# US 12,763,587 B2 · Power management circuit for multi-cell power storage devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,763,587 B2 - Document ID: US12763587B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/997,782 - Filed: 2020-05-04 - Published: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-04 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Chao Fei; Douglas Osterhout; Srikanth Lakshmikanthan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12763587B2 ## CPC - H02J 7/342: {The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68)} - H02J 7/56: Active balancing, e.g. using capacitor-based, inductor-based or DC-DC converters - H02J 7/855: {with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery} - G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable} - H02J 2207/20: Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract In general, techniques are described that are directed to a device having a first power storage device and a second power storage device connected in series. A first power converter may generate, using electrical energy sourced from the first power storage device and the second power storage device, a first power signal to power a first set of components. A second power converter may generate, using electrical energy sourced from the first power storage device and not the second power storage device, a second power signal to power a second set of components. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A foldable device comprising: a first portion; a second portion, the first portion covering at least portion of the second portion when the foldable device is folded along an axis; a first power storage device housed in the first portion; a second power storage device housed in the second portion and connected in series with the first power storage device, wherein the first power storage device has a different power storage capacity than the second power storage device; a first power converter configured to generate, using electrical energy sourced from the first power storage device and the second power storage device, a first power signal to power a first set of components; a second power converter configured to generate, using electrical energy sourced from the first power storage device and not the second power storage device, a second power signal to power a second set of components; and an active balance circuit connected with the first power storage device and the second power storage device and configured to transfer energy between the first power storage device and the second power storage device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device foldable of claim 1, wherein the active balance circuit comprises at least a third power converter configured to transfer the energy between the first power storage device and the second power storage device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The foldable device of claim 2, further including a fourth power converter configured to transfer the energy between the first and second power storage devices, wherein each of the third power converter and the fourth power converter comprises a direct current to direct current power converter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The foldable device of claim 2, wherein the third power converter is configured to operate as a buck converter to transfer the energy from the second power storage device to the first power storage device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The foldable device of claim 2, further including a fourth power converter configured to transfer the energy between the first and second power storage devices, wherein the fourth power converter are configured to operate as a boost converter to transfer the energy from the first power storage device to the second power storage device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The foldable device of claim 1, wherein the first set of components consume more power, on average, than the second set of components. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The foldable device of claim 1, wherein the first set of components includes a display, and wherein the second set of components includes a processor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The foldable device of claim 1, wherein the foldable device comprises a foldable mobile device or a foldable mobile tablet. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: generating, by a first power converter and using electrical energy sourced from a first power storage device and a second power storage device, a first power signal to power a first set of components, wherein the first power storage device has a different power storage capacity than the second power storage device; generating, by a second power converter and using electrical energy sourced from the first power storage device and not the second power storage device, a second power signal to power a second set of components; and transferring, by an active balance circuit connected with the first power storage device and the second power storage device, energy between the first power storage device and the second power storage device, wherein the first power storage device has a different power storage capacity than the second power storage device, the first power storage device is housed in a first portion of a foldable device, the second power storage device is housed in a second portion of the foldable device, and the first portion cover at least portion of the second portion when the foldable device is folded along axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the active balance circuit comprises at least a third power converter, the transferring including the third power converter altering the voltage from the first power storage device supplied to the second power storage device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the active balance circuit comprises at least a fourth power converter, the transferring including the fourth power converter altering the voltage from the second power storage device supplied to the first power storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein transferring the energy comprises operating the third power converter as a buck converter to transfer the energy from the second power storage device to the first power storage device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein transferring the energy comprises operating the fourth power converter as a boost converter to transfer the energy from the first power storage device to the second power storage device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising transferring, by a charger connected with the second power storage device and the active balance circuit, energy to the first power storage device and the second power storage device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the active balance circuit comprises at least a third power converter, the transferring including the third power converter altering the voltage from the charger to the first power storage device.