# US 7,610,498 B2 · Very low voltage power distribution for mobile devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,498 B2 - Document ID: US7610498B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/216,843 - Filed: 2005-08-31 - Published: 2006-11-30 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-05-31 - Assignees: Marvell World Trade Ltd. - Inventors: Sehat Sutardja - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610498B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/263: {Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/1613: {for portable computers (cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202)} - G06F 1/1635: {Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter} - G06F 1/189: {Power distribution} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A mobile computing device comprises a central processing unit (CPU), memory that communicates with said CPU, an interface that communicates with said memory and said CPU and a display that communicates with said interface. A first distributed load center has first and second load terminals and includes at least a first distributed load. A second distributed load center has first and second load terminals and includes at least a second distributed load. A first distributed power source includes a first battery that is directly connected and primarily supplies power to the first and second load terminals of the first distributed load center. A second distributed power source includes a second battery that is directly connected and primarily supplies power to the first and second load terminals of the second distributed load center. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile computing device, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); memory that communicates with said CPU; an interface that communicates with said memory and said CPU; a display that communicates with said interface; a first distributed load center having first and second load terminals and including at least a first distributed load, wherein said first distributed load includes at least one load that is selected from a group consisting of said CPU, said memory, a graphics processing unit (GPU) that communicates with said interface, a hard disk drive (HDD) that communicates with said interface, and a DVD drive that communicates with said interface; a second distributed load center having first and second load terminals and including at least a second distributed load, wherein said second distributed load includes at least one load that is selected from a group consisting of said CPU, said memory, a graphics processing unit (GPU) that communicates with said interface, a hard disk drive (HDD) that communicates with said interface, and a DVD drive that communicates with said interface; a first distributed power system that includes a first battery that is directly connected and primarily supplies power to said first and second load terminals of said first distributed load center; and a second distributed power system that includes a second battery that is directly connected and primarily supplies power to said first and second load terminals of said second distributed load center, wherein said first load terminals of said first and second distributed load center communicate and said second load terminals of said first and second distributed load center communicate, wherein said first distributed power system supplies power to said second distributed load center and wherein said second distributed power system supplies power to said first distributed load center, and wherein said first distributed power system supplies power to said first distributed load and said second distributed load while said second distributed power system supplies power to said first distributed load and said second distributed load. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising a sensing and protection module that senses current flowing to said first distributed power system and that selectively decreases said current. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mobile computing device of claim 2 wherein said sensing and protection module includes a plurality of transistors that selectively increase resistance between said first distributed power system and said first distributed load center. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The mobile computing device of claim 2 wherein said sensing and protection module includes a resistance and parallel switch that selectively increase resistance between said first distributed power system and said first distributed load center. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The mobile computing device of claim 4 wherein said resistance is a variable resistance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 wherein said mobile computing device comprises a laptop computer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising a battery pack that includes said first and second batteries. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising a first battery pack that includes said first battery and a second battery pack that includes said second battery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mobile computing device of claim 8 wherein said first battery pack has first physical dimensions and said second battery pack has second physical dimensions, and wherein at least one of said first physical dimensions is different than at least one of said second physical dimensions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The mobile computing device of claim 8 wherein said first battery pack is located remotely from said second battery pack in said mobile computing device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 wherein said first and said second batteries include Lithium Ion batteries. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising a battery pack that includes said first battery, said second battery, and a first connection between first terminals of said first and second batteries and a second connection between second terminals of said first and second batteries. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising a motherboard that provides connections between said first load terminals of said first and second distributed load centers and between said second load terminals of said first and second distributed load centers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mobile computing device of claim 13 wherein said connections include: first metal stiffeners that connect said first terminals of said first and second distributed load centers to a power traces/planes of said motherboard; and second metal stiffeners that connect said second terminals of said first and second distributed load centers to a ground traces/planes of said motherboard. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 wherein said first battery has a first capacity and said second battery has a second capacity that is different than said first capacity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising a first DC/DC converter that receives a first voltage from said first battery and that outputs a second voltage to said first distributed load center. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mobile computing device of claim 16 wherein said DC/DC converter is one of a step-down converter and a step-up converter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The mobile computing device of claim 16 further comprising a second DC/DC converter that receives a third voltage from said first battery and that outputs a fourth voltage to said second distributed load center. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The mobile computing device of claim 16 wherein said DC/DC converter has a conversion ratio that is less than or equal to 4:1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising: a first DC/DC converter that receives a first voltage from said first battery and that outputs a second voltage; a second DC/DC converter that receives said second voltage from said first DC/DC converter and that outputs a third voltage to said first distributed load center. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The mobile computing device of claim 20 wherein said first DC/DC converter is a step-down converter and said second DC/DC converter is a step-up converter. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The mobile computing device of claim 21 wherein said second DC/DC converter is a 1:n converter. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The mobile computing device of claim 20 wherein said first DC/DC converter operates at a first frequency and said second DC/DC converter operates at a second frequency that is different than said first frequency. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first battery and said second battery includes a universal serial bus (USB) battery. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The mobile computing device of claim 24 wherein said USB battery includes a short circuit protection device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 wherein said first distributed load center operates at a first voltage and said second distributed load center operates at least one of said first voltage and a second voltage. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The mobile computing device of claim 1 further comprising: a first contactor that selectively disconnects at least one of first and second terminals of said first distributed power system; a second contactor that selectively disconnects at least one of first and second terminals of said second distributed power system; and a short circuit detecting module that communicates with at least one of said first and second contactors, that detects a short circuit in at least one of said first and second distributed power systems and that selectively disconnects at least one of said first and second distributed power systems. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The mobile computing device of claim 27 wherein said short circuit detecting module disconnects said first distributed power system while maintaining contact between said second distributed power system and at least one of said first distributed load center and said second distributed load center. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The mobile computing device of claim 27 comprising a battery pack that includes said first battery and said second battery and said short circuit detecting module, wherein said short circuit detecting module detects a short and isolates one of said first battery and said second battery. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The mobile computing device of claim 27 wherein said short circuit detecting module detects a first short when terminals of at least one of said first battery and said second battery are shorted and detects a second short when a first terminal of said first battery is shorted with a second terminal of said second battery, and wherein said short circuit detecting module isolates at least one of said first battery and said second battery based on detection of at least one of said first short and said second short. ### Claim 31 A method of providing a mobile computing device, comprising: providing a central processing unit (CPU), memory that communicates with said CPU, an interface that communicates with said memory and said CPU, and a display that communicates with said interface; providing a first distributed load center having first and second load terminals and including at least a first distributed load, wherein said first distributed load is selected from a group consisting of said central processing unit (CPU), said memory, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hard disk drive (HDD), and a DVD drive; providing a second distributed load center having first and second load terminals and including at least a second distributed load, wherein said second distributed load is selected from a group consisting of said central processing unit (CPU), said memory, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hard disk drive (HDD), and a DVD drive; distributing power to said first distributed load center using a first battery that is directly connected and supplies power to said first and second load terminals of said first distributed load center; and distributing power to said second distributed load center using a second battery that is directly connected and supplies power to said first and second load terminals of said second distributed load center; distributing power from said first battery to said first distributed load center and to said second distributed load center while distributing power from said second battery to said first distributed load center and to said second distributed load center, wherein said first load terminals of said first and second distributed load center communicate and said second load terminals of said first and second distributed load center communicate. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising: sensing current flowing through said first and second batteries; and limiting current flowing through said first and second batteries based on said sensed current. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising implementing said distributed power system in a laptop computer. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising packaging said first and second batteries in a battery pack. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising packaging said first battery in a first battery pack and said second battery in a second battery pack. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein said first battery pack has first physical dimensions and said second battery pack has second physical dimensions, and wherein at least one of said first physical dimensions is different than at least one of said second physical dimensions. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 further comprising locating said first battery pack remotely from said second battery pack in said mobile computing device. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein said first and second batteries comprise Lithium Ion batteries. ### Claim 39 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising providing a battery pack that includes said first battery, said second battery, and a first connection between first terminals of said first and second batteries and a second connection between second terminals of said first and second batteries. ### Claim 40 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising providing connections between first terminals of said first and second batteries and between second terminals of said first and second batteries using a motherboard. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 further comprising using first metal stiffeners to connect said first terminals of said first and second batteries to power traces/planes of said motherboard and second metal stiffeners to connect said second terminals of said first and second batteries to a ground traces/planes of said motherboard. ### Claim 42 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein said first battery has a first capacity and said second battery has a second capacity that is not equal to said first capacity. ### Claim 43 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising providing a first DC/DC converter that receives a first voltage from said first battery and that outputs a second voltage to said first distributed load. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43 wherein said DC/DC converter is one of a step-down converter and a step-up converter. ### Claim 45 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43 further comprising providing a second DC/DC converter that receives a third voltage from said first battery and that outputs a fourth voltage to said second distributed load. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The method of claim 45 wherein said first DC/DC converter is a step-down converter and said second DC/DC converter is a step-up converter. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The method of claim 46 wherein said second DC/DC converter is a 1:n converter. ### Claim 48 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43 wherein said DC/DC converter has a conversion ratio that is less than or equal to 4:1. ### Claim 49 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising: providing a first DC/DC converter that receives a first voltage from said first battery and that outputs a second voltage; providing a second DC/DC converter that receives said second voltage from said first DC/DC converter and that outputs a third voltage to said first distributed load. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49 wherein said first DC/DC converter operates at a first frequency and said second DC/DC converter operates at a second frequency that is different than said first frequency. ### Claim 51 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein at least one of said first battery and said second battery includes a universal serial bus (USB) battery. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51 wherein said USB battery includes a short circuit protection device. ### Claim 53 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein said first distributed load center operates at a first voltage and said second distributed load center operates at least one of said first voltage and a second voltage. ### Claim 54 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further comprising: selectively disconnecting at least one of said first and second terminals of said first battery; selectively disconnecting at least one of said first and second terminals of said second battery; and detecting a short circuit in at least one of said first and second batteries and selectively disconnecting at least one of said first and second batteries. ### Claim 55 A mobile computing device, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); memory that communicates with said CPU; an interface that communicates with said memory and said CPU; a display that communicates with said interface; a battery pack that includes a first battery and a second battery; a first distributed load center having first and second load terminals and including at least a first distributed load, wherein said first distributed load includes at least one load that is selected from a group consisting of said CPU, said memory, a graphics processing unit (GPU) that communicates with said interface, a hard disk drive (HDD) that communicates with said interface, and a DVD drive that communicates with said interface; a second distributed load center having first and second load terminals and including at least a second distributed load, wherein said second distributed load includes at least one load that is selected from a group consisting of said CPU, said memory, a graphics processing unit (GPU) that communicates with said interface, a hard disk drive (HDD) that communicates with said interface, and a DVD drive that communicates with said interface; a first distributed power system that includes said first battery that is directly connected and primarily supplies power to said first and second load terminals of said first distributed load center; and a second distributed power system that includes said second battery that is directly connected and primarily supplies power to said first and second load terminals of said second distributed load center, wherein said first load terminals of said first and second distributed load center communicate and said second load terminals of said first and second distributed load center communicate, wherein said first distributed power system supplies power to said second distributed load center and wherein said second distributed power system supplies power to said first distributed load center, wherein said first battery is in series with said second battery, wherein said first distributed load center is connected in parallel with said first battery, and wherein said second distributed load center is connected in parallel with said second battery. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The mobile computing device of claim 55 wherein said first battery is in parallel with said second battery. ### Claim 57 (depends on 55) The mobile computing device of claim 55 wherein said second distributed power system does not supply power to said second distributed load center when said first distributed power system supplies power to said second distributed load center, and wherein said first distributed power system does not supply power to said first distributed load center when said second distributed power system supplies power to said first distributed load center. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) The mobile computing device of claim 57 wherein said first distributed power system supplies power to said second distributed load center while said second distributed power system supplies power to said first distributed load center.