Dual smart battery detection system and method for portable computers

• US 5,818,200 A
• Filed: 05/06/1997
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Cummings, John, Leftwich, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/851,781
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/110, 320/112, 320/116, 320/118, 320/120, 320/121, 320/126, 320/132, 320/DIG. 21, 320/104, 320/105, 320/106, 320/114, 320/117, 307/66, 307/46, 307/48, 307/150
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/141 Battery and back-up supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5016 Multimode utilisation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A dual smart battery mutual detection system that utilizes intelligence built in to "smart batteries" in combination with a battery presence pin for enabling each battery of a dual battery power supply system of a PC to detect the presence, or, more importantly, the absence, of the other battery and to react accordingly is disclosed. In one embodiment, upon detection by the battery that is not being used to power the PC (the "inactive battery") of the removal of the battery that is being used to power the PC (the "active battery"), a microprocessor internal to the inactive battery closes an internal switch thereof, thereby causing the previously inactive battery to be "selected" and used to power the PC.

Claims

1. A power supply subsystem for supplying power to an electronic device, said power supply subsystem being connectable to an AC adapter for deriving power from an AC power source, said power supply subsystem comprising:

a pair of smart batteries each capable of being individually selected to be charged or discharged, wherein each of said smart batteries comprises an internal switch and a microprocessor for controlling actuation of said internal switch thereof and wherein selection of said smart battery is accomplished by actuation of said internal switch thereof;

a battery charger having an input electrically connectable to said output of said AC adapter and an output electrically connectable to charge a selected one of said smart batteries;

means for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter and said smart batteries to said computer;

wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by the other of said smart batteries and causes said other of said smart batteries to be selected to be charged or discharged.

2. The power supply subsystem of claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a portable computer and said means for controlling comprises a BIOS of said portable computer.

3. The power supply subsystem of claim 1 wherein said smart batteries are selected from a group consisting of nickel metal hydride batteries and lithium ion batteries.

4. A power supply subsystem for supplying power to an electronic device, said power supply subsystem being connectable to an AC adapter for deriving power from an AC power source, said power supply subsystem comprising:

a pair of smart batteries each capable of being individually selected to be charged or discharged;

a battery charger having an input electrically connectable to said output of said AC adapter and an output electrically connectable to charge a selected one of said smart batteries;

means for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter and said smart batteries to said computer, said means for controlling comprising;

a first control switch electrically connected between said AC adapter and said computer for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter to said computer;

a second control switch electrically connected between said smart batteries and said computer for controlling electrical connection of said smart batteries to said computer; and

means for selectively actuating said first and second control switches;

wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by the other of said smart batteries and causes said other of said smart batteries to be selected to be charged or discharged.

5. The power supply subsystem of claim 4 wherein said first and second control switches are connected such that:

when said first and second control switches are open and said AC adapter is connected to said power supply, the selected one of said smart batteries is charged;

when said first control switch is open and said second control switch is closed, said selected one of said smart batteries is used to power the computer; and

when said first control switch is closed and said second control switch is open, said AC power source is used to power the computer.

6. Apparatus for supplying power to an electronic device, said power supply subsystem being connectable to an AC adapter for deriving power from an AC power source, said power supply subsystem comprising:

two batteries each capable of being individually selected to be charged or discharged, wherein each of said batteries comprises an internal switch and a microprocessor for controlling actuation of said internal switch thereof and wherein selection of said battery is accomplished by actuation of said internal switch thereof;

means for selectively charging a selected one of said batteries;

means for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter and said batteries to said computer;

wherein each of said batteries is electrically connected to the other of said batteries such that removal of one of said batteries is immediately detected by said other of said batteries and causes said other of said batteries to be selected to be charged or discharged.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said batteries is electrically connected to said microprocessor of the other of said batteries such that removal of one of said batteries is immediately detected by said microprocessor of the remaining battery, said microprocessor of said remaining battery closing said internal switch of said remaining battery responsive to said detection.

8. Apparatus for supplying power to an electronic device, said power supply subsystem being connectable to an AC adapter for deriving power from an AC power source, said power supply subsystem comprising:

two batteries each capable of being individually selected to be charged or discharged;

means for selectively charging a selected one of said batteries;

means for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter and said batteries to said computer, said means for controlling comprising;

a first control switch electrically connected between said AC adapter and said computer for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter to said computer;

a second control switch electrically connected between said batteries and said computer for controlling electrical connection of said batteries to said computer; and

means for selectively actuating said first and second control switches

wherein each of said batteries is electrically connected to the other of said batteries such that removal of one of said batteries is immediately detected by said other of said batteries and causes said other of said batteries to be selected to be charged or discharged.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first and second control switches are connected such that:

when said first and second control switches are open and said AC adapter is connected to said power supply, the selected one of said batteries is charged;

when said first control switch is open and said second control switch is closed, said selected one of said batteries is used to power the computer; and

when said first control switch is closed and said second control switch is open, said AC power source is used to power the computers.

10. A computer having a dual smart battery detection system, the computer comprising:

a central processing unit ("CPU");

at least one memory device;

a power supply for supplying operating power to said computer; and

an AC adapter having an input electrically connectable to an AC power supply and an output electrically connectable to said computer; and

wherein said power supply comprises;

a pair of smart batteries each capable of being selected to be charged or discharged;

a charger having an input electrically connectable to said output of said AC adapter and an output electrically connectable to charge a selected one of said smart batteries;

a first control switch electrically connected between said AC adapter and said computer for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter to said computer;

a second control switch electrically connected between said smart batteries and said computer for controlling electrical connection of said smart batteries to said computer;

wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by the other of said smart batteries and causes said other of said smart batteries to be selected to be charged or discharged.

11. The computer of claim 10 wherein said first and second control switches are connected such that:

when said first and second control switches are open and said AC adapter is connected to said power supply, the selected one of said smart batteries is charged;

when said first control switch is open and said second control switch is closed, said selected one of said smart batteries is used to power the computer; and

when said first control switch is closed and said second control switch is open, said AC power source is used to power the computer.

12. The computer of claim 10 wherein each of said smart batteries comprises an internal switch and a microprocessor for controlling actuation of said internal switch, wherein selection of said smart battery is accomplished by closing said internal switch thereof.

13. The computer of claim 12 wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to said microprocessor of the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by said microprocessor of the remaining smart battery, said microprocessor of said remaining smart battery closing said internal switch of said remaining smart battery responsive to said detection.

14. The computer of claim 10 wherein said smart batteries are selected from a group consisting of nickel metal hydride batteries and lithium ion batteries.

15. A power supply subsystem for supplying power to an electronic device, said power supply subsystem being connectable to an AC adapter for deriving power from an AC power source, said power supply subsystem comprising:

a pair of smart batteries each capable of being individually selected to be charged or discharged, wherein each of said smart batteries comprises an internal switch and a microprocessor for controlling actuation of said internal switch, wherein selection of said smart battery is accomplished by closing said internal switch thereof and wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to said microprocessor of the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by said microprocessor of the remaining smart battery, said microprocessor of said remaining smart battery closing said internal switch of said remaining smart battery responsive to said detection;

a battery charger having an input electrically connectable to said output of said AC adapter and an output electrically connectable to charge a selected one of said smart batteries;

means for controlling electrical connection of said AC adapter and said smart batteries to said computer;

wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by the other of said smart batteries and causes said other of said smart batteries to be selected to be charged or discharged.

16. In a dual smart battery power supply subsystem for supplying power to an electronic device, a method of detecting removal of one of said smart batteries comprising:

providing a connection between said smart batteries for enabling a first one of said smart batteries to detect removal of said second smart battery;

providing a connection between said smart batteries for enabling said second one of said smart batteries to detect removal of said first one of said smart batteries;

responsive to detection by one of said smart batteries of the removal of the other one of said smart batteries, said one of said smart batteries selecting itself for providing power to said electronic devices;

wherein each of said smart batteries comprises an internal switch and a microprocessor for controlling actuation of said internal switch such that said smart battery is selected by said microprocessor thereof actuating said internal switch thereof, and wherein said selecting comprises said microprocessor of said one of said smart batteries closing said internal switch thereof.

17. In a dual smart battery power supply subsystem for supplying power to an electronic device, a method of detecting removal of one of said smart batteries comprising:

providing a connection between said smart batteries for enabling a first one of said smart batteries to detect removal of said second smart battery;

providing a connection between said smart batteries for enabling said second one of said smart batteries to detect removal of said first one of said smart batteries;

responsive to detection by one of said smart batteries of the removal of the other one of said smart batteries, said one of said smart batteries selecting itself for providing power to said electronic device;

wherein each of said smart batteries comprises an internal switch and a microprocessor for controlling actuation of said internal switch such that said smart battery is selected by said microprocessor thereof actuating said internal switch thereof, and wherein said selecting comprises said microprocessor of said one of said smart batteries closing said internal switch thereof; and

wherein each of said smart batteries is electrically connected to said microprocessor of the other of said smart batteries such that removal of one of said smart batteries is immediately detected by said microprocessor of the remaining smart battery, said microprocessor of said remaining smart battery closing said internal switch of said remaining smart battery responsive to said detection.