SCHEME FOR ACTIVATING OR DEACTIVATING SHIPPING MODE FOR BATTERY VIA BATTERY CONNECTING INTERFACE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SIGNAL PORT(S)

• US 20160049815A1
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Jui-Chi, Lee, Chi-Ming, Hsu, Chih-Yuan
• Granted Patent: US 10,211,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A method for controlling a state of a battery includes: providing and using a specific connecting interface to connect the battery and a portable device; and controlling the battery to enter a shipping mode and exit the shipping mode by using the specific connecting interface.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a state of a battery, comprising:

providing and using a specific connecting interface to connect the battery and a portable device; and

controlling the battery to enter a shipping mode and exit the shipping mode by using the specific connecting interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific connecting interface comprises a supply line, and the step of controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode comprises:

controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode according to change of a voltage level at the supply line.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode according to the change of the voltage level at the supply line comprises:

providing and using a switch unit to selectively enable/disable a power path of the supply line connecting between the battery and the portable device so as to change the voltage level at the supply line; and

controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode according to the change of the voltage level at the supply line.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode according to the change of the voltage level at the supply line comprises:

controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode by changing the voltage level at the supply line from a high level to a low level; and

controlling the battery to exit the shipping mode when detecting the voltage level at the supply line has been changed by an external power key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific connecting interface comprises a battery communication line, and the step of controlling the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode comprises:

changing a voltage level at the battery communication line from a first level to a second level so as to control the battery to enter the shipping mode; and

changing the voltage level at the battery communication line from the second level to the first level so as to control the battery to exit and release the shipping mode.

6. A system, comprising:

a portable device;

a battery, coupled to the portable device, configured to provide power for the system operating on the portable device; and

a specific connecting interface, configured to connect between the portable device and the battery;

wherein the portable device is arranged to control the battery to enter a shipping mode and exit the shipping mode by using the specific connecting interface.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the specific connecting interface comprises a supply line, and the portable device controls the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode according to change of a voltage level at the supply line.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a switch unit, connected between the specific connecting interface and the battery, configured to selectively enable/disable a power path of the supply line connecting between the battery and the portable device so as to change the voltage level at the supply line;

wherein the portable device controls the battery to enter the shipping mode and exit the shipping mode according to the change of the voltage level at the supply line.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the portable device controls the battery to enter the shipping mode by changing the voltage level at the supply line from a high level to a low level;

and the portable device controls the battery to exit the shipping mode when detecting the voltage level at the supply line has been changed by an external power key.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the specific connecting interface comprises a battery communication line, and the portable device changes a voltage level at the battery communication line from a first level to a second level so as to control the battery to enter the shipping mode, and the portable device changes the voltage level at the battery communication line from the second level to the first level so as to control the battery to exit and release the shipping mode.

11. A battery connected to a portable device via a specific connecting interface, comprising:

a battery cell; and

a control circuit, coupled to the battery cell and the specific connecting interface, configured to detect a signal of the specific connecting interface and to determine entering a shipping mode and exiting the shipping mode according to the signal of the specific connecting interface.

12. The battery of claim 11, wherein the specific connecting interface comprises a supply line, and the control circuit is arranged to determine entering the shipping mode and exiting the shipping mode according to change of a voltage level at the supply line.

13. The battery of claim 12, wherein the control circuit determines entering the shipping mode when detecting that the voltage level at the supply line changes from a high level to a low level;

and, the control circuit determines exiting the shipping mode when detecting that the voltage level at the supply line has been changed by an external power key.

14. The battery of claim 11, wherein the specific connecting interface comprises a battery communication line, and the control circuit is arranged to determine entering the shipping mode when detecting that a voltage level at the battery communication line changes from a first level to a second level, and to determine exiting and releasing the shipping mode when detecting that the voltage level at the battery communication line changes from the second level to the first level.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is arranged to make the voltage level at the battery communication line change from a high level to a low level, and to determine releasing the shipping mode when detecting that the voltage level has changed from the low level to the high level.

16. The battery of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is arranged to make the voltage level at the battery communication line change from a low level to a high level, and to determine releasing the shipping mode when detecting that the voltage level has changed from the high level to the low level.