System for charging portable computer's battery using both the dynamically determined power available based on power consumed by sub-system devices and power limits from the battery

• US 6,222,347 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Gong, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US09/070,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 324/427, 324/426, 320/125, 320/134, 320/128, 320/162, 320/160, 320/137, 320/164, 307/66, 713/340, 713/321
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence

Abstract

Improved techniques for charging batteries within portable computing devices are disclosed. The improved techniques operate to charge a battery at dynamically determined power levels. The power levels for charging the battery are dynamically determined by monitoring the power consumption of the portable computing device. When subsystems of the portable computing device are determining to be consuming less power than has been allocated thereto, higher levels of power from a power source are made available for charging the battery. As a result, the battery is able to be charged at a rate that is significantly faster than previously performed. Also, by dynamically monitoring the power consumption of the portable computing device, the improved techniques also ensure that the portable computing device will not be starved for power during its operation even as its subsystem'"'"'s switch between normal (active) modes and low power modes.

Claims

1. A method for charging a battery of a portable computing device from a power supply, comprising:

(a) determining an amount of power available for charging the battery from the power supply depending on power being consumed by subsystems of the portable computing device;

(b) determining power limits for charging the battery from the battery; and

(c) charging the battery in accordance with both the determined amount of power and the power limits, such that the battery is charged with an increased amount of power from the power supply when one or more of the subsystems of the portable computing device are in a low power mode.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining (a) comprises:

(a1) identifying an initial amount of power available for charging the battery from the power supply; and

(a2) increasing the amount of power available for charging the battery from the initial amount to the increased amount of power when at least one of the subsystems of the portable computing device are in the low power mode.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the subsystems associated with one or more of a plug-in I/O slot device and a display screen.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the determined amount of available power drops, the power used in said charging of the battery drops such that an amount of power being drawn from the power supply never exceeds the available power.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable computing device is a portable personal computer.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging operation (c) the battery is performed in accordance with both the determined amount of power and the power limits such that said charging operation (c) is performed in accordance with the lesser of the determined amount of power and the power limits.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

(d) repeating operations (a)-(c) to cause the determined amount of power to be periodically adjusted in accordance with the power being consumed by subsystems of the portable computing device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the determined amount of power used in charging the battery is dynamically determined such that the power level used to charge the battery is substantially maximized for fast charging of the battery.

7. A method for charging a battery of a portable computing device from a power supply. comprising:

(a) receiving a charge request from the battery, the charge request identifying power limits for charging the battery;

(b) determining an amount of power available for charging the battery from the power supply depending on power being consumed by subsystems of the portable computing device; and

(c) charging the battery in accordance with the determined amount of power and the power limits such that the battery is charged with an increased amount of power from the power supply when one or more of the subsystems of the portable computing device are in a low power mode.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the portable computing device includes a plurality of batteries and receives a charge request from each of the batteries, and

wherein said charging operation (c) comprises:

(c1) determining a priority for each of the charge requests;

(c2) selecting one of the batteries to be charged based on the charge priorities of the respective charge requests; and

(c3) charging the selected one of the batteries in accordance with the lesser of the determined amount of power and the power limits.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

(d) repeating operations (b)-(c) to cause the determined amount of power to be periodically adjusted in accordance with the power being consumed by subsystems of the portable computing device.

12. A method for charging a battery of a portable computing device, the portable computing device having peripheral subsystems, comprising:

(a) periodically monitoring a state of the peripheral subsystems, the state including an active state and an inactive state;

(b) periodically determining a power available amount for charging the battery based on the state of the peripheral subsystems;

(c) determining power limits for charging the battery from the battery;

(d) setting a power charge level for charging the battery based on the power limits and the power available amount, the power charge level being set to the lower one of the power limits and the power available amount; and

(e) charging the battery in accordance with the power charge level.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the portable computing device is a portable personal computer.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said determining (c) of the power limits for charging the battery are provided with a charge request from the battery and

wherein said method further comprises (f) determining a priority for the charge request so that multiple charge requests can be serviced by said method.

15. A computer system, comprising:

a power supply for providing DC power to said computer system from an AC power source;

a battery for providing DC power to said computer system;

a plurality of peripheral subsystems, each of the peripheral subsystems having a low-power state and an active state;

a processor for performing computations and controlling said computer system;

a power management unit for monitoring status of said battery, monitoring the state of said peripheral subsystems, and determining an amount of power available for charging based at least in part on those of said peripheral subsystems that are in the inactive state; and

a battery charge circuit for delivering power from said power supply to said battery in accordance with the amount of power available for charging

wherein said power management unit monitors of the status of said battery by monitoring a power limit for charging said battery and the amount of power available for charging is limited by the power limit.

16. A computer system as recited in claim 15, wherein said power management unit operates to increase a base amount of power available for charging said battery based on those of said peripheral subsystems that are in the inactive state when determining an amount of power available for charging.

17. A computer system as recited in claim 15, wherein said power management unit operates to determine the amount of power available for charging said battery based on a maximum amount of available power from said power supply after supplying power to said processor and those of said peripheral subsystems that are in the active state.

18. A computer system as recited in claim 15, wherein the amount of power available for charging is periodically re-determined by said power management unit.

19. A computer system as recited in claim 15, wherein said computer system is a hand-held portable computer system.