Battery charging

• US 20020005707A1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kerai, Kanji, Tuulos, Kalle
• Granted Patent: US 6,531,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/106
• 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: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery charging circuit is described in which power is derived from a communications port such as a USB interface (22) and is supplied to a rechargeable battery of a communications device. The communications device, which may be a mobile radio telephone, can be charged from the power supply or internal battery of a laptop computer equipped with a USB port and connected thereto with a suitable cable thereby avoiding the need for a user to carry a dedicated battery charger for the radio telephone.

Claims

1. A battery powered device including a communications port and a charging circuit connectable to a battery, the charging circuit being connected to at least one data and/or control line of said port, whereby power is received by said circuit during operation of said at least one line.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the port includes at least one power line connected to the charging circuit.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the charging circuit is connectable to an external power supply.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a switch is interposed between said at least one line and said charging circuit, said switch being operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, including a sensor arranged to provide a signal to the controller indicative of the presence of the external power supply, whereupon the controller causes the switch to open.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

22. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which the charging circuit is connectable to an external power supply.

23. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a switch is interposed between said at least one line and said charging circuit, said switch being operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

24. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a switch is interposed between said at least one line and said charging circuit, said switch being operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

25. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

26. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

27. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

28. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

7. A method of charging a battery powered device containing a communications port, said device further including a charging circuit connectable to a battery, the method comprising connecting said charging circuit to at least one data and/or control line during delivery of data and/or control signals to said port whereby power is supplied from said at least one line to the charging circuit.

8. A computer program comprising executable code for execution when loaded on a computer, wherein the computer is operable in accordance with said code to carry out the method according to claim 7.

9. A program as claimed in claim 8, stored in a computer readable medium.

10. A method of charging a battery via a communications port of a battery powered device, the port comprising a set of data terminals connectable, in use, to a communications port of another device, the method comprising detecting a change in said lines between a high and low state whilst communication between said ports takes place and diverting a corresponding current flow into a capacitor, said capacitor subsequently supplying a charging circuit coupled to said battery.

11. A computer program comprising executable code for execution when loaded on a computer wherein the computer is operable in accordance with said code to carry out the method according to claim 10.

12. A program as claimed in claim 11, stored in a computer readable medium.

13. A battery powered device including a communications port and a charging circuit connectable to a battery, the charging circuit having a further connection to the communications port for transfer of data wherein the port, in use, provides power to the charging circuit.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the port includes at least one data line connected to the charging circuit.

15. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the port includes at least one control line connected to the charging circuit.

16. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the port includes at least one power line connected to the charging circuit.

17. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the charging circuit is connectable to an external power supply.

18. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the further connection includes a switch operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18, including a sensor arranged to provide a signal to the controller indicative of the presence of the external power supply, whereupon the controller opens the switch.

20. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

29. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which the port includes at least one control line connected to the charging circuit.

30. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which the port includes at least one power line connected to the charging circuit.

31. A device as claimed in claim 15, in which the port includes at least one power line connected to the charging circuit.

32. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which the charging circuit is connectable to an external power supply.

33. A device as claimed in claim 15, in which the charging circuit is connectable to an external power supply.

34. A device as claimed in claim 16, in which the charging circuit is connectable to an external power supply.

35. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which the further connection includes a switch operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

36. A device as claimed in claim 15, in which the further connection includes a switch operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

37. A device as claimed in claim 16, in which the further connection includes a switch operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

38. A device as claimed in claim 17, in which the further connection includes a switch operable in response to an instruction received from a controller connected to the port.

39. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

40. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

41. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

42. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

43. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

44. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said port is a universal serial bus port.

21. A battery powered device including a communications port having at least one data terminal connected to communications port controller and connectable, in use, via suitable cabling to a corresponding port of a remote device, said at least one terminal being tapped, via a switch operable under the control of said controller, to a respective logic detector such that in accordance with the state of said detector a connection is established from the output of said detector to a corresponding reservoir capacitor, said capacitor supplying a battery charging circuit via a diode.