CHARGING UNIT WITH TWO POWER SOURCE INPUTS

• US 20100060239A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lundqvist, Timo Tapani, Pistemaa, Jari Tuomo
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage

Abstract

A charging unit comprises a first input connectable to a first power source, a second input connectable to a second power source, and an output for connection to a battery to be charged. The charging unit also comprises a power supply unit operable simultaneously to provide power from the first input and power from the second input to the output.

Claims

1. A charging unit comprising:

a first input connectable to a first power source;

a second input connectable to a second power source;

an output, for connection to a battery to be charged; and

a power supply unit operable simultaneously to provide power from the first input and power from the second input to the output.

2. A charging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply unit

comprises:

a first switching unit;

a second switching unit; and

a converter having an input and an output,

the first switching unit being connected between the first input and the input of

the converter, and the second switching unit being connected between the second input and the input of the converter, and the output of the converter being connected to the output of the charging unit.

3. A charging unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a controller operable simultaneously to provide first and second oscillating control signals to the first and second switching units respectively.

5. A charging unit as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the first and second oscillating control signals have the same frequency.

6. A charging unit as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the first and second oscillating control signals have different frequencies.

7. A charging unit as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the first and second oscillating control signals are such as to control the first and second switching units to provide oscillating voltages having non-overlapping marks.

8. A charging unit as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the first and second oscillating control signals are such as to control the first and second switching units to provide oscillating voltages having fully overlapping marks.

9. A charging unit as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the first and second oscillating control signals are such as to control the first and second switching units to provide oscillating voltages having partly overlapping marks.

10. A charging unit as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5 and 7, further comprising a third switching unit connected between the converter and the first and second switching units.

11. A charging unit as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5 and 7, further comprising a third switching unit connected between the converter and the first and second switching units, wherein the first and second oscillating control signals are in antiphase.

14. A charging unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first input is coupled to USB connector.

15. A charging unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second input is coupled to a mains electricity power supply connector.

16. A portable device comprising a charging unit as claimed in any preceding claim.

18. Computer-readable instructions, preferably stored on a computer readable medium, comprising instructions for calculating a frequency, a mark size and a phase of each of first and second oscillating control signals for feeding to first and second switching units respectively of a charging unit as claimed in any of claims 2 to 16.

4. A charging unit comprising:

a first input connectable to a first power source;

a second input connectable to a second power source;

an output, for connection to a battery to be charged; and

a power supply unit comprising;

a first switching unit;

a second switching unit;

a converter having an input and an output; and

a controller;

the first switching unit being connected between the first input and the input of the converter, and the second switching unit being connected between the second input and the input of the converter, the output of the converter being connected to the charging unit output, wherein the controller is operable

simultaneously to provide first and second oscillating control signals to the first and second switching units respectively.

12. A charging unit comprising:

a first input connectable to a first power source;

a second input connectable to a second power source;

an output, for connection to a battery to be charged; and

a power supply unit comprising;

a first switching unit;

a second switching unit;

a first converter having an input and an output;

a second converter having an input and an output; and

a controller;

the first switching unit being connected between the first input and the input of the first converter, and the second switching unit being connected between the second input and the input of the second converter, the output of the first converter and the output of the second converter being commonly connected to the charging unit output, wherein the controller is operable simultaneously to provide first and second oscillating control signals to the first and second switching units respectively.

13. A charging unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the charging unit further comprises a second output, the output of the first converter and the output of the second converter being commonly connected to the second charging unit output.

17. A method of operating a charging unit, the charging unit comprising:

a first input connectable to a first power source;

a second input connectable to a second power source;

an output, for connection to a battery to be charged; and

a power supply unit,

the method comprising;

controlling the power supply unit simultaneously to provide at the output power from the first input and power from the second input.