Flexible cell battery systems and methods for powering information handling systems

• US 8,307,222 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ligong, Zhu, Qing Wei, Yang, Qing Shun, Zhu, Wei Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US12/586,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The number of battery cells connected together in a main battery conductor path of a multiple cell battery system of an information handling system may be varied in real time based on one or more operating conditions (e.g., system load power consumption, battery cell failure, etc.) of the information handling system. Defective battery cells may be bypassed such that the defective battery system may continue to operate and power an information handling system at a lower voltage, e.g., either temporarily, permanently or temporarily until the user procures a suitable replacement battery system. Interconnection of cells of a non-defective multiple cell battery system may also be selectively re-arranged to vary battery system voltage at particular times or during particular information handling system operation modes.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a system load;

a battery system having a main battery conductor path coupled to power the system load, the battery system comprising;

battery cell circuitry including multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in at least one of series relationship, parallel relationship, or a combination thereof,

one or more switching devices coupled to selectively bypass or remove each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry;

at least one processing device coupled to control the one or more switching devices to selectively bypass or remove one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load; and

memory coupled to the at least one processing device having stored thereon a lookup table of predetermined battery cell configurations versus information handling system status; and

where the at least one processing device is coupled to;

determine a modified battery cell configuration corresponding to a present operating status of the information handling system by accessing the lookup table stored in the memory, the modified battery cell configuration being different than a current battery cell configuration, and

change the current battery cell configuration to the determined modified battery cell configuration by bypassing or removing one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively vary the number of battery cells in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry based on the amount of power consumed by the system load.

3. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the system load comprises one or more components configured to operate in at least one power mode that consumes less power than at least one other power mode;

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively remove one or more of the multiple battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the one or more components of the system load operate in the power mode that consumes less power; and

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively add one or more of the multiple battery cells into the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the one or more components of the system load operate in the power mode that consumes more power or when the battery system is undergoing recharging operations.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is coupled to monitor the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry;

and wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove one or more defective or degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively re-insert one or more of the removed defective or degraded battery cells back into the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is no longer detected to be present.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is coupled to monitor the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry;

and wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove one or more degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-degraded battery cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, where the one or more switching devices are coupled to selectively bypass each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry, each of the one or more switching devices being coupled in parallel to a corresponding battery cell to form a conductive path around the corresponding battery cell;

and where the at least one processing device is coupled to selectively close each switching device corresponding to a given battery cell so as to form a conductive path around the corresponding battery cell so as to electrically bypass the corresponding battery cell within the main battery conductor path at the same time that the switching device corresponding to at least one other given battery cell remains open to leave the at least one other given battery cell electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path.

8. The information handling system of claim 1, where the battery cell circuitry includes multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in to form at least two parallel modules, each of the parallel modules comprising at least two battery cells coupled in series;

and where the at least one processing device is coupled to control the one or more switching devices to substantially balance voltage of the at least two parallel modules with each other upon occurrence of a voltage imbalance between the at least two modules that exists due to presence of a defective or degraded battery cell in at least a first one of the parallel modules by;

selectively bypassing or removing at least one battery cell of at least a second one of the parallel modules from series coupling in the main battery conductor path while leaving at least one other battery cell of the second parallel module coupled in series in the main battery conductor path so as to substantially balance the voltage of the second parallel module with the first parallel module.

9. The information handling system of claim 1, where the battery cell circuitry includes multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in parallel relationship.

10. The information handling system of claim 1, where the at least one processing device is coupled to control the one or more switching devices to vary the number of battery cells connected together in the main battery conductor path so that the battery cell configuration is different for charging operations than for discharging operations.

13. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the information handling system is a portable information handling system;

wherein the battery system is a replaceable battery pack of the portable information handling system; and

wherein the at least one processing device is a battery management unit (BMU) of the replaceable battery pack.

11. An information handling system, comprising:

a system load;

a battery system having a main battery conductor path coupled to power the system load, the battery system comprising;

battery cell circuitry including multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in at least one of series relationship, parallel relationship, or a combination thereof,

one or more switching devices coupled to selectively bypass or remove each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry; and

at least one processing device coupled to control the one or more switching devices to selectively bypass or remove one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load;

wherein the at least one processing device is coupled to monitor the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry; and

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove one or more defective or degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry; and

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to disable the entire battery system to prevent it from supplying any power to the system load after first allowing the at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell to continue to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry for a pre-determined operation time (T_OP) since time of first detection of a defective or degraded battery cell in the battery system.

12. The information handling system of claim 11, further comprising a video display device configured to display information to a user of the information handling system;

and wherein the at least one processing device is configured to generate a message for display to a user of the information handling system that informs the user of the pre-determined operation time (T_OP) remaining before the entire battery system is to be disabled.

14. The information handling system of claim 11, further comprising memory coupled to the at least one processing device having stored thereon a lookup table of predetermined battery cell configurations versus information handling system status;

and where the at least one processing device is coupled to;

determine a modified battery cell configuration corresponding to a present operating status of the information handling system by accessing the lookup table stored in the memory, the modified battery cell configuration being different than a current battery cell configuration; and

change the current battery cell configuration to the determined modified battery cell configuration by bypassing or removing one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load.

15. A method of controlling a battery system of an information handling system, comprising:

providing a battery system having a main battery conductor path coupled to power a system load of the information handling system, the battery system comprising;

battery cell circuitry including multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in at least one of series relationship, parallel relationship, or a combination thereof,

one or more switching devices coupled to selectively bypass or remove each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry;

controlling the one or more switching devices to selectively bypass or remove one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load;

providing memory including stored thereon a lookup table of predetermined battery cell configurations versus information handling system status;

determining a modified battery cell configuration corresponding to a present operating status of the information handling system by accessing the lookup table stored in the memory, the modified battery cell configuration being different than a current battery cell configuration; and

changing the current battery cell configuration to the determined modified battery cell configuration by bypassing or removing one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively vary the number of battery cells in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry based on the amount of power consumed by the system load.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising operating one or more components of the system load of the information handling system in at least one power mode that consumes less power than at least one other power mode;

controlling the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively remove one or more of the multiple battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the one or more components of the system load operate in the power mode that consumes less power; and

controlling the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively add one or more of the multiple battery cells into the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the one or more components of the system load operate in the power mode that consumes more power or when the battery system is undergoing recharging operations.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry;

detecting the defective or degraded voltage state of one or more of the battery cells of the battery cell circuitry; and

controlling the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove the one or more detected defective or degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising controlling the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively re-insert one or more of the removed defective or degraded battery cells back into the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is no longer detected to be present.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the information handling system is a portable information handling system;

and wherein the battery system is a replaceable battery pack of the portable information handling system.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry;

detecting the degraded voltage state of one or more of the battery cells of the battery cell circuitry; and

controlling the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove the one or more detected degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the degraded voltage state of the one or more degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-degraded battery cells remain cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry.

22. The method of claim 15, where the one or more switching devices are coupled to selectively bypass each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry, each of the one or more switching devices being coupled in parallel to a corresponding battery cell to form a conductive path around the corresponding battery cell;

and where the method further comprises controlling the one or more switching devices in real time to;

selectively close at least one of the switching devices corresponding to a given battery cell so as to form a conductive path around the corresponding battery cell so as to electrically bypass the corresponding battery cell within the main battery conductor path; and

at the same time selectively open at least one other of the switching devices corresponding to at least one other given battery cell to leave the at least one other given battery cell electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path.

23. The method of claim 15, where the battery cell circuitry includes multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in to form at least two parallel modules, each of the parallel modules comprising at least two battery cells coupled in series;

and where the method further comprises;

detecting the occurrence of a voltage imbalance between the two parallel modules that exists due to presence of a defective or degraded battery cell in at least a first one of the parallel modules; and

in response controlling the one or more switching devices to substantially balance voltage of the at least two parallel modules with each other by selectively bypassing or removing at least one battery cell of at least a second one of the parallel modules from series coupling in the main battery conductor path while leaving at least one other battery cell of the second parallel module coupled in series in the main battery conductor path so as to substantially balance the voltage of the second parallel module with the first parallel module.

24. The method of claim 15, where the battery cell circuitry includes multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in parallel relationship.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

charging and discharging the battery system; and

controlling the one or more switching devices to vary the number of battery cells connected together in the main battery conductor path so that the battery cell configuration is different for charging operations than for discharging operations.

26. A method of controlling a battery system of an information handling system, comprising:

providing a battery system having a main battery conductor path coupled to power a system load of the information handling system, the battery system comprising;

battery cell circuitry including multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in at least one of series relationship, parallel relationship, or a combination thereof,

one or more switching devices coupled to selectively bypass or remove each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry;

controlling the one or more switching devices to selectively bypass or remove one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load;

monitoring the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry;

detecting the defective or degraded voltage state of one or more of the battery cells of the battery cell circuitry; and

controlling the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove the one or more detected defective or degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry; and

disabling the entire battery system to prevent it from supplying any power to the system load of the information handling system after first allowing the at least one remaining non-defective or degraded battery cell cells to continue to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry for a pre-determined operation time (T_OP) since time of first detection of a defective or non-degraded battery cell in the battery system.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the information handling system further comprises a video display device;

and the method further comprises generating a message and displaying the generated message to a user of the information handling system to inform the user of the pre-determined operation time (T_OP) remaining before the entire battery system is to be disabled.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing memory including stored thereon a lookup table of predetermined battery cell configurations versus information handling system status;

determining a modified battery cell configuration corresponding to a present operating status of the information handling system by accessing the lookup table stored in the memory, the modified battery cell configuration being different than a current battery cell configuration; and

changing the current battery cell configuration to the determined modified battery cell configuration by bypassing or removing one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load.

29. A replaceable smart battery pack configured for powering an information handling system, comprising:

a main battery conductor path configured for coupling to power the system load;

battery cell circuitry including multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in at least one of series relationship, parallel relationship, or a combination thereof;

one or more switching devices coupled to selectively bypass or remove each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry;

at least one processing device coupled to control the one or more switching devices to selectively bypass or remove one or more of the multiple battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load; and

memory coupled to the at least one processing device having stored thereon a lookup table of predetermined battery cell configurations versus information handling system status; and

where the at least one processing device is coupled to;

determine a modified battery cell configuration corresponding to a present operating status of the information handling system by accessing the lookup table stored in the memory, the modified battery cell configuration being different than a current battery cell configuration, and

change the current battery cell configuration to the determined modified battery cell configuration by bypassing or removing one or more of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load.

30. The replaceable smart battery pack of claim 29, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively vary the number of battery cells in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry based on the amount of power consumed by the system load.

31. The replaceable smart battery pack of claim 30, wherein the main battery conductor path is configured for coupling to one or more system load components of the information handling system that are configured to operate in at least one power mode that consumes less power than at least one other power mode;

wherein the at least one processing device of the replaceable smart battery pack is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively remove one or more of the multiple battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the one or more components of the system load operate in the power mode that consumes less power; and

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time to selectively add one or more of the multiple battery cells into the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the one or more components of the system load operate in the power mode that consumes more power or when the smart battery pack is undergoing recharging operations.

32. The replaceable smart battery pack of claim 29, wherein the at least one processing device is coupled to monitor the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry;

and wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove one or more defective or degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cells remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry.

33. The replaceable smart battery park of claim 32, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively re-insert one or more of the removed defective or degraded battery cells back into the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is no longer detected to be present.

34. A replaceable smart battery pack configured for powering an information handling system, comprising:

a main battery conductor path configured for coupling to power the system load;

battery cell circuitry including multiple battery cells coupled together in the main battery conductor path in at least one of series relationship, parallel relationship, or a combination thereof;

one or more switching devices coupled to selectively bypass or remove each of the multiple battery cells separately from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry; and

at least one processing device coupled to control the one or more switching devices to selectively bypass or remove one or more of the multiple battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry while leaving one or more others of the multiple battery cells included in the main battery conductor path of the battery cell so that the battery cell remains capable of powering the information handling system load;

wherein the at least one processing device is coupled to monitor the voltage of each of the multiple battery cells of the battery cell circuitry; and

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to control the one or more switching devices in real time so as to selectively bypass or remove one or more defective or degraded battery cells from the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry when the defective or degraded voltage state of the one or more defective or degraded battery cells is detected such that at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell remains electrically coupled within the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry and continues to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry; and

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to disable the entire battery system to prevent it from supplying any power to the system load after first allowing the at least one remaining non-defective or non-degraded battery cell to continue to supply power to the main battery conductor path of the battery cell circuitry for a pre-determined operation time (T_OP) since time of first detection of a defective or degraded battery cell in the battery system.