METHOD FOR RAPID CHARGING AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE THEREOF

• US 20150123599A1
• Filed: 11/05/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chul-Woo, Jung, Ku-Chul, Yun, Chul-Eun, Lee, Ki-Sun, Ha, Young-Hee
• Granted Patent: US 9,634,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for rapid charging in an electronic device are provided. In a method for charging a battery of an electronic device, an operation environment of the electronic device is determined. A charging current corresponding to the operation environment of the electronic device is set. Battery charging is started using the set charging current. The battery is charged using a maximum allowed charging current, such that a battery charging time may be reduced.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting an operation environment of the electronic device;

setting a charging current corresponding to the operation environment of the electronic device; and

charging a battery using the set charging current.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation environment of the electronic device comprises at least one of a processor occupy ratio, a set display brightness, a current consumption current, Radio Frequency (RF) transmission power, and a sensor operation for determining movement of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the charging current corresponding to the operation environment of the electronic device comprises:

responsive to detecting that the operation environment of the electronic device is not a heavy use state, setting the charging current to a first charging current; and

responsive to detecting that the operation environment of the electronic device is the heavy use state, setting the charging current to a second charging current lower than the first charging current.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised up to a heat emission range allowable inside the electronic device, and the second charging current comprises a charging current value set in advance by a manufacturer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a popup window asking execution of a rapid charging mode,

wherein the setting of the charging current corresponding to the operation environment of the electronic device is performed when the rapid charging mode execution is not selected.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after the rapid charging mode execution is selected, entering a forced sleep mode to stop an application being executed or limit use of an application; and

setting the charging current to a third charging current during the forced sleep mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised up to a heat emission range allowable inside the electronic device during the forced sleep mode.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying a popup window informing information regarding stoppage of an application being executed, limit of application use, or a battery charging time reducible when the rapid charging mode is executed before entering the forced sleep mode.

9. An apparatus for charging a battery of an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to detect an operation environment of the electronic device, and set a charging current corresponding to the operation environment of the electronic device; and

a charging unit configured to charge a battery using the set charging current.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the operation environment of the electronic device comprises at least one of a processor occupy ratio, a set display brightness, a current consumption current, Radio Frequency (RF) transmission power, and a sensor operation for determining movement of the electronic device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, responsive to detecting that the operation environment of the electronic device is not a heavy use state, the controller is configured to set the charging current to a first charging current, and responsive to detecting that the operation environment of the electronic device is the heavy use state, the controller is configured to set the charging current to a second charging current lower than the first charging current.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised up to a heat emission range allowable inside the electronic device, and the second charging current comprises a charging current value set in advance by a manufacturer.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control to display a popup window asking execution of a rapid charging mode, and the set of the charging current corresponding to the operation environment of the electronic device is performed when the rapid charging mode execution is not selected.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the rapid charging mode execution is selected, the controller is configured to enter a forced sleep mode to stop an application being executed or limit use of an application, and set the charging current to a third charging current during the forced sleep mode.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the third charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised up to a heat emission range allowable inside the electronic device during the forced sleep mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to control to display a popup window informing information regarding stoppage of an application being executed, limit of application use, or a battery charging time reducible when the rapid charging mode is executed before entering the forced sleep mode.

17. A method for charging an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether an adapter is connected;

responsive to the adapter being connected, measuring a consumed current inside the electronic device;

setting a charging current corresponding to the consumed current inside the electronic device; and

starting battery charging using the set charging current.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the measuring of the consumed current inside the electronic device comprises measuring a current supplied from the adapter or a battery of the electronic device to an inside of the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the setting of the charging current corresponding to the consumed current inside the electronic device comprises:

setting a small charging current when the consumed current inside the electronic device is large; and

setting a large charging current when the consumed current inside the electronic device is small.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

responsive to the battery charging being completed, displaying a popup window or a state display informing ending of the battery charging.

21. A method for charging an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining charging starts;

determining an active/inactive state of a display of the electronic device;

responsive to the display of the electronic device being in the inactive state, setting a charging current to a first charging current, and responsive to the display of the electronic device being in the active state, setting a charging current to a second charging current lower than the first charging current; and

starting battery charging using the set charging current.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised up to an allowable heat emission range inside the electronic device in the inactive state of the display of the electronic device, and the second charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised up to an allowable heat emission range inside the electronic device in the active state of the display of the electronic device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

responsive rapid charging mode execution being selected, entering a forced sleep mode to stop an application being executed or limit use of an application; and

setting a charging current corresponding to the forced sleep mode.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

when the battery charging is completed, displaying a popup window informing ending of the battery charging or a state display.

25. An apparatus for charging a battery, the apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to determine charging starts, and when the charging starts, determine an active/inactive state of a display of the electronic device; and

a charging unit configured to, responsive to the display of the electronic device being in the inactive state, set a charging current to a first charging current, responsive to the display of the electronic device is in the active state, set a charging current to a second charging current lower than the first charging current, and start battery charging using the set charging current.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised to an allowable heat emission range inside the electronic device in the inactive state of the display of the electronic device, and the second charging current is a maximum charging current that is raised to an allowable heat emission range inside the electronic device in the active state of the display of the electronic device.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein responsive to rapid charging mode execution being selected, the controller is configured to enter a forced sleep mode to stop an application being executed or limit use of an application, and set a charging current corresponding to the forced sleep mode.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein responsive to the battery charging being completed, the controller is configured to control to display a popup window informing ending of the battery charging or a state display.