Apparatus and method for electric current control

• US 20040027109A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Argosy Research Inc.
• Original Assignee: Argosy Research Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Chung-Cheng
• Application Number:
  US10/623,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/283
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/46 wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is dc G05F1/625 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 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for electric current control are provided. The electric current control apparatus is connected with a first electronic device and a second electronic device. Under a condition not having additional power supply, the electric current control apparatus can rectify and amplify an electric current of a finite current source from the first electronic device, and output the rectified and amplified electric current to the second electronic device. Further, the electric current control apparatus can charge up a charger module thereof with the electric current of the finite current source and combine an electric current from the charger module after being charged with the electric current of the finite current source, and then provide the combined electric current for the second electronic device for usage.

Claims

1. An electric current control method for use in an electric current control apparatus connected with at least a first electronic device and a second electronic device, to allow the electric current control apparatus to rectify, amplify and output an electric current from a current source under a condition free of additional power supply, the electric current control method comprising the steps of:

(1) having the electric current control apparatus rectify and amplify electric power of a finite current source that is inputted from a transmission interface of the first electronic device to the electric current control apparatus; and

(2) having the electric current control apparatus transmit the rectified and amplified electric power to the second electronic device through a transmission interface of the second electronic device.

2. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the step (1) comprises the procedures of:

(1-1) having the electric current control apparatus charge up a charger module thereof with the electric current of the finite current source from the transmission interface of the first electronic device; and

(1-2) having the electric current control apparatus combine an electric current from the charger module and the electric current of the finite current source from the transmission interface of the first electronic device, and transmit the combined electric current to the second electronic device through the transmission interface of the second electronic device.

3. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the electric current control apparatus is allowed to regulate and filter a rated electric current of the finite current source from the transmission interface of the first electronic device, and transmit the processed rated electric current to the second electronic device through the transmission interface of the second electronic device.

4. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the step (1) comprises the procedures of:

(1-1) amplifying the electric power from the transmission interface of the first electronic device to have a first stage of voltage;

(1-2) amplifying the first stage of voltage to reach a second stage of voltage; and

(1-3) amplifying the second stage of voltage to reach a third stage of voltage.

5. The electric current control method of claim 4, wherein the first stage of voltage is 4 volts.

6. The electric current control method of claim 4, wherein the second stage of voltage is 4.8 volts.

7. The electric current control method of claim 4, wherein the third stage of voltage is 4.95 volts.

8. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the transmission interface of the first electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a USB interface, PCMCIA interface, and IEEE 1394 interface.

9. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a notebook computer and personal computer.

10. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the transmission interface of the second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a USB interface, PCMCIA interface, and IEEE 1394 interface.

11. The electric current control method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a HDD, CD-ROM, and CD-R.

12. An electric current control apparatus connected with at least a first electronic device and a second electronic device, to rectify, amplify and output an electric current from a current source under a condition free of additional power supply, the electric current control apparatus comprising:

a charger module charged by an electric current of a finite current source that is inputted to the electric current control apparatus from a transmission interface of the first electronic device, wherein the charger module after being charged serves as a power source to provide an electric current which is combined with the electric current of the finite current source inputted to the electric current control apparatus, to allow the combined electric current to be transmitted to the second electronic device through a transmission interface of the second electronic device.

13. The electric current control apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an electric-current control circuit module for controlling and monitoring the electric current of the finite current source from the transmission interface of the first electronic device and for charging up the charger module; and

a power combination control module having a combination switch and actuated by the electric-current control circuit module to combine the electric current of the finite current source from the first electronic device and the electric current from the charger module when the charger module is charged to have a predetermined voltage, so as to allow the combined electric current to be transmitted to the second electronic device.

14. The electric current control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the electric-current control circuit module comprises:

a finite current charge circuit for receiving the electric current of the finite current source from the transmission interface of the first electronic device to charge the charger module with the received electric current;

a current amplification circuit for providing a supplementary current to the charging electric current, wherein when the charger module is charged to have a first predetermined voltage, the charging electric current from the finite current charge circuit is decreased to be below a first predetermined current value, and the current amplification circuit provides the supplementary current of a second predetermined current value to keep charging the charger module; and

a microprocessor circuit for controlling and monitoring the finite current charge circuit and the current amplification circuit to determine a process for charging the charger module with a constant electric current, wherein when the charger module is charged to have a second predetermined voltage, the combination switch of the power combination control module is actuated to allow the power combination control module to combine the electric current of the finite current source from the first electronic device and the electric current from the charger module and transmit the combined electric current to the second electronic device.

15. The electric current control apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first predetermined voltage is 4 volts, the first predetermined current value is 100 mA, the second predetermined voltage is 4.8 volts, and the second predetermined current value is 300 mA.

16. The electric current control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the charger module is allowed to regulate and filter the electric current of the finite current source inputted into the electric current control apparatus.

17. The electric current control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transmission interface of the first electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a USB interface, PCMCIA interface, and IEEE 1394 interface.

18. The electric current control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a notebook computer and personal computer.

19. The electric current control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transmission interface of the second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a USB interface, PCMCIA interface, and IEEE 1394 interface.

20. The electric current control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a HDD, CD-ROM, and CD-R.