Automatic charging device via a universal serial bus and method of operating the same

• US 20020038432A1
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Acer American Holdings (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hsu, Ying-Hao
• Granted Patent: US 6,798,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic charging device via a USB and method of operating the same. The charging device comprises: a battery charger; an indicator; an USB interface; and a charging controller. The method of operating the charging device comprises the steps of: establishing a connection between the USB interface and the host system; providing a charging controller in the host system, wherein the charging controller obtains appropriate current from the bus-power through the connection; providing a battery charger electrically connecting the USB interface to electrify a battery; transferring data through the USB interface and electrifying a battery by the battery charger; continually adjusting the current of the bus-power to meet a maximum load current of the USB by the charging controller; showing the current of the bus-power and the rate of progress of the battery charger by an indicator in the host system; and determining whether the battery is fully charged or not, either terminating the charge as the battery is fully charged and decreasing the current to meet a minimum load current of the USB or repeating the steps of adjusting the current of the bus-power.

Claims

1. An automatic charging device via a universal serial bus, having a USB interface which connects a host system and has a bus-power to provide thereof with a current, comprising:

a battery charger connecting the USB interface and electrifying a battery;

an indicator connecting the host system and showing a rate of progress; and

a charging controller adjusting the current of the bus-power to meet the maximum load current of the USB, wherein the charging controller is controlled by the host system.

2. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conductive line connecting the USB interface of the charging device and the USB interface of the host system.

3. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conductive line is a cable line being able to transfer data.

4. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the host system further comprises:

an operation system detecting whether the charging device exists or not;

a USB interface communicating with external peripherals and receiving a data of rate of progress from the charging device; and

a status window of a display showing the data of rate of progress.

5. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a power socket carrying the battery.

6. An automatic charging device via a universal serial bus, having a USB interface which has a bus-power to provide thereof with a current and connects a host system through a hub, comprising:

a battery charger electrically connecting the USB interface and electrifying a battery;

an indicator electrically connecting the host system and showing a rate of progress; and

a charging controller controlled by the host system to adjust the current of the bus-power to meet the maximum load current of the USB, wherein as the indicator shows the battery is fully charged, the charging controller sends a signal to decrease the current of the bus-power to a minimum current meeting the minimum load of the USB and stops the battery charger.

7. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductive line is a cable line being able to transfer data.

8. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the host system further comprises:

an operation system detecting whether the charging device exists or not;

a USB interface communicating with external peripherals and receiving a data of rate of progress from the charging device; and

a status window of a display showing the data of rate of progress.

9. An automatic charging device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a power socket carrying the battery.

10. A method of operating an automatic charging device via a universal serial bus, having a USB interface which has a bus-power to provide thereof with a current, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a connection between the USB interface and the host system;

(b) providing a charging controller in the host system, wherein the charging controller obtains appropriate current from the bus-power through the connection;

(c) providing a battery charger electrically connecting the USB interface to electrify a battery;

(d) transferring data through the USB interface and electrifying a battery by the battery charger;

(e) continually adjusting the current of the bus-power to meet a maximum load current of the USB by the charging controller;

(f) showing the current of the bus-power and the rate of progress of the battery charger by an indicator in the host system; and

(g) determining whether the battery is fully charged or not, either terminating the charge as the battery is fully charged and decreasing the current to meet a minimum load current of the USB or repeating the steps (c) to (f).

11. A method of operating an automatic charging device via a universal serial bus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the maximum load current of the USB and the minimum load current of the USB is determined by the types and the quantities of the online peripherals.

12. A method of operating an automatic charging device via a universal serial bus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step (a) further comprises:

directly connecting the USB interface of the charging device with the USB interface of the host system by utilizing a cable or connecting the USB interface of the charging device with the USB interface of the host system through a hub by utilizing a cable;

detecting a new online device by the operation system in the host system;

setting up a USB driver; and

using the bus-power of the USB as a power source for charge by setting the charging controller at the USB port of the charging device.