CHARGING METHODS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150042290A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Zhiqiang
• Granted Patent: US 9,929,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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

Abstract

Charging methods and electronic devices are provided. According to an embodiment, provided is a charging method for an electronic device having a plurality of operating modes. The method may comprise: detecting an operating mode of the electronic device; utilizing a first charging mode corresponding to a first operating mode to charge the electronic device when the first operating mode is detected; and utilizing a second charging mode corresponding to a second operating mode to charge the electronic device when the second operating mode is detected.

Claims

1. A charging method for an electronic device having a plurality of operating modes, the method comprising:

detecting an operating mode of the electronic device;

utilizing a first charging mode corresponding to a first operating mode to charge the electronic device when the first operating mode is detected; and

utilizing a second charging mode corresponding to a second operating mode to charge the electronic device when the second operating mode is detected.

2. The charging method according to claim 1, wherein detecting an operating mode of the electronic device comprises:

detecting a connection mode of the electronic device;

determining that the operating mode of the electronic device is the first operating mode when a first connection mode is detected; and

determining that the operating mode of the electronic device is the second operating mode when a second connection mode is detected.

3. The charging method according to claim 2, wherein the electronic device includes a first body and a second body, and said detecting a connection mode of the electronic device comprises:

detecting first status information about proximity of a first surface of the first body to a second surface of the second body;

determining that the connection mode of the electronic device is the first connection mode based on the first status information;

detecting second status information about proximity of the first surface to a third surface of the second body; and

determining that the connection mode of the electronic device is the second connection mode based on the second status information.

4. The charging method according to claims 1, wherein said utilizing a first charging mode corresponding to a first connection mode to charge the electronic device comprises:

determining a first energy storage unit of the electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the first operating mode;

charging the first energy storage unit; and

charging a second energy storage unit of the electronic device when it is detected that the first energy storage unit is in a full charge status.

5. The charging method according to claims 1, wherein said utilizing a second charging mode corresponding to a second operating mode to charge the electronic device comprises:

determining a second energy storage unit of the electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the second operating mode;

charging the second energy storage unit; and

charging a first energy storage unit of the electronic device when it is detected that the second energy storage unit is in a full charge status.

6. The charging method according to claim 5, wherein after determining that the second energy storage unit is the one with a higher charging priority, the method further comprises:

detecting third status information indicating that the second energy storage unit is in an uncharged status; and

utilizing the first energy storage unit to charge the second energy storage unit based on the third status information.

7. A charging method for a first electronic device connectable to a second electronic device in at least two connection modes, the method comprising:

detecting a connection mode between the first electronic device and the second electronic device;

utilizing a first charging mode corresponding to a first connection mode to charge the first electronic device when the first connection mode is detected; and

utilizing a second charging mode corresponding to a second connection mode to charge the first electronic device when the second connection mode is detected;

8. The charging method according to claim 7, wherein said detecting a connection mode between the first electronic device and the second electronic device comprises:

detecting first status information about proximity of a first surface of the first electronic device to a second surface of the second electronic device;

determining that the connection mode between the first electronic device and the second electronic device is the first connection mode based on the first status information;

detecting second status information about proximity of the first surface of the first electronic device to a third surface of the second electronic device; and

determining that the connection mode between the first electronic device and the second electronic device is the second connection mode based on the second status information.

9. The charging method according to claims 7, wherein said utilizing a first charging mode corresponding to a first connection mode to charge the first electronic device comprises:

determining a first energy storage unit of the first electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the first connection mode;

charging the first energy storage unit; and

charging a second energy storage unit of the second electronic device when it is detected that the first energy storage unit is in a full charge status.

10. The charging method according to claims 7, wherein said utilizing a second charging mode corresponding to a second connection mode to charge the first electronic device comprises:

determining a second energy storage unit of the second electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the second connection mode;

charging the second energy storage unit; and

charging a first energy storage unit of the first electronic device when it is detected that the second energy storage unit is in a full charge status.

11. The charging method according to claim 10, wherein after determining that the second energy storage unit of the second electronic device is the one with a higher charging priority, the method further comprises:

detecting third status information indicating that the second energy storage unit is in an uncharged status; and

utilizing the first energy storage unit to charge the second energy storage unit based on the third status information.

12. An electronic device having a plurality of operating modes, the electronic device comprising:

a first detection unit configured to detect an operating mode of the electronic device;

a first charging unit configured to utilize, based on a detected first operating mode, a first charging mode corresponding to the first operating mode to charge the electronic device; and

a second charging unit configured to utilize, based on a detected second operating mode, a second charging mode corresponding to the second operating mode to charge the electronic device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the first detection unit comprises:

a first detection module configured to detect a connection mode of the electronic device; and

a first determination module configured to determine the operating mode of the electronic device based on the detected connection mode, wherein the first determination module is configured to determine that the operating mode of the electronic device is the first operating mode when the detected connection mode is a first connection mode, and to determine that the operating mode of the electronic device is the second operating mode when the detected connection mode is a second connection mode.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises a first body and a second body, and

the first detection module comprises:

a first detection submodule configured to detect first status information about proximity of a first surface of the first body to a second surface of the second body;

a first determination submodule configured to determine that the connection mode of the electronic device is the first connection mode based on the first status information;

a second detection submodule configured to detect second status information about proximity of the first surface to a third surface of the second body; and

a second determination submodule configured to determine that the connection mode of the electronic device is the second connection mode based on the second status information.

15. The electronic device according to claims 12, wherein the first charging unit comprises:

a second determination module configured to determine a first energy storage unit of the electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the first operating mode;

a first charging module configured to charge the first energy storage unit when first energy storage unit is determined to be the one with a higher charging priority;

a third detection module configured to detect first charge information indicating that the first energy storage unit is in a full charge status; and

a second charging module configured to charge a second energy storage unit of the electronic device based on the first charge information.

16. An electronic device connectable to a second electronic device in at least two connection modes, the electronic device comprising:

a first detection unit configured to detect a connection mode between the electronic device and the second electronic device;

a first charging unit configured to utilize, based on a detected first connection mode, a first charging mode corresponding to the first connection mode to charge the electronic device; and

a second charging unit configured to utilize, based on a detected second connection mode, a second charging mode corresponding to the second connection mode to charge the electronic device.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first detection unit comprises:

a first detection module configured to detect first status information about proximity of a first surface of the electronic device to a second surface of the second electronic device;

a first determination module configured to determine that the connection mode between the electronic device and the second electronic device is the first connection mode based on the first status information;

a second detection module configured to detect second status information about proximity of the first surface of the electronic device to a third surface of the second electronic device; and

a second determination module configured to determine that the connection mode between the electronic device and the second electronic device is the second connection mode based on the second status information.

18. The electronic device according to claims 16, wherein the first charging unit comprises:

a third determination module configured to determine a first energy storage unit of the electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the first connection mode;

a first charging module configured to charge the first energy storage unit when the first energy storage unit is determined to be the one with a higher charging priority;

a third detection module configured to detect first charge information indicating that the first energy storage unit is in a full charge status; and

a second charging module configured to charge a second energy storage unit of the second electronic device based on the first charge information.

19. The electronic device according to claims 16, wherein the second charging unit comprises:

a fourth determination module configured to determine a second energy storage unit of the second electronic device to be the one with a higher charging priority based on the second connection mode;

a third charging module configured to charge the second energy storage unit when the second energy storage unit is determined to be the one with a higher charging priority;

a fourth detection module configured to detect second charge information indicating that the second energy storage unit is in a full charge status;

a fourth charging module configured to charge a first energy storage unit of the electronic device based on the second charge information;

a fifth detection module configured to detect third status information indicating that the second energy storage unit is in an uncharged status when the second energy storage unit is determined to be the one with a higher charging priority; and

a fifth charging module configured to charge the second energy storage unit by using the first energy storage unit based on the third status information.