CHARGING APPARATUS FOR MOVING ROBOT AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100026247A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young Gie
• Granted Patent: US 8,575,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/162
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided is a charging apparatus for a moving robot including a charging terminal that is connected to a terminal for charging a battery of the moving robot; a power supply unit that supplies a charging voltage for charging the battery of the moving robot; a power switching unit that outputs a detection signal, depending on whether a voltage is applied from the charging terminal or not, and switches a current flow between the power supply unit and the charging terminal in accordance with an input control signal; and a control unit that responds to the detection signal so as to output the control signal.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus for an electronic device, comprising:

a charging terminal that charges a battery of the electronic device;

a power supply unit that supplies a charging voltage for charging the battery of the electronic device to the charging terminal;

a power switching unit that detects whether the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal, and outputs a first detection signal in response to detecting that the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal; and

a control unit that controls the power switching unit to provide the charging voltage from the power supply unit to the charging terminal, in response to receiving the first detection signal from the power switching unit.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device provides a voltage to the charging terminal when the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal, and the power switching unit detects that the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal by receiving the voltage from the electronic device.

3. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit outputs a first control signal to the power switching unit in response to receiving the first detection signal, and the power switching unit causes a current to flow between the power supply unit and the charging terminal in response to receiving the first control signal from the control unit.

4. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power switching unit outputs a second detection signal in response to detecting that the electronic device is not connected to the charging terminal, the control unit outputs a second control signal to the power switching unit in response to receiving the second detection signal from the power switching unit, and the power switching unit prevents a current from flowing between the power supply unit and the charging terminal in response to receiving the second control signal from the control unit.

5. The charging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the power switching unit includes a switching element which is turned on and off, depending on whether the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal, and outputs voltages corresponding to the first and second detection signals.

6. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power switching unit includes a switching element which is controlled by the control unit to turn on and off so as to switch a flow of current between the power supply unit and the charging terminal.

7. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a moving robot, and the charging apparatus further comprises a guide signal sending unit that sends a guide signal for guiding the return of the moving robot to the charging apparatus.

8. The charging apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a docking detection unit that detects whether the electronic device is docked.

9. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a robot cleaner.

10. A method of charging an electronic device, comprising:

detecting whether the electronic device is connected to a charging terminal of a charging apparatus;

providing a charging voltage for charging a battery of the electronic device to the charging terminal when the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal; and

preventing the charging voltage from being supplied to the charging terminal, when the electronic device is not connected to the charging terminal.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device is a moving robot, and the method further comprises sending a guide signal for guiding the return of the moving robot to the charging apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device is a robot cleaner.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device provides a voltage to the charging terminal when the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal, and the method comprises detecting that the electronic device is connected to the charging terminal by receiving the voltage from the electronic device.