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A controller for a smart battery selector included in a portable device has a plurality of switch-drivers at least equal to a plurality of smart batteries. The batteries provide battery-state data via a bus to a host computer included in the portable device. Each switch-driver effects selection of a

A controller for a smart battery selector included in a portable device has a plurality of switch-drivers at least equal to a plurality of smart batteries. The batteries provide battery-state data via a bus to a host computer included in the portable device. Each switch-driver effects selection of an associated battery. A control electronic-circuit in the controller directs operation of the switch-drivers for selecting the battery so that at any instant only one battery powers the portable device. A bus-snooper circuit permits the controller to independently monitor the bus for battery-condition alarm-messages. The controller may respond to such messages by selecting a different battery. The controller may also select a single battery for recharging, and may terminate charging upon receiving a battery overcharge message.

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[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A controller for a battery selector that is adapted for use with at least two smart batteries, said smart batteries being capable of providing electrical power for energizing operation of a portable device and also providing battery-state data via a bus to a host computer

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A controller for a battery selector that is adapted for use with at least two smart batteries, said smart batteries being capable of providing electrical power for energizing operation of a portable device and also providing battery-state data via a bus to a host computer included in the portable device, the battery-state data provided by the smart batteries including a battery-condition alarm-message which indicates that the smart battery that transmits the battery-condition alarm-message has experienced a pre-specified conditions the controller comprising:smart-battery-selection switch-drivers at least equal in number to the smart batteries included in the portable device, each smart-battery-selection switch-driver being associated with a specific smart battery and providing a battery selection-signal for effecting a selection of the associated smart battery which causes the selected smart battery to energize operation of the portable device;an internal-power-converter switch-driver associated with at least one of the smart batteries to select, for supplying electrical power to energize operation of the portable device, an external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by an internal electrical-power converter which physically replaces one of the smart batteries;a control electronic-circuit that controls operation of the smart-battery-selection switch-drivers and the internal-power-converter switch-driver for selecting to energize operation of the portable device at any instant either:a. the smart battery associated with a particular smart-battery-selection switch-driver; orb. the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter;an internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit for sensing voltage provided by the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter, if the voltage sensed by said internal-voltage-conversion sensing-circuit exceeds a pre-established threshold, the controller transmitting a signal to said control electronic-circuit directing said control electronic-circuit to select the external electrical power-source that is coupled to the portable device by the internal electrical-power converter to energize operation of the portable device; anda bus-snooper circuit that independently of the host computer monitors the bus for the battery-condition alarm-message from the smart batteries, and that upon detecting the battery-condition alarm-message transmits a signal to said control electronic-circuit.