# US 2021/0333084 A1 · Systems And Methods For Detecting Battery System Swelling In Information Handling Systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0333084 A1 - Document ID: US20210333084A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/859,015 - Filed: 2020-04-27 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-27 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Shao-Szu Ho; Shih-Chang Hu; Wen-Yung Chang; Chin-Yuan Chiang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210333084A1 ## CPC - G01B 7/023: {for measuring distance between sensor and object (G01B7/082 and G01B7/102 take precedence)} - G01B 7/22: {using change in capacitance} - G01D 5/241: by relative movement of capacitor electrodes - G06F 1/1616: {with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position} - G06F 1/189: {Power distribution} - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) - H02J 7/80: including monitoring or indicating arrangements - G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold} - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract Systems and methods may be implemented separately from (and external to) a battery system to detect swollen battery system components within a chassis enclosure of the information handling system, without any physical contact with the battery cells or battery system, and without requiring premature opening of the information handling system chassis enclosure to inspect for battery system swelling. A system user may be automatically warned of detected battery system swelling and/or battery system charging may be automatically terminated upon detected battery system swelling so that information handling system failure and/or system service costs that would otherwise be expended to repair damage caused by swollen battery system components may be prevented. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising detecting swelling of a battery system contained within a chassis enclosure of an information handling system without physically contacting the battery, the method further comprising: sensing a proximity of the battery system to a first location within the chassis enclosure, the first location being separate from and external to the battery system; detecting swelling of the battery system by determining if the sensed proximity of the battery system indicates existence of battery system swelling; and taking at least one first action only upon determining swelling of the battery system exists, and not taking the at least one first action if no swelling of the battery system is determined to exist. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the first action comprises at least one of automatically providing an alarm to a system user or automatically terminating charging of the battery system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the first location is spaced apart from the battery system within the chassis enclosure; and where the sensing comprises using at least one capacitive proximity sensor at the first location to sense physical proximity of the battery system to the capacitive proximity sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, where the at least one capacitive proximity sensor is mounted to a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) at the first location to face toward the battery system and to face away from the first side of the PCB; and where the detecting swelling of the battery system comprises determining that the sensed physical proximity of the battery system to the at least one capacitive proximity sensor indicates existence of battery system swelling only when the sensed physical proximity of the battery system to the at least one capacitive proximity sensor is less than a predefined minimum distance data value threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, where at least one capacitive touch sensor is mounted at a second location to a second side of the PCB that is opposite from the first side of the PCB to face away from the second side of the PCB and to face toward an external touchpad surface of the information handling system; and where the method further comprises using the at least one capacitive touch sensor to detect presence and position of one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprises: receiving a first sensed capacitance signal from the at least one capacitive proximity sensor and a second sensed capacitance signal from the at least one capacitive touch sensor in a first programmable integrated circuit that is mounted to the first side of the PCB; and using at least one programmable integrated circuit to detect swelling of the battery system from the first sensed capacitance signal, and to detect presence and position of one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface from the second sensed capacitance signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprises: receiving a first sensed capacitance signal in at least one programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system from at least one capacitive proximity sensor of the information handling system that faces toward the battery system; receiving a second sensed capacitance signal in at least one programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system from the at least one capacitive touch sensor of the information handling system that faces toward an external touchpad surface of the information handling system; using at least one programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system to detect swelling of the battery system from the first sensed capacitance signal; and using at least one programmable integrated circuit of the information handling system to detect presence and position of one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface from the second sensed capacitance signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the first location is spaced apart from the battery system within the chassis enclosure; where the sensing the proximity to the battery system comprises using at least one capacitive proximity sensor at the first location to sense magnitude of capacitance value at the first location and converting the sensed capacitance magnitude value at the first location to a measured value of the distance (D) between the capacitive proximity sensor and the battery system; where the detecting swelling of the battery system comprises comparing the value of the measured distance (D) to a predefined minimum distance data value threshold, and determining swelling of the battery system exists if the measured value of the distance (D) is less than the predefined minimum distance data value threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the information handling system is a notebook or laptop computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the first location is spaced apart from the battery system within the chassis enclosure; where detecting swelling of the battery system further comprises: using at least one capacitive proximity sensor at the first location to sense multiple magnitudes of capacitance value at successive times at the first location; converting the multiple successive sensed capacitance magnitude values at the first location to multipole respective values of measured distance (D) between the capacitive proximity sensor and the battery system; determining swelling of the battery system exists if at least one of the multipole respective values of measured distance (D) is less than the predefined minimum distance data value threshold; and determining no swelling of the battery system exists if none of the multipole respective values of measured distance (D) is less than the predefined minimum distance data value threshold. ### Claim 11 An information handling system, comprising: a battery system contained within a chassis enclosure; at least one proximity sensor that does not physically contact the battery system and that is positioned at a first location that is separate from and external to the battery system, the proximity sensor sensing physical proximity of the battery system to the proximity sensor and producing a first signal that is representative of the sensed proximity of the battery system; and at least one programmable integrated circuit coupled to receive the first signal from the at least one proximity sensor, the at least one programmable integrated circuit being programmed to: detect swelling of the battery system by determining if the sensed proximity of the battery system indicates existence of battery system swelling; and take at least one first action only upon determining swelling of the battery system exists, and not take the at least one first action if no swelling of the battery system is determined to exist. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information handling system of claim 11, where the first action comprises at least one of automatically providing an alarm to a system user or automatically terminating charging of the battery system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The information handling system of claim 11, where the first location is spaced apart from the battery system within the chassis enclosure; where the at least one proximity sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor sensing magnitude of capacitance value at the first location to produce the first signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The information handling system of claim 13, where the at least one capacitive proximity sensor is mounted to a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) at the first location to face toward the battery system and to face away from the first side of the PCB; and where the at least one programmable integrated circuit is programmed to detect swelling of the battery system by determining that the sensed physical proximity of the battery system to the at least one capacitive proximity sensor indicates existence of battery system swelling only when the sensed physical proximity of the battery system to the at least one capacitive proximity sensor is less than a predefined minimum distance data value threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The information handling system of claim 14, further comprising: a touchpad having an external touchpad surface; and at least one capacitive touch sensor mounted at a second location to a second side of the PCB that is opposite from the first side of the PCB to face away from the second side of the PCB and to face toward the external touchpad surface of the information handling system, the capacitive touch sensor producing a second signal that is representative of a sensed presence and position of one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface; where the at least one programmable integrated circuit is coupled to receive the second signal from the at least one capacitive touch sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The information handling system of claim 15, where the at least one programmable integrated circuit comprises a first programmable integrated circuit that is mounted to the first side of the PCB and that is coupled to receive the first signal from the at least one capacitive proximity sensor and to receive the second signal from the at least one capacitive touch sensor; and where the at least one programmable integrated circuit is programmed to: detect swelling of the battery system from the first signal; and detect the presence and the position of the one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface from the second signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The information handling system of claim 11, where the at least one proximity sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor that faces toward the battery system and coupled to provide the first signal to the at least one programmable integrated circuit; and where the information handling system further comprises: a touchpad having an external touchpad surface; and at least one capacitive touch sensor that faces toward the external touchpad surface of the information handling system, the capacitive touch sensor coupled to provide a second signal to the at least one programmable integrated circuit that is representative of a sensed presence and position of one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface; where the at least one programmable integrated circuit is programmed to: detect swelling of the battery system from the first signal, and detect presence and position of one or more user fingers touching the external touchpad surface from the second signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The information handling system of claim 11, where the at least one proximity sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor sensing magnitude of capacitance value at the first location to produce the first signal; where the first location is spaced apart from the battery system within the chassis enclosure; and where the at least one programmable integrated circuit is coupled to receive the first signal from the capacitive proximity sensor, the at least one programmable integrated circuit being programmed to: convert the sensed capacitance magnitude value at the first location to a measured value of the distance (D) between the capacitive proximity sensor and the battery system; and detect swelling of the battery system by comparing the value of the measured distance (D) to a predefined minimum distance data value threshold, and determining swelling of the battery system exists if the measured value of the distance (D) is less than the predefined minimum distance data value threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The information handling system of claim 18, where the information handling system is a notebook or laptop computer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The information handling system of claim 11, where the first location is spaced apart from the battery system within the chassis enclosure; and where the at least one programmable integrated circuit is programmed to: use the first signal from the at least one capacitive proximity sensor to sense multiple magnitudes of capacitance value at successive times at the first location; convert the multiple successive sensed capacitance magnitude values at the first location to multipole respective values of measured distance (D) between the capacitive proximity sensor and the battery system; determine swelling of the battery system exists if at least one of the multipole respective values of measured distance (D) is less than the predefined minimum distance data value threshold; and determine no swelling of the battery system exists if none of the multipole respective values of measured distance (D) is less than the predefined minimum distance data value threshold.