Apparatus, systems, and methods for distributed charging and discharging
An apparatus may include a power rail, a subassembly, an additional subassembly, and an interface coupling the subassembly to the additional subassembly. The subassembly may include a load, an energy-storing component, a charger having an output coupled to the energy-storing component, and a reverse-current limiter having a first terminal coupled to the energy-storing component. The additional subassembly may include an additional energy-storing component, an additional charger having an output coupled to the additional energy-storing component, and an additional reverse-current limiter having a first terminal coupled to the additional energy-storing component. The power rail may cross the interface and may couple the load, an input of the charger, a second terminal of the reverse-current limiter, an input of the additional charger, and a second terminal of the additional reverse-current limiter. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
1. An apparatus comprising:
an energy-storing component;
a charger having an output electrically coupled to the energy-storing component;
a reverse-current limiter having:
a first terminal; and
a second terminal electrically coupled to the energy-storing component;
an additional energy-storing component;
an additional charger having an output electrically coupled to the additional energy-storing component; and
an additional reverse-current limiter having:
a first terminal; and
a second terminal electrically coupled to the additional energy-storing component; and
a load;
a power rail electrically coupling the load, an input of the charger, the first terminal of the reverse-current limiter, an input of the additional charger, and the first terminal of the additional reverse-current limiter.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first subassembly;
a second subassembly; and
a hinging interface physically coupling the first subassembly to the second subassembly, wherein the power rail forms a portion of the hinging interface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the energy-storing component, the charger, and the reverse-current limiter form a portion of the first subassembly; and
the additional energy-storing component, the additional charger, and the additional reverse-current limiter forms a portion of the second subassembly.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:
a third subassembly; and
an additional hinging interface physically coupling the first subassembly to the third subassembly, wherein the power rail forms a portion of the additional hinging interface and the load forms a portion of the third subassembly.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the reverse-current limiter has a threshold at which current is allowed to flow through the reverse-current limiter; and
the additional reverse-current limiter has a threshold at which current is allowed to flow through the additional reverse-current limiter.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the threshold of the reverse-current limiter is substantially different than the threshold of the additional reverse-current limiter.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the threshold of the reverse-current limiter and the threshold of the additional reverse-current limiter are voltage thresholds.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the energy-storing component and
the additional energy-storing component are batteries.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the energy-storing component and
the additional energy-storing component are supercapacitors.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the energy-storing component is a battery; and
the additional energy-storing component is a supercapacitor.
11. A system comprising:
a power-supply adapter comprising a first power rail; and
a battery-powered device comprising:
an energy-storing component;
a charger having an output electrically coupled to the energy-storing component;
a reverse-current limiter having:
a first terminal; and
a second terminal electrically coupled to the energy-storing component;
an additional energy-storing component;
an additional charger having an output electrically coupled to the additional energy-storing component; and
an additional reverse-current limiter having:
a first terminal; and
a second terminal electrically coupled to the additional energy-storing component;
a load;
a second power rail electrically coupling the load, an input of the charger, the first terminal of the reverse-current limiter, an input of the additional charger, and the first terminal of the additional reverse-current limiter; and
a power port adapted to electrically couple the first power rail of the power-supply adapter to the second power rail of the battery-powered device.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the charger provides power to the energy-storing component without providing power directly to the second power rail.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the additional charger provides power to
the additional energy-storing component without providing power directly to the second power rail.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the reverse-current limiter has a threshold at which current is allowed to flow through the reverse-current limiter; and
the additional reverse-current limiter has a threshold at which current is allowed to flow through the additional reverse-current limiter.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the threshold of the reverse-current limiter is substantially different than the threshold of the additional reverse-current limiter.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the threshold of the reverse-current limiter and the threshold of the additional reverse-current limiter are voltage thresholds.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the charger and the additional charger are linear chargers.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the power-supply adapter further comprises a buck charger that outputs a variable voltage to the first power rail based on voltage levels of the energy-storing component or the additional energy-storing component.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the power-supply adapter further comprises a buck charger that outputs a constant voltage to the first power rail without monitoring voltage levels of the energy-storing component or the additional energy-storing component.
20. A method comprising:
electrically coupling a load to a power rail that spans a hinging interface;
electrically coupling an input of a first charger to the power rail;
electrically coupling an output of the first charger to a first battery;
electrically coupling a first terminal of a first reverse-current limiter to the power rail;
electrically coupling a second terminal of the first reverse-current limiter to the first battery;
electrically coupling an input of a second charger to the power rail;
electrically coupling an output of the second charger to a second battery;
electrically coupling a first terminal of a second reverse-current limiter to the power rail;
electrically coupling a second terminal of the second reverse-current limiter to the second battery; and
electrically coupling a charging port to the power rail.