Electronic device and method for charging battery

• US 10,256,653 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Yoon, Sung-Geun, Park, Chul-Woo, Jung, Ku-Chul, Seo, Hyun-Deok, Lee, Min-Jeong
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US15/483,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20170294793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 320107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/10 Control circuit supply, e.g. means for supplying power to the control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

Provided are a battery charging method and an electronic device. The electronic device includes a connector that includes a first terminal to which a voltage is applied by an external charger and a second terminal for transmitting and receiving data, and a first charging circuit configured to charge a battery of the electronic device by using the voltage applied to the first terminal. The first charging circuit may include a communication circuit configured to transmit information related to the battery through the second terminal, a voltage converter configured to convert a voltage supplied to the battery and a first controller circuit configured to obtain first information regarding a voltage of the battery, control the communication circuit to transmit the first information to a charger connected with the connector, and control the voltage converter to charge the battery using a voltage adjusted based on the first information by the charger, if the adjusted voltage is applied to the first terminal.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a connector comprising a first terminal to which a voltage is applied by charger and a second terminal for transmitting and receiving data; and

a first charging circuit configured to charge a battery of the electronic device by using the applied voltage,

wherein the first charging circuit comprises;

a communication circuit configured to transmit information related to the battery through the second terminal; and

a voltage converter configured to convert a voltage supplied to the battery; and

a first controller circuit configured to;

obtain first information regarding a voltage of the battery, control the communication circuit to transmit the first information to the charger connected with the connector, and

when a voltage adjusted based on the first information by the charger is applied to the first terminal, control the voltage converter to charge the battery using the voltage adjusted based on the first information.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to obtain second information regarding at least one of a charging current of the battery, a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, a surface temperature of the electronic device, a temperature of the battery, or a consumption current of the battery and control the communication circuit to transmit the second information to the charger.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to:

when a voltage and a current which are adjusted based on the first information and the second information by the charger are applied to the first terminal, control the voltage converter to charge the battery using the voltage and the current adjusted based on the first information and the second information.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to send a request for adjustment of the voltage to be applied to the first terminal to the charger, when it is determined that the voltage of the battery is higher than or equal to a first threshold value and is less than a second threshold value based on the first information.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to control the voltage converter to provide a bypass path through which the voltage adjusted based on the first information is supplied to the battery.

6. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the first charging circuit further comprises a first switch connected with the voltage converter in parallel, and

wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to:

turn on the first switch when the voltage adjusted based on the first information is applied to the first terminal, and

control the voltage converter to supply the voltage adjusted based on the first information to the battery by using a first line connected through the first switch.

7. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the first charging circuit further comprises a second switch disposed between the first terminal and the voltage converter, and

wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to control supply of the voltage adjusted based on the first information to the voltage converter by turning on or off the second switch.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising a second charging circuit configured to charge the battery by using the applied voltage,

wherein the second charging circuit comprises:

a third switch connected with the first terminal; and

a second controller circuit configured to control supply of the applied voltage to the battery by using a second line connected through the third switch by turning the third switch on or off.

9. The electronic device of claim 8,

wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to:

when the voltage adjusted based on the first information is applied to the first terminal, turn off the second switch and control the voltage converter, to supply the voltage adjusted based on the first information to the battery by using the second line, and

wherein the second controller circuit is further configured to;

when the voltage adjusted based on the first information is applied to the first terminal, turn on the third switch to supply the voltage adjusted based on the first information to the battery by using the second line.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the connector is further configured to be connected with a universal serial bus (USB) connector that supports a USB type C.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second terminal is connected with a configuration channel (CC) line or D+/D−

line of the USB connector to transmit and receive data.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising a data converter configured to convert a format of the data into a data format transmittable through a configuration channel (CC) line of the USB connector to transmit and receive data through the CC line.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first controller circuit is further configured to convert a data format of the first information into the data format transmittable through the CC line of the USB connector through the data converter, when the second terminal is connected to the CC line.

14. A battery charging method by an electronic device which comprises a connector comprising a first terminal to which a voltage is applied by a charger and a second terminal for transmitting and receiving data and a first charging circuit configured to charge a battery of the electronic device by using the applied voltage, the battery charging method comprising:

obtaining first information regarding a voltage of the battery;

transmitting the first information to the charger connected with the connector, through the second terminal; and

when a voltage adjusted based on the first information by the charger is applied to the first terminal, charging the battery using the voltage adjusted based on the first information.

15. The battery charging method of claim 14, further comprising obtaining second information regarding at least one of a charging current of the battery, a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, a surface temperature of the electronic device, a temperature of the battery, or a consumption current of the battery and transmitting the second information to the charger.

16. The battery charging method of claim 15, wherein the charging of the battery comprises:

when a voltage and a current which are adjusted based on the first information and the second information by the charger are applied to the first terminal, charging the battery using the voltage and the current adjusted based on the first information and the second information.

17. The battery charging method of claim 14, further comprising sending a request for adjustment of the voltage to be applied to the first terminal to the charger, when it is determined that the voltage of the battery is higher than or equal to a first threshold value and is less than a second threshold value based on the first information.

18. The battery charging method of claim 14, wherein the charging of the battery using the voltage adjusted based on the first information comprises providing a bypass path through which the voltage adjusted based on the first information is supplied to the battery.

19. The battery charging method of claim 14, wherein the charging of the battery using the voltage adjusted based on the first information comprises:

turning on a first switch of the first charging circuit connected with a voltage converter of the first charging circuit, in parallel when the voltage adjusted based on the first information is applied to the first terminal; and

supplying the voltage adjusted based on the first information to the battery by using a first line connected through the first switch.

20. The battery charging method of claim 14, wherein the charging of the battery using the voltage adjusted based on the first information comprises:

when the voltage adjusted based on the first information is applied to the first terminal, turning off a second switch of the first charging circuit, disposed between the first terminal and a voltage converter of the first charging circuit;

when the voltage adjusted based on the first information is applied to the first terminal, turning on a third switch of a second charging circuit connected with the first terminal, wherein the second charging circuit is included in the electronic device and charges the battery by using the voltage adjusted based on the first information; and

supplying the voltage adjusted based on the first information to the battery by using a second line connected through the third switch.