# US 2018/0323624 A1 · Circuits, systems and methods for balancing power for system load components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323624 A1 - Document ID: US20180323624A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/585,436 - Filed: 2017-05-03 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-03 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Chen-Hsin Chang; Chih-Chiang Tsui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323624A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/263: {Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence)} - H02J 7/06: using discharge tubes or semiconductor devices - 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 Circuits, systems and methods that may be implemented to achieve thermal management for system load components by balancing power between multiple input power current paths for a narrow voltage DC (NVDC) circuit architecture coupled to receive input external DC power, e.g., such as provided by an external AC adapter. At least one of the multiple current paths may be coupled to supply DC power to a lower voltage portion of a system load through a charger circuit, while at least one other of the multiple current paths may be coupled to selectably supply DC power directly to another and different higher voltage portion of the system load, bypassing the charger circuit and related NVDC components. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Circuitry, comprising: a charger circuit having a charger input coupled to receive input direct current (DC) power having an input DC voltage from an external power source, and a charger output coupled to provide output DC power having an output DC voltage that is less than the input DC voltage to a first power node; a system load comprising power-consuming components, all of the power-consuming components of a first portion of the system load having an input voltage requirement that is higher than an input voltage requirement of all the power-consuming components of a second portion of the system load; and a multiplexer switch having first and second multiplexer inputs and a multiplexer output coupled to provide power to the power-consuming components of the first system load portion, the first multiplexer input coupled to receive power from the first power node, and the second multiplexer input coupled to receive power from a second power node coupled between the external power source and the charger input; where the power-consuming components of the second system load portion are coupled to receive power only from the first power node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuitry of claim 1, where all of the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is higher than the input DC voltage from the external power source; and where all of the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is lower than the input DC voltage from the external power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuitry of claim 1, further comprising at least one programmable integrated circuit coupled to control the multiplexer switch to connect the multiplexer output to one of the first multiplexer input or the second multiplexer input at a time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The circuitry of claim 1, where the external power source comprises an external AC adapter; and where the circuitry further comprises one or more battery cells coupled to receive charging power from the charger circuit output, and to provide battery power to the first power node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuitry of claim 1, further comprising one or more battery cells coupled to receive charging power from the charger circuit output, and to provide battery power to the first power node; where the charger circuit output voltage is based on an output voltage of the one or more battery cells. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuitry of claim 1, where the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load comprises a boost voltage regulator (VR); and where the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load comprises a buck voltage regulator (VR). ### Claim 7 A battery-powered information handling system, comprising: a display panel; at least one programmable integrated circuit coupled to provide signals to display visual images on the display panel; a system load comprising power-consuming components, all of the power-consuming components of a first portion of the system load having an input voltage requirement that is higher than an input voltage requirement of all the power- consuming components of a second portion of the system load, where the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load comprises backlight circuitry for the display panel, and where the power- consuming components of the second portion of the system load comprises the programmable integrated circuit; one or more battery cells coupled to provide power to the power-consuming components of the system load through a first power node; a narrow voltage DC (NVDC) charger circuit having a charger input coupled to receive input direct current (DC) power having an input DC voltage from an external power source, and a charger output coupled to provide output DC power having an output DC voltage that is less than the input DC voltage to the first power node and to the battery cells as battery charging power; and a multiplexer switch having first and second multiplexer inputs and a multiplexer output coupled to provide power to the power-consuming components of the first system load portion, the first multiplexer input coupled to receive power from the first power node, and the second multiplexer input coupled to receive power directly from a second power node coupled between the external power source and the charger input; where the power-consuming components of the second system load portion are coupled to receive power only from the first power node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, where all of the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is higher than the input DC voltage from the external power source; and where all of the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is lower than the input DC voltage from the external power source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, where the at least one programmable integrated circuit coupled to provide data to display visual images on the display panel is a host processor; where the multiplexer switch comprises a first power switch coupled between the first multiplexer input and the multiplexer output and a second power switch coupled between the second multiplexer input and the multiplexer output; and where the information handling system further comprises an embedded controller coupled to control the timing of each of the first power switch and the second power switch to connect the multiplexer output to only the first multiplexer input when it is detected by at least one programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system that the input DC voltage is not being supplied from the external power source to the second power node, and to connect the multiplexer output to only the second multiplexer input when it is detected it is detected by at least one programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system that the input DC voltage is being supplied from the external power source to the second power node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, where the charger circuit comprises a current sense resistor coupled to the charger input, and at least one programmable integrated circuit coupled to the embedded controller that is programmed to use the current sense resistor to monitor total input current at the charger input; where the embedded controller is programmed to determine an input current limit value based on whether the multiplexer output is coupled to the first multiplexer input or the second multiplexer input, and to provide the determined input current limit to the at least one programmable integrated circuit of the charger circuit; and where the at least one programmable integrated circuit of the charger circuit is programmed to regulate maximum current passed through charger circuit based on the monitored total input current and the determined input current limit value provided by embedded controller; where the determined input current limit value provided by the embedded controller is greater when the multiplexer output is coupled to the first multiplexer input than when the multiplexer output is coupled to the second multiplexer input. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, where the at least one programmable integrated circuit coupled to provide data to display visual images on the display panel is a host processor; where the multiplexer switch comprises a first power switch coupled between the first multiplexer input and the multiplexer output and a second power switch coupled between the second multiplexer input and the multiplexer output; and where the information handling system further comprises an embedded controller coupled to control the timing of each of the first power switch and the second power switch based at least in part on the activity state of the display panel backlight circuitry and the state of input DC voltage from the external power source detected by at least on programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system to: connect the multiplexer output to only the first multiplexer input only when it is detected that the input DC voltage is not being supplied from the external power source to the second power node or when the host programmable integrated circuit indicates to the embedded controller that display panel backlight circuitry is not active, and connect the multiplexer output to only the second multiplexer input only when it is detected that the input DC voltage is being supplied from the external power source to the second power node at the same time that the host programmable integrated circuit indicates to the embedded controller that the display panel backlight circuitry is active. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, where the external power source comprises an external AC adapter; and where the charger circuit output voltage is based on an output voltage of the one or more battery cells. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, where the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load comprises a boost voltage regulator (VR) coupled between the multiplexer output and the backlight circuitry for the display panel; and where the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load comprises a buck voltage regulator (VR) coupled between the first power node and the at least one programmable integrated circuit. ### Claim 14 A method, comprising: operating a system load comprising power-consuming components, all of the power-consuming components of a first portion of the system load having an input voltage requirement that is higher than an input voltage requirement of all the power-consuming components of a second portion of the system load; using a charger circuit to receive input direct current (DC) power having an input DC voltage from an external power source, and to provide output DC power having an output DC voltage that is less than the input DC voltage to a first power node; always using power from the first power node to provide power to the power-consuming components of the second system load portion; and switching power for the power-consuming components of the first system load portion in real time between the first power node and a second power node that is coupled between the external power source and the charger input. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where all of the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is higher than the input DC voltage from the external power source; and where all of the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is lower than the input DC voltage from the external power source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising using at least one programmable integrated circuit to control a multiplexer switch to connect the multiplexer output to one of the first multiplexer input or the second multiplexer input at a time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where the external power source comprises an external AC adapter; and further comprising receiving charging power in one or more battery cells from the charger circuit output; and providing battery power from the one or more battery cells to the first power node, the charger circuit output voltage is based on an output voltage of the one or more battery cells. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where all of the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is higher than an input voltage requirement of all the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load; where the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load comprises backlight circuitry for a display panel, where the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load comprises programmable integrated circuit; and where the method further comprises: using the at least one programmable integrated circuit to provide signals to display visual images on the display panel; and using an embedded controller coupled to control the timing to switch power for the power-consuming components of the first system load portion in real time between the first power node and the second power node to connect the first system load portion to only power from the first power node when it is detected that the input DC voltage is not being supplied from the external power source to the second power node, and to connect the first system load portion to only power from the second power node when it is detected that the input DC voltage is being supplied from the external power source to the second power node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising monitoring total input current at the charger input; determining an input current limit value based on whether the power for the power-consuming components of the first system load portion is connected to the first power node or the second power node; and regulating maximum current passed through charger circuit based on the monitored total input current and the determined input current limit value; where the determined input current limit value is greater when power for the power-consuming components of the first system load portion is connected to the first power node than when the power for the power-consuming components of the first system load portion is connected to the second power node. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where all of the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load have an input voltage requirement that is higher than an input voltage requirement of all the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load; where the power-consuming components of the first portion of the system load comprises backlight circuitry for a display panel, where the power-consuming components of the second portion of the system load comprises programmable integrated circuit; and where the method further comprises: using the at least one programmable integrated circuit to provide signals to display visual images on the display panel; and using an embedded controller coupled to control the timing to switch power for the power-consuming components of the first system load portion in real time between the first power node and the second power node based at least in part on the activity state of the display panel backlight circuitry and a detected state of input DC voltage from the external power source to: connect the first system load portion to only power from the first power node only when it is detected that the input DC voltage is not being supplied from the external power source to the second power node or when the display panel backlight circuitry is not active, and connect the first system load portion to only power from the second power node only when it is detected that the input DC voltage is being supplied from the external power source to the second power node at the same time that the display panel backlight circuitry is active.