# US 2021/0341982 A1 · System and method for dynamic switching between batteries in a dual battery system

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- Number: US 2021/0341982 A1
- Document ID: US20210341982A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/866,299
- Filed: 2020-05-04
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-05-04
- Assignees: Dell Products L.P.
- Applicants: Dell Products L.P.
- Inventors: QINGHONG HE; YAN NING; JOHN ROBERT LERMA; LOUIS MICHAEL DAVIS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210341982A1

## CPC

- G06F 1/263: {Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence)}
- H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)}
- H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially}
- H01M 10/443: {in response to temperature}
- H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially}
- H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature}
- H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing}
- H01M 2010/4278: {Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller}
- H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A system and method for dynamically switching power supply in a dual battery system to minimize unbalanced wear levels in the primary and secondary batteries. If the operating temperature of the primary battery reaches a reliability temperature threshold but the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the reliability temperature threshold, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery. If the operating temperature of the primary battery reaches a pre-shutdown temperature but the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the pre-shutdown temperature, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery. If a difference between the wear levels of the batteries exceeds a wear level difference threshold, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery system for an information handling system, the battery system comprising:
a first battery;
a second battery;
a controller; and
a memory medium communicatively coupled to the controller, the memory medium storing a primary battery indicator designating the first battery as the primary battery and a set of instructions executable by the controller to:
determine an operating temperature of the first battery;
if the operating temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than a reliability temperature threshold:
determine an operating temperature of the second battery; and
if the operating temperature of the second battery is less than the reliability temperature threshold, switch the primary battery indicator in the memory medium to designate the second battery as the primary battery.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein:
the first battery comprises a first battery management unit (BMU);
the second battery comprises a second BMU; and
the set of instructions are executable by the controller to:
communicate with the first BMU to determine a wear level of the first battery;
communicate with the second BMU to determine a wear level of the second battery;
determine a difference between the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery; and
switch the primary battery indicator to designate the second battery as the primary battery if the difference between the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery is equal to or greater than a wear level difference threshold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The battery system of claim 2, wherein the wear level difference comprises a ratio of the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The battery system of claim 2, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery corresponds to a number of charging/discharging cycles of the first battery;
the wear level of the second battery corresponds to a number of charging/discharging cycles of the second battery; and
the wear level difference comprises a difference between the number of charging/discharging cycles of the first battery and the number of charging/discharging cycles of the second battery.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The battery system of claim 2, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery is associated with an amount of time the operational temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold;
the wear level of the second battery is associated with an amount of time the operational temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold; and
the wear level difference comprises a difference between the time the operational temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold and the time the operational temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The battery system of claim 1, wherein:
if the operating temperature of the first battery and the operating temperature of the second battery are equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold, the set of instructions are further executable by the controller to:
determine if the operating temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than a pre-shutdown temperature; and
if the operating temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the pre-shutdown temperature and the operating temperature of the second battery is less than the pre-shutdown temperature, switch the primary battery indicator in the memory medium to designate the second battery as the primary battery.

### Claim 7

A dual battery system for an information handling system, the dual battery system comprising:
a first battery having a first battery management unit (BMU);
a second battery having a second BMU;
a controller communicatively coupled to the first BMU and the second BMU; and
a memory medium communicatively coupled to the controller, the memory medium storing a primary battery indicator designating the first battery as a primary battery and set of instructions executable by the controller to:
read a wear level of the first battery;
read a wear level of the second battery;
determine a difference between the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery; and
switch the primary battery indicator to designate the second battery as the primary battery if the difference between the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery is equal to or greater than a wear level difference threshold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The dual battery system of claim 7, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery comprises a percentage of a charge capacity of the first battery;
the wear level of the second battery comprises a percentage of a charge capacity of the second battery.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The dual battery system of claim 8, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery corresponds to a number of charging/discharging cycles of the first battery;
the wear level of the second battery corresponds to a number of charging/discharging cycles of the second battery; and
the wear level difference comprises a difference between the number of charging/discharging cycles of the first battery and the number of charging/discharging cycles of the second battery.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The dual battery system of claim 7, wherein the wear level difference comprises a ratio of the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The dual battery system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to:
monitor an operating temperature of the first battery;
if the operating temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold:
determine an operating temperature of the second battery;
if the operating temperature of the second battery is less than the reliability temperature threshold, switch the primary battery indicator in the memory medium to designate the second battery as the primary battery.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The dual battery system of claim 11, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery is associated with an amount of time the operational temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold;
the wear level of the second battery is associated with an amount of time the operational temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold; and
the wear level difference comprises a difference between the time the operational temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold and the time the operational temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The dual battery system of claim 11, wherein:
if the controller determines the operating temperature of the first battery and the operating temperature of the second battery are equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold, the controller is configured to:
determine if the operating temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than a pre-shutdown temperature;
if the operating temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than a pre-shutdown temperature, determine if the operating temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the pre-shutdown temperature;
if the operating temperature of the second battery is less than the pre-shutdown temperature, switch the primary battery indicator to designate the second battery as the primary battery;
if the operating temperature of the first battery and the operating temperature of the second battery are equal to or greater than the pre-shutdown temperature, send a signal to power down the information handling system.

### Claim 14

A portable information handling system contained in a chassis, the information capable of drawing power from a dual battery system comprising:
a first battery having a first battery management unit (BMU);
a second battery having a second BMU;
a controller communicatively coupled to the first BMU and the second BMU; and
a memory medium communicatively coupled to the controller, the memory medium storing a primary battery indicator designating the first battery as a primary battery and set of instructions executable by the controller to:
determine an operating temperature of the primary battery;
if the operating temperature of the primary battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold:
determine an operating temperature of the secondary battery; and
if the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the reliability temperature threshold, switch the primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery; and
wherein the set of instructions are further executable by the controller to:
read a wear level of the first battery;
read a wear level of the second battery;
determine a difference between the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery; and
if the difference between the wear level of the first battery and the wear level of the second battery is equal to or greater than a wear level difference threshold, switch the primary battery indicator in the memory medium to designate the second battery as the primary battery.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The portable information handling system of claim 14, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery comprises a percentage of a charge capacity of the first battery; and
the wear level of the second battery comprises a percentage of a charge capacity of the second battery.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The portable information handling system of claim 15, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery corresponds to a number of charging/discharging cycles of the first battery;
the wear level of the second battery corresponds to a number of charging/discharging cycles of the second battery; and
the wear level difference comprises a difference between the number of charging/discharging cycles of the first battery and the number of charging/discharging cycles of the second battery.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The portable information handling system of claim 14, wherein the wear level difference threshold comprises a ratio of the wear level of the primary battery and the wear level of the secondary battery.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The portable information handling system of claim 15, wherein:
the wear level of the first battery is associated with an amount of time the operational temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold;
the wear level of the second battery is associated with an amount of time the operational temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold; and
the wear level difference comprises a difference between the time the operational temperature of the first battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold and the time the operational temperature of the second battery is equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The portable information handling system of claim 14, wherein if the operating temperature of the primary battery and the operating temperature of the secondary battery are equal to or greater than the reliability temperature threshold, the set of instructions are further executable by the controller to:
determine if the operating temperature of the primary battery is equal to or greater than a pre-shutdown temperature;
if the operating temperature of the primary battery is equal to or greater than the pre-shutdown temperature, determine if the operating temperature of the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the pre-shutdown temperature;
if the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the pre-shutdown temperature, switch the primary battery indicator in the memory medium to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery; and
if the operating temperature of the primary battery and the operating temperature of the secondary battery are equal to or greater than the pre-shutdown temperature, send a signal to power down the information handling system.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The portable information handling system of claim 19, wherein the wear level of the primary battery and the wear level of the secondary battery are associated with time operated above the pre-shutdown temperature.