Multi-Cell Battery Switching to Eliminate Step-Down Conversion Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery systems for mobile electronic devices often fail to balance short charging times with long operating times due to energy loss during electric power conversion, leading to inefficiencies and user frustration.
Innovation Solution
A switched multi-cell battery system that reduces or eliminates voltage step-down conversion stages by using power control switches to charge battery cells in series and discharge them in parallel, increasing power-transfer efficiency and reducing charging times while extending operating times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If voltage conversion is performed at power adapter and battery stages, then power can be supplied to components, but energy loss occurs manifesting as thermal energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the intermediate voltage conversion stage from the power delivery system. By configuring battery cells in series during charging and parallel during discharging, the system removes the need for voltage step-down conversion, thereby eliminating the energy loss that occurs during voltage transformation at both the power adapter and battery stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically reconfigures the battery cell connections based on operational mode. Power control switches selectively connect battery cells in series for charging (to accept higher voltage from adapter) and in parallel for discharging (to provide appropriate voltage to components), allowing the system to adapt its electrical configuration to minimize energy loss at each operational stage.
2Loss of time
If battery is small for quick charging, then charging time is reduced, but operating time on single charge becomes short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic switching of battery cell configurations to resolve the charging time versus operating time contradiction. During charging, cells are connected in series to accept power quickly from the adapter. During discharge, cells are reconfigured in parallel to extend operating time. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to optimize for charging speed when needed and extend operational duration when needed, effectively decoupling these two previously conflicting parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system periodically switches between charging mode (series configuration) and discharging mode (parallel configuration) based on operational requirements. This periodic reconfiguration allows the battery system to alternate between optimizing for rapid energy intake and optimizing for sustained energy delivery, effectively managing the trade-off between charging time and operating time.
3Power
If multiple voltage conversion stages are used, then power can be delivered to components, but thermal energy is generated reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate voltage conversion stage that generates thermal energy. By using series-parallel battery cell reconfiguration, the system eliminates the need for DC-DC converters and voltage regulation circuits that would otherwise be required, thereby removing the source of thermal generation and improving overall power delivery efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The power control switches serve as intelligent intermediaries that directly manage the electrical connection topology between the power adapter, battery cells, and load components. These switches enable the system to transition between series and parallel configurations without requiring intermediate voltage conversion devices, thereby eliminating the thermal losses associated with traditional voltage regulation stages.
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure describes apparatuses and techniques for a switched multi-cell battery system (110) for electronic devices (102). In some aspects, a switched multi-cell battery system (110) may transfer, via a plurality of power control switches (510, 512, 514, 516, 520, 522, 524, 526) electrical power from a power adapter (130) to components (104) of the electronic device (102) by charging battery cells (111) in series and by discharging the battery cells (111) in parallel or as a single battery cell. As a result, the switched multi-cell battery system (110) may reduce or eliminate a voltage step-down conversion stage to increase a power-transfer efficiency of an electronic device (102). By doing so, charging times may be reduced or operating times may be increased, thereby improving users' experience with their electronic devices (102).