Method and apparatus for power management

Abstract

An apparatus is provided comprising a system including one or more electronic components; a power input unit arranged to supply power to the system; and a power management module configured to: detect whether the system is in an abnormal state, and in response to detecting that the system is in the abnormal state, adjust at least one of (i) power supplied from a battery to the system, (ii) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, and (iii) power supplied from the power input unit to the battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a system including one or more electronic components;   a power input unit arranged to supply power to the system; and   a power management module configured to:   detect whether the system is in an abnormal state, and   in response to detecting that the system is in the abnormal state, adjust at least one of (i) power supplied from a battery to the system, (ii) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, and (iii) power supplied from the power input unit to the battery.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein detecting whether the system is in the abnormal state includes detecting whether a temperature measurement associated with the system exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein detecting whether the system is in the abnormal state includes detecting at least one of (a) whether current supplied by the battery to the system exceeds a first threshold, and (b) whether current supplied by the power input unit to the system exceeds a second threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power management module detects whether the system is in the abnormal state based on a signal from a watch-dog timer and interrupts the supply of power from the power input unit to the system based on the signal. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power management module detects whether the system is in the abnormal state based on a signal from a watch-dog timer, and, based on the signal, reduces at least one of (a) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, (b) the power supplied from the power input unit to the battery, and (c) the power supplied from battery to the system. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power management module detects whether the system is in the abnormal state based on a junction temperature within the power management module or a temperature measurement taken by a temperature detection element included in the system, and when the system is determined to be in the abnormal state, the power management module reduces at least one of (a) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, (b) the power supplied from the power input unit to the battery, and (c) the power supplied from battery to the system. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power management module comprises:
 a first switch unit arranged in a first signal path between the power input unit and the system;   a second switch unit arranged in a second signal path between the system and the battery; and   a power control module arranged to control at least one of the first switch unit and the second switch unit.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the power management module is further arranged to detect at least one of (a) a level of current supplied from the power input unit to the system, (b) a level of current supplied by the battery to the system, and (c) a level of current supplied by the power input unit to the battery. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the power management module is further arranged to determine whether the system is in the abnormal state by using a watch-dog timer, and change a state of at least one of the first switch unit and the second switch unit in order to adjust the at least one of (i) the power supplied from the battery to the system, (ii) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, and (iii) the power supplied from the power input unit to the battery. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the power management module is further arranged to determine whether the system is in the abnormal state based on at least one of a junction temperature within the power management module or a measurement taken by a temperature detection element that is part of the system. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 detecting whether a battery is being charged;   when the battery is being charged, detecting whether a system is in an abnormal state; and   if the system is in the abnormal state, adjusting by a power management module, at least one of (i) power supplied from the battery to the system, (ii) the power supplied from a power input unit to the system, and (iii) power supplied from the power input unit to the battery.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein detecting whether the system is in the abnormal state includes detecting whether a temperature measurement associated with the system exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein detecting whether the system is in the abnormal state includes detecting at least one of (a) whether current supplied by the battery to the system exceeds a first threshold, and (b) whether current supplied by the power input unit to the system exceeds a second threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the abnormal state is detected based on a signal from a watch-dog timer and interrupts the supply of power from the power input unit to the system based on the signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the abnormal state is detected based on a signal from a watch-dog timer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the abnormal state is detected based on a junction temperature within the power management module or a temperature measurement taken by a temperature detection element included in the system, and the adjusting comprises reducing at least one of (a) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, (b) the power supplied from the power input unit to the battery, and (c) the power supplied from battery to the system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the power management module comprises:
 a first switch unit arranged in a first signal path between the power input unit and the system;   a second switch unit arranged in a second signal path between the system and the battery; and   a power control module arranged to control at least one of the first switch unit and the second switch unit.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the power management module is further arranged to detect at least one of (a) a level of current supplied from the power input unit to the system, (b) a level of current supplied by the battery to the system, and (c) a level of current supplied by the power input unit to the battery. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the power management module is further arranged to determine whether the system is in the abnormal state by using a watch-dog timer, and change a state of at least one of the first switch unit and the second switch unit in order to adjust the at least one of (i) the power supplied from the battery to the system, (ii) the power supplied from the power input unit to the system, and (iii) the power supplied from the power input unit to the battery. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the power management module is further arranged to determine whether the system is in the abnormal state based on at least one of a junction temperature within the power management module or a measurement taken by a temperature detection element that is part of the system.