System and Methods to Extend the Service Life of Portable Devices

• US 20110127836A1
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gonzales, Cesar A., Kozakov, Lev, Grabarnik, Genady, Shwartz, Larisa
• Granted Patent: US 8,084,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for extending the service life of a portable device includes monitoring a battery of a portable device; identifying a problem bank; reconfiguring a connection schema for the battery to replace the problem battery bank with at least one spare bank; conditioning or exercising the problem bank; connecting the portable device to a power supply to recharge the problem bank; and reconnecting the recharged or repaired bank according to the connection schema without the at least one spare bank. A method for extending the service life of a portable device includes monitoring power consumption of at least one of the hardware or software of a portable device; and reconfiguring the connection schema of the battery banks to redistribute power consumption of at least one of the hardware or software.

Claims

1. A method for extending the service life of a portable device, comprising:

monitoring power consumption of hardware of a portable device; and

reconfiguring the connection schema of the battery banks of the portable device to redistribute power consumption of the hardware.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

monitoring the power consumption of hardware; and

reconfiguring the connection schema of the battery banks of the portable device to dynamically change the level of power consumption of the portable device.

3. A method according to claim 2, where monitoring the power consumption of hardware comprises monitoring the power consumption of at least one of the CPU, hard drive, memory bus, brightness level, peripheral devices, input/output devices, or network adapters.

4. A method according to claim 2, where monitoring the power consumption of hardware comprises monitoring the power consumption of at least one of brightness level, peripheral devices, input/output devices, or network adapters.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the connection schema is reconfigured to use less power from at least one battery bank according to the power needs of the hardware of the portable device.

6. A portable device, comprising:

a battery comprising at least two battery banks and at least one spare bank;

a sensor for monitoring the status of the at least two battery banks;

a connecting controller for reconfiguring a connection schema of the battery to replace a problem bank with an extra or spare bank; and

a discharge/exercise controller for controlling the rate of discharge and recharge of the problem bank.

7. A portable device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting controller comprises a computing resource profile comprising a model based upon at least one of actual usage of the portable device;

a required level of power consumption;

or a chosen level of power consumption.

8. A portable device according to claim 6, wherein the portable device comprises a computer laptop.

9. A portable device according to claim 6, wherein the portable device comprises a cell phone, an MP3 player, a television, a personal digital assistant, or a tool.