Notebook computer smart battery recovery and reconditioning mechanism

Abstract

In a method and system for recovering and reconditioning a smart battery, a functionally dead condition of the battery is detected. The battery includes smart electronics. The smart electronics is operable for controlling an operating condition of the battery. In the functionally dead condition of the battery, the smart electronics becomes inoperable. While in this condition, a current limited trickle charge is provided to the battery such that the path of the trickle charge bypasses the inoperable smart electronics. Upon the battery receiving a sufficient amount of charge, the smart electronics regains control. The smart electronics reconditions the battery by recharging it to a fully charged state.

1 . In an information handling system, a method for recovering a smart battery, the battery providing energy to at least one component of the information handling system, the method comprising: 
 detecting a functionally dead condition of the battery, wherein the battery includes a smart electronics unit for controlling an operating condition of the battery, wherein the smart electronics is inoperable while the battery is in the dead condition;    providing a charge to the battery, wherein the charge bypasses the smart electronics; and    detecting a change in the operating condition of the battery, wherein the change is caused by the smart electronics being operable.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charge is provided for a predefined time interval.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a sufficient amount of the charge is provided upon expiration of the time interval to cause the change in the operating condition from the dead condition to an operable condition.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a sufficient amount of the charge causes the smart electronics to change the operating condition of the battery from the dead condition to an operable condition.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising: 
 identifying the battery to be in a non-recoverable dead condition when the battery continues to be in the dead condition upon the battery receiving the sufficient amount of the charge.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting the change comprises: 
 activating the smart electronics in response to the battery receiving a sufficient amount of the charge, the activation of the smart electronics causing the smart electronics to change from being inoperable to being operable;    changing the operating condition of the battery from the dead condition to an operable condition in response to the smart electronics being operable;    the at least one component detecting the smart electronics being operable; and    the at least one component disabling the charge bypassing the smart electronics and transferring charge control to the smart electronics in response to detecting the smart electronics being operable.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the charge is a trickle charge, wherein the trickle charge is current limited.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the dead condition of the battery includes detecting the smart electronics is inoperable, wherein the smart electronics being inoperable prevents the battery from receiving the charge.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the smart electronics is operable to recondition the battery by charging the battery to a fully charged condition.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component is a portable device.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the detecting of the functionally dead condition is performed by a BIOS program of the at least one component.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting the change occurs in response to the smart electronics changing the operating condition of the battery or upon expiration of a predefined time interval for charging the battery whichever occurs first.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for recovering a smart battery, the apparatus comprising: 
 a bypass component coupled to the battery, wherein the battery includes a smart electronics unit for controlling an operating condition of the battery, wherein the bypass component is operable to bypass the smart electronics responsive to the smart electronics being inoperable, wherein the bypass component is operable to pass through a charge to the battery responsive to the smart electronics being bypassed;    a detector component coupled to the battery, the detector component being operable to detect the smart electronics being inoperable; and    a recovery component coupled to the battery, the detector component and the bypass component, the recovery component being operable to provide the charge to the bypass component in response the detector component detecting the smart electronics to be inoperable.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the recovery component comprises: 
 a trickle current generator component to generate the charge, the charge being a current limited trickle charge;    a timer component to keep track of a predefined time interval; and    an output component to provide the charge to the battery through the bypass component.    
     
     
         15 . A smart battery having a pair of terminals, the battery comprising: 
 at least one rechargeable battery cell operable to store energy;    a smart electronics unit coupled to the at least one cell and the pair of terminals, the smart electronics being operable to control an operating condition of the battery, the smart electronics being inoperable when the energy stored in the at least one cell is insufficient to operate the smart electronics;    a charge discharge component coupled to the smart electronics, the pair of terminals and the at least one cell, the charge discharge component being operable to provide a first conductive path between the pair of terminals and the at least one cell in response to the smart electronics being operable; and    a trickle charge component coupled to the smart electronics, the pair of terminals and the charge discharge component, the trickle charge component being operable to provide a second conductive path between the pair of terminals and the at least one cell in response to the smart electronics being inoperable.    
     
     
         16 . The battery of  claim 15 , wherein the charge discharge component includes: 
 a first switching device coupled to one of the pair of terminals and operable, responsive to a first control signal received from the smart electronics, to selectively switch on a first portion of the first conductive path to the at least one cell from the pair of terminals; and    a second switching device coupled to an output of the first switching device and the at least one cell, responsive to a second control signal received from the smart electronics, to selectively switch on a second portion of the first conductive path.    
     
     
         17 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein the second portion of the first conductive path is switched on when the smart electronics is inoperable.  
     
     
         18 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein the trickle charge component includes: 
 a resistor device coupled to the one of the pair of terminals; and    a third switching device coupled to the resistor device and an input of the second switching device, responsive to a third control signal received from the smart electronics, to selectively switch on a first portion of the second conductive path when the smart electronics becomes inoperable.    
     
     
         19 . The battery of  claim 16 , wherein a second portion of the second conductive path includes the second portion of the first conductive path.  
     
     
         20 . An information handling system comprising: 
 a processor;    a system bus;    a memory coupled to the processor through the system bus;    a smart battery operable to provide power to the processor, the bus and the memory; and    wherein the processor is operable for: 
 detecting a functionally dead condition of the battery, wherein the battery includes a smart electronics unit for controlling an operating condition of the battery, wherein the smart electronics is inoperable while the battery is in the dead condition;  
 providing a charge to the battery, wherein the charge bypasses the smart electronics; and  
 detecting a change in the operating condition of the battery, wherein the change is caused by the smart electronics being operable.