System and method for battery management using host processing
First Claim
1. A battery management system using host processing, comprising:
- a battery pack circuit housed within a battery pack which includes a rechargeable battery, said battery pack circuit comprising;
a temperature sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the temperature of said battery, a voltage sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the voltage across said battery, and a first interface means for conveying said temperature sensing circuit output and said voltage sensing circuit output out of said battery pack for calculation of battery status by an external processor, a second interface means housed within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery pack, said second interface means receiving said temperature sensing circuit output and said voltage sensing circuit output from said battery pack circuit, a battery management circuit housed within said portable computer and external to said battery pack circuit, said battery management circuit comprising a current sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, a host system which includes at least one processor housed within said portable computer, and a battery management application program which is executed by said host system, said program arranged to receive data representing the outputs of said battery temperature, voltage, and current sensing circuits and to perform all processing of said data required to determine battery status including battery capacity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for portable computer battery management using host processing relocates analog and digital components needed to implement the SBDS standard from the battery pack to the computer, which processes the acquired battery data using the host processor. The battery pack requires only battery temperature and voltage sensing circuits, and an interface circuit for conveying the sensed data out of the battery pack. The portable computer includes a circuit which senses current provided to or drawn from the battery. Battery temperature, voltage and current data is provided to the computer'"'"'s host system, which executes a battery management application program to determine battery status in accordance with the SBDS standard.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A battery management system using host processing, comprising:
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a battery pack circuit housed within a battery pack which includes a rechargeable battery, said battery pack circuit comprising;
a temperature sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the temperature of said battery, a voltage sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the voltage across said battery, and a first interface means for conveying said temperature sensing circuit output and said voltage sensing circuit output out of said battery pack for calculation of battery status by an external processor, a second interface means housed within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery pack, said second interface means receiving said temperature sensing circuit output and said voltage sensing circuit output from said battery pack circuit, a battery management circuit housed within said portable computer and external to said battery pack circuit, said battery management circuit comprising a current sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, a host system which includes at least one processor housed within said portable computer, and a battery management application program which is executed by said host system, said program arranged to receive data representing the outputs of said battery temperature, voltage, and current sensing circuits and to perform all processing of said data required to determine battery status including battery capacity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A battery management system using host processing, comprising:
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a battery pack circuit housed within a battery pack which includes a rechargeable battery, said battery pack circuit comprising;
a temperature sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the temperature of said battery, a voltage sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the voltage across said battery, and a first interface means for conveying said temperature sensing circuit output and said voltage sensing circuit output out of said battery pack, a second interface means housed within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery pack, said second interface means receiving said temperature sensing circuit output and said voltage sensing circuit output from said battery pack circuit, a battery management circuit housed within said portable computer, said battery management circuit comprising a current sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, a host system which includes at least one processor housed within said portable computer, and a battery management application program which is executed by said host system, said program arranged to receive data representing the outputs of said battery temperature, voltage, and current sensing circuits and to process said data to determine battery status, wherein said battery management circuit'"'"'s current sensing circuit comprises;
a current sense resistor connected to carry current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, a differential amplifier which provides an output that varies with the voltage developed across said current sense resistor, a voltage-to-frequency (V/F) converter which provides an output frequency which varies with said differential amplifier'"'"'s voltage output, an up/down coulomb counter which counts up when current flows through said current sense resistor in a first direction, counts down when current flows through said current sense resistor in the opposite direction, and which produces a digital output that represents its internal count, and a third interface means which conveys said counter'"'"'s output to said host system.
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14. A battery management system which uses host processing and complies with the Smart Battery Data Specification (SBDS), comprising:
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a battery pack circuit housed within a battery pack which includes a multi-cell rechargeable battery, said battery pack circuit comprising;
a temperature sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the temperature of said battery, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which converts the voltage across at least one of the cells of said battery to a digital value, a data storage device arranged to store said ADC and temperature outputs, and a first SMBus interface circuit for conveying said temperature sensing circuit output and said ADC output out of said battery pack for calculation of battery status by an external processor, a second SMBus interface circuit housed within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery pack, said second SMBus interface circuit receiving said temperature sensing circuit output and said ADC output from said battery pack circuit, a host processor housed within said portable computer, a battery management circuit housed within said portable computer and external to said battery pack circuit, said battery management circuit comprising;
a current sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, and a third SMBus interface circuit which conveys said current sensing circuit output to said host processor, an SMBus which conveys data between said battery pack circuit, said battery management circuit, and said host processor, and a battery management application program which is executed by said host processor, said program arranged to receive data representing the outputs of said temperature, said ADC, and said current sensing circuit and to perform all calculations required by said SBDS to determine battery status including battery capacity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A battery management system which uses host processing and complies with the Smart Battery Data Specification (SBDS), comprising:
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a battery pack circuit housed within a battery pack which includes a multi-cell rechargeable battery, said battery pack circuit comprising;
a temperature sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the temperature of said battery, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which converts the voltage across at least one of the cells of said battery to a digital value, a data storage device arranged to store said ADC and temperature outputs, and a first SMBus interface circuit for conveying said temperature sensing circuit output and said ADC output out of said battery pack, a second SMBus interface circuit housed within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery pack, said second SMBus interface circuit receiving said temperature sensing circuit output and said ADC output from said battery pack circuit, a host processor housed within said portable computer, a battery management circuit housed within said portable computer, said battery management circuit comprising;
a current sensing circuit which produces an output that varies with the current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, and a third SMBus interface circuit which conveys said current sensing circuit output to said host processor, an SMBus which conveys data between said battery pack circuit, said battery management circuit, and said host processor, and a battery management application program which is executed by said host processor, said program arranged to receive data representing the outputs of said temperature, said ADC, and said current sensing circuit and to perform calculations required by said SBDS to determine battery status, wherein said battery management circuit'"'"'s current sensing circuit comprises;
a current sense resistor connected to carry current provided to or drawn from said battery pack, a differential amplifier which provides an output that varies with the voltage developed across said current sense resistor, a voltage-to-frequency (V/F) converter which provides an output frequency which varies with said differential amplifier'"'"'s voltage output, and an up/down coulomb counter which counts up when current flows through said current sense resistor in a first direction and which counts down when current flows through said current sense resistor in the opposite direction, and which produces a digital output that represents its internal count, said digital output provided to said host processor via said third SMBus interface circuit, said battery management circuit further comprising;
charging circuitry which provides charging current to said battery in response to a control signal, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) which is connected to said SMBus at its input and which produces said control signal to said charging circuitry at its output.
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20. A method of acquiring and processing battery status data for a rechargeable battery which is housed within a battery pack and used to power a portable computer in accordance with the Smart Battery Data Specification (SBDS), comprising:
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sensing the voltage of said battery, sensing the temperature of said battery, sensing the current provided to or drawn from said battery, conveying said battery voltage, temperature, and current data out of said battery pack and to a host system which includes a processor within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery for calculation of battery status by said processor, and performing all battery status calculations required by said SBDS using said processor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of acquiring and processing battery status data for a rechargeable battery used to power a portable computer in accordance with the Smart Battery Data Specification (SBDS), comprising:
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sensing the voltage of said battery, sensing the temperature of said battery, sensing the current provided to or drawn from said battery, conveying said battery voltage, temperature, and current data to a host system which includes a processor within a portable computer capable of being powered by said battery, and performing calculations required by said SBDS using said processor, wherein said current is sensed by;
inserting a resistance in the conductive path which carries current between said battery and said portable computer, sensing the voltage across said resistance, generating an oscillating waveform having a frequency which varies with said sensed voltage, and counting the oscillations present in said waveform such that the count is incremented when current flows through said resistance in a first direction and said count is decremented when current flows through said resistance in the opposite direction such that said count varies with said sensed current.
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Specification