Mixed cell type battery module and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10133331-B2
Application number	US-201514920449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 26, 2012
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Various embodiments are generally directed to operation of a computing device powered with first and second sets of energy storage cells, the cells of the first set structurally optimized for higher density storage of electric power, and the cells of the second set structurally optimized for providing electric power at a high electric current level. A battery module includes a casing, a first cell disposed within the casing to store electric energy with a high density, and a second cell disposed within the casing to provide electric energy stored therein with a high current level. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery module comprising:
a first cell comprising a first energy storage layer, and the first cell comprising a first anode conductor and a first cathode conductor; and
a second cell comprising a second energy storage layer thinner than the first energy storage layer, the second cell to store electric energy with a lesser energy density than the first cell and to provide electric energy stored therein at a higher current level than the first cell, wherein the first cell has a higher resistance than the second cell, and the second cell comprising a second anode conductor and a second cathode conductor, wherein the second anode conductor is thicker than the first anode conductor and the second cathode conductor is thicker than the second anode conductor.

2. The battery module of claim 1 , comprising:
a casing in which the first cell, the second cell, and the monitoring circuit are disposed, the monitoring circuit to monitor one or more of a voltage of the first cell, a current flow of at least one of the first and second cells, and a temperature of at least one of the first and second cells.

3. The battery module of claim 1 , the first and second cells based on a substantially similar battery chemistry.

4. The battery module of claim 3 , the battery chemistry comprising one of nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and lithium polymer (Li-poly).

5. The battery module of claim 1 , the first and second cells based on different battery chemistries.

6. The battery module of claim 1 , comprising:
a first multitude of cells comprising the first cell, each cell of the first multitude to store electric energy with a high density, multiple cells of the first multitude coupled in at least one of series and parallel; and
a second multitude of cells comprising the second cell, each cell of the second multitude to provide electric energy with a high current level, multiple cells of the second multitude coupled in at least one of series and parallel.

7. A system comprising:
a processing unit;
a battery electrically coupled to the processing unit, the battery comprising:
a first cell comprising a first anode conductor and a first cathode conductor; and
a second cell to store electric energy with a lesser energy density than the first cell and to provide electric energy stored therein at a higher current level than the first cell, wherein the first cell has a higher resistance than the second cell, and the second cell comprising a second anode conductor and a second cathode conductor, wherein the second anode conductor is thicker than the first anode conductor and the second cathode conductor is thicker than the second anode conductor.

8. The system of claim 7 , the battery comprising:
a casing in which the first cell, the second cell, and a monitoring circuit are disposed, controller to monitor one or more of a voltage of the first cell the voltage of the second cell, a current flow of at least one of the first and second cells, and a temperature of at least one of the first and second cells via the monitoring circuit.

9. The system of claim 7 , the first and second cells based on a substantially similar battery chemistry.

10. The system of claim 9 , the battery chemistry comprising one of nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and lithium polymer (Li-poly).

11. The system of claim 7 , the first and second cells based on different battery chemistries.

12. The system of claim 7 , the battery comprising:
a first multitude of cells comprising the first cell, each cell of the first multitude to store electric energy with a high density, multiple cells of the first multitude coupled in at least one of series and parallel; and
a second multitude of cells comprising the second cell, each cell of the second multitude to provide electric energy with a high current level, multiple cells of the second multitude coupled in at least one of series and parallel.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a battery, the battery comprising:
a first cell comprising a first anode conductor and a first cathode conductor;
a second cell to store electric energy with a lesser energy density than the first cell and to provide electric energy stored therein at a higher current level than the first cell, wherein the first cell has a higher resistance than the second cell, and the second cell comprising a second anode conductor and a second cathode conductor, wherein the second anode conductor is thicker than the first anode conductor and the second cathode conductor is thicker than the second anode conductor; and
a battery controller, the battery controller to:
provide electric power from the first cell to a main processor circuit of a computing device when the computing device is operated in a lower power mode;
provide electric power from the second cell to the main processor circuit when the computing device is operated in a higher power mode;
monitor a voltage output of the second cell; and
signal the main processor to limit operation of the computing device in the higher power mode based on the voltage output of the second cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , the battery controller to:
monitor a voltage output of the second cell; and
signal the main processor circuit of significant depletion of available electric power of at least one of the first cell and the second cell based on the voltage of the respective cell falling below a selected threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , the battery controller to:
monitor a first voltage output of the first cell; and
signal the main processor circuit of an inability to provide electric power to support the higher power mode based on the first voltage remaining above a first threshold and the second voltage falling below a second threshold.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , the battery controller to:
detect provision of electric power sufficient to support the higher power mode by a power source; and
signal the main processor circuit of an ability to again provide electric power to support the higher power mode based on the provision of electric power by the power source.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , the battery controller to:
receive a signal from the main processor indicative of an impending transition of the computing device to the higher power mode; and
provide electric power from the second cell to the main processor circuit based on receipt of the signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , comprising:
a casing, the first and second cells disposed in the casing; and
a monitoring circuit disposed in the casing, the battery controller to employ the monitoring circuit to monitor at least one of a voltage output of the first cell, the voltage output of the second cell, a current flow of at least one of the first and second cells, or a temperature of at least one of the first and second cells.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 , the first and second cells based on a substantially similar battery chemistry, the battery chemistry comprising one of nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and lithium polymer (Li-poly).

20. The apparatus of claim 13 , the first cell having a higher capacitance than the second cell.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Rahal-Arabi Tawfik M
• Uan-Zo-Li Alexander B
• Macdonald Mark
• Paranjape Vivek M
• Keates Andy
• Nguyen Don J

Classifications

• H01M10/486

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/482

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J9/04

  in which the distribution system is disconnected from the normal source and connected to a standby source · CPC title

• G06F1/3234

  Power saving characterised by the action undertaken · CPC title

• Y02D70/146

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic