Dual battery protection of rechargeable batteries

A method for protecting a battery, comprising:

• at a battery protection system of the battery the battery protection including a first protection integrated circuit (PIC) coupled to the battery, a second PIC coupled to the battery, control logic coupled to the first PIC and the second PIC, a first switching component and a second switching component, and a first serial resistor electrically coupled in series with the battery on a direct current (DC) charging and discharging path of the battery, a same amount of direct current being configured to flow through the first serial resistor and the battery during charging and discharging of the battery, the first switching component and the second switching component being electrically coupled in series on the DC charging and discharging path of the battery, the first PIC being coupled to the first serial resistor and configured to receive a first voltage drop across the first serial resistor and determine, based on the first voltage drop, whether a drive current of the battery is at fault, and each switching component being coupled to the control logic:
• determining, by the first PIC, whether a drive current of the battery is at fault;
• generating, by the first PIC, one or more first switching signals indicating whether the drive current of the battery is at fault;
• determining, by the second PIC, whether the drive current of the battery is at fault,
• generating, by the second PIC, one or more second switching signals indicating whether the drive current of the battery is at fault
• combining, via the control logic, the first and second switching signals to provide a first combined switching signal;
• and
• controlling, via the first switching component and the second switching component, the DC charging and discharging path using the first combined switching signal.

A method of protecting a battery, comprising:

• providing a first protection integrated circuit (PIC) coupled to the battery and configured to determine whether a drive current of the battery is at fault and generate one or more first switching signals indicating whether the drive current of the battery is at fault;
• providing a second PIC coupled to the battery and configured to determine whether the drive current of the battery is at fault and generate one or more second switching signals indicating whether the drive current of the battery is at fault;
• providing control logic coupled to the first PIC and the second PIC, the control logic being configured to combine the first switching signals and the second switching signals to provide a first combined switching signal;
• providing a first switching component and a second switching component, the first switching component and the second switching component being electrically coupled in series on a direct current (DC) charging and discharging path of the battery, and each switching component being coupled to the control logic and configured to control the DC charging and discharging path using the first combined switching signal;
• and
• providing a high battery supply node and a low battery supply node, wherein the battery, the first PIC and the second PIC are electrically coupled in parallel between the high and low battery supply nodes, and the second PIC is disposed between the battery and the first PIC.