CHARGING AND POWER SUPPLYING METHOD FOR TERMAL, AND TERMINAL

• US 20120019193A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Hao, Yu, Haifeng
• Application Number:
  US13/259,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20120019193A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a charging method for a terminal, a power supplying method for a terminal, and a terminal. The terminal comprises at least a master device supply. The method comprises: detecting a power level of a battery of a second terminal when the second terminal is in connection with the terminal, and when the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than a predetermined first charge threshold, controlling the master device supply to be connected with the battery of the second terminal, such that the master device supply charges the battery of the second terminal. According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to ensure that the battery of the second terminal can carry as much power as possible. in case that the power of the battery of the terminal is low, the battery of the second terminal can supply power to the terminal and the second terminal to maintain the operation of them. As a result, the usage, stability, and convenience of the terminal can be improved.

Claims

1. A charging method for a terminal comprising at least a master device supply, comprising:

detecting a power level of a battery of a second terminal when the second terminal is in connection with the terminal; and

when the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than a predetermined first charge threshold, controlling the master device supply to be connected with the battery of the second terminal, such that the master device supply charges the battery of the second terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the master device supply comprises a master device supply adapter or a master device battery.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the master device supply is the master device supply adapter, and the master device supply adapter is connected with an external power supply, the method further comprises:

when the power level of the battery of the second terminal reaches the predetermined first charge threshold, controlling the master device supply to be connected with the battery of the terminal, such that the master device supply charges the battery of the terminal.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

when the power level of the battery of the terminal reaches a predetermined second charge threshold, controlling the master device supply to resume the charging of the battery of the second terminal; and

after the battery of the second terminal is fully charged, controlling the master device supply to resume the charging of the battery of the terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the power level of the battery of the second terminal comprises:

a microprocessor of the terminal acquiring a power state of the battery of the second terminal via a connector and a system management bus; and

determining whether the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than the predetermined first charge threshold.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein when the power level of the battery of the second terminal reaches the predetermined first charge threshold, the method further comprises:

a microprocessor of the master device determining whether the battery of the terminal needs to be charged, and if so, controlling the master device supply to be connected with the battery of the terminal such that the master device supply charges the battery of the terminal.

7. A power supplying method for a terminal, comprising:

detecting a connection state of a battery of the terminal when a second terminal is in connection with the terminal;

when the connection of the battery of the terminal is normal, the terminal controlling the battery of the terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal; and

when the power level of the battery of the terminal is less than a predetermined first discharge threshold, the terminal controlling a battery of the second terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

when the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than a predetermined second discharge threshold, initiating a low-power alarm or entering a sleep state.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein when the power level of the battery of the terminal is less than the predetermined first discharge threshold, the method further comprises:

a microprocessor of the terminal determining whether the connection of the battery of the second terminal is normal, and if so, performing the step where the terminal controlling the battery of the second terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal;

or otherwise, initiating the low-power alarm or entering the sleep state.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

the microprocessor of the terminal acquiring the connection state of the battery of the second terminal via a connector and a system management bus; and

determining whether the battery of the second terminal is normally connected according to the connection state.

11. A terminal comprising at least a master device supply, comprising:

a detecting unit, configured for detecting a power level of a battery of a second terminal when the second terminal is in connection with the terminal; and

a control unit, configured for controlling the master device supply to be connected with the battery of the second terminal when the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than a predetermined first charge threshold, such that the master device supply charges the battery of the second terminal.

12. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured for controlling the master device supply to be connected with the battery of the terminal when the power level of the battery of the second terminal reaches the predetermined first charge threshold, such that the master device supply charges the battery of the terminal.

13. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured for controlling the master device supply to resume the charging of the battery of the second terminal when power level of the battery of the terminal reaches a predetermined second charge threshold;

and after the battery of the second terminal is fully charged, to control the master device supply to resume the charging of the battery of the terminal.

14. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor, a battery charging chip, and a supply switching chip, wherein:

the microprocessor is configured for sending control information, which indicates charging the battery of the second terminal, to the battery charging chip and the supply switching chip of the terminal when it is determined that the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than the predetermined first charge threshold; and

to send control information, which indicates charging the battery of the terminal, to the battery charging chip and the supply switching chip of the terminal when it is determined that the power level of the battery of the second terminal reaches the predetermined first charge threshold;

the supply switching chip is configured for switching to the battery of the second terminal to charge the battery of the second terminal when receiving the control information sent from the microprocessor and indicating charging the battery of the second terminal; and

to switch to the battery of the terminal to charge the battery of the terminal when receiving the control information sent from the microprocessor and indicating charging the battery of the terminal; and

the battery charging chip is configured for controlling charging voltage and current parameters for charging the battery of the terminal or the second terminal when receiving the control information indicating charging the terminal or the second terminal via the supply switching chip.

15. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the detecting unit comprises:

an acquiring unit configured for acquiring power state of the battery of the second terminal via a connector and a system management bus;

a determination unit configured for determining whether the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than the predetermined first charge threshold, and send the determination result to the control unit.

16. A terminal, comprising:

a detecting unit configured for detecting a connection state of a battery of the terminal when a second terminal is in connection with the terminal; and

a control unit configured for controlling the battery of the terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal when the second terminal is in connection with the terminal; and

to control the battery of the second terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal when the power level of the battery of the terminal is less than a predetermined first discharge threshold.

17. The terminal according to claim 16, further comprising:

an initiating unit configured for initiating a low-power alarm or initiate a sleep state when the power level of the battery of the second terminal is less than a predetermined second discharge threshold.

18. The terminal according to claim 17, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor, a supply switching chip, and a rechargeable battery, wherein:

the microprocessor is configured for sending control information, which indicates supplying power by the battery of the terminal, to the supply switching chip of the terminal when the battery of the terminal is normally connected; and

to send control information, which indicates supplying power by the battery of the second terminal, to the supply switching chip of the terminal when it is determined that the power level of the battery of the terminal is less than the predetermined first discharge threshold; and

the supply switching chip is configured for using the battery of the terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal when receiving the control information sent from the microprocessor and indicating supplying power by the battery of the terminal; and

to switch to the battery of the second terminal to use the battery of the second terminal to supply power to the terminal and the second terminal when receiving the control information sent from the microprocessor and indicating supplying power by the battery of the second terminal.