MULTIPLE MODE BATTERY CHARGER

• US 20100127666A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ball, Alan R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,716,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/152
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/327 against abnormal temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

A battery charger circuit includes a transistor having a first current electrode for receiving a charging voltage, a control electrode for receiving a control signal, and a second current electrode for providing an output voltage. The battery charger circuit further includes a rectifier having a terminal coupled to the second current electrode of the transistor, and another terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal. The battery charger circuit also includes a control and regulation circuit having an input for receiving a feedback signal representative of a temperature, and an output for providing the control signal. The control and regulation circuit operates in either a switching mode or a linear mode in response to the feedback signal.

Claims

1. A battery charger circuit comprising:

a transistor having a first current electrode for receiving a charging voltage, a control electrode for receiving a first control signal, and a second current electrode for providing an output voltage;

a rectifier having a first terminal coupled to said second current electrode of said transistor, and a second terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal; and

a control and regulation circuit having a first input for receiving a first feedback signal representative of a temperature, and a first output for providing said first control signal,

said control and regulation circuit operating in a selected one of a switching mode and a linear mode in response to said first feedback signal.

2. The battery charger circuit of claim 1 wherein said control and regulation circuit operates in said switching mode if said temperature reaches a temperature threshold.

3. The battery charger circuit of claim 2 wherein said control and regulation circuit subsequently changes from said switching mode back to said linear mode when said temperature is less than a second temperature threshold, said second temperature threshold being less than said first temperature threshold.

4. The battery charger circuit of claim 2 wherein said control and regulation circuit further has a second input for receiving a second feedback signal representative of a voltage of a battery, and when said charging voltage is provided by a first type of charging source, said control and regulation circuit further operates in said linear mode if said temperature is less than said temperature threshold and said voltage of said battery is not less than a voltage threshold.

5. The battery charger circuit of claim 4 wherein said first type of charging source comprises a universal serial bus (USB).

6. The battery charger circuit of claim 4 wherein when said charging voltage is provided by a second type of charging source, said control and regulation circuit further operates in said linear mode if said temperature is less than said temperature threshold and irrespective of said voltage of said battery.

7. The battery charger circuit of claim 1 wherein said control and regulation circuit further includes a second input for receiving a second feedback signal representative of a voltage of a battery, and a third input for receiving a third feedback signal representative of current flowing into said battery, said control and regulation circuit further operating in a selected one of a constant current mode and a constant voltage mode in response to said second feedback signal.

8. The battery charger circuit of claim 7 wherein said control and regulation circuit further operates in said constant current mode if said second feedback signal is less than a voltage threshold.

9. The battery charger circuit of claim 1 wherein said rectifier comprises a synchronous rectifier having a control electrode for receiving a second control signal, and said control and regulation circuit further has a second output for providing said second control signal.

10. A battery charger circuit comprising:

a transistor having a first current electrode for receiving a charging voltage, a control electrode for receiving a first control signal, and a second current electrode for providing an output voltage;

a rectifier having a first terminal coupled to said second current electrode of said transistor, and a second terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal; and

a control and regulation circuit having a first input for receiving a first feedback signal representative of a voltage of a battery, a second input for receiving a second feedback signal representative of current flowing into said battery, and an output for providing said first control signal, said control and regulation circuit operating in a selected one of a constant current mode and a constant voltage mode in response to said first feedback signal.

11. The battery charger circuit of claim 10 wherein said control and regulation circuit operates in said constant current mode if said first feedback signal is less than a voltage threshold.

12. The battery charger circuit of claim 10 wherein said rectifier comprises a synchronous rectifier having a control electrode for receiving a second control signal, and said control and regulation circuit further has a second output for providing said second control signal.

13. A method of charging a battery comprising:

measuring a temperature;

measuring a voltage of the battery;

operating a battery charger circuit in a linear, constant voltage mode if said temperature is less than a first temperature threshold and said voltage is not less than a voltage threshold; and

operating said battery charger circuit operating in a switching, constant current mode if said temperature is less than said first temperature threshold and said voltage is less than said voltage threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said operating said battery charger circuit in said linear, constant voltage mode comprises:

remaining in said linear, constant voltage mode until said temperature falls below a second temperature threshold, said second temperature threshold less than said first temperature threshold.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein:

said operating said battery charger circuit in said switching, constant current mode further comprises operating said battery charger circuit in said switching, constant current mode if said temperature is not less than said first temperature threshold and said voltage is less than said voltage threshold; and

the method further comprises operating said battery charger circuit in a switching, constant voltage mode if said temperature is not less than said first temperature threshold and said voltage is not less than said voltage threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said operating said battery charger circuit in said switching, constant current mode comprises:

remaining in said switching, constant current mode until said voltage rises above said voltage threshold.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said operating said battery charger circuit in said switching, constant voltage mode comprises:

remaining in said switching, constant voltage mode until either until either, said temperature falls below a second temperature threshold, said second temperature threshold less than said first temperature threshold, or said voltage rises above said voltage threshold.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

performing said measuring said temperature, said measuring said voltage, said operating said battery charger circuit in said linear, constant voltage mode, said operating said battery charger circuit in said switching, constant current mode, and said operating said battery charger circuit in said switching, constant voltage mode if a battery charging source is a first type but not a second type.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising, if said battery charging source is said second type:

operating said battery charger circuit in said linear mode if said temperature is less than said first temperature threshold and operating said battery charger circuit in said switching mode if said temperature is not less than said first temperature threshold; and

operating said battery charger circuit in said constant current mode if said voltage is less than said voltage threshold and operating said battery charger circuit in said constant voltage mode if said voltage is not less than said voltage threshold.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said operating said battery charger circuit in said switching mode comprises:

remaining in said switching mode until said temperature falls below a second temperature threshold, said second temperature threshold less than said first temperature threshold.