Removable Battery Soft-Start Circuit for Hot-Swap Power Continuity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices face interruptions and potential damage due to uneven battery charge levels, requiring all batteries to be replaced simultaneously to maintain equal charge, which disrupts device usage and can cause inrush currents when fresh and depleted batteries are connected in parallel.
Innovation Solution
A power delivery system with soft-start circuits that manage battery connections by providing increasing power when a higher voltage battery is connected and preventing power delivery when a lower voltage battery is connected, allowing for safe replacement of batteries while maintaining device operation, and using integrated circuits to restrict current draw based on voltage thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a fresh battery is connected in parallel to a depleted battery, then the depleted battery can be charged, but an inrush of current occurs that may damage the circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting battery voltage levels before connection and activating the soft-start circuit in advance to gradually limit current flow, preventing inrush current damage before it occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The soft-start circuit acts as an intermediary between the fresh and depleted batteries, controlling the current flow path and gradually adjusting the connection to prevent direct high-current contact that would cause damage
2Reliability
If all batteries are replaced simultaneously to maintain equal charge levels, then device reliability is improved, but device complexity and user inconvenience increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service by automatically detecting battery charge levels, managing current distribution, and balancing charges between batteries without requiring user intervention or simultaneous replacement
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to continuously monitor battery voltages and adjust current distribution accordingly, maintaining charge balance dynamically without requiring manual intervention
3Use of energy by moving object
If a battery with higher charge level is connected to a battery with lower charge level, then power can be transferred, but the lower charge battery may overheat or become damaged due to higher resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of battery voltage levels and pre-configures the soft-start circuit to gradually limit current flow before power transfer begins, preventing overheating before it occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts current distribution based on real-time battery conditions, modifying the power transfer rate to prevent overheating while maximizing efficient energy transfer
4Reliability
If inrush current protection is implemented, then device safety is improved, but device operation may be interrupted by overcurrent protection
Solution Approach 1:
The soft-start circuit serves as an intermediary that manages current flow during battery connections, preventing harmful inrush currents while allowing normal operation to continue without interruption
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary current limiting during battery connection, preventing overcurrent protection triggers before they occur, thereby maintaining continuous operation without interruption
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous operation of electronic devices by balancing current draw from batteries, preventing damage from inrush currents and overheating, and allowing battery replacement without shutting down the device, thus extending usage time and ensuring safe operation.
Implementation Method 1
a battery connection, and a soft-start circuit connected to the battery connection and a main power bus. The soft-start circuit may be configured to provide increasing levels of power to the main power bus when a battery having a voltage level higher than a voltage level on the main power bus is connected to the battery connection
Implementation Method 2
the soft start circuit may include an output transistor, and the provision of power to the power bus is through the output transistor. The output transistor may be a field effect transistor, and a voltage at a gate of the output transistor is a function of a voltage at the battery connection and a voltage at the power bus
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include a power management subsystem that soft-starts freshly charged batteries upon connection. The device may be configured to operate on power from a number of batteries less than the greatest number of batteries that may be concurrently connected. Because the soft-start reduces current inrush upon connection of a fresh battery, the device may continue operating as fresh batteries are connected and depleted batteries are disconnected.