CHARGING METHOD FOR A MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20110050416A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Kwang-Joon
• Granted Patent: US 8,384,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A charging method of a mobile terminal is provided. The method comprises detecting brightness of ambient light around the mobile terminal by an illumination sensor of the mobile terminal; activating a charging circuit for charging a battery of the mobile terminal when the detected brightness is more than a first value; measuring a generated current of a solar cell; and deactivating the charging circuit when the generated current of the solar cell is below a second value.

Claims

1. A charging method of a mobile terminal comprising:

detecting brightness of ambient light around the mobile terminal by an illumination sensor of the mobile terminal;

activating a charging circuit for charging a battery of the mobile terminal when the detected brightness is more than a first value;

measuring a generated current of a solar cell; and

deactivating the charging circuit when the generated current of the solar cell is below a second value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the illumination sensor is positioned at a first surface of body of the mobile terminal, wherein the first surface has a display, and the solar cell is positioned at a second surface of the body of the terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing a previously detected brightness by the illumination sensor with the first value when the detected brightness by the illumination sensor is less than the first value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if the previously detected brightness is greater than the first value, power is supplied to the charging circuit.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein if the previously detected brightness is greater than the first value, an audio or visual signal is generated to alert a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the generated current by the solar cell is less than the second value, and the detected brightness by the illumination sensor is more than the first value, an audio or visual signal is generated to alert a user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if the generated current by the solar cell is less than the second value, when the detected brightness by the illumination sensor is more than the first value, the charging circuit is deactivated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a first terminal body and a second terminal body coupled to the first terminal body in a folding configuration, wherein the illumination sensor and a display of the mobile terminal are positioned on an inner face of the first terminal body in a closed state, and the solar cell is positioned on an external surface of the second terminal body.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein if the first terminal body is open from the second terminal body, whether to operate the charging circuit is determined based upon brightness detected by the illumination sensor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein if the first terminal body is in a closed state with respect to the second terminal body, a previously detected brightness is compared to the first value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein if the previously detected brightness is greater than the first value, the charging circuit is activated, and if the previously detected brightness is smaller than the first value, the currently generated current of the solar cell is compared to a second value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein if the currently generated current of the solar cell is smaller than the second value, the amount of the generated current is rechecked a preset number of times, and thereafter if the rechecked generated current is smaller than the second value, the operation of the charging circuit is suspended.

13. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal main body;

an illumination sensor mounted at a first surface of the terminal main body, the first surface provided with a display;

a solar cell mounted at a second surface of the terminal main body; and

a controller configured to control whether to operate a charging circuit for charging a battery based upon brightness detected by the illumination sensor and a generated current of the solar cell.

14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to operate the charging circuit for charging the battery if the brightness detected by the illumination sensor is more than a reference brightness.

15. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to restrict the operation of the charging circuit if the generated current of the solar cell is less than reference current, when the brightness detected by the illumination sensor is more than reference brightness.

16. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to compare the previously detected value of the illumination sensor with a reference brightness if the brightness detected by the illumination sensor is less than the reference brightness, wherein if the previously detected value of the illumination sensor is greater than the reference brightness, the controller supplies power to the charging circuit, and if the previously detected value of the illumination sensor is smaller than the reference brightness, the controller controls the illumination sensor to redetect brightness.

17. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to generate an audio or visual signal, if the previously detected value of the illumination sensor is greater than reference brightness.

18. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured generate an audio or visual signal if the generated current of the solar cell is less than a reference current even when the brightness detected by the illumination sensor is more than a reference brightness.

19. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to recheck the amount of the generated current a preset number of times if the currently generated current of the solar cell is smaller than a reference current, and thereafter if the rechecked generated current is smaller than the reference current, the controller is configured to restrict the operation of the charging circuit.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising executable logic code, wherein when the logic code is executed on a computer causes the computer to:

detect brightness of ambient light around the mobile terminal by an illumination sensor of the mobile terminal;

activate a charging circuit for charging a battery of the mobile terminal when the detected brightness is more than a first value;

measure a generated current of a solar cell; and

deactivate the charging circuit when the generated current of the solar cell is below a second value.