Series-parallel battery array conversion
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsChristopher John Kimble, Steven William Steele
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery backup system has a number of batteries and number of switches interconnecting the batteries to either a high-power load or a low-power load. The batteries are selectively connected in series with each other, or in parallel with each other by the switches. When the batteries are in the parallel configuration they are also connected to power the low-power load, and when in series, to power the high-power load. Between switching from the high-power series configuration to the low-power parallel configuration, a transition phase is provided during which a transition battery powers the low-power load.
Claims19
A battery back-up system for providing battery back-up for a first and a second load, comprising:
- a plurality of batteries;
- a plurality of switches for interconnecting the plurality of batteries to the first load and the second load, such that:
- (a) the plurality of batteries are selectively connected to the first load in series with each other, or
- (b) the plurality of batteries are selectively connected to the second load in parallel with each other;
- and
- a transition battery to power the second load during a transition phase in which the plurality of batteries are being changed from a series to a parallel connection.
A method of providing a high-power and a low-power battery back-up with a battery back-up unit having a plurality of batteries, comprising:
- connecting the plurality of batteries in series with an output of the battery back-up unit to provide the high-power battery back-up;
- and
- connecting the plurality of batteries in parallel with the output of the battery back-up unit to provide the low-power battery back-up;
- and
- providing a transition phase between the high-power battery back-up and the low-power battery back-up, during which back-up power is supplied to a load from a transition battery.
A method of providing a high-power battery back-up, a transition back-up phase, and a low-power battery back-up with a battery back-up unit having a plurality of batteries and a plurality of switches, comprising:
- closing a first group of switches to configure the plurality of batteries in a series array;
- closing a first load switch to connect the series array of batteries to a first load to begin the high-power battery back-up;
- closing a transition battery switch to connect a transition battery to a second load;
- opening the first load switch to disconnect the series array of batteries from the first load to begin the transition back-up phase and end the high-power battery back-up;
- opening the first group of switches to deconfigure the plurality of batteries from the series array;
- closing a second group of switches to configure the plurality of batteries in a parallel array;
- closing a second load switch to connect the parallel array of batteries to the second load;
- and
- opening the transition battery switch to disconnect the transition battery from the second load to end the transition back-up phase and begin the low-power battery back-up.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.