CONTROL CIRCUIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20100301674A1
• Filed: 05/31/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Chih-Hsiung
• Application Number:
  US12/790,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301674A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

This invention provides a control circuit and an electronic device including the same. The control circuit is disposed in an electronic device for connecting a power supply. The electronic device includes a battery module. The control circuit includes a detecting unit, a processing unit, a control unit, and a switch. When the power supply is connected to the electronic device, the detecting unit provides a detecting result. The processing unit determines a type of the power supply according to the detecting result. When the processing unit determines that the power supply is a solar power adapter, the processing unit outputs a first control signal and a turn-off signal. The control unit controls operation of the battery module according to the first control signal. Further, the switch is turned off according to the turn-off signal, preventing the power supply from supplying power to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A control circuit provided in an electronic device and connected to a power supply, the electronic device including a battery module, the control circuit comprising:

a detecting unit for providing a detecting result when the power supply is connected to the electronic device;

a processing unit connected to the detecting unit for determining a type of the power supply according to the detecting result;

a control unit connected to the processing unit and the battery module; and

a switch connected to the power supply and the processing unit,

wherein when the processing unit determines that the power supply is a solar power adapter, the processing unit outputs a first control signal and a turn-off signal, the control unit controls operation of the battery module according to the first control signal, and the switch is turned off according to the turn-off signal, preventing the power supply from supplying power to the electronic device.

2. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit includes a voltage-dividing resistor, the detecting result is a divided voltage after the voltage-dividing resistor divides a voltage of the power, and the processing unit determines the type of the power supply according to the divided voltage.

3. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit includes an induced current resistor, the detecting result is a voltage difference between two terminals of the induced current resistor, and the processing unit allows the voltage difference to be divided by a resistance of the induced current resistor to obtain a current thus to determine the type of the power supply.

4. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit includes a detecting node connected to an identification unit of the solar power adapter, the detecting result is a first connecting state of the detecting node and the identification unit, and the processing unit determines the type of the power supply according to the first connecting state.

5. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is an embedded controller.

6. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the battery module comprises a first battery and a second battery, and according to first control signal, the control unit controls the first battery and the second battery to alternately supply the power to the electronic device and controls the first battery and the second battery to be alternately charged by the solar power adapter.

7. The control circuit according to claim 1, wherein when the processing unit determines that the power supply is an AC-DC adapter, the processing unit outputs a second control signal and a turn-on signal, the control unit controls the power supply to charge the battery module according to the second control signal, and the switch is turned on according to the turn-on signal, allowing the power supply to supply the power to the electronic device via the switch.

8. The control circuit according to claim 7, wherein the battery module includes a first battery and a second battery, and the control unit controls the AC-DC adapter to charge the first battery and the second battery according to the second control signal.

9. An electronic device connected to a power supply and a battery module, the electronic device comprising:

a connecting unit for connecting the power supply; and

a control circuit including;

a detecting unit connected to the connecting unit, when the connecting unit is connected to the power supply, the detecting unit providing a detecting result;

a processing unit connected to the detecting unit for determining a type of the power supply according to the detecting result;

a control unit connected to the processing unit and the battery module; and

a switch connected to the power supply and the processing unit,

wherein when the processing unit determines that the power supply is a solar power adapter, the processing unit outputs a first control signal and a turn-off signal, the control unit controls operation of the battery module according to the first control signal, and the switch is turned off according to the turn-off signal, preventing the power supply from supplying power to the electronic device.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the detecting unit includes a voltage-dividing resistor, the detecting result is a divided voltage after the voltage-dividing resistor divides a voltage of the power, and the processing unit determines the type of the power supply according to the divided voltage.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the detecting unit includes an induced current resistor, the detecting result is a voltage difference between two terminals of the induced current resistor, and the processing unit allows the voltage difference to be divided by a resistance of the induced current resistor to obtain a current thus to determine the type of the power supply.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the detecting unit includes a detecting node connected to an identification unit of the solar power adapter, the detecting result is a first connecting state of the detecting node and the identification unit, and the processing unit determines the type of the power supply according to the first connecting state.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the processing unit is an embedded controller.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the battery module includes a first battery and a second battery, and according to first control signal, the control unit controls the first battery and the second battery to alternately supply the power to the electronic device and controls the first battery and the second battery to be alternately charged by the solar power adapter.

15. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein when the processing unit determines that the power supply is an AC-DC adapter, the processing unit outputs a second control signal and a turn-on signal, the control unit controls the power supply to charge the battery module according to the second control signal, and the switch is turned on according to the turn-on signal, allowing the power supply to supply the power to the electronic device via the switch.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the battery module includes a first battery and a second battery, and the control unit controls the AC-DC adapter to charge the first battery and the second battery according to the second control signal.