Battery charging method and electronic device

• US 10,374,450 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hee-Tae, Jung, Ku-Chul, Lee, Kwang-Sub, Jang, Se-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US15/715,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20180013315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 307 29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method comprises providing power from a battery to an external device using a first circuit; and receiving power from a first power source to provide power to the battery using a second circuit while providing power to the external device.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a wireless charging event for wirelessly receiving first power for charging a battery of the electronic device;

charging the battery of the electronic device using the wirelessly received first power, based on detecting the occurrence of the wireless charging event;

supplying power from the battery to another electronic device connected to the electronic device via a wired connection, while charging the battery using the wirelessly received first power;

detecting an occurrence of a wired charging event for receiving second power via the wired connection for charging the battery of the electronic device;

selecting, in response to the detection of the occurrence of the wired charging event in a state of charging the battery using the first power, power to be used for charging the battery among the first power and the second power; and

charging, in response to the selection, the battery of the electronic device using the selected power among the first power and the second power.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile telephone or a tablet computer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device and the other electronic device comprise respective mobile telephones.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting further comprises:

identifying, in response to the detection of the occurrence of the wired charging event, first information associated with charge capacity of the wirelessly received first power and second information associated with charge capacity of the received second power; and

selecting the power to be used for charging the battery among the first power and the second power based on the identified first information and the identified second information.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting an occurrence of the wireless charging event comprises detecting first power supplied by a wireless charging device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein detecting first power supplied by the wireless charging device comprises detecting an induced current.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wired connection comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the USB connection comprises a USB On-The-Go (OTG) connection.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the charging of the battery using the wirelessly received first power uses a first charging circuit and the supplying of power from the battery to the other electronic device uses a second charging circuit different from the first charging circuit.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a battery; and

circuitry configured to;

detect an occurrence of a wireless charging event for wirelessly receiving first power for charging the battery;

charge the battery of the electronic device using the wirelessly received first power, based on detecting the occurrence of the wireless charging event;

supply power from the battery to another electronic device connected to the electronic device via a wired connection, while charging the battery using the wirelessly received first power;

detect an occurrence of a wired charging event for receiving second power via the wired connection for charging the battery of the electronic device;

select, in response to the detection of the occurrence of the wired charging event in a state of charging the battery using the first power, power to be used for charging the battery among the first power and the second power; and

charge, in response to the selection, the battery of the electronic device using the selected power among the first power and the second power.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, comprising a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device and the other electronic device comprise respective mobile telephones.

13. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

identify, in response to the detection of the occurrence of the wired charging event, first information associated with charge capacity of the wirelessly received first power and second information associated with charge capacity of the received second power; and

select the power to be used for charging the battery among the first power and the second power based on the identified first information and the identified second information.

14. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to detect an occurrence of the wireless charging event by detecting first power supplied by a wireless charging device.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the circuitry is configured to detect first power supplied by the wireless charging device by detecting an induced current.

16. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the wired connection comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the USB connection comprises a USB On-The-Go (OTG) connection.

18. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry comprises a first circuit for charging the battery using the wirelessly received first power and a second circuit different from the first circuit for supplying power from the battery to the other electronic device.