CHARGING METHOD, CHARGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR THE SAME

• US 20150249357A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ming-Hsiu Wu
• Original Assignee: Ming-Hsiu Wu
• Inventors: WU, Ming-Hsiu
• Granted Patent: US 9,755,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• 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 7/007188 the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters

Abstract

A charging method includes a step of transmitting a start command to a charging device by an electronic device that pre-stores a charging authority therein when the electronic device determines the charging authority to be valid. The charging device is communicatively connected to the electronic device and includes an electrifying interface electrically connected to the electronic device. The start command causes the charging device to provide a power signal at the electrifying interface for charging the electronic device therethrough.

Claims

1. A charging method comprising:

transmitting a start command to a charging device by an electronic device that pre-stores a charging authority therein when the electronic device determines the charging authority to be valid, the charging device being communicatively connected to the electronic device and including an electrifying interface electrically connected to the electronic device, the start command causing the charging device to provide a power signal at the electrifying interface for charging the electronic device therethrough.

2. The charging method according to claim 1, further comprising:

starting to time a charging duration by the electronic device when the electronic device transmits the start command; and

transmitting a stop command to the charging device by the electronic device when the electronic device determines that the charging duration reaches a limitation specified by the charging authority, the stop command causing the charging device to stop provision of the power signal at the electrifying interface.

3. The charging method according to claim 2, wherein the charging duration is a cumulative charging duration, and the charging authority indicates a charging current magnitude and an allowable cumulative charging duration per day within an authorized time period, said charging method further comprising:

determining by the electronic device that the cumulative charging duration reaches the limitation specified by the charging authority when the cumulative charging duration timed thereby on the day of transmitting the start command reaches the allowable cumulative charging duration, followed by stopping the timing of the cumulative charging duration and transmitting the stop command to the charging device.

4. The charging method according to claim 3, further comprising:

pausing timing of the cumulative charging duration by the electronic device when electrical connection between the electronic device and the electrifying interface of the charging device is broken; and

after the pausing step, resuming timing of the cumulative charging duration by the electronic device when electrical connection between the electronic device and the electrifying interface of the charging device is established again on the same day of the pausing step.

5. The charging method according to claim 2, wherein the charging authority indicates a charging current magnitude, an allowable charging count and an allowable charging duration for each count, said charging method further comprising:

subtracting the allowable charging count by one upon starting to time the charging duration, and non-stoppingly timing the charging duration for the electrifying interface; and

determining by the electronic device that the charging duration reaches the limitation specified by the charging authority when the charging duration counted thereby reaches the allowable charging duration, followed by transmitting the stop command to the charging device.

6. The charging method according to claim 2, wherein the charging authority indicates a charging current magnitude, an allowable charging count and an allowable charging duration for each count, the charging device having an identification code, said charging method further comprising:

subtracting the allowable charging count by one and recording the identification code upon starting to time the charging duration, and non-stoppingly timing the charging duration for the identification code; and

determining by the electronic device that the charging duration reaches the limitation specified by the charging authority when the charging duration timed thereby reaches the allowable charging duration, followed by transmitting the stop command to the charging device.

7. The charging method according to claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring, by the electronic device, the charging authority before the step of transmitting the start command.

8. The charging method according to claim 7, wherein, in the acquiring step, the charging authority is acquired from a server via one of purchase, registration and application.

9. The charging method according to claim 1, further comprising:

stopping provision of the power signal at the electrifying interface by the charging device when the charging device determines at least one of a first condition, where communication between the electronic device and the charging device is interrupted, and a second condition, where electrical connection between the electronic device and the electrifying interface of the charging device is broken, is true.

10. A charging device comprising:

a communication interface configured to be communicatively connected to an electronic device;

an electrifying unit configured to provide a power signal;

an electrifying interface configured to electrically connect said electrifying unit and the electronic device; and

a processor electrically connected to said communication interface and said electrifying unit, and configured to cause said electrifying unit to provide the power signal through said electrifying interface upon receipt of a start command through said communication interface to thereby charge the electronic device.

11. The charging device according to claim 10, wherein said processor is further configured to cause said electrifying unit to stop provision of the power signal at said electrifying interface upon receipt of a stop command through said communication interface.

12. The charging device according to claim 11, comprising a plurality of said electrifying units, and a plurality of said electrifying interfaces that are respectively and electrically connected to said electrifying units, each of said electrifying interfaces having an identity indication, wherein:

when one of said electrifying interfaces is electrically connected to the electronic device to serve as a connected electrifying interface, and said communication interface is communicatively connected to the electronic device and receives the start command that includes the identity indication of said connected electrifying interface, said processor causes, according to the identity indication included in the start command, one of said electrifying units corresponding to said connected electrifying interface to provide the power signal at said connected electrifying interface.

13. The charging device according to claim 11, comprising a plurality of said electrifying units, and a plurality of said electrifying interfaces that are respectively and electrically connected to said electrifying units, each of said electrifying interfaces having an identity indication, wherein:

said processor is further configured to;

upon receipt of the start command via said communication interface, cause a portion of said electrifying units that do not currently provide the power signal at respective ones of said electrifying interfaces in a time-division manner; and

upon receipt, from the electronic device via said communication interface, of a charging message indicating that charging is proceeding, daring provision of the power signal by one of said, portion of said electrifying units, cause said one of said portion of electrifying units to continuously provide the power signal at the respective one of said electrifying interfaces corresponding to said one of said portion of said electrifying units, and report, to the electronic device the identity indication of said respective one of said electrifying interfaces via said communication interface.

14. The charging device according to claim 11, wherein said processor is further configured to detect communication between the electronic device and said communication interface, and to cause said electrifying unit to stop provision of the power signal at said electrifying interface upon detecting that communication between the electronic device and said communication interface is interrupted.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication interface configured to be communicatively connected to a charging device;

a charging interface configured to be electrically connected to the charging device for receiving a power signal therefrom so that said electronic device is charged via said charging interface;

a storage unit storing a charging authority therein; and

a processor electrically connected to said first communication interface, said charging interface and said storage unit, and configured to control, via said first communication interface, the charging device to provide or not to provide the power signal to said charging interface according to the charging authority.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, the charging device including a plurality of electrifying interfaces each having an identity indication, said electronic device further comprising an input interface, wherein:

when said first communication interface is communicatively connected to the second communication interface, and said charging interface is electrically connected to one of the electrifying interfaces that serves as a connected electrifying interface, said input interface is operable for input of the identity indication of the connected electrifying interface; and

said processor is configured to, upon input of the identity indication of the connected electrifying interface, generate a start command including the identity indication of the connected electrifying interface, and cause the charging device to provide, according to the identity indication included in the start command, the power signal at the connected electrifying interface.

17. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein:

the charging authority indicates a charging current magnitude and an allowable charging duration per day within an authorized time period; and

said processor is further configured to start timing a charging duration from a beginning of receiving the power signal from the charging device, and to stop timing the charging duration and transmit a stop command to the charging device via said first communication interface when the charging duration timed thereby on the day of beginning to receive the power signal from the charging device reaches the allowable charging duration, the stop command causing the charging device to stop provision of the power signal.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein said processor is further configured to pause timing of the charging duration when electrical connection between said charging interface and the charging device is broken, and to resume timing of the charging duration when electrical connection between said charging interface and the charging device is established again at the same day of pausing the timing of the charging duration.

19. The electronic device according to claim 15, the charging device having an electrifying interface at which the power signal is provided, wherein:

the charging authority indicates a charging current magnitude, an allowable charging count and an allowable charging duration for each count; and

said processor is further configured to non-stoppingly time a charging duration for the electrifying interface of the charging device from a beginning ox receiving the power signal from the charging device, to subtract the allowable charging count by one upon starting to time the charging duration, and to transmit a stop command to the charging device via said first communication interface when the charging duration timed thereby reaches the allowable charging duration, the stop command causing the charging device to stop provision of the power signal.

20. The electronic device according to claim 15, the charging device having an identification code, wherein:

the charging authority indicates a charging current magnitude, an allowable charging count and an allowable charging duration for each count; and

said processor is further configured to record the identification code, non-stoppingly time a charging duration for the identification code from a beginning of receiving the power signal from the charging device, to subtract the allowable charging count by one upon starting to time the charging duration, and to transmit a stop command to the charging device having the identification code via said first communication interface when the charging duration timed thereby for the identification code reaches the allowable charging duration, the stop command causing the charging device to stop provision of the power signal.