Multimode Battery Charger
First Claim
1. A multimode battery charger circuit comprising:
- a constant current control loop circuit;
a constant voltage control loop circuit;
a linear gate driver coupled to the constant current control loop circuit and the constant voltage control loop circuit, the linear gate driver having an output to provide a voltage to the gate of a pass transistor during linear mode charging operations;
a pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit coupled to the constant current control loop circuit and the constant voltage control loop circuit, the PWM control circuit having an output to control power provided by output transistors during switch mode charging operations; and
mode control circuitry coupled to the linear gate driver and the PWM control circuit, the mode control circuitry configured to selectively enable the linear gate driver or the PWM control circuit in accordance with a charge mode indication signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multimode battery charger circuit supporting switch mode and linear mode charging operations. In various embodiments, the multimode battery charging circuit includes mode control circuitry, a linear gate driver, a pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit, a programmable constant current control loop circuit, and a programmable constant voltage control loop circuit. In operation, the mode control circuitry receives a charge mode indication signal corresponding to a desired charge mode. Based on this signal, the mode control circuitry enables either the linear gate driver or PWM control circuit to provide control signals to output transistors coupled between an adapter power port and a battery pack, thereby supporting a plurality of charging modes. In some embodiments, one or more of the output transistors are formed on a common substrate with the multimode battery charger circuit.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multimode battery charger circuit comprising:
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a constant current control loop circuit; a constant voltage control loop circuit; a linear gate driver coupled to the constant current control loop circuit and the constant voltage control loop circuit, the linear gate driver having an output to provide a voltage to the gate of a pass transistor during linear mode charging operations; a pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit coupled to the constant current control loop circuit and the constant voltage control loop circuit, the PWM control circuit having an output to control power provided by output transistors during switch mode charging operations; and mode control circuitry coupled to the linear gate driver and the PWM control circuit, the mode control circuitry configured to selectively enable the linear gate driver or the PWM control circuit in accordance with a charge mode indication signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A device comprising:
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a power port to receive power from an external source; a battery terminal for charging a battery; a multimode battery charger circuit coupled to the power port and the battery terminal, the multimode battery charger circuit including; a constant current control loop circuit; a constant voltage control loop circuit; a linear gate driver coupled to the constant current control loop circuit and the constant voltage control loop circuit, the linear gate driver having an output to provide a voltage to the gate of a pass transistor during linear mode charging operations; a pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit coupled to the constant current control loop circuit and the constant voltage control loop circuit, the PWM control circuit having an output to control power provided by output transistors during switch mode charging operations; and mode control circuitry coupled to the linear gate driver and the PWM control circuit, the mode control circuitry configured to selectively enable the linear gate driver or the PWM control circuit in accordance with a charge mode indication signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for charging a battery coupled to a circuit having both linear mode and pulse mode charging capabilities and a power port for receiving power from an external source, the method comprising:
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receiving a charge mode indication signal corresponding to one of the linear mode and the pulse mode charging; and based at least in part on the charge mode indication signal, enabling one of the linear mode and the pulse mode charging, wherein enabling the linear mode includes activating a linear gate driver to control a pass transistor that provides a charging path from the power port to a battery, and wherein enabling the pulse mode includes activating a PWM control circuit to control output transistors that provide a charging path from the power port to a battery. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification