Multi-voltage multi-battery power management unit

In a power management integrated circuit, a method for controlling electrical power, the method comprising:

• receiving a first battery power signal characterized by a first battery voltage from a first battery;
• outputting a first regulated power signal, based at least in part on the first battery power signal, that corresponds to a first output power characterized by a first output voltage;
• receiving a second battery power signal characterized by a second battery voltage from a second battery, wherein the second battery voltage is substantially different from the first battery voltage;
• and
• outputting a second regulated power signal based at least in part on the second battery power signal, that corresponds to a second output power characterized by a second output voltage,
• wherein the first battery and the second battery have substantially different respective nominal voltage levels.

A portable electrical system comprising:

• a first battery that operates to output a first battery power signal characterized by a first battery voltage, the first battery characterized by a first nominal voltage level;
• a second battery that operates to output a second battery power signal characterized by a second battery voltage that is substantially different from the first battery voltage, the second battery characterized by a second nominal voltage level that is substantially different from the first nominal voltage level;
• a power management integrated circuit comprising:
• a first voltage regulator module that operates to receive the first battery power signal and output a first regulated power signal, based at least in part on the first battery power signal, that corresponds to a first output power characterized by a first output voltage;
• and
• a second voltage regulator module that operates to receive the second battery power signal and output a second regulated power signal, based at least in part on the second battery power signal, that corresponds to a second output power characterized by a second output voltage;
• a first load that operates to receive and utilize the first output power;
• and
• a second load that operates to receive and utilize the second output power.