METHODS, ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND CHARGER APPARATUS FOR QUICK USB CHARGING

• US 20160043586A1
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Tao, Zhang, Jiachuan, Mai, Junjie, Sun, Yingling
• Granted Patent: US 10,014,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

USB charger apparatus and chargeable electronic devices are presented in which the device and charger use USB cable data lines to establish a bidirectional communications connection, and the charger provides charger capability information to a master controller of the electronic device via the communications connection. The device controller preferentially selects a fastest charging match between the charger capability information and device charging capability information, and sends configuration information through the communications connection to set the power supply level of the charger. The charger communicates power supply status information to the electronic device, and the device can reconfigure the charger power supply level accordingly.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a universal serial bus (USB) connector for receiving a connector of a USB cable, the USB connector comprising;

a first conductive structure for electrical connection to a first data signal conductor of the USB cable,

a second conductive structure for electrical connection to a second data signal conductor of the USB cable,

a third conductive structure for electrical connection to a first power conductor of the USB cable, and

a fourth conductive structure for electrical connection to a second power conductor of the USB cable;

a load operatively coupled to receive electrical power from the third and fourth conductive structures;

a controller coupled with the first and second conductive structures and selectively operative to establish a bidirectional digital communications connection for exchanging data with a connected charger along the first and second data signal conductors of the USB cable via the first and second conductive structures; and

a processor operatively coupled with the controller, the processor being programmed to obtain charger capability information from the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection established by the controller, and to selectively configure or reconfigure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection at least partially according to the charger capability information.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, comprising an electronic memory storing device charging capability information representing at least one charging power level suitable for charging the electronic device, wherein the processor is programmed to determine at least one match between the charger capability information and the device charging capability information, and to selectively configure or reconfigure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection at least partially according to the at least one match.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to receive charger status information from the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection, and to selectively reconfigure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection at least partially according to the charger status information.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed to preferentially configure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection according to a fastest charging match between the charger capability information and the device charging capability information, and to selectively reconfigure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection to a slower charging match between the charger capability information and the device charging capability information according to the charger status information.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, comprising:

a charger detection circuit coupled with the first and second conductive structures and operative to provide a switching control signal having a first state indicating detected connection of the connected charger to the electronic device and a second state indicating that no charger is connected to the electronic device; and

a switching circuit coupled to receive the switching control signal from the charger detection circuit, the switching circuit operative to selectively couple the first and second conductive structures with the controller when the switching control signal is in the first state, and to selectively decouple the first and second conductive structures from the controller and the switching control signal is in the second state.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the controller is operative as a master controller to establish the bidirectional digital communications connection as an Inter-Integrated Circuit bus, with the bidirectional digital communications connection using the first conductive structure as a serial data line and the second conductive structure as a serial clock line.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, comprising:

a charger detection circuit coupled with the first and second conductive structures and operative to provide a switching control signal having a first state indicating detected connection of the connected charger to the electronic device and a second state indicating that no charger is connected to the electronic device; and

a switching circuit coupled to receive the switching control signal from the charger detection circuit, the switching circuit operative to selectively couple the first and second conductive structures with the controller when the switching control signal is in the first state, and to selectively decouple the first and second conductive structures from the controller and the switching control signal is in the second state.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the controller is operative as a master controller to establish the bidirectional digital communications connection as an Inter-Integrated Circuit bus, with the bidirectional digital communications connection using the first conductive structure as a serial data line and the second conductive structure as a serial clock line.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operative as a master controller to establish the bidirectional digital communications connection as an Inter-Integrated Circuit bus, with the bidirectional digital communications connection using the first conductive structure as a serial data line and the second conductive structure as a serial clock line.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to receive charger status information from the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection, and to selectively reconfigure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection at least partially according to the charger status information.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is programmed to preferentially configure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection according to a fastest charging match between the charger capability information and device charging capability information, and to selectively reconfigure the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection according to a slower charging match between the charger capability information and the device charging capability information according to the charger status information.

12. A method for powering or charging an electronic device from a universal serial bus (USB) cable having first and second data signal conductors, the method comprising:

using a processor of the electronic device, establishing a bidirectional digital communications connection along the first and second data signal conductors of the USB cable for exchanging data between the electronic device and a connected charger;

using the processor, obtaining charger capability information from the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection; and

using the processor, determining at least one match between the charger capability information and device charging capability information representing at least one charging power level suitable for charging the electronic device; and

using the processor, selectively configuring the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection at least partially according to a fastest charging match between the charger capability information and the device charging capability information.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

using the processor, receiving charger status information from the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection; and

using the processor, selectively reconfiguring the connected charger using the bidirectional digital communications connection to a slower charging match between the charger capability information and the device charging capability information according to the charger status information.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising establishing the bidirectional digital communications connection as an Inter-Integrated Circuit bus using the first conductive structure as a serial data line and the second conductive structure as a serial clock line.

15. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) charger apparatus, comprising:

a connector for receiving a USB cable, the connector comprising;

a first conductive structure for electrical connection to a first data signal conductor of the USB cable,

a second conductive structure for electrical connection to a second data signal conductor of the USB cable,

a third conductive structure for electrical connection to a first power conductor of the USB cable, and

a fourth conductive structure for electrical connection to a second power conductor of the USB cable;

a power supply operatively coupled to supply electrical power at one of a plurality of output power levels to a connected electronic device via the third and fourth conductive structures, the power supply; and

a controller coupled with the first and second conductive structures and selectively operative to;

provide charger capability information representing the plurality of output power levels to the connected electronic device using a bidirectional digital communications connection along the first and second data signal conductors of the USB cable via the first and second conductive structures,

receive configuration information from the connected electronic device using the bidirectional digital communications connection, and

selectively set or adjust the power supply to one of the plurality of output power levels at least partially according to the configuration information.

16. The USB charger apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is operative to provide status information representing at least one condition of the power supply to the connected electronic device using the bidirectional digital communications connection.

17. The USB charger apparatus of claim 16, wherein the status information represents at least one of an overvoltage condition, an overcurrent condition, and an overtemperature condition of the power supply.

18. The USB charger apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bidirectional digital communications connection is an Inter-Integrated Circuit bus connection using the first conductive structure as a serial data line and the second conductive structure as a serial clock line, and wherein the controller is operative as a slave controller to exchange data with a master controller of the connected electronic device along the first and second data signal conductors of the USB cable.

19. The USB charger apparatus of claim 15, wherein the bidirectional digital communications connection is an Inter-Integrated Circuit bus connection using the first conductive structure as a serial data line and the second conductive structure as a serial clock line, and wherein the controller is operative as a slave controller to exchange data with a master controller of the connected electronic device along the first and second data signal conductors of the USB cable.

20. The USB charger apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is operative to control the power supply to provide a default power output level for powering or charging the connected electronic device and to selectively adjust the output level of the power supply according to received configuration information from the connected electronic device.