Systems and methods for configuring and charging hybrid battery systems

• US 9,007,025 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Bruce A., Tsai, Fu-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Steve T
• Application Number:
  US12/798,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/124, 320/126
• US Class Current: 320/126
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits

Abstract

Systems and methods for simultaneously charging two or more cell strings of a hybrid battery system from a shared input current path to the battery system. An input common charging current may be limited to the smallest maximum allowable charging current value of multiple battery cell strings of a hybrid battery system, or may be provided as the greater of the maximum allowable charging currents of multiple battery cell strings of a hybrid battery system with current supplied to individual cell strings that require less than the maximum current being individually controlled so as not to exceed the maximum allowable current for each of the individual cell strings of the hybrid battery system.

Claims

1. A method of charging a hybrid battery system, comprising:

providing a hybrid battery system comprising at least two battery system terminals and two or more battery cell strings having respective separate and different current paths coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals with a shared input current path to each of the respective separate and different current paths, the battery cell strings having at least one of different capacity or different impedance characteristics relative to each other and different values of maximum allowable charging current relative to each other; and

applying a charging current to the battery system terminals to simultaneously charge the two or more battery cell strings with respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate and different current paths that do not exceed the maximum allowable charging current for either of the two or more battery cell strings, the charging current being applied through the shared current path to the respective separate and different current path of each of the given battery cell strings to charge the given battery cell string without individually controlling the individual battery cell string currents in the respective separate and different current paths.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the charging current to the battery system terminals to simultaneously charge the two or more battery cell strings with respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate and different current paths that are equal to each other and that are equal to the received charging current, the received charging current being less than or equal to the smaller of the maximum allowable charging current values of the respective battery cell strings such that the current applied to each given battery cell string through its corresponding respective separate and different current path remains less than or equal to the maximum allowable charging current of the given battery cell string without individually controlling the battery cell string current in its corresponding respective separate and different current path.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing switching circuitry only in the shared input current path between one of the battery system terminals and each of the two or more battery cell strings, and not in the separate and different current paths of the individual battery cell strings.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing protective fuse circuitry only in the shared input current path between one of the battery system terminals and each of the two or more battery cell strings, and not in the separate and different current paths of the individual battery cell strings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said two or more battery cell strings comprise a part of a replaceable battery pack system of an information handling system;

and wherein the method further comprises removably coupling the battery system terminals to system side electrical power terminals of the information handling system to allow current to be interchanged between the two or more battery cell strings and other system components of the information handling system, and applying the charging current to the battery system terminals from the system side electrical power terminals of the information handling system.

3. A method of charging a hybrid battery system, comprising:

providing a hybrid battery system comprising at least two battery system terminals and two or more battery cell strings having respective separate and different current paths coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals with a shared input current path to each of the respective separate and different current paths, the battery cell strings having at least one of different capacity or different impedance characteristics relative to each other and different values of maximum allowable charging current relative to each other; and

applying a charging current to the battery system terminals to simultaneously charge the two or more battery cell strings with respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate and different current paths that do not exceed the maximum allowable charging current for either of the two or more battery cell strings, the charging current being applied through the shared current path to the respective separate and different current path of each of the given battery cell strings to charge the given battery cell string while individually controlling the individual battery cell string current in at least one of the respective separate and different current paths;

wherein the maximum allowable charging current value of a first one of the two or more battery cell strings is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of a second one of the two or more battery cell strings;

wherein the applied charging current in the shared current path is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings; and

wherein the method further comprises controlling a second battery cell string charging current supplied to the second battery cell string through the separate and different current path of the second battery cell string so that the second battery cell string charging current does not exceed the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string while at the same time supplying a first battery cell string charging current to the first battery cell string through the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string that is greater than the second battery cell string charging current and the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string;

where the first battery cell string charging current and the second battery cell string charging current are simultaneously provided to respective battery cells of the first battery cell string and the second battery cell string at the same time such that the respective battery cells of the two or more battery cell strings are simultaneously charged when the applied charging current in the shared current path is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the applied charging current through the shared current path is substantially equal to the maximum allowable charging current value of the first one of the two or more battery cell strings;

and wherein the method further comprises controlling the second battery cell string charging current supplied to the second battery cell string through the separate and different current path of the second battery cell string so that it does not exceed the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string at the same time as supplying a first battery cell string charging current to the first battery cell string through the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string that is equal to the maximum allowable charging current value of the first battery cell string.

8. An information handling system, comprising:

a replaceable hybrid battery pack system, the hybrid battery pack system including;

at least two battery system terminals,

two or more battery cell strings having respective separate current paths coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals with a shared input current path configured to receive a charging current applied to the hybrid battery system and to provide the charging current to each of the respective separate and different current paths, the battery cell strings having at least one of different capacity or different impedance characteristics relative to each other and different values of maximum allowable charging current relative to each other;

wherein the respective separate current paths of the two or more battery cell strings are coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals by the shared input current path to allow the two or more battery cell strings to be charged simultaneously from a received charging current at respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate current paths that do not exceed the maximum allowable charging current for either of the two or more battery cell strings,

where no switching circuitry is provided in the separate current path of any of the two or more battery cell strings;

system side electrical power terminals removably coupled to the battery system terminals to allow current to be interchanged between the two or more battery cell strings and other system components of the information handling system;

a system load coupled to the system side electrical power terminals to receive current from the two or more battery cell strings of the battery system; and

battery charger circuitry coupled to the system side electrical power terminals to provide the charging current to the two or more battery cell strings of the battery system.

9. The information handling system of claim 8, wherein the battery charger circuitry is configured to provide a charging current to the two or more battery cell strings of the hybrid battery pack system that is less than or equal to the smaller of the maximum allowable charging current values of the respective battery cell strings such that the individual battery cell string current applied to each given battery cell string through its corresponding respective separate and different current path remains less than or equal to the maximum allowable charging current of the given battery cell string without individual control of the battery cell string current in its corresponding respective separate and different current path.

12. The information handling system of claim 8, wherein the hybrid battery pack system further comprises switching circuitry provided only in the shared input current path between one of the hybrid battery pack system terminals and each of the two or more battery cell strings, and not in the separate current paths of the individual battery cell strings.

13. The information handling system of claim 12, wherein the hybrid battery pack system further comprises protective fuse circuitry only in the shared input current path between one of the hybrid battery pack system terminals and each of the two or more battery cell strings, and not in the separate current paths of the individual battery cell strings.

10. An information handling system, comprising:

a replaceable hybrid battery pack system, the hybrid battery pack system including;

at least two battery system terminals,

two or more battery cell strings having respective separate current paths coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals with a shared input current path configured to receive a charging current applied to the hybrid battery system and to provide the charging current to each of the respective separate and different current paths, the battery cell strings having at least one of different capacity or different impedance characteristics relative to each other and different values of maximum allowable charging current relative to each other;

wherein the respective separate current paths of the two or more battery cell strings are coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals by the shared input current path to allow the two or more battery cell strings to be charged simultaneously from a received charging current at respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate current paths that do not exceed the maximum allowable charging current for either of the two or more battery cell strings,

system side electrical power terminals removably coupled to the battery system terminals to allow current to be interchanged between the two or more battery cell strings and other system components of the information handling system;

a system load coupled to the system side electrical power terminals to receive current from the two or more battery cell strings of the battery system; and

battery charger circuitry coupled to the system side electrical power terminals to provide the charging current to the two or more battery cell strings of the battery system;

wherein the maximum allowable charging current value of the first one of the two or more battery cell strings is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of a second one of the two or more battery cell strings;

wherein the battery charger circuitry is configured to provide a charging current through the shared current path to the two or more battery cell strings of the hybrid battery pack system that is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings; and

wherein the hybrid battery pack system further comprises a current control circuit element in the separate and different current path of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings, the current control circuit element being configured to control a second battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of the second battery cell string so that the second battery cell string charging current does not exceed the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string at the same time that a first battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string is greater than the second battery cell string charging current and the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string;

where the current control circuit element is not configured to control the first battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string; and

where the hybrid battery pack system is further configured to simultaneously provide the first battery cell string charging current and the second battery cell string charging current to respective battery cells of the first battery cell string and the second battery cell string at the same time such that the respective battery cells of the two or more battery cell strings are simultaneously charged when the applied charging current in the shared current path is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings.

11. The information handling system of claim 10, wherein the battery charger circuitry is configured to provide a charging current through the shared current path to the two or more battery cell strings of the hybrid battery pack system that is substantially equal to the maximum allowable charging current value of the first one of the two or more battery cell strings;

and wherein the current control circuit element is configured to control the second battery cell string charging current supplied to the second battery cell string through the separate current path of the second battery cell string so that it does not exceed the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string at the same time that the first battery cell string charging current supplied to the first battery cell string through the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string is equal to the maximum allowable charging current value of the first battery cell string.

14. A hybrid battery system, comprising:

at least two battery system terminals;

two or more battery cell strings having respective separate current paths coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals with a shared input current path configured to receive a charging current applied to the hybrid battery system and to provide the charging current to each of the respective separate and different current paths, the battery cell strings having at least one of different capacity or different impedance characteristics relative to each other and different values of maximum allowable charging current relative to each other;

wherein the respective separate current paths of the two or more battery cell strings are coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals by the shared input current path to allow the two or more battery cell strings to be charged simultaneously from a received charging current at respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate current paths that do not exceed the maximum allowable charging current for either of the two or more battery cell strings; and

where no switching circuitry is provided in the separate current path of any of the two or more battery cell strings.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the two or more battery cell strings are coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals by the shared input current path to allow the two or more battery cell strings to be charged simultaneously from a received charging current at respective individual battery cell string currents that are equal to each other and to the received charging current, the received charging current being less than or equal to the smaller of the maximum allowable charging current values of the respective battery cell strings such that the individual battery cell string current applied to each given battery cell string through its corresponding respective separate and different current path remains less than or equal to the maximum allowable charging current of the given battery cell string without individual control of the battery cell string current in its corresponding respective separate and different current path.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising switching circuitry provided only in the shared input current path between one of the battery system terminals and each of the two or more battery cell strings, and not in the separate current paths of the individual battery cell strings.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising protective fuse circuitry provided only in the shared input current path between one of the battery system terminals and each of the two or more battery cell strings, and not in the separate current paths of the individual battery cell strings.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the two or more battery cell strings comprise a part of a replaceable battery pack system of an information handling system;

and wherein the battery system terminals are configured to be removably coupled to system side electrical power terminals of the information handling system to allow current to be interchanged between the two or more battery cell strings and other system components of the information handling system.

16. A hybrid battery system, comprising:

at least two battery system terminals;

two or more battery cell strings having respective separate current paths coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals with a shared input current path configured to receive a charging current applied to the hybrid battery system and to provide the charging current to each of the respective separate and different current paths, the battery cell strings having at least one of different capacity or different impedance characteristics relative to each other and different values of maximum allowable charging current relative to each other;

wherein the respective separate current paths of the two or more battery cell strings are coupled together in parallel between the battery system terminals by the shared input current path to allow the two or more battery cell strings to be charged simultaneously from a received charging current at respective individual battery cell string currents through each of the respective separate current paths that do not exceed the maximum allowable charging current for either of the two or more battery cell strings; and

a current control circuit element in the separate and different current path of a first one of the two or more battery cell strings;

wherein the maximum allowable charging current value of the first one of the two or more battery cell strings is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of a second one of the two or more battery cell strings;

wherein the received charging current is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings; and

wherein the current control circuit element is configured to control a second battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of the second battery cell string so that it does not exceed the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string at the same time that a first battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of to the first battery cell string is greater than the second battery cell string charging current and the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string;

where the current control circuit element is not configured to control the first battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string; and

where the current control circuit element is not configured to control the first battery cell string charging current supplied in the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string; and

where the hybrid battery system is further configured to simultaneously provide the first battery cell string charging current and the second battery cell string charging current to respective battery cells of the first battery cell string and the second battery cell string at the same time such that the respective battery cells of the two or more battery cell strings are simultaneously charged when the applied charging current in the shared current path is greater than the maximum allowable charging current value of the second one of the two or more battery cell strings.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the received charging current is substantially equal to the maximum allowable charging current value of the first one of the two or more battery cell strings;

and wherein the current control circuit element is configured to control the second battery cell string charging current supplied to the second battery cell string through the separate current path of the second battery cell string so that it does not exceed the maximum allowable charging current value of the second battery cell string at the same time that the first battery cell string charging current supplied to the first battery cell string through the separate and different current path of the first battery cell string is equal to the maximum allowable charging current value of the first battery cell string.