wherein said one or more battery system management tasks comprises opening said charge FET switching element to prevent further charging of said one or more battery when an over-voltage condition of said one or more battery cells is detected, opening said discharge FET switching element when an under-voltage condition of said one or more battery cells is detected, controlling disabling said battery system upon failure of said charge FET switching element, controlling one or more components within said battery current control circuitry to produce required charging current, or a combination thereof.