IP Library Granted Patent US 10,305,312
Granted Patent B2
US 10,305,312 · App. 15/346,316 · Granted May 28, 2019

Supplemental power system for battery powered device

Inventors: Larry Glenn Estes (Durham, NC); Jeremy Robert Carlson (Cary, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H02J7/025H02J7/0021H02J7/0036H02J7/0055H02J50/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,305,312
App. No.
15/346,316
Granted
May 28, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

One embodiment provides a device, including: an input port; a battery pack comprising one or more battery cells; a processor; and a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor to: determine that a connected power plug supplies one or more of a current and a voltage; and thereafter provide current supply from the input port to the battery pack for charging the one or more battery cells; wherein said device operates using battery power concurrent with charging of the one or more battery cells with the current supply from the input port. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims (41)

1. A device, comprising:

an input port;

a battery pack comprising one or more battery cells;

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

determine a power plug of an adapter is connected to the input port and supplies one or more of a current and a voltage, wherein the adapter comprises, a wireless charging unit, an alternating current (AC) input, a direct current (DC) input port, an AC/DC converter, a charge controller, and a DC output; and

thereafter provide current supply from the input port to the battery pack for charging the one or more battery cells;

wherein said device operates using battery power concurrent with charging of the one or more battery cells with the current supply from the input port.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the adapter comprises a power supply selected from the group consisting of a wireless power supply and an external battery charger.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an embedded controller that switches a plurality of switches to provide the current supply from the input port to the battery pack for charging the one or more battery cells.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of switches comprise a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs).

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the current supply from the input port is provided directly to a battery pack for charging the one or more battery cells.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device determines that the connected power plug supplies one or more of a current and a voltage by utilizing a pin of the input port.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication device, wherein said wireless communication device communicates with the adapter plugged into the input port.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the device communicates with the adapter to identify a power input characteristic of the adapter.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the device communicates with the adapter to request a power input from the adapter.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines that the input port supplies one or more of a current and a voltage by identifying the adapter plugged into the input port.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the device communicates with the adapter plugged into the input port to identify the adapter.

12. A method, comprising:

detecting, at an input port of an electronic device, a connected power plug of an adapter;

determining the power plug of an adapter is connected to the input port and supplies one or more of a current and a voltage, wherein the adapter comprises, a wireless charging unit, an alternating current (AC) input, a direct current (DC) input port, an AC/DC converter, a charge controller, and a DC output;

thereafter providing current supply from the input port to a battery pack of the electronic device for charging one or more cells of the battery pack; and

operating the electronic device in battery powered mode concurrent with charging of the one or more cells with the current supply from the input port.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adapter comprises a power supply selected from the group consisting of a wireless power supply and an external battery charger.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising switching, with an embedded controller of the electronic device, a plurality of switches to provide the current supply from the input port to the battery pack for charging the one or more cells.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the current supply from the input port is provided directly to a battery pack for charging the one or more cells.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining that the connected power plug supplies one or more of a current and a voltage by utilizing a pin of the input port.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising communicating, with a wireless communication device of the electronic device, with the adapter plugged into the input port.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating with the adapter to identify a power input characteristic of the adapter.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating with the adapter to request a power input from the adapter.

20. A system, comprising:

an adapter comprising a wireless charging unit, an alternating current (AC) input, a direct current (DC) input port, an AC/DC converter, a charge controller, and a DC output; and

a device, comprising:

an input port;

a battery pack comprising one or more battery cells;

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

detect, at the input port of the device, a connected power plug of the adapter;

determine that the connected power plug supplies one or more of a current and a voltage; and

thereafter provide current supply from the input port of the device to the battery pack for charging the one or more battery cells;

wherein said device operates in battery powered mode concurrent with charging of the one or more battery cells with the current supply from the input port.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069870/0670 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2019
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 051023/0972 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2016
From: ESTES, LARRY GLENN; CARLSON, JEREMY ROBERT
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 040256/0975 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180131216A1 · May 10, 2018