Patent Description:
Because batteries can be used to provide electrical power to devices, such batteries may be integrated into such devices. For example, a rechargeable battery may be integrated into a consumer-electronic device such as a mobile phone, a tablet, or a laptop computer in order to provide power to such a device. When integrating a rechargeable battery into the consumer-electronic device, the battery's designed shape and size may be at least partially determined based on the available space within the device. Hence, the capacity of the battery may be adversely affected by the dimensions of the device.

<CIT> describes a method for managing the lifetime of a battery. An ambient temperature is measured near a battery. A discharge of the battery is triggered when the ambient temperature exceeds a first temperature threshold. The battery can then be charged when the ambient temperature decreases below a second temperature threshold. <CIT> describes an energy storage device structure comprising a first electrode layer, an electrolyte layer and a second electrode layer. At least one of the electrode layers comprise a metallic foil base layer and a layer of carbon nanotubes grown on the base layer, the carbon nanotube layer being arranged to face the electrolyte layer. The structure may be made in such a way that its width and length are much larger than its thickness, so that it can rolled up or folded and then hermetically sealed to form an energy storage unit. The layer of carbon nanotubes is grown on the metallic foil base layer by a chemical vapor deposition process at a temperature no higher than <NUM>° C. The carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube layer are at least partially aligned in a direction that is perpendicular to the surface of the metallic base layer.

The specification and drawings disclose embodiments that relate to multiple battery configurations for space utilization.

In an aspect, a device according to claim <NUM> is disclosed.

In another aspect, a method according to claim <NUM> is disclosed.

Example methods and systems are described herein. Any example embodiment or feature described herein is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or features. The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily understood that certain aspects of the disclosed systems and methods can be arranged and combined in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated herein.

Furthermore, the particular arrangements shown in the figures should not be viewed as limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments might include more or less of each element shown in a given figure. In addition, some of the illustrated elements may be combined or omitted. Similarly, an example embodiment may include elements that are not illustrated in the figures.

Example embodiments relate to multiple battery configurations for space utilization.

Consumers continue to demand smaller and/or thinner form factors in electronic devices (e.g., mobile computing devices, tablet computing devices, and laptop computing devices). However, consumers also desire longer battery lifetime between charges. Shrinking the housing size of consumer-electronic devices inherently reduces the interior volume to accommodate batteries and other device components. This makes it advantageous to arrange the components of the device in a manner that makes efficient use of the space available within the case. In some instances, it can be useful for a device's battery to have an irregular shape (e.g., a curved or "step" shape) that helps the battery fill a corner or end space of the device that might otherwise be left empty. Using conventional techniques, it can be expensive and/or difficult to produce batteries having such shapes.

To at least partially ameliorate this problem, example embodiments disclosed herein include a battery (e.g., a planar or "jellyroll" lithium-ion battery) used in conjunction with a thin-film auxiliary battery to efficiently fill space within a consumer-electronic device housing. Such a multiple battery configuration may also accommodate the presence of interconnects (e.g., electronic cables) or other components (e.g., computing components, cooling devices, communication components, etc.). For example, the battery might have the approximate shape of a rectangular prism with a thickness that is the same across the entire battery (e.g., similar to a conventional battery). In addition, the thin-film auxiliary battery can be placed along a top surface of the battery, thereby taking advantage of unused space to provide additional energy storage (e.g., unused space underneath a display of the consumer-electronic device). The thin-film auxiliary battery may have a length and/or a width that does not span the entire top face of the battery, thereby providing a void for placement of an interconnect (e.g., a wire or cable) or another component between the case and the battery and/or the thin-film auxiliary battery. Further, the thin-film auxiliary battery may be a flexible battery, which can accommodate any swelling that occurs in the battery during charging / discharging. Additionally or alternatively, portions of the thin-film auxiliary battery or the battery may be excised to accommodate device components. In some examples, the thin-film auxiliary battery might be placed between the battery and the case of the consumer-electronic device or between the battery and a touchscreen of the consumer-electronic device to take advantage of space that would otherwise be left empty due to design constraints of a conventional battery (e.g., a fabrication tolerance between the desired thickness and the actual thickness of a conventional battery).

The thin-film auxiliary battery can be used to provide electrical power to the consumer-electronic device when the battery is sufficiently depleted. In another example, the thin-film auxiliary battery could be connected in parallel with the battery to provide an additional electrical power source during operation of the consumer-electronic device.

<FIG> is an illustration of a battery <NUM> (e.g., a single-celled battery). The battery <NUM> may be a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, for example. The battery <NUM> may include an anode <NUM>, a cathode <NUM>, a separator <NUM>, and free lithium ions <NUM> within an electrolyte <NUM>. The elements of the battery <NUM> are not necessarily illustrated to scale (e.g., the free lithium ions <NUM> may be significantly smaller than illustrated in the figure). Further, as illustrated in <FIG>, the battery <NUM> may be chargeable by an electrical power source <NUM> (e.g., a rectified alternating current (AC) signal, a separate charged battery, or a charged capacitor). In some embodiments, multiple cells of cathode, anode, separator, and electrolyte may be electrically arranged in series and/or parallel to form a composite battery. Such cell arrangements may enhance the capacity and/or voltage of the composite battery.

Charging may include electrons flowing from the cathode <NUM> to the anode <NUM> through circuitry external to the battery <NUM>. In addition, charging may include free lithium ions <NUM>, within the electrolyte <NUM> solution, flowing from the cathode <NUM> to the anode <NUM> through the separator <NUM>. Further, charging may include the free lithium ions <NUM> being intercalated into the anode <NUM>. Such a process is illustrated in <FIG> by the lithium ions that are sitting on "shelves" of the anode <NUM>. The charging may represent a first formation charging process, in some embodiments. The first formation charging process may last between <NUM> hours and <NUM> hours, in some embodiments. Additionally, the battery <NUM> may be configured to undergo repeated charge / discharge cycles during a lifetime of the battery <NUM>. For example, the battery <NUM> may be a rechargeable battery configured to be charged by an external voltage between <NUM> volts and <NUM> volts or between <NUM> volts and <NUM> volts.

In various embodiments, various charging / recharging schemes may be used. For example, a constant voltage (CV) scheme may be used, where a constant voltage is applied across the terminals of the battery, resulting in a decreasing current as the battery charges, until the current reaches <NUM> Amps (or within a threshold current of <NUM> Amps), at which point the voltage source charging the battery is removed. In other embodiments, a constant current (CC) scheme may be used, where the voltage applied across the terminals of the battery by a charging device is varied such that the current is maintained at a constant rate. Once the battery voltage reaches a threshold value to maintain the continuous current, the battery may be determined to be charged, and the voltage source charging the battery may be removed.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, a hybrid constant current / constant voltage (CC/CV) charging mode may be used to charge the battery. The CC/CV charging mode may have two stages. In a first stage (a CC stage), the voltage may be increased continuously to maintain a constant current charging the battery. Then, once the voltage reaches a certain maximum charging voltage threshold, the second stage of the CC/CV charging mode may begin. In the second stage (a CV stage), the voltage may be maintained at the maximum charging voltage threshold, and the charging current may be allowed to decrease. Once the charging current reaches a threshold level, indicating the battery is charged, the CC/CV charging mode may cease.

The anode <NUM> may be the negative terminal (electrode) of the battery <NUM>. For example, the anode <NUM> may include one or more external electrical contacts on the side of the anode <NUM> facing away from the separator <NUM>. The external electrical contact(s) may allow an electrical connection between the anode <NUM> and the power source <NUM> or a load to be made. The anode <NUM> may include graphite, Li, Li<NUM>Ti<NUM>O<NUM>, a lithium-metal composite, and/or Si, in various embodiments.

The cathode <NUM> may be the positive terminal (electrode) of the battery <NUM>. For example, the cathode <NUM> may include one or more external electrical contacts on the side of the cathode <NUM> facing away from the separator <NUM>. The external electrical contact(s) may allow an electrical connection between the cathode <NUM> and the power source <NUM> or a load to be made. The cathode <NUM> may include LiCoO<NUM>, LiMn<NUM>O<NUM>, a vanadium oxide, LiNiMnCoO<NUM>, LiNiCoAlO<NUM>, and/or an olivine (e.g., LiFePO<NUM>), in some embodiments. Other lithium-containing cathode materials are possible and contemplated herein.

The separator <NUM> may prevent a short circuit of the cathode <NUM> to the anode <NUM> within the battery <NUM>. For example, the separator <NUM> may include a semi-permeable membrane (e.g., permeable to the free lithium ions <NUM>). To achieve such semi-permeability, the separator <NUM> may include micropores that are sized to selectively allow the passage of the free lithium ions <NUM> during charging or discharging processes. The semi-permeable membrane of the separator <NUM> may also have an amorphous or a semi-crystalline structure. Further, the semi-permeable membrane of the separator <NUM> may be polymeric (e.g., fabricated from cellulose acetate, nitrocellulose, cellulose esters, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyacrilonitrile, polyamide, polyimide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinylchloride, and/or aramid). In addition, the separator <NUM> may be chemically and electrochemically stable for use within the battery <NUM> during charging and discharging processes. In some embodiments, the separator <NUM> may include a multi-layered structure.

In some embodiments, the separator <NUM> may be a non-standard separator having an increased mechanical stability, which can prevent dendrites from piercing the separator <NUM>. Further, the separator <NUM> may also include compounds that are chemically and/or electrochemically stable for use within the battery <NUM> during charging or discharging processes. Such compounds may enhance the lifetime of the battery <NUM>, for example.

In some embodiments, the battery <NUM> may be a thin-film battery. In such embodiments, the battery <NUM> may not include a separator <NUM>. Further, in such embodiments, the electrolyte <NUM> may be solid (e.g., rather than liquid), thereby satisfying purposes of both the electrolyte <NUM> and the separator <NUM> (e.g., transporting ions and preventing a short circuit of the cathode <NUM> to the anode <NUM>). In such embodiments, a discrete separator may not be needed.

The free lithium ions <NUM> may transfer between the anode <NUM> and the cathode <NUM> during charging / discharging processes of the battery <NUM>. In some embodiments, the free lithium ions <NUM> may originate from the cathode <NUM>. For example, the cathode <NUM> may include LiCoO<NUM>, which may be a source of free lithium during the chemical reactions occurring during the charging process (e.g., during the first formation charging process). Other sources of free lithium ions are also possible. For example, the anode <NUM> may provide free lithium ions and/or lithium salts (e.g., LiPF<NUM>, LiBF<NUM>, LiBC<NUM>O<NUM>, Li[PF<NUM>(C<NUM>F<NUM>)<NUM>], or LiClO<NUM>) dissolved within the electrolyte <NUM> may provide free lithium ions.

The electrolyte <NUM> may be a medium through which the free lithium ions <NUM> travel during charging and discharging processes of the battery <NUM>. The electrolyte <NUM> may be a gel or a liquid, in various embodiments and/or at various temperatures. For example, the electrolyte <NUM> may be an organic solvent (e.g., ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, or diethyl carbonate). Additives may be included within the electrolyte <NUM> to enhance the effectiveness of the electrolyte <NUM>. In some embodiments, for instance, ionic liquids may be included within the electrolyte to reduce volatility of the electrolyte solution.

As described above, in some embodiments (e.g., embodiments where the battery <NUM> is a thin-film battery), the electrolyte <NUM> may be a solid (e.g., rather than a liquid or gel). For example, in some embodiments, the electrolyte <NUM> may include one or more amorphous glassy layers deposited on the cathode <NUM> (e.g., deposited using sputtering or vapor deposition). One type of amorphous glassy material that may be used is lithium phosphorous oxynitride (LiPON).

<FIG> is another illustration of the battery <NUM>. The battery <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> may be discharging across a load <NUM>. Discharging the battery <NUM> may include electrons flowing from the anode <NUM> to the cathode <NUM>, across the load <NUM>, through circuitry external to the battery <NUM>. Discharging the battery <NUM> may also include the free lithium ions <NUM> within the electrolyte <NUM> flowing from the anode <NUM> to the cathode <NUM> through the separator <NUM> (in embodiments having a discrete separator). Further, discharging the battery <NUM> may include the free lithium ions <NUM> being intercalated into the cathode <NUM>. Such a scenario is illustrated in <FIG> by the lithium ions that are sitting on "shelves" of the cathode <NUM>.

The load <NUM> may be a device powered by the battery <NUM>, such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a mobile device, a tablet computing device, a laptop computing device, a light source, television remote, headphones, etc. The load <NUM> may be powered by the flow of electrons through the circuitry external to the battery <NUM> during the discharging process, for example.

<FIG> is a front-view (e.g., view from a plane perpendicular to the x-axis, as illustrated) illustration of a mobile device <NUM> (e.g., a smartphone), according to example unclaimed embodiments. The mobile device <NUM> may include a case <NUM>, a display <NUM>, peripherals <NUM>, and an input device <NUM>. The mobile device <NUM> shown and described herein is an example consumer-electronic device. It is understood that where the mobile device <NUM> is referenced herein, although the mobile device <NUM> is depicted and described as a mobile phone or smartphone, other consumer-electronic devices that incorporate batteries (e.g., activity trackers, calculators, camcorders, digital cameras, e-readers, electronic cigarettes, flashlights, game controllers, global positioning system (GPS) devices, headphones, hotspots, keyboards, laptop computing devices, mice, microphones, musical instruments, portable gaming systems, portable grooming devices, portable media players, power tools, radios, remote-control vehicles, remotes, robotic vacuum cleaners, smartwatches, smart home devices, smart speakers, smoke detectors, speakers, tablet computing devices, thermometers, toothbrushes, watches, wearables, etc.) could equally be used and could equally benefit from the embodiments disclosed herein (with appropriate modifications made).

The case <NUM> may be a plastic and/or metallic enclosure that encapsulates the interior of the mobile device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the case <NUM> may have an ergonomic shape. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the case <NUM> may have beveled corners. The shape and/or size of the case <NUM> may be designed to house the interior electronic components of the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., a processor, a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory, one or more interconnects, a motherboard, an antenna, etc.) and one or more power-supplying devices (e.g., batteries). Further, the case <NUM> may have one or more portions excised so as to accommodate exterior components of the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., an opening in which to mount the display <NUM> or an opening through which sound can pass to and/or from a speaker or a microphone may be created by excising a portion of the case <NUM>).

The display <NUM> may provide information to a user of the mobile device <NUM>. For example, the display <NUM> may display text, images, and/or video content to a user to facilitate interaction between the user and the mobile device <NUM>. In various embodiments, the display <NUM> may include a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid-crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a projection device, an electronic ink (e-ink) display, a light bulb, etc. In some embodiments, the display <NUM> may receive electrical power from one or more batteries of the mobile device <NUM>.

The peripherals <NUM> may be additional components of the mobile device <NUM> that enhance the functionality of the mobile device <NUM>. For example, the peripherals may include speakers, microphones, cameras, headphones, wearable sensors, mice, keyboards, scanners, laser pointers, game controllers, external storage devices (e.g., external hard drives or flash drives), printers, etc. Similar to the display <NUM>, in some embodiments, the peripherals <NUM> may receive electrical power from one or more batteries of the mobile device <NUM>.

The input device <NUM> may receive input from a user of the mobile device <NUM>. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the input device <NUM> may include a button. Additionally or alternatively, the input device <NUM> may include other devices for receiving input. For example, in some embodiments, the display <NUM> may include a touchscreen (e.g., a capacitive touchscreen, a resistive touchscreen, or a surface acoustic wave touchscreen). In such embodiments, the display <NUM> may receive input from a user in addition to providing output to a user.

<FIG> is a cut-away illustration (e.g., as viewed from a plane perpendicular to the x-axis, as illustrated) of the mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments. For example, <FIG> may depict the mobile device <NUM> when viewed from an x-location (as indicated by the axes in <FIG>) that is behind both the display <NUM> and a front face of the case <NUM>. As illustrated, the mobile device <NUM> may include a battery <NUM> and an auxiliary battery <NUM>. The battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be contained by the case <NUM>, as illustrated.

The battery <NUM> may supply electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM>. For example, the battery <NUM> may include a rechargeable battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery similar to the battery <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>) having terminals that are connected to circuitry within the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., electrically coupled to a motherboard within the mobile device <NUM> and/or to the display <NUM>). Further, the battery <NUM> may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., a wall socket) in order to recharge the battery <NUM>. For example, a charging port defined within the case <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM> may permit a charging cable to be connected to the mobile device <NUM> in order to charge the battery <NUM>. Alternatively, the battery <NUM> could be charged via wireless charging (e.g., using inductive coupling with an external power source). In some embodiments, the battery <NUM> may have a capacity between <NUM>,<NUM> mAh and <NUM>,<NUM> mAh.

Depending on the manner in which the battery <NUM> is fabricated (which may depend on constraints such as a size and/or shape of the case <NUM> and/or sizes and/or shapes of other components within the mobile device <NUM>), the battery <NUM> may have various shapes or conformations. In some embodiments, for example, the battery <NUM> may be arranged in a jellyroll conformation (e.g., a flattened jellyroll conformation to occupy reduced space). In such embodiments, the battery <NUM> may be fabricated by positioning one or more anodes adjacent to one or more cathodes with a separator in between, filling one or more defined interstices between the cathode(s), anode(s), and separator with an electrolyte, and then rolling the arrangement to form a jellyroll. Further, such a jellyroll conformation may be encapsulated in a metallic or plastic cylindrical casing (e.g., to prevent leakage of electrolyte solution and/or to enhance safety in the case of battery failure). In alternate embodiments, the battery <NUM> may be arranged in a pouch conformation. In some embodiments, the pouch conformation may increase the gravimetric energy density of the battery <NUM> compared to the jellyroll conformation because no cylindrical casing is used.

The auxiliary battery <NUM> may supply supplementary electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the capacity of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be less than the capacity of the battery <NUM>. For example, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may have a capacity between <NUM> mAh and <NUM> mAh. In some embodiments, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may have a different battery chemistry than the battery <NUM> and/or have a different shape or conformation than the auxiliary battery <NUM>. For example, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be a thin-film battery (e.g., a thin-film lithium-ion battery). As such, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may not be susceptible to swelling during charge / discharge cycles (e.g., unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries). Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be flexible. As such, the auxiliary battery <NUM> can be installed in the mobile device <NUM> to fill space that would otherwise be unoccupied within the mobile device <NUM> due to: (i) fabrication tolerances for the case <NUM>, the display <NUM>, the battery <NUM>, or other components of the mobile device <NUM>; (ii) accommodation of potential swelling of the battery <NUM> during charging and/or discharging of the battery <NUM>; and/or (iii) challenges in performing fabrication techniques for the battery <NUM> that would allow the battery <NUM> to have a non-uniform height (e.g., such that the battery <NUM> could fill a non-uniform cavity within the case <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM>, as may be present in a mobile device with an exotic geometry).

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> (e.g., a back surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> parallel to the y-z plane, as illustrated) may be positioned along a first surface of the battery <NUM> (e.g., a front surface of the battery <NUM> parallel to the y-z plane, as illustrated). As such, the first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be parallel to the first surface of the battery <NUM>. In some embodiments, the first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be adhered to the first surface of the battery <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be aligned to one or more locations on the first surface of the battery <NUM> prior to the case <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM> encapsulating the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM>. Further, as illustrated in <FIG>, the first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> has a smaller area than the first surface of the battery <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be rechargeable using the same charging mechanism as the battery <NUM>. For example, a single charging port defined within the case <NUM> may be used to connect the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> to an external power source (e.g., to a wall socket using a charging cable or to a computing device using a universal serial bus (USB) cable) to simultaneously or sequentially charge both the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM>. In alternate embodiments, a separate charging mechanism could be used to charge the auxiliary battery <NUM>. For example, the auxiliary battery <NUM> could be charged via wireless charging (e.g., using inductive coupling with an external power source) or using a secondary, dedicated charging port defined within the case <NUM> that is used to connect an external power source only to the auxiliary battery <NUM> (and not to the battery <NUM>), thereby charging only the auxiliary battery <NUM>.

<FIG> is a bottom-view (e.g., view from a plane perpendicular to the z-axis, as illustrated) illustration of the mobile device <NUM>, according to example unclaimed embodiments. As illustrated in <FIG>, the shape and size of the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be selected so as to conform to one or more available volumes within the mobile device <NUM> and/or so as to conform with one or more contours of the case <NUM>. For example, one or more edges of the battery <NUM> and/or of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be contoured so as to conform to one or more contoured edges or other features of the case <NUM>. As described with reference to <FIG>, the first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> (e.g., a back surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> parallel to the y-z plane, as illustrated) may be positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM> (e.g., a front surface of the battery <NUM> parallel to the y-z plane, as illustrated).

As described above, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be a thin-film battery. As such, a thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> (i.e., the shortest length dimension of the auxiliary battery <NUM>, measured along the x-axis illustrated in <FIG>) may be less than a thickness of the battery <NUM> (i.e., the length dimension of the battery <NUM>, measured along the x-axis illustrated in <FIG>). In some embodiments, the thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be between <NUM> and <NUM>, for example. The thickness of the battery <NUM>, however, may be between <NUM> and <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be positioned along additional surfaces of the battery <NUM>, in addition to the first surface of the battery <NUM>. For example, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be wrapped around two, three, four, five, or six sides of the battery <NUM>. An example embodiment where the auxiliary battery <NUM> is wrapped around three sides of the battery <NUM> is shown in bottom-view in <FIG>. Wrapping the auxiliary battery <NUM> around multiple sides of the battery <NUM> may further enhance the space in the case <NUM> that is occupied by a battery that can provide electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may supply electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM> simultaneously. For example, <FIG> is a circuit diagram illustrating an arrangement of batteries, according to example embodiments. The arrangement of batteries may include the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> electrically connected in parallel. In such an embodiment, charge from the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may simultaneously power components of the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., the display <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM>, as illustrated, or any other component of the mobile device <NUM>). Further, because some of the electrical power to the mobile device <NUM> is being provided by the auxiliary battery <NUM>, the aggregate battery life of the mobile device <NUM> can be extended by including the auxiliary battery <NUM> in the mobile device <NUM> in addition to the battery <NUM>.

In other embodiments, the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may supply electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM> sequentially. For example, the battery <NUM> may initially solely provide electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM> and, upon threshold discharge of the battery <NUM>, the battery <NUM> may cease providing electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may begin providing electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM>. The shift from the battery <NUM> providing electrical power to the auxiliary battery <NUM> providing electrical power may occur by engaging one or more switches within the mobile device <NUM>.

<FIG> is a circuit diagram illustrating an arrangement of batteries, according to example unclaimed embodiments. The arrangement of batteries may include the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. Also illustrated in <FIG> is a controller <NUM> and a switch <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may include a voltmeter or a digital multimeter used to monitor the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM>. As the battery <NUM> is discharged (e.g., when providing electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM>), the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM> may decrease according to a predetermined discharge curve (e.g., as determined empirically for the battery <NUM> during a calibration or fabrication process). Hence, the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM> can be used to estimate the state of charge of the battery <NUM>.

<FIG> is a plot of battery voltage within a mobile device (e.g., a mobile device including the battery arrangement of <FIG>) as the mobile device discharges, according to example embodiments. In <FIG>, the predetermined discharge curve <NUM> for the battery <NUM> is illustrated (the dashed portion indicating how the battery <NUM> would continue to discharge if the switch in <FIG> were never engaged such that the battery <NUM> ceased providing electrical power). The measured voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM> may be transmitted to a processor within the controller <NUM>. The processor may be executing instructions stored on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium (e.g., in a non-volatile memory, such as a hard drive). These instructions may include a threshold value <NUM> (e.g., a threshold voltage) below which, the battery <NUM> is too discharged to provide significant electrical power to the mobile device <NUM>. Hence, once it is determined by the controller <NUM> that the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM> has fallen below the threshold value <NUM>, the controller <NUM> may cause the switch <NUM> to flip (i.e., engage).

As illustrated in <FIG>, the threshold value <NUM> may be a threshold voltage. In alternate embodiments, the threshold value <NUM> may be a different quantity (e.g., a threshold current, a threshold state of charge, or a threshold amount of time discharging). For example, in other embodiments, rather than measuring the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM> (e.g., as illustrated in <FIG>), an ammeter may be used to measure the current being provided by the battery <NUM> in order to estimate the state of charge of the battery <NUM>. Similar to the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM>, the current being provided by the battery <NUM> may also follow a predetermined curve that can be used to determine the present state of charge of the battery. Also similar to the voltage between the terminals, the current being provided could be transmitted to a processor within the controller <NUM> and, once the current reaches a threshold value, the controller <NUM> could cause the switch <NUM> to flip. Additionally or alternatively, the amount of time that the battery <NUM> has spent discharging and those applications / devices within the mobile device <NUM> that are consuming electrical power during that time could be monitored by the controller <NUM> to approximate the state of charge of the battery <NUM> (e.g., and the controller <NUM> may similarly cause the switch <NUM> to flip once a threshold time-power combination has been reached).

As illustrated in <FIG>, once the switch <NUM> flips, the switch <NUM> may be in the position of the dashed line. Further, once the switch <NUM> flips, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may begin providing components of the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., the display <NUM>) with electrical power. The act of flipping the switch <NUM> is reflected in <FIG> Once the auxiliary battery <NUM> begins to discharge, it too follows a predetermined discharge curve <NUM> (e.g., as determined empirically for the auxiliary battery <NUM> during a calibration or fabrication process). The controller <NUM> may cause the switch <NUM> to flip for other purposes as well (e.g., to select one of the batteries <NUM>/<NUM> to be charged by a charging circuit when an external power source is provided, such as to select the auxiliary battery <NUM> to be charged when the battery <NUM> has been charged sufficiently such that the voltage between the terminals of the battery <NUM> exceed the threshold value <NUM>). Also illustrated in <FIG> are the battery's portion <NUM> and the auxiliary battery's portion <NUM> of the aggregate state of charge of the battery combination illustrated in <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the battery's portion <NUM> is significantly larger (e.g., about <NUM>%) than the auxiliary battery's portion <NUM> (e.g., about <NUM>%), meaning that the battery <NUM> supplies significantly more electrical power to the components of the mobile device <NUM> than the auxiliary battery <NUM> during a complete charge / discharge cycle of the battery combination illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> is provided by way of example, and it is understood that other percentages than those illustrated in <FIG> are equally possible.

In alternate embodiments, rather than the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> being electrically connected in parallel (e.g., as schematically illustrated in <FIG>) or being engaged / disengaged in a switching arrangement (e.g., as schematically illustrated in <FIG>), the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may instead be used in totally separate circuits within the mobile device <NUM>. For example, the battery <NUM> may be used to power one subset of components of the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., a processor and the display <NUM>) while the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be used to power a different subset of components of the mobile device <NUM> (e.g., components that generally consume less electrical power than the components configured to receive electrical power from the battery <NUM>, such as one or more status LEDs). In some embodiments, the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be positioned within the mobile device <NUM> such that a distance between the battery <NUM> and one or more components configured to receive electrical power from the battery <NUM> is less than a distance between the auxiliary battery <NUM> and one or more components configured to receive electrical power from the battery <NUM>. Similarly, the battery <NUM> and the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be positioned within the mobile device <NUM> such that a distance between the auxiliary battery <NUM> and one or more components configured to receive electrical power from the auxiliary battery <NUM> is less than a distance between the battery <NUM> and one or more components configured to receive electrical power from the auxiliary battery <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cut-away illustration (e.g., as viewed from a plane perpendicular to the x-axis, as illustrated) of a mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments. Similar to the mobile device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the mobile device <NUM> may include a battery <NUM>, an auxiliary battery <NUM>, a case <NUM>, and a display <NUM>. In addition, the mobile device <NUM> includes an interconnect <NUM> between a first component <NUM> and a second component <NUM>. The interconnect <NUM> may permit electrical power transfer between the first component <NUM> and the second component <NUM> and/or communication between the first component <NUM> and the second component <NUM> (e.g., using a communication signal). In some embodiments, the interconnect <NUM> may include one or more wires and/or traces on a circuit board that electrically connect the first component <NUM> to the second component <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the interconnect <NUM> is routed around a periphery of the auxiliary battery <NUM>. For example, the interconnect <NUM> may include a wire that is positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM> such that the wire follows the edge of the auxiliary battery <NUM>. The auxiliary battery <NUM> is designed (e.g., a size and/or shape of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be chosen) and/or positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM> such that the interconnect <NUM> can be accommodated along the first surface of the battery <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be shaped so as to accommodate one or more other components of the mobile device <NUM> positioned adjacent to the auxiliary battery <NUM> along the first surface of the battery <NUM>.

<FIG> is a bottom-view (e.g., view from a plane perpendicular to the z-axis, as illustrated) illustration of the mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments. As illustrated, in some embodiments, the thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> (i.e., the shortest length dimension of the auxiliary battery <NUM>, measured along the x-axis illustrated in <FIG>) may be the same as a thickness of the interconnect <NUM> and/or the thickness of the first component <NUM>. Further, in some embodiments, the thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may also be the same as the thickness of the second component <NUM>. In alternate embodiments, the auxiliary battery <NUM> may have a different thickness than the interconnect <NUM>, the first component <NUM>, and/or the second component <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cut-away illustration (e.g., as viewed from a plane perpendicular to the x-axis, as illustrated) of a mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments. Similar to the mobile device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the mobile device <NUM> may include a battery <NUM>, an auxiliary battery <NUM>, a case <NUM>, and a display <NUM>. In addition, the mobile device <NUM> may include an additional auxiliary battery <NUM> and an interconnect <NUM> between a first component <NUM> and a second component <NUM>. Unlike the embodiments described above, the embodiment of <FIG> includes two auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>. Like the auxiliary battery <NUM> described above, both of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM> may be configured to supply auxiliary electrical power to one or more components of the mobile device <NUM>. Further, the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM> may supply electrical power to components of the mobile device <NUM>: (i) simultaneously with the battery <NUM> or sequentially with the battery <NUM>; and (ii) simultaneously with one another or sequentially with one another.

In some embodiments, a first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> and a first surface of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> may each be positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM>. <FIG> is a bottom-view (e.g., view from a plane perpendicular to the z-axis, as illustrated) illustration of the mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments. As illustrated in <FIG>, the auxiliary battery <NUM> and the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> may be substantially parallel to one another (e.g., within <NUM>° of parallel with one another). For example, a first surface of the auxiliary battery <NUM> positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM> and a first surface of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM> may be coplanar with one another.

The interconnect <NUM> may also be positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM>. In some embodiments, the interconnect <NUM>, the first component <NUM>, and/or the second component <NUM> may be adjacent to the auxiliary battery <NUM> and/or the additional auxiliary battery <NUM>. Further, the interconnect <NUM> is routed along a periphery of the auxiliary battery <NUM> and/or along a periphery of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM>. Because multiple auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM> are positioned along the first surface of the battery <NUM>, and the interconnect <NUM> may be positioned along a periphery of one or both of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>, in some embodiments, one or both of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM> may be smaller than the auxiliary battery <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

In some embodiments, the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> may have a different shape, capacity, and/or battery chemistry than the auxiliary battery <NUM>. For example, based on the location of the interconnect <NUM> and the components <NUM>/<NUM> of the mobile device <NUM>, the amount of space available for the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> may be less than the amount of space available for the auxiliary battery <NUM> (e.g., as illustrated in <FIG>). In such embodiments, the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> may be smaller in size and capacity than the auxiliary battery <NUM>. <FIG> is provided by way of example, and it is understood that other sizes or shapes of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>, the interconnect <NUM>, and the components <NUM>/<NUM> are possible and contemplated herein.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in some embodiments, the thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> (i.e., the shortest length dimension of the auxiliary battery <NUM>, measured along the x-axis illustrated in <FIG>) may be the same as a thickness of the interconnect <NUM> and/or the thickness of the first component <NUM>. Similarly, the thickness of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> (i.e., the shortest length dimension of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM>, measured along the x-axis illustrated in <FIG>) may be the same as a thickness of the interconnect <NUM> and/or the thickness of the first component <NUM>. Further, in some embodiments, the thicknesses of one or both of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM> may be the same as the thickness of the second component <NUM>. Still further, the thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> may be the same as the thickness of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM>. In alternate embodiments, the thickness of the additional auxiliary battery <NUM> may be different from the thickness of the auxiliary battery <NUM> (e.g., to efficiently fill a non-uniform cavity within the case <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM>). Additionally or alternatively, one or both of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM> may have different thicknesses than the interconnect <NUM>, the first component <NUM>, and/or the second component <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cut-away illustration (e.g., as viewed from a plane perpendicular to the x-axis, as illustrated) of a mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments. The mobile device <NUM> may include a case <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a battery <NUM>, a first auxiliary battery <NUM>, a second auxiliary battery <NUM>, a third auxiliary battery <NUM>, and an interconnect <NUM>. <FIG> is a bottom-view (e.g., view from a plane perpendicular to the z-axis, as illustrated) illustration of the mobile device <NUM>, according to example embodiments.

Like the mobile device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the mobile device <NUM> includes multiple auxiliary batteries. However, unlike the mobile device <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>, the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> are not coplanar with one another. As illustrated in <FIG>, the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> may be stacked on top of one another (e.g., along the x-axis). For example, a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the first auxiliary battery <NUM> may be positioned along a first surface (e.g., a top surface) of the battery <NUM>, a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the second auxiliary battery <NUM> may be positioned along a second surface (e.g., a top surface) of the first auxiliary battery <NUM>, and a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the third auxiliary battery <NUM> may be positioned along a second surface (e.g., a top surface) of the second auxiliary battery <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> may each have the same thickness (e.g., dimensionality in the x-direction) as one another. However, in alternate embodiments, the auxiliary batteries may have different thicknesses (e.g., an auxiliary battery that is in a layer of the auxiliary battery stack where an interconnect is routed may be thicker or thinner than the other auxiliary batteries in the stack).

Further, one or more of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> may be shaped or sized so as to accommodate one or more interconnects within the mobile device <NUM>. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the second auxiliary battery <NUM> (e.g., the middle auxiliary battery in the stack of auxiliary batteries) may be smaller in width (e.g., along the y-direction, as illustrated) than the first auxiliary battery <NUM> and the third auxiliary battery <NUM> so as to provide space along the second surface of the first auxiliary battery <NUM> for the interconnect <NUM> to run. As with the interconnects described above, the interconnect <NUM> in the mobile device <NUM> of <FIG> may be routed around a periphery of one or more of the auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> (e.g., along the periphery of the second auxiliary battery <NUM>). In some embodiments, one or more interconnects may include segments that have vertical dimensionality (e.g., run along the x-axis illustrated in <FIG>). As such, in some embodiments, multiple auxiliary batteries within an auxiliary battery stack may be shaped and/or sized along multiple dimensions to accommodate the one or more interconnects.

It is understood that <FIG> and <FIG> are provided for illustrative purposes only. While the mobile device <NUM> includes three auxiliary batteries <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM>, other embodiments may include a mobile device that includes any number of auxiliary batteries (e.g., one, two, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, etc.) arranged in any number of possible arrangements relative to one another and the battery within the mobile device. In still other embodiments, some mobile devices may include more than one battery.

<FIG> is a flow chart illustrating a method <NUM>. The method <NUM> may be performed by the mobile device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, for example. The method <NUM> may be performed to supply electrical power to one or more components of the mobile device <NUM> using the battery <NUM> until the battery <NUM> is sufficiently discharged and then proceed to supply electrical power to one or more components of the mobile device <NUM> using the auxiliary battery <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> may include providing electrical power to a consumer-electronic device by discharging a battery of the consumer-electronic device.

Claim 1:
A device comprising:
a battery (<NUM>);
an auxiliary battery (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to supply auxiliary electrical power,
wherein a first surface of the auxiliary battery (<NUM>, <NUM>) is positioned along a first surface of the battery (<NUM>), and
wherein the auxiliary battery (<NUM>, <NUM>) is a thin-film battery; and
an interconnect (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) adapted to connect two or more components of the device, wherein the interconnect (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is positioned along the first surface of the battery (<NUM>) adjacent to the auxiliary battery (<NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the interconnect (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is routed around a periphery of the auxiliary battery (<NUM>, <NUM>), and
wherein the first surface of the auxiliary battery (<NUM>, <NUM>) has a smaller area than the first surface of the battery (<NUM>).