Information Handling System Battery Charge Management to Support Variable Increased Current Use Functions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294197-A1
Application number	US-201514795446-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A portable information handling system manages battery charge to maintain a minimum level that supports boot by disconnecting the battery from a battery discharge path so that battery charge is lost substantially only to self-discharge. The battery automatically reconnects to the battery discharge path if external power becomes available to charge the battery. The minimum battery charge level provides adequate power in combination with the external power to support boot of the portable information handling system to an operational state. A power manager monitors power transition events to track power consumption information that a battery charge manager applies to modify the power transition events if external power and available battery charge are not sufficient to perform the power transition event without modification.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A portable information handling system comprising:
a planar housing; a processor disposed in the planar housing and operable to execute instructions to process information; a memory disposed in the planar housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information; a display disposed in the planar housing and interfaced with the processor and memory, the display operable to present the information as visual images; a battery disposed in the housing and operable to power the processor, memory and display; an external power supply operable to power the processor, memory and display, and to charge the battery; a power manager disposed in the housing and operable to manage power applied by the battery and external power supply for powering the processor, memory and display, the power manager further operable to monitor power transition events that exceed power available from the external power supply and to store power consumption information associated with the monitored power transition events; and a battery charge manager interfaced with the power manager, the battery charge manager operable to apply the power consumption information to modify power manager power application at detection of one of the power transition events and a predetermined condition.

2 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power transition event comprises a boot of an operating system on the processor to an operational state, the predetermined condition comprises a battery charge of less than a predetermined amount, and the modified power manager application comprises scheduling boot over an increased time period.

3 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power transition event comprises a virus scan, the predetermined condition comprises a battery charge of less than a predetermined amount, and the modified power manager application comprises throttling the processor.

4 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power transition event comprises streaming a video, the predetermined condition comprises a battery charge of less than a predetermined amount, and the modified power manager application comprises reducing the resolution of the images presented at the display.

5 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power transition event comprises an application associated with power use in excess of power available from the external charger, the predetermined condition comprises a battery charge of less than a predetermined amount and the modified power manager application comprises postponing the power transition event.

6 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power manager monitors power transition events identified in a list stored in persistent memory as associated with increased current use, the power manager monitoring current draw during the power transition events.

7 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power manager monitors power transition events identified in a list stored in persistent memory, the power manager monitoring battery capacity used during the power transition events.

8 . The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the power manager is further operable to detect a configuration change and in response to increase power transition events to capture power consumption changes associated with the configuration change.

9 . A method for managing power at a portable information handling system, the method comprising:
detecting at the portable information handling system a power transition event; storing power consumption information associated with the power transition event; and applying the power consumption information to modify application of power at subsequent detection of the power transition event and a predetermined condition.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein:
the power transition event comprises a boot of the portable information handling system; and
the predetermined condition comprises external power available at a boot of the information handling system and a battery charge of a predetermined amount.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the modified application of power comprises a modified boot having a reduced maximum current draw.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the modified application of power comprises a delayed boot for a time adequate to recharge the battery so that the battery provides current sufficient in the boot to meet that indicated as needed by the power consumption information.

13 . The method of claim 10 wherein storing power consumption information associated with the power transition event comprises comparing the battery charge at a start of the power transition event with the battery charge at the end of the power transition event.

14 . The method of claim 9 wherein:
the power transition event comprises presenting streaming video at the portable information handling system; and
the predetermined condition comprises external power available at initiation of the streaming video and a battery charge of a predetermined amount.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein storing power consumption information associated with the power transition event comprises determining a maximum current draw during the power transition event.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the modified application of power comprises a reduced display resolution for presenting the streaming video, the reduced display resolution having reduced current draw to maintain information handling system current draw within a constraint.

17 . The method of claim 9 wherein:
the power transition event comprises a virus scan of the portable information handling system; and
the predetermined condition comprises external power available at initiation of the virus scan and a battery charge of a predetermined amount, the modified application of power including at least a throttling of the portable information handling system processor.

18 . A system for managing power at a portable information handling system, the system comprising:
a power manager stored in non-transitory memory and operable to execute on a processor to manage power applied by a battery and an external power supply for powering the portable information handling system, the power manager further operable to monitor power transition events that exceed power available from the external power supply and to store power consumption information associated with the monitored power transition events; and a battery charge manager interfaced with the power manager, the battery charge manager operable to apply the power consumption information to modify power manager power application at detection of one of the power transition events and less than a predetermined battery charge based upon the power consumption information.

19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the power consumption information comprises a battery charge at the start of the power transition event and a battery charge at completion of the power transition event.

20 . The system of claim 18 wherein the power consumption information comprises a maximum current draw during the power transition event.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Thompson Richard C
• Sultenfuss Andrew T
• Montero Adolfo S

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/90

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title

• G06F1/263 Primary

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/329

  by task scheduling · CPC title

• H02J7/007 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic