Smart battery selector offering power conversion internally within a portable device
First Claim
1. A controller for a battery selector that is adapted for use with at least two smart batteries, said smart batteries being capable of providing electrical power for energizing operation of a portable device and also providing battery-state data via a bus to a host computer included in the portable device, the battery-state data provided by the smart batteries including a battery-condition alarm-message which indicates that the smart battery that transmits the battery-condition alarm-message has experienced a pre-specified conditions the controller comprising:
- smart-battery-selection switch-drivers at least equal in number to the smart batteries included in the portable device, each smart-battery-selection switch-driver being associated with a specific smart battery and providing a battery selection-signal for effecting a selection of the associated smart battery which causes the selected smart battery to energize operation of the portable device;
an internal-power-converter switch-driver associated with at least one of the smart batteries to select, for supplying electrical power to energize operation of the portable device, an external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by an internal electrical-power converter which physically replaces one of the smart batteries;
a control electronic-circuit that controls operation of the smart-battery-selection switch-drivers and the internal-power-converter switch-driver for selecting to energize operation of the portable device at any instant either;
a. the smart battery associated with a particular smart-battery-selection switch-driver;
orb. the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter;
an internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit for sensing voltage provided by the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter, if the voltage sensed by said internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit exceeds a pre-established threshold, the controller transmitting a signal to said control electronic-circuit directing said control electronic-circuit to select the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter to energize operation of the portable device; and
a bus-snooper circuit that independently of the host computer monitors the bus for the battery-condition alarm-message from the smart batteries, and that upon detecting the battery-condition alarm-message transmits a signal to said control electronic-circuit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A controller for a smart battery selector included in a portable device has a plurality of switch-drivers at least equal to a plurality of smart batteries. The batteries provide battery-state data via a bus to a host computer included in the portable device. Each switch-driver effects selection of an associated battery. A control electronic-circuit in the controller directs operation of the switch-drivers for selecting the battery so that at any instant only one battery powers the portable device. A bus-snooper circuit permits the controller to independently monitor the bus for battery-condition alarm-messages. The controller may respond to such messages by selecting a different battery. The controller may also select a single battery for recharging, and may terminate charging upon receiving a battery overcharge message.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A controller for a battery selector that is adapted for use with at least two smart batteries, said smart batteries being capable of providing electrical power for energizing operation of a portable device and also providing battery-state data via a bus to a host computer included in the portable device, the battery-state data provided by the smart batteries including a battery-condition alarm-message which indicates that the smart battery that transmits the battery-condition alarm-message has experienced a pre-specified conditions the controller comprising:
-
smart-battery-selection switch-drivers at least equal in number to the smart batteries included in the portable device, each smart-battery-selection switch-driver being associated with a specific smart battery and providing a battery selection-signal for effecting a selection of the associated smart battery which causes the selected smart battery to energize operation of the portable device; an internal-power-converter switch-driver associated with at least one of the smart batteries to select, for supplying electrical power to energize operation of the portable device, an external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by an internal electrical-power converter which physically replaces one of the smart batteries; a control electronic-circuit that controls operation of the smart-battery-selection switch-drivers and the internal-power-converter switch-driver for selecting to energize operation of the portable device at any instant either; a. the smart battery associated with a particular smart-battery-selection switch-driver;
orb. the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter; an internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit for sensing voltage provided by the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter, if the voltage sensed by said internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit exceeds a pre-established threshold, the controller transmitting a signal to said control electronic-circuit directing said control electronic-circuit to select the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter to energize operation of the portable device; and a bus-snooper circuit that independently of the host computer monitors the bus for the battery-condition alarm-message from the smart batteries, and that upon detecting the battery-condition alarm-message transmits a signal to said control electronic-circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A battery powered portable device comprising:
-
a host computer; at least two smart batteries, said smart batteries being capable of providing electrical power for energizing operation of the portable device; a bus to which said smart batteries may be coupled and over which said smart batteries may transmit battery-state data to said host computer, the battery-state data provided by said smart batteries including a battery-condition alarm-message which indicates that said smart battery that transmits the battery-condition alarm-message has experienced a pre-specified condition; and a battery selector that is coupled to said smart batteries, said battery selector including a controller that has; smart-battery-selection switch-drivers at least equal in number to the smart batteries included in the portable device, each smart-battery-selection switch-driver being associated with a specific smart battery and providing a battery selection-signal for effecting a selection of the associated smart battery which causes the selected smart battery to energize operation of the portable device; an internal-power-converter switch-driver associated with at least one of the smart batteries to select, for supplying electrical power to energize operation of the portable device, an external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by an internal electrical-power converter which physically replaces one of the smart batteries; a control electronic-circuit that controls operation of the smart-battery-selection switch-drivers and the internal-power-converter switch-driver for selecting to energize operation of the portable device at any instant either; a. said smart battery associated with a particular smart-battery-selection switch-driver;
orb. the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter; an internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit for sensing voltage provided by the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter, if the voltage sensed by said internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit exceeds a pre-established threshold, the controller transmitting a signal to said control electronic-circuit directing said control electronic-circuit to select the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter to energize operation of the portable device; and a bus-snooper circuit that independently of said host computer monitors said bus for the battery-condition alarm-message from said smart batteries, and that upon detecting the battery-condition alarm-message transmits a signal to said control electronic-circuit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification