Charger and power delivery control chip and charging method thereof

• US 10,263,454 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Labs Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Wang, Tze-Shiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/488,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20180062400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320125, 320128, 320132, 320152, 320162, 320163, 320164
• 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 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A charger and a power delivery control chip and a charging method thereof are provided. Resistance values of equivalent resistances corresponding to a power supply bus are calculated according to a charging current and voltage sensing signals respectively provided by chips of a first connector and a second connector. A charging voltage supplied to the power supply bus is adjusted according to a target charging voltage, a current charging current, and variations of the resistance values of the equivalent resistances corresponding to the power supply bus.

Claims

1. A charger adapted to charge an electronic device via a cable, wherein an end of the cable provides a target charging voltage to the electronic device via a first connector and the other end of the cable is coupled to the charger via a second connector, the charger comprising:

an AC/DC conversion circuit coupled to a power supply bus of the cable and converting an AC voltage into a DC voltage to provide a charging voltage and a charging current; and

a power delivery control chip calculating a first equivalent resistance according to a first voltage sensing signal provided from a first chip of the first connector, a current charging voltage, and a current charging current, and adjusting the charging voltage provided by the AC/DC conversion circuit according to the first equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage, wherein the first equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the first chip and the charger.

2. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the first chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to a position of the first connector to generate the first voltage sensing signal and transmits the first voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the first connector.

3. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the power delivery control chip further comprises:

a non-volatile memory storing predetermined charging information, wherein the power delivery control chip receives charging specification data of the electronic device via a data transmission pin of the first connector, and the power delivery control chip provides a predetermined charging voltage and a predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification data according to the predetermined charging information.

4. The charger according to claim 3, wherein the power delivery control chip further comprises:

a register storing N number of first voltage sensing signals that are detected latest, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1, and the power delivery control chip calculates a latest first equivalent resistance according to the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal that is detected latest.

5. The charger according to claim 4, wherein the power delivery control chip calculates an initial first equivalent resistance according to the predetermined charging current, the predetermined charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal that is detected initially, and the register further stores the initial first equivalent resistance.

6. The charger according to claim 5, wherein the power delivery control chip determines whether a difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is greater than a tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the AC/DC conversion circuit to stop providing the charging current or to change to perform charging with a charging current smaller than the predetermined charging current corresponding to a charging specification if the difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is greater than the tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the AC/DC conversion circuit to adjust the charging voltage according to the latest first equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage if the difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is not greater than the tolerance value.

7. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the power delivery control chip further calculates a second equivalent resistance and a third equivalent resistance according to a second voltage sensing signal provided from a second chip of the second connector, the current charging voltage, and the current charging current, wherein the second equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the second chip and the charger, and the third equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the first chip and the second chip, and the power delivery control chip adjusts the charging voltage provided by the AC/DC conversion circuit according to the second equivalent resistance, the third equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage.

8. The charger according to claim 7, wherein the first chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to the position of the first connector to generate the first voltage sensing signal and transmits the first voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the first connector, and the second chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to a position of the second connector to generate the second voltage sensing signal and transmits the second voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the second connector.

9. The charger according to claim 7, wherein the power delivery control chip further comprises:

a non-volatile memory storing predetermined charging information, wherein the power delivery control chip receives charging specification data of the electronic device via a data transmission pin of the first connector, and the power delivery control chip provides a predetermined charging voltage and a predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification data according to the predetermined charging information.

10. The charger according to claim 9, wherein the power delivery control chip further comprises:

a register storing number of N first voltage sensing signals and second voltage sensing signals that are detected latest, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1, and the power delivery control chip calculates a latest second equivalent resistance and a latest third equivalent resistance according to the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal and the second voltage sensing signal that are detected latest, and calculates a sum of the latest second equivalent resistance and the latest third equivalent resistance to obtain a latest resistance sum.

11. The charger according to claim 10, wherein the power delivery control chip calculates an initial second equivalent resistance and an initial third equivalent resistance according to the predetermined charging current, the predetermined charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal and the second voltage sensing signal that are detected initially and calculates a sum of the initial second equivalent resistance and the initial third equivalent resistance to obtain an initial resistance sum, and the register further stores the initial second equivalent resistance and the initial third equivalent resistance.

12. The charger according to claim 11, wherein the power delivery control chip determines whether a difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is greater than a tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the AC/DC conversion circuit to stop providing the charging current or to change to perform charging with a charging current smaller than the predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification if the difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is greater than the tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the AC/DC conversion circuit to adjust the charging voltage according to the latest resistance sum, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage if the difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is not greater than the tolerance value.

13. A charging method of a charger adapted to charge an electronic device via a cable, wherein an end the cable provides a target charging voltage to the electronic device via a first connector and the other end of the cable is coupled to the charger via a second connector, the charging method of the charger comprising:

converting an AC voltage into a DC voltage to provide a charging voltage and a charging current;

calculating a first equivalent resistance according to a first voltage sensing signal provided from a first chip of the first connector, a current charging voltage, and a current charging current; and

adjusting the charging voltage according to the first equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage, wherein the first equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on a power supply bus between the first chip and the charger.

14. The charging method of the charger according to claim 13, wherein the first chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to a position of the first connector to generate the first voltage sensing signal and transmits the first voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the first connector.

15. The charging method of the charger according to claim 13, comprising:

providing a predetermined charging voltage and a predetermined charging current corresponding to charging specification data according to predetermined charging information.

16. The charging method of the charger according to claim 15, comprising:

storing number of N first voltage sensing signals that are detected latest, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1; and

calculating a latest first equivalent resistance according to the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal that is detected latest.

17. The charging method of the charger according to claim 16, comprising:

calculating an initial first equivalent resistance according to the predetermined charging current, the predetermined charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal that is detected initially; and

storing the initial first equivalent resistance.

18. The charging method of the charger according to claim 17, comprising:

determining whether a difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is greater than a tolerance value, wherein supply of the charging current is stopped or charging with a charging current smaller than the predetermined charging current corresponding to a charging specification is performed if the difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is greater than the tolerance value, and the charging voltage is adjusted according to the latest first equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage if the difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is not greater than the tolerance value.

19. The charging method of the charger according to claim 13, comprising:

calculating a second equivalent resistance and a third equivalent resistance according to a second voltage sensing signal provided from a second chip of the second connector, the current charging voltage, and the current charging current, wherein the second equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the second chip and the charger, and the third equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the first chip and the second chip; and

adjusting the charging voltage according to the second equivalent resistance, the third equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage.

20. The charging method of the charger according to claim 19, wherein the first chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to the position of the first connector to generate the first voltage sensing signal and transmits the first voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the first connector, and the second chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to a position of the second connector to generate the second voltage sensing signal and transmits the second voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the second connector.

21. The charging method of the charger according to claim 19, comprising:

providing a predetermined charging voltage and a predetermined charging current corresponding to charging specification data according to predetermined charging information.

22. The charging method of the charger according to claim 21, comprising:

storing number of N first voltage sensing signals and second voltage sensing signals that are detected latest, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1;

calculating a latest second equivalent resistance and a latest third equivalent resistance according to the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal and the second voltage sensing signal that are detected latest; and

calculating a sum of the latest second equivalent resistance and the latest third equivalent resistance to obtain a latest resistance sum.

23. The charging method of the charger according to claim 22, comprising:

calculating an initial second equivalent resistance and an initial third equivalent resistance according to the predetermined charging current, the predetermined charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal and the second voltage sensing signal that are detected initially;

calculating a sum of the initial second equivalent resistance and the initial third equivalent resistance to obtain an initial resistance sum; and

storing the initial second equivalent resistance and the initial third equivalent resistance.

24. The charging method of the charger according to claim 23, comprising:

determining whether a difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is greater than a tolerance value, wherein supply of the charging current is stopped or charging with a charging current smaller than the predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification is performed if the difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is greater than the tolerance value, and the charging voltage is adjusted according to the latest resistance sum, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage if the difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is not greater than the tolerance value.

25. A power delivery control chip disposed in a charger adapted to charge an electronic device via a cable, wherein an end the cable provides a target charging voltage to the electronic device via a first connector and the other end of the cable is coupled to the charger via a second connector, the power delivery control chip being configured to:

calculate a first equivalent resistance according to a first voltage sensing signal provided from a first chip of the first connector, a current charging voltage, and a current charging current, and adjust a charging voltage provided by the charger according to the first equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage, wherein the first equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on a power supply bus between the first chip and the charger.

26. The power delivery control chip according to claim 25, wherein the first chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to a position of the first connector to generate the first voltage sensing signal and transmits the first voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the first connector.

27. The power delivery control chip according to claim 25, comprising:

a non-volatile memory storing predetermined charging information, wherein the power delivery control chip receives charging specification data of the electronic device via a data transmission pin of the first connector, and the power delivery control chip provides a predetermined charging voltage and a predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification data according to the predetermined charging information.

28. The power delivery control chip according to claim 27, further comprising:

a register storing number of N first voltage sensing signals that are detected latest, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1, and the power delivery control chip calculates a latest first equivalent resistance according to the charging current, the charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal that is detected latest.

29. The power delivery control chip according to claim 28, wherein the power delivery control chip calculates an initial first equivalent resistance according to the predetermined charging current, the predetermined charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal that is detected initially, and the register further stores the initial first equivalent resistance.

30. The power delivery control chip according to claim 29, wherein the power delivery control chip determines whether a difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is greater than a tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the charger to stop providing the charging current or change to a charging current smaller than the predetermined charging current corresponding to a charging specification to perform charging if the difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is greater than the tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the charger to adjust the charging voltage according to the latest first equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage if the difference between the latest first equivalent resistance and the initial first equivalent resistance is not greater than the tolerance value.

31. The power delivery control chip according to claim 25, wherein the power delivery control chip further calculates a second equivalent resistance and a third equivalent resistance according to a second voltage sensing signal provided from a second chip of the second connector, the current charging voltage, and the current charging current, wherein the second equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the second chip and the charger, and the third equivalent resistance is a resistance corresponding to a section on the power supply bus between the first chip and the second chip, and the power delivery control chip adjusts the charging voltage provided by the charger according to the second equivalent resistance, the third equivalent resistance, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage.

32. The power delivery control chip according to claim 31, wherein the first chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to the position of the first connector to generate the first voltage sensing signal and transmits the first voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the first connector, and the second chip detects a voltage on the power supply bus corresponding to a position of the second connector to generate the second voltage sensing signal and transmits the second voltage sensing signal to the charger via a data transmission pin of the second connector.

33. The power delivery control chip according to claim 31, wherein the power delivery control chip further comprises:

a non-volatile memory storing predetermined charging information, wherein the power delivery control chip receives charging specification data of the electronic device via the data transmission pin of the first connector, and the power delivery control chip provides a predetermined charging voltage and a predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification data according to the predetermined charging information.

34. The power delivery control chip according to claim 33, wherein the power delivery control chip further comprises:

a register storing number of N first voltage sensing signals and second voltage sensing signals that are detected latest, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1, and the power delivery control chip calculates a latest second equivalent resistance and a latest third equivalent resistance according to the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal and the second voltage sensing signal that are detected latest, and calculates a sum of the latest second equivalent resistance and the latest third equivalent resistance to obtain a latest resistance sum.

35. The power delivery control chip according to claim 34, wherein the power delivery control chip calculates an initial second equivalent resistance and an initial third equivalent resistance according to the predetermined charging current, the predetermined charging voltage, and the first voltage sensing signal and the second voltage sensing signal that are detected initially and calculates a sum of the initial second equivalent resistance and the initial third equivalent resistance to obtain an initial resistance sum, and the register further stores the initial second equivalent resistance and the initial third equivalent resistance.

36. The power delivery control chip according to claim 35, wherein the power delivery control chip determines whether a difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is greater than a tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the charger to stop providing the charging current or to change to perform charging with a charging current smaller than the predetermined charging current corresponding to the charging specification if the difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is greater than the tolerance value, and the power delivery control chip controls the charger to adjust the charging voltage according to the latest resistance sum, the current charging current, and the target charging voltage if the difference between the latest resistance sum and the initial resistance sum is not greater than the tolerance value.