Information handling system battery emulation testing system and method

• US 8,405,398 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Burkes, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruiz, Johali Torres
• Application Number:
  US13/173,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/06 Power analysis or power optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/367 Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods

Abstract

Information handling systems are tested for proper interaction with integrated batteries by simulating a battery connection at a battery port of the information handling system. A battery connector couples to the battery port and communicates through cables with a management bus, a programmable power source and a programmable load. The management bus supports communication with a battery management unit that imitates responses for the information handling system that are expected from a battery. A battery emulator controls the programmable power source and load to provide the information handling system with an expected battery response for confirming proper operation of the information handling system power subsystem without requiring insertion of an actual battery.

Claims

1. A system for testing an information handling system, the system comprising:

a battery connector operable to electrically couple with a battery port of an information handling system under test to transfer power and management information;

a programmable power supply interfaced with the battery connector and operable to provide a simulated battery discharge at the battery connector for transmission to the battery port, the simulated battery discharge having predetermined battery discharge parameters;

a programmable load interfaced with the battery connector and operable to accept an information handling system charge from the battery port through the battery connector, the programmable load having predetermined battery charge parameters;

a management bus controller interfaced with the battery connector and operable to communicate management information through the battery port to the information handling system under test;

a battery emulator interfaced with the programmable power supply, programmable load and management bus controller, the battery emulator operable to apply charge and discharge characteristics of a predetermined battery to emulate the predetermined battery discharge parameters, charge parameters and management information associated with the predetermined battery; and

a battery table interfaced with the battery emulator, the battery table storing plural battery types by battery type identification information, each battery type identification information having associated charge and discharge characteristics;

wherein the battery emulator is further operable to retrieve battery type identification information from the information handling system under test and to automatically apply the battery type identification information to select the predetermined battery type to emulate from plural battery types of the battery table by applying charge and discharge characteristics retrieved from the battery table.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a battery management unit interfaced with the management bus controller and the battery emulator, the battery management unit operable to generate the management information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery management unit comprises an integrated circuit configured for manufacture into a battery to manage battery interactions with an information handling system.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising battery management unit logic executing on the battery emulator and operable to generate management information of a battery management unit.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a power adapter operable to connect to an information handling system to provide power to the information handling system for generating a charge to transmit to the programmable load.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the programmable load battery charge parameters comprise an increasing load over a charge time that replicates a battery charge of the predetermined battery.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the programmable power supply battery discharge parameters comprise a decreasing current over a discharge time that replicates a battery discharge of the predetermined battery.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface generated by the battery emulator, the user interface presenting plural batteries available for emulation, each of the plural batteries having battery charge and discharge parameters, the user interface operable to accept an end user selection of one of the plural batteries and to apply the battery charge and discharge parameters associated with the end user selection for use by the programmable power supply and programmable load.

9. A method for testing an information handling system comprising:

inserting a battery connector into a battery port of the information handling system under test;

generating a simulated battery discharge current with a programmable power supply;

transmitting the simulated battery discharge current through a cable to the battery connector;

comparing information handling system under test operations in response to the simulated battery discharge current with predetermined operations to evaluate the operation of the information handling system under test power subsystem;

sending identification information from the information handling system under test through the battery port and battery connector to a battery emulator; and

automatically applying the identification information at the battery emulator to select a simulated battery current for transmission to the battery connector.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein sending identification information further comprises:

sending an identifier from the information handling system through a management bus connected to the battery port and battery connector;

receiving the identifier at a battery management unit interfaced with the management bus; and

sending the identifier from the battery management unit to the battery emulator.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

sending each of plural battery identifiers from a battery management unit through a management bus of the battery connector and battery port until the information handling system confirms a selected battery identifier;

communicating the selected battery identifier to a battery emulator; and

automatically applying the selected battery identifier at the battery emulator to select a simulated battery current for transmission to the battery connector.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting an information handling system identifier at a battery emulator;

applying the information handling system identifier to select a battery type from plural battery types, each of the plural battery types having an associated simulated battery current;

communicating the battery type to a battery management unit;

communicating the battery type from the battery management unit through a management bus, through the battery connector, through the battery port and to the information handling system; and

applying the battery type at the information handling system to accept the associated simulated battery current at the battery port.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating a battery charge current at the information handling system;

sending the battery charge current from the battery port through the battery connector to a programmable load that simulates a charging battery; and

comparing information handling system operations in response to the simulated programmable load with predetermined operations to evaluate the operation of the information handling system power subsystem.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

interfacing a battery management unit with the information handling system through the battery connector and battery port; and

coordinating between the battery management unit and the information handling system to manage the simulated battery discharge and the battery charge current.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein interfacing a battery management unit further comprises communicating between the information handling system and battery management unit through a SMBus of the battery connector.