High efficiency power storage adapter

• US 10,978,896 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 04/13/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sultenfuss, Andrew Thomas, Thompson, Richard Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rankine, Tarikh Kanem
• Application Number:
  US15/631,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20180375358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 320107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007184 in response to battery voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power storage adapter for portable information handling systems may include a separate battery and intelligent power management functionality. The power storage adapter may be equipped with fewer voltage regulators and boosted charging for improved efficiency. The power storage adapter may output power to a variable power bus, such as USB Type-C.

Claims

1. A power storage adapter (PSA), comprising:

a first PSA port and a second PSA port;

a PSA battery management unit including a DC boost converter and a charging unit;

a PSA battery;

an AC-DC converter supplied by an AC line power source;

a DC-DC converter comprising three voltage regulators;

a power distributor for supplying first electrical power to the first PSA port and the second PSA port; and

wherein;

the AC-DC converter is enabled to output regulated electrical power at 20V DC to a 20V_AC bar supplying the 20V DC regulated electrical power to the PSA battery management unit and the power distributor;

when the AC-DC converter is connected to the AC line power source, the power distributor is enabled to limit output of 20V DC from the 20V_AC bar to the first PSA port to constrain the PSA from simultaneously supplying electrical power to both the first PSA port in response to a first request from the first PSA port and the second PSA port in response to a second request from the second PSA port by refusing the second request for electrical power from the second PSA port, wherein i) the first request for electrical power by the first PSA port is at a first voltage and greater than half of the electrical power supplied by the PSA and ii) the second request for electrical power by the second PSA port is at a second voltage and greater than half of the electrical power supplied by the PSA, wherein the first voltage and the second voltage are the same voltage;

the PSA battery management unit is enabled to supply boost electrical power at 20V DC to the power distributor using the PSA battery as a current source for the boost electrical power;

the power distributor is enabled to receive the boost electrical power from the DC boost converter and combine the boost electrical power with the regulated electrical power from the 20V_AC bar to supply the first electrical power to the output PSA port; and

the first PSA port and the second PSA port are universal serial bus (USB) ports.

2. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the charging unit is enabled to charge the PSA battery using the regulated electrical power from the 20V_AC bar.

3. The power storage adapter of claim 2, wherein:

the charging unit is enabled to charge the PSA battery using a boost charging voltage that incrementally boosts a charging voltage of the PSA battery, when the first PSA port and the second PSA port are disconnected.

4. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to output second electrical power at 5V DC to a 5V DC voltage regulator that supplies the second electrical power to the power distributor; and

the power distributor is enabled to selectively output 5V from the 5V DC voltage regulator to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

5. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to output third electrical power at 9V DC to a 9V DC voltage regulator that supplies the third electrical power to the power distributor; and

the power distributor is enabled to selectively output 9V from the 9V DC voltage regulator to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

6. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to output fourth electrical power at 15V DC to a 15V DC voltage regulator that supplies the fourth electrical power to the power distributor; and

the power distributor is enabled to selectively output 15V from the 15V DC voltage regulator to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

7. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to receive fifth electrical power from the PSA battery at a voltage V_BAT and output the boost electrical power at 20V DC to a 20V DC voltage regulator that supplies the boost electrical power to the power distributor; and

V_BAT is in the range of 5V to 20V DC.

8. The power storage adapter of claim 7, wherein:

the power distributor is enabled to receive the fifth electrical power from the PSA battery at the voltage V_BAT and output the fifth electrical power to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

9. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein the first PSA port is a USB Type-C port.

10. The power storage adapter of claim 1, wherein the second PSA port is one of:

a USB Type-A port and a USB Type-C port.

11. A portable information handling system, comprising:

an internal battery;

a variable power bus port for receiving electrical power to charge the internal battery;

a power storage adapter (PSA) connected to the variable power bus, and further comprising;

a first PSA port connected to the variable power bus port and a second PSA port;

a PSA battery management unit including a DC boost converter and a charging unit;

a PSA battery;

an AC-DC converter supplied by an AC line power source;

a DC-DC converter comprising three voltage regulators;

a power distributor for supplying first electrical power to the first PSA port and the second PSA port; and

wherein;

the AC-DC converter is enabled to output regulated electrical power at 20V DC to a 20V_AC bar supplying the regulated electrical power to the PSA battery management unit and the power distributor;

when the AC-DC converter is connected to the AC line power source, the power distributor is enabled to limit output of 20V DC from the 20V_AC bar to the first PSA port to constrain the PSA from simultaneously supplying electrical power to both the first PSA port in response to a first request from the first PSA port and the second PSA port in response to a second request from the second PSA port by refusing the second request for electrical power from the second PSA port, wherein i) the first request for electrical power by the first PSA port is at a first voltage and greater than half of the electrical power supplied by the PSA and ii) the second request for electrical power by the second PSA port is at a second voltage and greater than half of the electrical power supplied by the PSA, wherein the first voltage and the second voltage are the same voltage;

the PSA battery management unit is enabled to supply boost electrical power at 20V DC to the power distributor using the PSA battery as a current source for the boost electrical power;

the power distributor is enabled to receive the boost electrical power from the DC boost converter and combine the boost electrical power with the regulated electrical power from the 20V_AC bar to supply the first electrical power to the output PSA port; and

the first PSA port and the second PSA port are universal serial bus (USB) ports.

12. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein:

the charging unit is enabled to charge the PSA battery using the regulated electrical power from the 20V_AC bar.

13. The portable information handling system of claim 12, wherein:

the charging unit is enabled to charge the PSA battery using a boost charging voltage that incrementally boosts a charging voltage of the PSA battery, when the first PSA port and the second PSA port do not supply electrical power.

14. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to output second electrical power at 5V DC to a 5V DC voltage regulator that supplies the second electrical power to the power distributor; and

the power distributor is enabled to selectively output 5V from the 5V DC voltage regulator to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

15. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to output third electrical power at 9V DC to a 9V DC voltage regulator that supplies the third electrical power to the power distributor; and

the power distributor is enabled to selectively output 9V from the 9V DC voltage regulator to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

16. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to output fourth electrical power at +15V DC to a +15V DC voltage regulator that supplies the fourth electrical power to the power distributor; and

the power distributor is enabled to selectively output 15V from the 15V DC voltage regulator to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

17. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein:

the DC boost converter is enabled to receive fifth electrical power from the PSA battery at a voltage V_BAT and output the boost electrical power at 20V DC to a 20V DC voltage regulator that supplies the boost electrical power to the power distributor; and

V_BAT is in the range of 5V to 20V DC.

18. The portable information handling system of claim 17, wherein:

the power distributor is enabled to receive the fifth electrical power from the PSA battery at the voltage V_BAT and output the fifth electrical power to one of the first PSA port and the second PSA port.

19. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein the first PSA port is a USB Type-C port.

20. The portable information handling system of claim 11, wherein the second PSA port is one of a USB Type-A port and a USB Type-C port.