Dual rate charger for notebook computer

• US 9,379,558 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seethaler, Kenneth Scott, Odaohhara, Shigefumi, Yamaguchi, Hiromitsu, Imai, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US13/042,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20120229074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320124-127, 320/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A apparatus includes an AC adapter input, a main battery charger coupled to the input to charge a main battery, system logic to execute code stored on storage devices, and an expansion battery connector coupled to the input to provide sufficient current to enable charging of an expansion battery at a rate higher than a maximum charge rate of the main battery charger.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an alternating current (AC) adapter input to couple to an external AC adapter;

a main battery disposed within the computing device;

a main battery charger disposed within the computing device and coupled to the AC adapter input, the main battery charger to charge the main battery;

a first diode coupled between the main battery charger and the AC adapter input;

a processor and storage device disposed within the computing device to receive power from the main battery and coupled to receive power from the AC adapter input while bypassing the main battery charger;

a first external expansion battery connector coupled to the AC adapter input through the first diode, the first external expansion battery connector bypassing the main battery charger, the first external expansion battery connector to provide sufficient current from the AC adapter input to enable charging of an external expansion battery having an external battery charger at a rate higher than a maximum charge rate of the main battery charger, the external expansion battery external to the computing device;

a second external expansion battery connector coupled to the processor and storage device;

a second diode coupled between the second external expansion battery connector and the processor and storage device, the second diode to allow current to flow from the external expansion battery to the processor and storage device and the main battery charger; and

a third diode coupled between the main battery and the processor and storage device, the third diode electrically in parallel with the main battery charger and to allow current to flow from the main battery to the processor and storage device;

wherein the first diode is also coupled between the AC adapter input and the first external expansion battery connector, the first diode to allow current to flow to the main battery charger, the processor and storage device, and the first external expansion battery connector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising logic to control a switch coupled between the external charger and the expansion battery in an expansion battery unit as a function of a size of the AC adapter coupled to the AC adapter input and a type of battery and expansion charger in the expansion battery unit coupled to the first expansion battery connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first expansion battery connector selectively couples current from the AC adapter input to the external battery charger and provides current from the external expansion battery to the second expansion battery connector.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a third expansion battery connector to couple the expansion battery charger to the main battery to charge the main battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 and further comprising logic to control a switch in an expansion battery unit as a function of a size of the AC adapter and a type of battery and expansion charger in the expansion battery unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the logic further selectively controls the switch and a further switch disposed within the computing device between the main battery charger and main battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 and further comprising an external expansion battery unit, the expansion battery unit comprising:

the external expansion charger having a charge rate that is higher than a maximum charge rate of the main battery charger;

the external expansion battery; and

a switch coupled between the expansion charger and the expansion battery, wherein the switch is controllable by the logic.

2. The apparatus of claim and further comprising a switch between the main battery charger and a connector for the main battery to selectively couple the main battery charger to a main battery when the main battery is present.

9. A method of providing power to a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting whether an AC adapter coupled to the computing device is capable of providing sufficient power to charge an expansion battery in an external expansion battery unit coupled external to the computing device;

providing, when the AC adapter is coupled to the computing device, power from the AC adapter to a processor of the computing device through a first diode, bypassing a main battery charger electrically in parallel with the processor;

setting at least one switch in the external expansion battery unit to enable current to flow to the expansion battery;

providing a signal to control the at least one switch in the external expansion battery unit to enable an external expansion battery charger to charge the expansion battery at a rate higher than a maximum charge rate of the main battery charger;

providing, by a second diode coupled between the expansion battery and the processor, power from the expansion battery to processor;

providing, by a third diode electrically coupled in parallel with the main battery charger, power from a main battery internal to the computing device to the processor.

10. The method of claim 9 and further comprising selectively coupling the main battery charger to the main battery when the main battery is present.

11. The method of claim 9 and further comprising controlling the at least one switch in the expansion battery unit as a function of a size of the AC adapter and a type of the expansion battery and the expansion battery charger in the expansion battery unit.

12. The method of claim 9 and further comprising selectively controlling the at least one switch and a further switch in the expansion battery unit such that the expansion battery charger provides current only to the main battery.

13. A system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

an alternating current (AC) adapter input to couple to an external AC adapter;

a main battery disposed within the computing device;

a main battery charger disposed within the computing device and coupled to the AC adapter input, the main battery charger to charge the main battery;

a first diode coupled between the main battery charger and the AC adapter input;

a processor and storage device disposed within the computing device to receive power from the main battery and coupled to receive power from the AC adapter input while bypassing the main battery charger;

a first expansion battery connector coupled to the AC adapter input through the first diode, the first external expansion battery connector bypassing the main battery charger, the first external expansion battery connector to provide sufficient current from the AC adapter input to enable charging of an external expansion battery having an external battery charger at a rate higher than a maximum charge rate of the main battery charger, the external expansion battery external to the computing device;

a second expansion battery connector coupled to the processor and storage device;

a second diode coupled between the second external expansion battery connector and the processor and storage device, the second diode to allow current to flow from the external expansion battery to the processor and storage device and the main battery charger; and

a third diode coupled between the battery and the processor and storage device, the third diode electrically in parallel with the main battery charger and to allow current to flow from the battery to the processor and storage device;

wherein the first diode is also coupled between the AC adapter input and the first external expansion battery connector, the first diode to allow current to flow to the main battery charger, the processor and storage device, and the first external expansion battery connector; and

an expansion battery unit external to the computing device, the expansion battery unit comprising;

a first connector to connect to computing device via the first and second expansion battery connectors;

the expansion battery;

the expansion battery charger having charge rate that is higher than a maximum charge rate of a main battery charger disposed within the computing device;

a switch responsive to the external apparatus to selectively couple the expansion charger to the expansion battery and to receive charge current from the computing device higher than the maximum charge rate of the main battery charger of the computing device via the first expansion battery connector, wherein the higher charge current bypasses the main battery charger within the computing device; and

a second connector coupled to the expansion battery for coupling to the computing device to provide power to the processor of the computing device, bypassing the main battery charger.