Information handling system external adapter and battery source

• US 10,461,560 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hijazi, Mohammed K., Wood, III, Merle J., McGowan, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pacheco, Alexis B
• Application Number:
  US16/274,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20190181651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 320109, 320107, 320114, 320137, 320108, 320132, 320134, 320162, 320101, 320106, 320112, 320115, 320124, 320103, 320135, 320113, 320150
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A portable information handling system battery module has a self-contained housing having a battery charger, integrated rechargeable batteries and plural ports to transfer power, such as USB Type C ports having bi-directional power transfer capability. A cable couples first battery module port to a portable information handling system port to provide power to the portable information handling system and accept power from the portable information handling system. Plural additional battery modules daisy chain to the first battery module to accept power from and provide power to the portable information handling system. Power transfer is coordinated with communications through the ports, such as by a USB power transfer protocol supported at the information handling system and each battery module.

Claims

1. A method for powering a portable information handling system, the method comprising:

removeably coupling a power-in port of a first battery module to a charging port of power source with a first cable;

removeably coupling a power-out port of the first battery module to a power-in port of a second battery module with a second cable;

providing power from the power source to the first battery module through the power-in port;

determining at the first battery module that the second battery module has capacity to accept a charge;

charging the second battery module with power provided at the power-out port of the first battery module to the power-in port of the second battery module; and

charging the first battery module when the second battery module a predetermined capacity to accept a charge.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the power-in ports and power-out ports comprise identical serial data ports and the first and second data cables comprise identical serial data cables, the method further comprising:

communicating between the power source, the first battery module and the second battery module through the serial data ports and cables to determine power states; and

configuring the serial data ports as power-in or power-out ports based upon the power states.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the power source comprises an information handling system having a power manager, the method further comprising:

querying with the power manager through the serial data cables a power state of each battery module; and

commanding with the power manager the application of power to charge each battery module.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the serial ports comprise USB Type C ports and the serial data cables comprise USB cables.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the power source comprises an AC-to-DC adapter module that accepts AC power and outputs DC power to a battery power-in port.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

charging only the second battery module if the second battery module charges in a constant current mode; and

charging the first battery module at a predetermined capacity of the second battery module by determining that the second battery module has transitioned from a constant current mode to a constant voltage mode.

7. A battery module for powering a portable information handling system, the battery module comprising:

a self-contained housing having at least two power ports configured to couple to external cables;

a rechargeable battery disposed in the self-contained housing; and

a battery charger interfaced with the at least two ports and the rechargeable battery, the battery charger operable to discharge power from the rechargeable battery through at least one of the ports and to charge the rechargeable battery with power received from at least one of the ports, the battery charger further operable to detect a second battery module coupled to the port that discharges power and to coordinate charging of the second battery module in cooperation with the integrated battery.

8. The battery module of claim 7 wherein the at least two power ports comprise serial data ports and the battery charger comprises a serial data charging protocol operable to communicate through the serial data ports with a power source and the second battery module to coordinate charging of the second battery module.

9. The battery module of claim 8 wherein the two power ports comprise USB Type C ports and the serial data charging protocol comprises a USB charging protocol.

10. The battery module of claim 8 wherein the battery charger is further operable to coordinate charging of plural battery modules daisy chained to a serial data port of the second battery module, the battery charger charging in an order from the most remote daisy chained battery module to the most proximate daisy chained battery module.

11. The battery module of claim 7 wherein the battery charger is configured to forward all power in to a port that accepts power out through a port that discharges power until the second battery module reaches a constant voltage charging mode.

12. The battery module of claim 7 wherein the battery charger is further configured to charge the integrated battery upon detecting constant voltage charging of the second battery module.