Abstract: Systems and methods for remote battery sensing and charging are disclosed. A method may include determining whether a charge output of a battery charger is electrically coupled to a rechargeable battery, wherein the charge output is configured to charge the rechargeable battery. The method may also include electrically coupling a terminal of the rechargeable battery to a reference voltage input of the battery charger in response to determining the charge output is electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charger is configured to determine whether the rechargeable battery is to be charged based on the reference voltage input voltage. The method may further include electrically coupling the reference voltage input to the charge output in response to determining the charge output is not electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery.

Abstract: Systems and methods for waking up a battery system (e.g., battery pack such as a smart battery pack) installed in an information handling system from a shipping mode in response to the occurrence of one of at least two detected events. The first of these of these at least two events is detection of the battery system being removed and reinstalled into operational electrical contact with the information handling system, and the second of these at least two events is the activation of a user input device provided for the battery system.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for activating an information handling system battery without using AC power is provided. One or more switches associated with a battery are maintained in a ship mode state during shipping of the information handling system such that the battery remains disconnected from particular information handling system components during shipping. In response to a user input, a power-on device generates and communicates a power-on signal to a battery management unit (BMU) of the battery. In response to receiving the power-on signal, the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, which connects the battery to the particular information handling system components. The power-on device generates and communicates the power-on signal to the BMU, and the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, while the information handling system is not connected to any AC power source.

Abstract: Communication between an information handling system and battery has improved reliability by repeated communications of information from the battery using different commands from the information handling system. A battery management unit responds to a first command from an information handling system by sending information stored at a first address associated with the command and then saving the first address at second address. A power manager of the information handling system sends a second command having the second address to the battery management unit. The battery management unit responds to the second command by retrieving the first address stored at the second address, retrieving information stored at the first address and sending the information to the power manager. The power manager restricts operations of the battery, such as charges or discharges, unless the information received in response to the first and second commands matches.

Abstract: Systems and methods for remote battery sensing and charging are disclosed. A method may include determining whether a charge output of a battery charger is electrically coupled to a rechargeable battery, wherein the charge output is configured to charge the rechargeable battery. The method may also include electrically coupling a terminal of the rechargeable battery to a reference voltage input of the battery charger in response to determining the charge output is electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charger is configured to determine whether the rechargeable battery is to be charged based on the reference voltage input voltage. The method may further include electrically coupling the reference voltage input to the charge output in response to determining the charge output is not electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A method and associated system are disclosed for verifying charging failures for smart batteries by measuring input charging voltage and associated systems. In one embodiment, a determination is made whether or not a charging current is indicative of a battery failure by utilizing an analog-to-digital (A/D) port to measure the input charging voltage. As long as the measured input charging voltage is below the cell pack voltage or some set voltage value, whichever is higher, the BMU considers a charging current detection to be a false failure indication. If the measured charging voltage is above the cell pack voltage or a set voltage value, whichever is lower, the BMU considers the charging current detection to be a positive failure indication. The BMU can then disable the battery or implement other verification steps before disabling the battery, as desired.

Abstract: Communication between an information handling system and battery has improved reliability by repeated communications of information from the battery using different commands from the information handling system. A battery management unit responds to a first command from an information handling system by sending information stored at a first address associated with the command and then saving the first address at second address. A power manager of the information handling system sends a second command having the second address to the battery management unit. The battery management unit responds to the second command by retrieving the first address stored at the second address, retrieving information stored at the first address and sending the information to the power manager. The power manager restricts operations of the battery, such as charges or discharges, unless the information received in response to the first and second commands matches.

Abstract: A battery system may be provided with a battery charge current path that is different from the battery discharge current path of the battery system, for example, by providing no controlled charge circuitry (e.g., providing no C-FETs) in the discharge current path of the battery system to avoid the power loss experienced across the C-FETs of a conventional battery system during battery system discharging operations.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for utilizing a memory control circuit for controlling transfer of data to and from a memory system. A memory control circuit with a back up battery and control circuits is provided. Battery health is determined through a discharge cycle of the back up battery. A power supply generated from the back up battery is provided to circuitry of the memory control card during normal operations of the memory control circuit during a non-power loss state. The power supplied from the back up battery during the non-power loss state of the memory control circuit is utilized by at least a first circuit of the memory control circuit as part of normal memory controller card operations during the battery health discharge cycle. When the system is not performing a battery health cycle the first circuit receives normal system power. The memory control circuit may be a RAID card. The first circuit may be memory circuitry.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for utilizing a memory control circuit for controlling transfer of data to and from a memory system. A memory control circuit with a back up battery and control circuits is provided. Battery health is determined through a discharge cycle of the back up battery. A power supply generated from the back up battery is provided to circuitry of the memory control card during normal operations of the memory control circuit during a non-power loss state. The power supplied from the back up battery during the non-power loss state of the memory control circuit is utilized by at least a first circuit of the memory control circuit as part of normal memory controller card operations during the battery health discharge cycle. When the system is not performing a battery health cycle the first circuit receives normal system power. The memory control circuit may be a RAID card. The first circuit may be memory circuitry.

Abstract: A method and associated system are disclosed for verifying charging failures for smart batteries by measuring input charging voltage and associated systems. In one embodiment, a determination is made whether or not a charging current is indicative of a battery failure by utilizing an analog-to-digital (A/D) port to measure the input charging voltage. As long as the measured input charging voltage is below the cell pack voltage or some set voltage value, whichever is higher, the BMU considers a charging current detection to be a false failure indication. If the measured charging voltage is above the cell pack voltage or a set voltage value, whichever is lower, the BMU considers the charging current detection to be a positive failure indication. The BMU can then disable the battery or implement other verification steps before disabling the battery, as desired.

Abstract: A quick conditioning cycle system to avoid performance degradation at the end of calibrating cycle. The quick conditioning cycle system discharges a battery to a level where battery remaining capacity is still high enough to backup memory at a guaranteed period of time. During the quick learning cycle, the battery pack is discharged from a full charge. If measured capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold (Cpc), calibration stops. Otherwise, the quick conditioning cycle system reports a defected battery when measured capacity is less than Cpc and continues discharging to a full conditioning cycle, if desired.

Abstract: In a method and system for detecting charger failure, a battery is operable to receive a charge from the charger via a pair of terminals. The battery includes an analog front end (AFE) coupled to the pair of terminals. The AFE is configured to receive at least one input corresponding to voltage measured across the pair of terminals. A battery controller included in the battery is coupled to the AFE by a serial link. The battery controller receives the at least one input via the serial link. In response to the voltage being below a predefined value, the battery controller is placed in a charge_not_received state, which is indicative of the charger being defective.

Abstract: For charging a rechargeable hybrid battery pack, a first cell stack coupled in parallel with a second cell stack of the hybrid battery pack are pre-charged in parallel. The cell stack to first complete the pre-charge phase, is selected to receive a normal charge with a constant current while the non-selected one of the cell stack continues to receive the pre-charge. The first cell stack and the second cell stack receive the normal charge in the selected sequence. Upon completion of the normal charge for each cell of the hybrid battery pack, the first cell stack and the second cell stack are trickle-charged in parallel to complete the charging.

Abstract: A method and associated system are disclosed for verifying charging failures for smart batteries by measuring input charging voltage and associated systems. In one embodiment, a determination is made whether or not a charging current is indicative of a battery failure by utilizing an analog-to-digital (A/D) port to measure the input charging voltage. As long as the measured input charging voltage is below the cell pack voltage or some set voltage value, whichever is higher, the BMU considers a charging current detection to be a false failure indication. If the measured charging voltage is above the cell pack voltage and the set voltage value, the BMU considers the charging current detection to be a positive failure indication. The BMU can then disable the battery or implement other verification steps before disabling the battery, as desired.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for charge current adjustment to enhance battery cycle life thereby allowing batteries to be charged quickly without accelerating the aging process of the battery. As the charge capacity of the battery degrades over time, the charge current for the battery charging cycles is also reduced so that the effective charge rate for the battery is adjusted to account for the reduction in charge capacity. In this way, battery capacity life is enhanced by avoiding an accelerated charge rate as the battery capacity drops over the operational life of the battery. The methods and systems disclosed are useful for battery-powered information handling systems, as well as other devices where fast charging and long cycle life is desirable, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), electric vehicles and/or any other battery powered devices.

Abstract: Plural batteries installed in an information handling system are simultaneously charged in a constant current mode to a predetermined charge and then in a constant voltage mode to a full charge to provide a reduced charge time and improved battery life. A current regulator integrated in a battery casing monitors current applied at the battery to maintain constant voltage charging. Voltage to ground of the other batteries is monitored to adjust current at those batteries where voltages in all of the battery cells are maintained substantially equal during charging.

Abstract: An information handling system battery has first and second protective circuits to detect and address faults for a first charge applied from an external power source to an integrated charger and a second charge applied from a charger of an information handling system to battery cells. If the first protective circuit detects a fault associated with the integrated charger, charging of the battery cells is still supported by inserting the battery in an information handling system. If the second protective circuit detects a fault, the battery becomes inoperative by disconnecting the battery cells. An indicator, such as LEDs on the battery casing, indicates whether a soft or hard fault has occurred.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detection of charge switching element failure (e.g., charge FET switching element) in a battery system, such as a battery system of an information handling system (e.g. notebook computer), in which an increase in cell voltage is employed as a criteria for detecting charge switching element failure.

Abstract: One or more charger regulation tasks (e.g., one or more of those tasks typically performed by charger regulator circuitry of a separate battery charging apparatus) are integrated within a battery system (e.g., a battery pack of a portable information handling system) by utilizing component/s common to the battery system (e.g., microcontroller and FET components).