Circuit offering sequential discharge and simultaneous charge for a multiple battery system and method for charging multiple batteries

A computer system comprising:

• a bus;
• a central processing unit ("CPU") coupled to said bus, said CPU processing data and program instructions;
• a memory unit coupled to said bus;
• said memory unit contains said data and said program instructions;
• a plurality of battery packs, wherein a first battery pack of said plurality of battery packs includes a first battery selectively chosen to supply power to a load being at least one of said CPU and said memory unit or to receive power to charge said first battery, and a second battery pack includes a second battery selectively chosen to supply power to said load or to receive power to charge said second battery;
• a battery switching circuit including
• a first power line, and
• at least a first switch selectively coupling said first power line to one of said load, said first battery and said second battery in order to selectively provide power to said load, to charge said first battery, and alternatively, to charge said second battery;
• and
• a micro-controller unit coupled to said battery switching circuit, said micro-controller unit controls said battery switching circuit.

A method for controlling discharging and charging of a first and second batteries, coupled to a battery switching circuit within a computer system, by a micro-controller unit coupled to a first and second power lines of said battery switching circuit through a pair of sensing lines, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing whether a DC power output is being supplied to at least said first power line, wherein if said DC power output is being supplied to said at least first power line, sensing whether a second DC power output is being supplied to said second power line, wherein
• enabling a plurality of electronic components to receive said DC power output while preventing said first and second batteries from being accessible to said DC power output, if said second DC power output is not supplied to said second power line,
• determining whether said computer system is in a high power mode if said second DC power output is supplied to said second power line, wherein
• if said computer system is in said high power mode, ensuring that said DC power output is supplied to said
• plurality of electronic components, determining whether said first battery is fully charged,
• wherein if said first battery is not fully charged, said second DC power output is supplied to said first battery until said first battery is fully charged, and
• determining whether said second battery is fully charged, wherein if said second battery is not fully charged, said second DC power output is supplied to said second battery until said second battery is fully charged, and if said computer system is not in said high power mode,
• determining whether both said first battery is fully charged, wherein
• if both said first and second batteries are not fully charged, simultaneously charging said first and second batteries,
• if said first battery is fully charged and said second battery is not fully charged, charging said second battery with said second DC output until completion, and
• if said first battery is fully charged and said second battery is not fully charged, charging said second battery with said DC output and said second DC output until completion.

A method for controlling discharging and charging of a first and second batteries, coupled to a battery switching circuit within a computer system, by a micro-controller unit coupled to a first and second power lines of said battery switching circuit through a pair of sensing lines, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing whether a DC power output is being supplied to said first power line, wherein
• (i) if said DC power output is not being supplied to said power line, determining whether said second battery is storing a
• sufficient amount of power to operate said computer system in a high power mode, wherein if so, said micro-controller unit enabling said second battery to discharge power to said at least one of said plurality of components,
• determining whether said first battery is storing a sufficient amount of power to operate said computer system in a high power mode, wherein if so, said micro-controller unit enabling said first battery to discharge power to said at least one of said plurality of components,
• placing said computer system in a lower power mode if neither said first and second batteries are storing a sufficient amount of power to operate said computer system in said high power mode, and
• (ii) if said DC power output is being supplied to said at least first power line,
• sensing by said micro-controller unit whether a second DC power output is being supplied to said second power line, wherein
• enabling said plurality of electronic components to receive said DC power output while preventing said first and second batteries from being charged with said DC power output, if said second DC power output is not being supplied to said second power line, and
• determining whether said computer system is in said high power mode if said second DC power output is supplied to said second power line, wherein
• if said computer system is in said high power mode, ensuring that said DC power output is supplied
• to said plurality of electronic components,
• determining whether said first battery is fully charged, wherein if said first battery is not fully charged, said second DC power output is supplied to said first battery until said first battery is fully charged, and
• determining whether said second battery is fully charged, wherein if said second battery is not fully charged, said second DC power output is supplied to said second battery until said second battery is fully charged,
• if said computer system is not in said high power mode, determining whether both said first battery is fully charged, wherein
• if both said first and second batteries are not fully charged, said first and second batteries are simultaneously charged,
• if said first battery is fully charged and said second battery is not fully charged and a fast battery charge rate is not desired, charging said second battery with said second DC output until completion,
• if said first battery is fully charged and said second battery is not fully charged and said fast battery charge rate is desired, charging said second battery with said DC output and said second DC output until completion,
• if said first battery is not fully charged and said second battery is fully charged and said fast battery charge rate is not desired, charging said first battery with said second DC output until completion, and
• if said first battery is not fully charged and said second battery is fully charged and said fast battery charge rate is desired, charging said first battery with said DC output and said second DC output until completion.

For a computer system comprising a micro-controller unit and a plurality of battery packs wherein each of said plurality of battery packs including a battery, monitoring circuitry of said battery to measure and calculate particular characteristics of said battery and a module to store and transmit said particular characteristics of said battery to said micro-controller unit to assist said micro-controller unit in independently charging said battery, a method comprising the steps of:

• performing a monitoring operation to determine whether said battery requires charging by a power source;
• performing a charging operation on said battery in the event that said battery requires charging;
• and
• performing an error detection to determine operation if an error occurs in performing one of said monitoring operation or said charging operation.