Rapid Transfer of Stored Engery

• US 20100026248A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Eichenberger, Pascal, Birbaum, Yves, Barrade, Philippe, Vexo, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/166
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

A disclosed method (and system) corresponds to rapidly charging a rechargeable device. An embodiment of the method comprises charging a first supercapacitor attached to a charging unit. In response to the device coupling to the charging unit, determining whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device. The first supercapacitor discharging in response to the determining that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device, the discharging of the first supercapacitor resulting in a first current being generated. The first current is transferred to the device through an output of the charging unit for charging a second supercapacitor included in the device. The amount of the first current generated is regulated. In response to the to the voltage at the output increasing at a rate above a set threshold, reducing the rate at which the voltage is increasing.

Claims

1. A method for rapidly charging a rechargeable device, the method comprising:

charging a first supercapacitor attached to a charging unit;

responsive to the device coupling to the charging unit, determining whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device;

responsive to determining that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device, discharging the first supercapacitor, the discharging of the first supercapacitor resulting in a first current being generated;

transferring the first current to the device through an output of the charging unit for charging a second supercapacitor attached to the device;

regulating the amount of the first current being transferred to the device;

responsive to the voltage at the output increasing at a rate above a set threshold, reducing the rate at which the voltage is increasing.

2. A charging unit for rapidly charging a rechargeable device, the charging unit comprising:

a supercapacitor charger controller configured to control the charging of a first supercapacitor attached to the charging unit;

an output controller configured to determine whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device in response to the device coupling to the charging unit;

the first supercapacitor configured to discharge in response to the output controller determining that the charging unit is authorized charge the device, the discharging of the first supercapacitor resulting in a first current being generated;

a first converter configured to transfer the first current to the device through an output of the charging unit for charging a second supercapacitor attached to the device and configured to regulate the amount of the first current being transferred to the device; and

a filter configured to reduce the rate at which the voltage at the output is increasing in response to the voltage at the output increasing at a rate above a set threshold.

3. A method for rapidly charging a rechargeable device, the method comprising:

charging a first supercapacitor attached to a charging unit;

responsive to the device coupling to the charging unit, discharging the first supercapacitor, the discharging of the first supercapacitor resulting in a first current being generated; and

transferring the first current to the device through an output of the charging unit for charging a second supercapacitor attached to the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein charging a first supercapacitor further comprises:

responsive to measuring the voltage of the first supercapacitor at a maximum voltage of the first supercapacitor, stopping the charging of the first supercapacitor.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein discharging the first supercapacitor further comprises:

responsive to measuring the voltage of the first supercapacitor at half of a maximum voltage of the first supercapacitor, stopping the discharging of the first supercapacitor.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein discharging the first supercapacitor further comprises:

responsive to receiving from the device an indication that the second supercapacitor is fully charged, stopping the discharging of the first supercapacitor.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein discharging the first supercapacitor comprises:

determining whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device; and

responsive to determining that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device, discharging the first supercapacitor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device comprises:

receiving an identification code from the device;

comparing the received identification code to a plurality of stored identification codes; and

responsive to the identification code matching one of the plurality of stored identification codes, determining that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device comprises:

transmitting a first signal to a radio frequency identification (RDIF) tag attached to the device;

receiving a second signal from the RFID tag;

identifying the RFID tag based on the second signal;

comparing the RFID tag to a stored set of RFID tags; and

responsive to the RFID tag matching an RFID tag included in the stored set, determining that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising regulating the amount of the first current being transferred to the device.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

responsive to the voltage at the output increasing at a rate above a set threshold, reducing the rate at which the voltage is increasing; and

reducing the voltage at the output.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring a second current to the device through an other output of the charging unit for charging a rechargeable battery attached to the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second current is transferred at the same time as the first current is being transferred.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second current is transferred in response to stopping the transfer of the first current and the device remaining coupled to the charging unit.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the device is a computer mouse, a remote control, a mobile telephone, or a keyboard.

16. A charging unit for rapidly charging a rechargeable device, the charging unit comprising:

a supercapacitor charger controller configured to control the charging of a first supercapacitor;

the first supercapacitor configured to discharge in response to the device coupling to the charging unit, the discharging of the first supercapacitor resulting in a first current being generated; and

a first converter configured to transfer the first current to the to the device through an output of the charging unit for charging a second supercapacitor attached to the device.

17. The charging unit of claim 16, wherein the supercapacitor charger controller is further configured to:

stop the charging of the first supercapacitor in response to measuring the voltage of the first supercapacitor at a maximum voltage of the first supercapacitor.

18. The charging unit of claim 16, wherein the first converter is further configured to:

stop the discharging of the first supercapacitor in response to measuring the voltage of the first supercapacitor at half of a maximum voltage of the first supercapacitor.

19. The charging unit of claim 16, wherein the first converter is further configured to:

stop the discharging of the first supercapacitor in response to receiving from the device an indication that the second supercapacitor is fully charged.

20. The charging unit of claim 16, further comprising:

an output controller configured to determine whether the charging unit is authorized to charge the device; and

the first supercapacitor configured to discharge in response the output controller determining that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device.

21. The charging unit of claim 20, wherein the output controller is further configured to:

receive an identification code from the device;

compare the received identification code to a plurality of stored identification codes; and

determine that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device in response to the identification code matching one of the plurality of stored identification codes.

22. The charging unit of claim 20, wherein the output controller is further configured to:

transmit a first signal to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to the device;

receive a second signal from the RFID tag;

identify the RFID tag based on the second signal;

compare the RFID tag to a stored set of RFID tags; and

determine that the charging unit is authorized to charge the device in response to the RFID tag being included in the stored set of RFID tags.

23. The charging unit of claim 16, wherein the first converter is further configured to regulate the amount of the first current being transferred to the device.

24. The charging unit of claim 16, further comprising:

a filter configured reduce the rate at which the voltage at the output is increasing, responsive to the voltage at the output increasing at a rate above a set threshold; and

the first converter further configured to reduce the voltage at the output.

25. The charging unit of claim 16, further comprising a second converter configured to transfer a second current to the device through an other output of the charging unit for charging a rechargeable battery attached to the device.

26. The charging unit of claim 25, wherein the second current is transferred at the same time as the first current is being transferred.

27. The charging unit of claim 25, wherein the second current is transferred in response to stopping the transfer of the first current and the device remaining coupled to the charging unit.

28. The charging unit of claim 25, wherein the device is a computer mouse, a remote control, a mobile telephone, or a keyboard.

29. A method for rapidly charging a rechargeable device, the method comprising:

responsive to the device coupling with a charging unit, receiving, by the device, a first current from the charging unit, wherein the first current is generated by the discharging of a first supercapacitor attached to the charging unit;

charging a second supercapacitor attached to the device using the first current; and

powering circuitry of the device using energy stored in the second supercapacitor as a result of the charging.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

responsive to measuring the voltage of the second supercapacitor at a maximum voltage of the second supercapacitor, transmitting to the charging unit an indication to stop the transfer of the first current.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving from the charging unit a first current further comprises:

communicating with the charging unit for the charging unit to determine whether it is authorized to charge the device; and

responsive to the charging unit determining that it is authorized to charge the device, receiving the first current from the charging unit.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein communicating with the charging unit comprises transmitting an identification code that identifies the device to the charging unit.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein communicating with the charging unit comprises transmitting information that indentifies an RFID tag attached to the device.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving from the charging unit a second current; and

charging a rechargeable battery attached to the device using the second current.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein powering circuitry of the device further comprises:

responsive to measuring the voltage of the second supercapacitor above a voltage level, powering the circuitry of the device using stored energy in the second supercapacitor; and

responsive to measuring the voltage of the second supercapacitor below the voltage level, powering the circuitry of the device using stored energy in a battery.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery charged by a second current received from the charging unit.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the device is a computer mouse, a remote control, a mobile telephone, or a keyboard.