Method and system for wireless charging

• US 20050156569A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Patino, Joseph, Coapstick, Ronald S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• 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: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The invention concerns a system (100) and method (300) for charging a battery. The method includes the steps of supplying (312) a charging current to a battery (110), sensing (314) the charging current to the battery and selectively signaling (316) an electronic device (118) from the battery to indicate at least one parameter of the battery as the battery is receiving the charging current. As an example, the charging current can be from a wireless charger (116). In addition, the parameter can be, for example, a charging state of the battery or a predetermined current threshold of the charging current.

Claims

1. A method for charging a battery, comprising the steps of:

supplying a charging current to a battery;

sensing the charging current to the battery; and

selectively signaling an electronic device from the battery to indicate at least one parameter of the battery as the battery is receiving the charging current.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the charging current is from a wireless charger.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is at least one of a charging state of the battery and a predetermined current threshold of the charging current.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the battery signals the electronic device over an input/output line and wherein the input/output line is a preexisting reading conductor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the preexisting reading conductor is a thermistor line.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of disabling a charging circuit in the electronic device.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of updating a charging indicator of the electronic device.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the selectively signaling step comprises the step of toggling the input/output line between a high state, a low state and a release state during the signaling step.

9. A method of wirelessly charging a battery, comprising the steps of:

supplying a charging current from a wireless charger to a battery;

sensing the charging current;

selectively toggling between high and low states an input/output line between an electronic device and the battery to indicate to the electronic device at least one parameter of the battery as the battery is receiving the charging current.

10. A system for charging a battery, comprising:

a charger; and

a battery, wherein the charger supplies a charging current to the battery and wherein the battery includes a charging monitor that senses the charging current and selectively signals an electronic device to indicate at least one parameter of the battery as the battery is receiving the charging current.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the charger is a wireless charger and the charging monitor is a processor.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the parameter is at least one of a charging state of the battery and a predetermined current threshold of the charging current.

13. The system according to claim 10, further comprising an input/output line between the battery and the electronic device, wherein the charging monitor signals the electronic device over the input/output line and wherein the input/output line is a preexisting reading conductor.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the preexisting reading conductor is a thermistor line.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the charging monitor causes a charging circuit in the electronic device to be disabled when the charger supplies the charging current to the battery.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the charging monitor causes a charging indicator of the electronic device to be updated when the charger supplies the charger current to the battery..

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the charging monitor toggles the input/output line between a high state, a low state and a release state when the charging monitor selectively signals the electronic device.

18. A system for wirelessly charging a battery, comprising:

a wireless charger;

a battery having a charging monitor; and

an input/output line for coupling between the battery and an electronic device, wherein the wireless charger supplies charging current to the battery and wherein the charging monitor selectively toggles between high and low states the input/output line to indicate to the electronic device at least one parameter of the battery as the battery is receiving the charging current.

19. A battery, comprising:

a charging circuit for receiving a charging current; and

a charging monitor coupled to the charging circuit, wherein the charging monitor senses the charging current received by the charging circuit and selectively signals an electronic device to indicate at least one parameter of the battery as the battery is receiving the charging current.

20. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

an input/output line coupled to the processor;

a charging circuit; and

a charging indicator;

wherein the processor is programmed to detect signals from a battery over the input/output line and in response to the detection of the signals, the processor is further programmed to perform at least one of disabling the charging circuit and updating the charging indicator.