METHOD FOR CHARGING BATTERY AND AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE THEREOF

• US 20140009120A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Soo-Hyung
• Granted Patent: US 9,728,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for charging a battery in an electronic device In one exemplary method for charging the battery in the electronic device includes detecting a charging input from a plurality of external devices, and when detecting the charging input, charging the battery with power supplied from the external devices using a plurality of charging modules.

Claims

1. A method for charging a battery in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a charging input from a plurality of external devices; and

when detecting the charging input, charging the battery with power supplied from the external devices using a plurality of charging modules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises at least one of a charging system using a Travel Adapter (TA) charger, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) and a wireless charging system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging of the battery comprises:

determining an external device to use for the battery charging by considering a power level supplied from a first external device and a power level supplied from a second external device; and

when determining the first and second external device as the external devices for the battery charging, charging the battery with the power supplied from the first and second external device using the plurality of the charging modules.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

when determining one of the first and second external device as the external device for the battery charging, charging the battery with the power supplied from one of the first and second external device using the plurality of the charging modules.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the connected external device is a USB On-The-Go (OTG) device; and

when the connected external device is the USB OTG device, supplying the power to the USB OTG device using one of the charging modules.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when a charging power input from the external devices is greater than the power of the USB OTG device, supplying the charging power input from the external devices, to the USB OTG device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

when the charging power input from the external devices is greater than the power of the USB OTG device, charging the battery using the charging modules with the power excluding the power supplied to the USB OTG device among the charging power input from the external devices.

8. A method for charging a battery in an electronic device, comprising:

when a Universal Serial Bus (USB) On-The-Go (OTG) device is connected, supplying power to the USB OTG device using a first charging module; and

when detecting a charging input from a second external device, charging the battery with power supplied from the second external device using a second charging module.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing a power required by the USB OTG device and a charging power input from the second external device; and

when the charging power input from the second external device is greater than the power required by the USB OTG device, supplying the charging power input as the power of the USB OTG device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein when the charging power input from the second external device is less than the power required by the USB OTG device, the battery is charged using the second charging module with the power supplied from the second external device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the charging power input from the second external device is greater than the power used by the USB OTG device, charging the battery using residual power supplied from the second external device.

12. A method for charging a battery in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a charging input from at least one external device;

charging the battery using a plurality of charging modules with power supplied from the external device, by dividing a charging current of the charging modules.

13. An electronic device comprising:

at least one battery;

at least one charging module;

at least one charging port;

at least one processor;

a memory; and

at least one program stored in the memory and configured for execution by the at least one processor,

wherein the program comprises at least one instruction for detecting a charging input from a plurality of external devices, and when detecting the charging input, charging the battery with power supplied from the external devices using a plurality of charging modules.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the external device comprises at least one of a charging system using a Travel Adapter (TA) charger, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) and a wireless charging system.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the instruction for charging the battery determines an external device to use for the battery charging by considering a power level supplied from a first external device and a power level supplied from a second external device, and when the first and second external device are determined as the external devices for the battery charging, charges the battery with the power supplied from the first and second external device using the plurality of the charging modules.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

an instruction for, when one of the first and second external device is determined as the external device for the battery charging, charging the battery with the power supplied from one of the first and second external device using the plurality of the charging modules.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising:

an instruction for, determining whether the connected external device is a USB On-The-Go (OTG) device, and when the connected external device is the USB OTG device, supplying the power to the USB OTG device using one of the charging modules.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising:

an instruction for, when a charging power input from the external devices is greater than the power used by the USB OTG device, supplying the charging power input from the external devices, to the USB OTG device.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising:

an instruction for, when the charging power input from the external devices is greater than the power of the USB OTG device, charging the battery using the charging modules with the power excluding the power supplied to the USB OTG device among the charging power input from the external devices.

20. An electronic device comprising:

at least one battery;

at least one charging module;

at least one charging port;

at least one processor;

a memory; and

at least one program stored in the memory and configured for execution by the at least one processor,

wherein the program comprises at least one instruction for, when a Universal Serial Bus (USB) On-The-Go (OTG) device is connected, supplying power to the USB OTG device using a first charging module, and when a charging input is detected from a second external device, charging the battery with power supplied from the second external device using a second charging module.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the program further comprises:

an instruction for comparing a power required by the USB OTG device and a charging power input from the second external device, and when the charging power input from the second external device is greater than the power required by the USB OTG device, supplying the charging power input from the second external device to power the USB OTG device.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein, when the charging power input from the second external device is less than the power required by the USB OTG device, the battery is charged using the second charging module with the power supplied from the second external device.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the program further comprises:

an instruction for, when the charging power input from the second external device is greater than the power used by the USB OTG device, charging the battery using residual power supplied from the second external device.

24. An electronic device comprising:

at least one battery;

at least one charging module;

at least one charging port;

at least one processor;

a memory; and

at least one program stored in the memory and configured for execution by the at least one processor,

wherein the program comprises at least one instruction for, when a charging input is detected from at least one external device, charging the battery using a plurality of charging modules with power supplied from the external device, and charging the battery by dividing a charging current of the charging modules.