Method, apparatus, and system for power source failure prediction

• US 7,630,843 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Don J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barbee; Manuel L
• Application Number:
  US11/525,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702/58, 702/60, 702 63- 65, 320/135, 320/136, 324/600, 324/691, 324/713, 340/636.1, 340/636.11, 340/636.12, 340/636.15, 340/636.17, 340/636.19, 340660-663, 713/340, 361/88, 361/92
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

Some embodiments of a method, apparatus, and system for power source failure prediction are described. According to some embodiments, the system may include, among other things, a display device to draw power from a direct current power source, two or more electrical lines positioned on either side of the direct current power source to determine a voltage across the direct current power source, and a power source management unit coupled to the two or more electrical lines to measure the voltage. In some embodiments, a cell monitoring unit may be coupled to the two or more electrical lines to measure the voltage for the power source management unit, where the cell monitoring unit is capable of converting the measured voltage to a digital signal, measuring the rate of change of the voltage over a period of time, and providing information to the power source management unit. Other embodiments are described.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

two or more electrical lines positioned on either side of a direct current power source to determine a first voltage and a second voltage across the direct current power source when the direct current power source is to provide power to a computing platform; and

a power source management unit coupled to the two or more electrical lines to;

measure the first voltage in a first time instant during one or more power loading conditions of the computing platform and to measure the second voltage in a second time instant during the one or more power loading conditions of the computing platform;

determine a rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the measured first and second voltages; and

predict failure of the direct current power source based on the rate of change.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source management unit comprises a voltage measurement module to measure the rate of change between the first voltage and the second voltages, wherein the voltage measurement module comprises an analog-to-digital converter to convert the measured first and second voltages to a first and a second digital signal respectively, and wherein the power source management unit to determine the rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the measured first and second voltages is to determine the rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the first and second digital signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the voltage measurement module in the power source management unit is further to compare the rate of change between the first and second voltages with a threshold rate of change between the first and second voltages and send an alert signal when the rate of change between the first and second voltages approaches the threshold rate of change.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the direct current power source includes a battery or a fuel cell or both.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the direct current power source is in one or more cells.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a cell monitoring unit coupled with the two or more electrical lines to;

measure the first and second voltages for the power source management unit, wherein the cell monitoring unit is capable of converting the measured first and second voltages to a first and a second digital signal respectively;

measure the rate of change between the first and second voltage; and

provide information to the power source management unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the power source management unit comprises:

a voltage measurement module to measure the first and the second voltages; and

an analog front end coupled with the voltage measurement module to drive a charge transistor to charge the direct current power source and to drive a discharge transistor to facilitate operation of the computing platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the power source management unit further comprises:

a power gauging module coupled with the analog front end to determine how much electrical energy is stored in the direct current power source;

a protection module coupled with the analog front end to protect the direct current power source from a potential failure event; and

an interface coupled with the analog front end to interface with a system processor of the computing platform.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the protection module is to:

receive an alert signal from the voltage measurement module; and

signal the analog front end to drive the discharge transistor to substantially isolate the direct current power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, where the power source management unit is further to determine the one or more power loading conditions of the computing platform.

11. A system, comprising:

a display device to draw power from a direct current power source of a computing platform;

two or more electrical lines positioned on either side of the direct current power source to determine a first and a second voltage across the direct current power source; and

a power source management unit coupled to the two or more electrical lines to;

measure the first voltage in a first time instant during one or more power loading conditions of the computing platform and to measure the second voltage in a second time instant during the one or more power loading conditions of the computing platform;

determine rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the measured first and second voltages; and

predict failure of the direct current power source based on the rate of change.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the power source management unit comprises a voltage measurement module to measure the rate of change between the first and second voltages, wherein the voltage measurement module comprises an analog-to-digital converter to convert the measured first and second voltages to a first and a second digital signal respectively, and wherein the power source management unit to determine the rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the measured first and second voltages is to determine the rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the first and second digital signals.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the voltage measurement module is to:

compare the rate of change between the first and second voltages with a threshold rate of change between the first and second voltages; and

send an alert signal when the rate of change between the first and second voltages approaches the threshold rate of change.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the direct current power source includes a battery or a fuel cell or both.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the direct current power source is in one or more cells.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a cell monitoring unit coupled with the two or more electrical lines to;

measure the first and second voltages for the power source management unit, wherein the cell monitoring unit is capable of converting the measured first and second voltages to a first and a second digital signal respectively;

measure the rate of change between the first and second voltages; and

provide information to the power source management unit.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises a mobile computing platform or a server computing platform.

18. The system of claim 11, where the power source management unit comprises:

a voltage measurement module to measure the first and the second voltages; and

an analog front end coupled with the voltage measurement module to drive a charge transistor to charge the direct current power source and to drive a discharge transistor to facilitate operation of the computing platform.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the power source management unit further comprises:

a power gauging module coupled with the analog front end to determine how much electrical energy is stored in the direct current power source;

a protection module coupled with the analog front end to protect the direct current power source from a potential failure event; and

an interface coupled with the analog front end to interface with a system processor of the computing platform.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the protection module is to:

receive an alert signal from the voltage measurement module; and

signal the analog front end to drive the discharge transistor to substantially isolate the direct current power source.

21. The system of claim 11, where the power source management unit is further to determine the one or more power loading conditions of the computing platform.

22. A method, comprising:

determining a power loading condition of a computing platform;

monitoring a first and a second voltage of a direct current power source during the determined power loading condition of the computing platform over a period of time;

determining a rate of change in equivalent resistance of the direct current power source based on the first and second voltages;

comparing the rate of change with a threshold rate of change; and

issuing an alert when the rate of change approaches the threshold rate of change.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising continuing to monitor the first and second voltages.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising storing the alert, the measured first and second voltages, or the actual rate of change.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining an updated threshold rate of change.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising stopping the monitoring for a period of time.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the alert is issued when the actual rate of change is substantially equal to or greater than the threshold rate of change.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining the period of time.