System and method for information handling system battery monitoring

• US 20060261780A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Edington, Larry G., Jaber, Muhammed K.
• Application Number:
  US11/134,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20060261780A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/130
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Information handling system battery monitoring tracks battery usage for warranty coverage. A timer state machine running on the battery tracks time expired from initiation of a warranty period, such as the first non-manufacture boot of the information handling system or detection of a new battery interfaced with the information handling system. The expired warranty period and a unique identifier stored on the battery are communicated by a battery manager running on the information handling system to battery warranty site. The manufacturer of the information handling system applies the expired warranty period and unique identifier to determine warranty coverage for the battery.

Claims

1. A system for managing battery warranties for batteries associated with information handling systems, the system comprising:

a clock integrated in each battery and operable to track the time expired from a warranty period of the associated battery;

a battery manager running on each information handling system and operable to read the expired time; and

a battery warranty site operable to interface with the information handling systems through a network, the battery warranty site having a prorata engine operable to retrieve the expired time and determine a warranty coverage for the battery from the expired time.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising battery identification information integrated in each battery, the battery warranty site further having a verification engine operable to retrieve the battery identification and verify with the battery identification that the battery is covered by the warranty.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the battery warranty site is further operable to verify that a battery shipped from the information handling system to the warranty site has the battery identification.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery manager is further operable to:

identify a new battery interfaced with the information handling system; and

initiate the clock to count time expired from the warranty for the new battery.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery manager is further operable to:

determine a first non-manufacture boot of the information handling system; and

initiate the clock to count time expired from the warranty upon detection of the first non-manufacture boot.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the clock comprises the clock of a microprocessor integrated with the battery.

7. A method for managing information handling system battery warranties, the method comprising:

initiating a clock integrated in the battery at the start of a warranty period;

receiving a warranty request to replace the battery;

reading the clock of the battery with the information handling system to determine the remaining warranty period; and

replacing the battery according to the remaining warranty period.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein initiating a clock further comprises:

determining that a new battery is interfaced with an information handling system; and

initiating the clock of the battery with the first interface between the battery and the information handling system.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein initiating a clock further comprises:

determining a first non-manufacture boot of the information handling system; and

initiating the clock of the battery at the first non-manufacture boot.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

associating unique identification with each battery; and

reading the unique identification in response to the warranty request; and

verifying that the read unique identification matches a unique identification of a battery under warranty.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

shipping the battery from a user site to a warranty site; and

reading the unique identification from the battery at the warranty site to verify that the battery matches the warranty.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein replacing the battery further comprises replacing a prorata value of the battery for the remaining warranty period.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein reading the clock further comprises reading the clock through a network by a warranty site interfaced with the information handling system and located distal the information handling system.

14. An information handling system comprising:

processing components operable to process information;

a battery operable to provide power to the processing components; and

a timer state machine running in the battery and operable to track time from a predetermined event.

15. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein the predetermined event comprises the initiation of a warranty period for the battery.

16. The information handling system of claim 15 further comprising a battery manager operable to determine the first non-manufacture boot of an information handling system and to start the warranty period for the battery at the first non-manufacture boot.

17. The information handling system of claim 15 further comprising a battery manager operable to determine the first interface of a battery with the information handling system and to start the warranty period for the battery at the first interface of the battery with the information handling system.

18. The information handling system of claim 16 further comprising a unique identifier stored in the battery and wherein the battery manager is further operable to communicate the time from initiation of the warranty period and the unique identifier through a network to battery warranty site.

19. The information handling system of claim 15 wherein the timer state machine comprises a microprocessor having a clock, the timer counting clock cycles.

20. The information handling system of claim 15 wherein the timer state machine comprises an independent clock.