Dynamic control timer circuit and method
First Claim
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1. A circuit for dynamically adjusting the maximum charge time (“
- MCT”
) of a battery charger, comprising;
a current regulation loop operable to regulate charging current to a battery under charge;
a voltage regulation loop operable to sense the voltage across a battery under charge;
a timing circuit being responsively coupled to the current regulation loop and the voltage regulation loop;
a dynamic MCT implementation circuit responsively coupled to the timing circuit operable to adjust the rate of the timing circuit in response to varying charging operation parameters;
a termination circuit being responsively coupled to the dynamic MCT implementation circuit;
the dynamic MCT implementation circuit and timing circuit being operable to dynamically adjust the maximum charge time based on varying charging operation parameters; and
the termination circuit operable to terminate the application of current to a battery under charge upon the occurrence of a maximum charge time.
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Abstract
The present invention comprises a circuit and method for controlling current to a load. In an exemplary embodiment, the circuit makes the maximum charge time (“MCT”) of a battery charging circuit (100) a function of the charging current. The MCT changes as the battery charging current changes. For low current the MCT would increase and for high current the MCT would decrease. The result is that MCT will always occur a short time after the battery is fully charged. In operation, the charging current can also be made a function of the temperature of devices within the charging circuit.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A circuit for dynamically adjusting the maximum charge time (“
- MCT”
) of a battery charger, comprising;
a current regulation loop operable to regulate charging current to a battery under charge;
a voltage regulation loop operable to sense the voltage across a battery under charge;
a timing circuit being responsively coupled to the current regulation loop and the voltage regulation loop;
a dynamic MCT implementation circuit responsively coupled to the timing circuit operable to adjust the rate of the timing circuit in response to varying charging operation parameters;
a termination circuit being responsively coupled to the dynamic MCT implementation circuit;
the dynamic MCT implementation circuit and timing circuit being operable to dynamically adjust the maximum charge time based on varying charging operation parameters; and
the termination circuit operable to terminate the application of current to a battery under charge upon the occurrence of a maximum charge time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- MCT”
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19. A circuit for sensing current and temperature levels of a power transistor and in response thereto controlling and terminating current to a load coupled to the power transistor, comprising:
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a current regulation circuit being responsively coupled to a load;
a dynamic maximum charge time circuit being responsively coupled to the current regulation circuit;
a termination circuit for terminating current to the load upon the occurrence of a maximum charge time event;
the termination circuit being responsively coupled to the dynamic maximum charge time circuit; and
the dynamic maximum charge time circuit being operable to adjust the timing of the maximum charge time event based on power dissipation and load parameters. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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- 23. A battery charger circuit with a first circuit for enabling the application of current to a battery, a second circuit for sensing the voltage across the battery, and a third circuit for regulating and terminating the charging current to the battery, comprising a dynamic MCT circuit operable to adjust the maximum charge time during which charging current is applied to a battery.
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25. A circuit for dynamically adjusting current to a load, comprising:
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a current regulation loop operable to regulate current to a load;
a voltage regulation loop operable to sense the voltage across the load;
a timing circuit being responsively coupled to the current regulation loop and the voltage regulation loop;
a dynamic MCT implementation circuit responsively coupled to the timing circuit operable to adjust the rate of the timing circuit in response to varying load parameters;
a termination circuit being responsively coupled to the dynamic MCT implementation circuit;
the dynamic MCT implementation circuit and timing circuit being operable to dynamically adjust the current to a load based on varying parameters; and
the termination circuit operable to terminate the application of current to a load upon the occurrence of a maximum charge time. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A circuit for dynamically adjusting current to a load based on the temperature of devices within the circuit, comprising:
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a current regulation loop operable to regulate current to a load as a function of the temperature of devices within the circuit;
a voltage regulation loop operable to sense the voltage across the load as a function of the temperature of devices within the circuit;
a timing circuit being responsively coupled to the current regulation loop and the voltage regulation loop;
a dynamic MCT implementation circuit responsively coupled to the timing circuit operable to adjust the rate of the timing circuit in response to varying load parameters which are a function of the temperature of devices within the circuit;
a termination circuit being responsively coupled to the dynamic MCT implementation circuit;
the dynamic MCT implementation circuit and timing circuit being operable to dynamically adjust the current to a load based on varying parameters which are a function of the temperature of devices within the circuit; and
the termination circuit operable to terminate the application of current to a load upon the occurrence of a maximum charge time. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of controlling a current to a load, comprising:
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dynamically adjusting current based on operating parameters;
contemporaneously therewith, adjusting the parameter of maximum charge time; and
terminating current to a load upon the occurrence of maximum charge time. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method of controlling current to a battery under charge, comprising:
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dynamically adjusting current based on battery charging parameters;
contemporaneously therewith, adjusting the parameter of maximum charge time; and
terminating current to the battery under charge upon the occurrence of maximum charge time. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification