Patent ID: 8288997

Claim:
A method for providing power, comprising: receiving state of charge information from a host about a power source for said host; automatically providing charge to said power source for said host from an auxiliary power source only if said state of charge information indicates that said power source for said host is not meeting a target for state of charge; and stopping the use of said auxiliary power source to charge said power source for said host for a first period of time only if a current associated with said power source for said host is negative and said power source for said host has been connected to said auxiliary power source for less than a predetermined time duration, stopping the use of said auxiliary power source to charge said power source for said host for a second period of time different from said first period of time only if said current associated with said power source for said host is negative and said power source for said host has been connected to said auxiliary power source for longer than the predetermined time duration, said negative current associated with said power source for said host indicates that said power source for said host is presently being charged by said host.