PORTABLE ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR CHARGING RECHARGEABLE BATTERY THEREOF

• US 20120153891A1
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transcend Information Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transcend Information Incorporated
• Inventors: Yang, Yung-Tai, Fang, Wen-Jeng, Huang, Chien-Er
• Application Number:
  US13/404,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In a method of providing operating current to a portable electronic apparatus, a first connection terminal of the portable electronic apparatus is connected to a second connection terminal of a host, and interface type of the second connection terminal is determined. If the interface type is USB 2.0, the host provides a first operating current to the portable electronic apparatus for performing data read/write, and an internal rechargeable battery of the portable electronic apparatus provides a second operating current to the portable electronic apparatus. If the interface type is USB 3.0, the host provides a third operating current to the portable electronic apparatus for performing data read/write, and the third operating current selectively performs a charge process on the rechargeable battery. If the interface type is Wi-Fi, the rechargeable battery provides a fourth operating current to the portable electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of providing operating current to a portable electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

connecting a first connection terminal of the portable electronic apparatus to a second connection terminal of a host;

detecting interface type of the second connection terminal;

if the interface type of the second connection terminal is USB 2.0, providing a first operating current to the portable electronic apparatus for performing data read/write by the host, and providing a second operating current to the portable electronic apparatus by an internal rechargeable battery of the portable electronic apparatus;

if the interface type of the second connection terminal is USB 3.0, providing a third operating current to the portable electronic apparatus for performing data read/write by the host, and selectively performing a charge process on the rechargeable battery by the third operating current; and

if the interface type of the second connection terminal is Wi-Fi, providing a fourth operating current to the portable electronic apparatus by the rechargeable battery.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting a third terminal of the portable electronic apparatus to an electronic device;

detecting whether the first connection terminal is connected to the second connection terminal; and

providing a recharge current to the electronic device for performing a charging process by the rechargeable battery if the first connection terminal is not connected to the second connection terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein connecting the third terminal of the portable electronic apparatus to the electronic device is connecting a third terminal of a processor of the portable electronic apparatus to the electronic device through a second connection interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the first connection terminal of the portable electronic apparatus to the second connection terminal of the host is connecting a first connection terminal of a processor of the portable electronic apparatus to the second connection terminal of the host through a connection interface of the interface type.

5. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a memory unit;

a memory controlling unit, coupled to the memory unit for performing an operation on the memory unit;

a charging unit electrically connected to the memory controlling unit;

a rechargeable battery electrically connected to the charging unit; and

a processor for connecting to a host, detecting interface type of a connection terminal of the host, and controlling operation of the processor, the charging circuit and the rechargeable battery according to the following conditions;

(1) if the interface type is USB 2.0, receiving a first operating current from the host, providing the first operating current to the portable electronic apparatus for performing data read/write, and controlling the rechargeable battery to provide a second operating current to the portable electronic apparatus;

(2) if the interface type is USB 3.0, receiving a third operating current from the host, providing the third operating current to the portable electronic apparatus for performing data read/write, and selectively performing a charge process on the rechargeable battery by the third operating current; and

(3) if the interface type is Wi-Fi, providing a fourth operating current to the portable electronic apparatus by the rechargeable battery.

6. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor further connects to an external electronic device, and further controls operation of the processor, the charging circuit and the rechargeable battery according to the following condition:

(4) if the processor is not connected to any host, providing a recharge current to the electronic device for performing a charging process by the rechargeable battery.

7. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the rechargeable battery has a power providing state for providing power to the electronic device when the processor is not connected to any host.

8. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rechargeable battery has a power providing state for providing power for data read/write, and a charging state for being charged by the first operating current when no data read/write is occurring.

9. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rechargeable battery has a charging state for being charged by the third operating current during data read/write.

10. A method of providing charging current to a rechargeable battery of a portable electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

connecting a first connection terminal of the portable electronic apparatus to a second connection terminal of a host;

detecting current amount provided from the second connection terminal of the host; and

selectively providing a charging current to the rechargeable battery based on the detected current amount while the portable electronic apparatus is in operating.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the current amount provided from the second connection of the host comprises a first current amount and a second current amount, and the second current amount is larger than the first current amount.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein when the second current amount is provided from the second connection of the host, the charging current is provided to the rechargeable battery while the portable electronic apparatus is in operating.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein when the first current amount is provided from the second connection of the host, the rechargeable battery provides a third current to the portable electronic apparatus for operating.

14. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a memory controlling unit coupled to a memory unit for performing an operation on the memory unit;

a charging unit electrically connected to the memory controlling unit and a rechargeable battery; and

a processor electrically connected to the charging unit, and having a first type connection interface and a second type connection interface separately used for connecting to a host through a wire and a wireless connection, respectively;

wherein the rechargeable battery is selectively in a first and a second operation state based on a current amount provided by the host when the portable electronic apparatus connects to the host through the first type connection interface; and

wherein the rechargeable battery is in a third operation state when the portable electronic apparatus connects to the host through the second type connection interface.

15. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first operation state of the rechargeable battery is a power providing/charging state to provide an operation current to the memory controlling for performing the operation on the memory unit and to receive a charging current from the host, and the second operation state of the rechargeable battery is a charging state to receive the charging current from the host.

16. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the third operation state of the rechargeable battery is a power providing state to provide the operation current to the memory controlling for performing the operation on the memory unit.

17. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 14, the processor further comprising a connection interface for connecting to an electronic device to provide a second charging current thereto when the first type connection interface or the second type connection interface are without connecting to the host.