Patent ID: 8129946

Claim:
A method of determining the health of a backup battery in storage memory controller circuitry, the method comprising steps of: providing the storage memory controller system circuitry with the backup battery and other control circuits, the backup battery providing a power source during occurrences of a system power loss condition; commencing a battery health discharge cycle of the backup battery even though normal power conditions exist with normal system power being available; providing at least a first portion of circuitry of the storage memory controller circuitry that is utilized during normal power conditions and is powered by a non-battery power source; providing a power supply generated from the backup battery to the at least a first portion of circuitry of the storage memory controller circuitry as part of the backup battery health discharge cycle of the backup battery that occurs while normal system power conditions exist with normal system power being available; discharging at least a portion of the backup battery through the at least a first portion of circuitry of the storage memory controller during the backup battery health discharge cycle of the backup battery that occurs while normal system power conditions exist; regulating a discharge rate of current from the backup battery during the battery health discharge cycle by switching the power supply provided to the at least a first portion of circuitry of the storage memory controller circuitry back and forth between the backup battery and the normal system power to reduce the current drawn from the backup battery during the battery health discharge cycle; and determining a health of the backup battery after the discharging of at least a portion of the backup battery.