Battery system with low power mode
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorRonald Cyprowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for controlling transitions between a low power mode of operation and a functional mode of operation of a battery system use power provided by the battery cell in the battery system to cause the transitions. The battery system includes a status circuit, a charge/discharge circuit, a set of battery ports, and/or other components. During the low power mode of operation, at least the charge/discharge circuit is rendered inoperative, thus saving power.
Claims15
A battery system constructed and arranged to control transitions between a low power mode of operation during which the battery system is configured to preserve energy and a functional mode of operation during which the battery system is configured to provide energy to one or more external circuits, the one or more external circuits being external to the battery system and including an electrical load and a switchable circuit, the battery system comprising:
- a set of battery ports configured to operatively couple the battery system to the one or more external circuits, wherein the set of battery ports includes a first battery port and a second battery port;
- a battery cell configured to provide energy to the first battery port and the second battery port, wherein the battery cell includes a first battery cell port;
- the first battery port configured to operatively couple the battery system to the electrical load during the functional mode of operation, wherein the first battery port is further configured to operatively couple the battery system to the electrical load during the provision of energy in the functional mode of operation;
- the second battery port configured to operatively couple the battery system to the switchable circuit during the low power mode of operation, wherein the second battery port is further configured to operatively couple the battery cell to the switchable circuit during the provision of energy in the low power mode of operation;
- a discharge circuit configured to provide a coupling between the first battery cell port and the first battery port, wherein the discharge circuit is further configured such that the coupling is operative during an operative state of the discharge circuit, and wherein the discharge circuit is further configured such that the coupling is inoperative during an inoperative state of the discharge circuit;
- and
- a status circuit configured to selectively operate in the low power mode of operation or the functional mode of operation, wherein:
- the status circuit is further configured to cause the discharge circuit to be in the inoperative state responsive to the status circuit operating in the low power mode of operation, the low power mode comprising a first low power sleep mode, wherein power consumption of the discharge circuit is reduced, and a second low power shutdown mode, wherein power consumption of the discharge circuit and the status circuit are reduced, and
- the status circuit is further configured to cause the discharge circuit to be in the operative state responsive to provision of energy from the battery cell, through the second battery port, through the switchable circuit, through an individual battery port in the set of battery ports, to the status circuit.
A method for controlling transitions of a battery system between a low power mode of operation during which the battery system preserves energy and a functional mode of operation during which the battery system provides energy to one or more external circuits, the one or more external circuits being external to the battery system and including an electrical load and a switchable circuit, the method being implemented in the battery system including a battery cell, a set of battery ports, a discharge circuit, and a status circuit, and wherein the set of battery ports includes a first battery port and a second battery port, the method comprising:
- operatively coupling, through the first battery port, the battery system to the electrical load during the functional mode of operation such that the battery cell provides energy to the electrical load;
- operatively coupling, through the second battery port, the battery system to the switchable circuit during the low power mode of operation such that the battery cell provides energy to the switchable circuit;
- providing energy, by the battery cell, to the first battery port and the second battery port;
- providing, by the discharge circuit, a coupling between the battery cell and the first battery port such that the coupling is operative during an operative state of the discharge circuit, and such that the coupling is inoperative during an inoperative state of the discharge circuit;
- responsive to the status circuit operating in the low power mode of operation, the status circuit causing the discharge circuit to be the inoperative state, the low power mode comprising a first low power sleep mode, wherein power consumption of the discharge circuit is reduced, and a second low power shutdown mode, wherein power consumption of the discharge circuit and the status circuit are reduced;
- and
- responsive to provision of energy from the battery cell, through the second battery port, through the switchable circuit, through an individual battery port in the set of battery ports, to the status circuit, the status circuit causing the discharge circuit to be the operative state.
A battery system constructed and arranged to control transitions between a low power mode of operation during which the battery system preserves energy and a functional mode of operation during which the battery system provides energy to one or more external circuits, the one or more external circuits being external to the battery system and including an electrical load and a switchable circuit, the battery system comprising:
- a set of coupling means for operatively coupling the battery system to the one or more external circuits, wherein the set of coupling means include a first coupling means and a second coupling means;
- energy means for providing energy to the first coupling means and the second coupling means;
- the first coupling means for operatively coupling the battery system to the electrical load during the functional mode of operation such that the energy means provides energy to the electrical load;
- the second coupling means for operatively coupling the battery system to the switchable circuit during the low power mode of operation such that the energy means provides energy to the switchable circuit;
- discharge means for providing a coupling between the energy means and the first coupling means such that the coupling is operative during an operative state of the discharge means, and such that the coupling is inoperative during an inoperative state of the discharge means;
- status means for selectively operating in the low power mode of operation or the functional mode of operation such that:
- responsive to the status means operating in the low power mode of operation, the status means is configured to cause the discharge means to be in the inoperative state, the low power mode comprising a first low power sleep mode, wherein power consumption of the discharge means is reduced, and a second low power shutdown mode, wherein power consumption of the discharge means and the status means are reduced, and
- responsive to provision of energy from the energy means, through the second coupling means, through the switchable circuit, through an individual coupling means in the set of coupling means, to the status means, the status means is configured to cause the discharge means to be in the operative state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.