Increased battery capacity utilizing multiple smart batteries

• US 6,262,562 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2000
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Critz, Chrisitan L., Quintero, Leonardo, Cummings, John A., Godsted, Jeffrey W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/697,480
• Time in Patent Office: 264 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery

Abstract

A method for allowing a data processing system to use multiple smart batteries substantially simultaneously coupled to the same smart bus, the method including but not limited to detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus; and selectively controlling at least one of the at least two smart batteries via isolation of the smart battery bus clock signal. In one embodiment, circuitry is used to effect the foregoing-described method; the circuitry can be virtually any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effect the foregoing-described method depending upon the design choices of the system designer.

Claims

1. A data processing system allowing use of multiple smart batteries substantially simultaneously coupled to the same smart bus, said data processing system comprising:

circuitry for detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus, wherein said circuitry for detecting includes one or more electrical circuits selected from the group including but not limited to electrical circuits having at least one discrete circuit, electrical circuits having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuits having at least one application specific integrated circuit, and electrical circuits providing a general purpose computing device configurable by a computer program;

circuitry for selectively controlling at least one of the at least two smart batteries via isolation of the smart battery bus clock signal, said circuitry for selectively controlling operably coupled to said circuitry for detecting, wherein said circuitry for selectively controlling includes one or more electrical circuits selected from the group including but not limited to electrical circuits having at least one discrete circuit, electrical circuits having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuits having at least one application specific integrated circuit, and electrical circuits providing a general purpose computing device configurable by a computer program,; and

at least one of said circuitry for detecting and said circuitry for selectively controlling operably coupled, either directly or through one or more intermedial circuits, to at least one data processing system component selected from the group comprising a processor device, a display device, a memory device, and a communication device.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

said circuitry for selectively controlling operably coupled to a tray battery coupling apparatus, the tray battery coupling apparatus selected from the group comprising a docking connection and a battery/media bay connection; and

the tray battery coupling apparatus integrated into a battery tray for holding the at least two smart batteries.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

circuitry for detecting the presence of battery present signals on at least two smart battery connectors.

4. The data processing system of claim 3, wherein said circuitry for detecting the presence of the at least two smart battery connectors further comprises:

circuitry for polling for the presence of battery present signals on the at least two smart battery connectors.

5. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

circuitry for detecting the addition or removal of a smart battery.

6. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

circuitry for initializing newly detected batteries into a passive mode.

7. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry for selectively controlling at least one of the at least two smart batteries via isolation of the smart battery bus clock signal further comprises:

circuitry for isolating the at least one of the at least two smart batteries.

8. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein said circuitry for isolating a smart battery connector from among at least two smart battery connectors further comprises:

circuitry for coupling an SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for coupling an SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector further comprises:

circuitry for switching the SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector via a control signal from a processor.

10. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein said circuitry for coupling an SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector further comprises:

circuitry for switching the SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector via a control signal from a programmable SMBus device.

11. A method for allowing a data processing system to use multiple smart batteries substantially simultaneously coupled to the same smart bus, said method comprising:

detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus; and

selectively controlling at least one of the at least two smart batteries via isolation of the smart battery bus clock signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

the at least two smart batteries located within a battery tray for holding the at least two smart batteries.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

detecting the presence of battery present signals on at least two smart battery connectors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said detecting the presence of the at least two smart battery connectors further comprises:

polling for the presence of battery present signals on the at least two smart battery connectors.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

detecting the addition or removal of a smart battery.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said detecting at least two smart batteries connected to a smart battery bus further comprises:

initializing newly detected batteries into a passive mode.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said selectively controlling at least one of the at least two smart batteries via isolation of the smart battery bus clock signal further comprises:

isolating the at least one of the at least two smart batteries.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said isolating a smart battery connector from among at least two smart battery connectors further comprises:

coupling an SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said coupling an SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector further comprises:

switching the SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector via a control signal from a processor.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said coupling an SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector further comprises:

switching the SMBus clock signal of the data processing system to the SMBus clock line of the isolated smart battery connector via a control signal from a programmable SMBus device.