Electrical apparatus, computer, and power switching method

• US 7,206,944 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Masaki, Odaohhara, Shigefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen; Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/283,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrically powered apparatus having a system body obtains power from an AC adapter connected to the system body. The system body and AC adapter are powered from a commercial power source. A battery connected to the system body is charged, then discharged to power the system body. An embedded controller suppresses power supplied from the AC adapter on a predetermined condition while both the AC adapter and the battery are connected to the system body. In a peak shifting time zone, switches are opened to enable the battery to power the system body. When the capacity of the battery is insufficient, a switch is closed to enable the AC adapter to power an inverter. When the capacity of the battery is still insufficient, another switch is closed to enable the AC adapter to power the CPU.

Claims

1. An electrical apparatus comprising:

a plurality of subsystems;

a power adapter operable to power each of the plurality of subsystems with power received from a commercial power source;

a battery operable to power each of the plurality of subsystems;

a plurality of switches operable to switch a power supply to each of the plurality of subsystems between the power adapter and the battery; and

a controller operable to control the plurality of switches, wherein the controller is further operable to

control the plurality of switches to switch the power supply to each of the plurality of subsystems to the battery at a start of a peak power reduction time zone so that each of the plurality of subsystems is powered by the battery at the start of the peak power reduction time zone,

determine whether the battery will be able to power each of the plurality of subsystems until an end of the peak power reduction time zone, and

change at least one of the plurality of switches to switch the power supply to at least one of the plurality of subsystems from the battery to the power adapter responsive to a determination that the battery will not be able to power each of the plurality of subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone so that the at least one subsystem is powered by the power adapter while one or more other subsystems are concurrently powered by the battery,

wherein the peak power reduction time zone is a period of time during a day associated with high power consumption.

2. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein determination of whether the battery will be able to power each of the plurality of subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone is based on a residual capacity of the battery and a discharging current from the battery.

3. The electrical apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a current measuring circuit operable to measure the discharging current from the battery.

4. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to determine whether the battery will be able to power each of the one or more other subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone, and

change at least another of the plurality of switches to switch the power supply to at least one of the one or more other subsystems from the battery to the power adapter responsive to a determination that the battery will not be able to power each of the one or more other subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone.

5. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power adapter is an AC adapter.

6. A computer comprising:

a plurality of subsystems;

a power adapter operable to power each of the plurality of subsystems with power received from a commercial power source;

a battery operable to power each of the plurality of subsystems;

a plurality of switches operable to switch a power supply to each of the plurality of subsystems between the power adapter and the battery; and

a controller operable to control the plurality of switches, wherein the controller is further operable to

control the plurality of switches to switch the power supply to each of the plurality of subsystems to the battery at a start of a peak power reduction time zone so that each of the plurality of subsystems is powered by the battery at the start of the peak power reduction time zone,

determine whether the battery will be able to power each of the plurality of subsystems until an end of the peak power reduction time zone, and

change at least one of the plurality of switches to switch the power supply to at least one of the plurality of subsystems from the battery to the power adapter responsive to a determination that the battery will not be able to power each of the plurality of subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone so that the at least one subsystem is powered by the power adapter while one or more other subsystems are concurrently powered by the battery,

wherein the peak power reduction time zone is a period of time during a day associated with high power consumption.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein determination of whether the battery will be able to power each of the plurality of subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone is based on a residual capacity of the battery and a discharging current from the battery.

8. The computer of claim 7, further comprising a current measuring circuit operable to measure the discharging current from the battery.

9. The computer of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operable to determine whether the battery will be able to power each of the one or more other subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone, and

change at least another of the plurality of switches to switch the power supply to at least one of the one or more other subsystems from the battery to the power adapter responsive to a determination that the battery will not be able to power each of the one or more other subsystems until the end of the peak power reduction time zone.

10. The computer of claim 6, wherein the power adapter is an AC adapter.

11. The computer of claim 6, wherein the computer is a desktop computer or a laptop computer.