Method and apparatus for controlling selection of batteries
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal;
detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries;
means for selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the device while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery;
means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and for isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery;
means for reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage; and
signaling means for signaling a power condition of the first battery when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage.
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Abstract
In a battery-driven computer system, a flip-flop circuit selects one of two switches for switching a power supply to the computer system in accordance with the terminal voltages of batteries detected by detecting circuits. When the first switch is switched on, the first battery coupled to the first switch supplies its power to the computer system. In this case, the second switch is switched off and the power from the second battery coupled to the second switch is not supplied to the computer system. When the terminal voltage of the first battgnal representing the power condition of the batteries.
81 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal; detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries; means for selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the device while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery; means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and for isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; means for reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage; and signaling means for signaling a power condition of the first battery when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An information processing system comprising:
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a computer system; a plurality of batteries for supplying power to the computer system, each battery having a terminal; detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries; and means for selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the computer system while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery; means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the computer system, and for isolating the first battery from the computer system while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; means for reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage; and signaling means for signaling a power condition of the first battery when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a system having a device and a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal, a method for supplying power to the device, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting voltages of the plurality of batteries; selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the device while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery; selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage; and signaling a power condition of the first battery when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal; detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries; calculating means for calculating power consumption of the first battery from the detected voltages in the first battery, to obtain remaining power of the first battery; and means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the remaining power in the first battery is less than a predetermined power, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and for isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; and signaling means for signaling a power condition of the first battery when the obtained remaining power is less than the predetermined power. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal; detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries; means for selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the device while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery; means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and for isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; and means for reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage.
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28. An information processing system comprising:
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a computer system; a plurality of batteries for supplying power to the computer system, each battery having a terminal; detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries; means for selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the computer system while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery; means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the computer system, and for isolating the first battery from the computer system while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; and means for reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage.
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29. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal; detecting means for detecting voltages of the batteries; calculating means for calculating power consumption of the first battery from the detected voltages in the first battery, to obtain remaining power of the first battery; and means for selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the remaining power in the first battery is less than a predetermined power, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and for isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery.
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30. In a system having a device and a plurality of batteries, each battery having a terminal, a method for supplying power to the device, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting voltages of the plurality of batteries; selecting a first battery from the plurality of batteries when a detected voltage in the first battery is larger than a predetermined voltage, to supply power from the first battery to the device while conducting a positive current through the terminal of the first battery; selecting a second battery from the plurality of batteries when the detected voltage in the first battery is less than the predetermined voltage, to supply power from the second battery to the device, and isolating the first battery from the device while conducting a current no less than zero through the terminal of the first battery; and reselecting the first battery when the detected voltage in the second battery is less than the predetermined voltage.
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31. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
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first and second batteries for supplying power to the device; first detecting means for detecting a voltage of the first battery; second detecting means for detecting a voltage of the second battery; first signaling means, responsive to the first detecting means, for signaling a power condition of the first battery; and second signaling means, responsive to the second detecting means, for signaling a power condition of the second battery. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. An information processing system comprising:
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a computer system; first and second batteries for supplying power to the computer system; first detecting means for detecting a voltage to the first battery; second detecting means for detecting a voltage of the second battery; first signaling means, responsive to the first detecting means, for signaling a power condition of the first battery; and second signaling means, responsive to the second detecting means, for signaling a power condition of the second battery. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for supplying power to a device, the apparatus comprising:
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first and second batteries for supplying power to the device; first detecting means for detecting a power dissipation of the first battery; second detecting means for detecting a power dissipation of the second battery; computing means, responsive to the first and second detecting means, for computing respective remaining capacities of the first and second batteries; and displaying means for displaying the respective remaining capacities of the first and second batteries. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. An information processing system, comprising:
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a computer system; first and second batteries for supplying power to the computer system; first detecting means for detecting a power dissipation of the first battery; second detecting means for detecting a power dissipation of the second battery; computing means, responsive to the first and second detecting means, for computing remaining respective capacities of the first and second batteries; and displaying means for displaying the respective remaining capacities of the first and second batteries. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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Specification