Charging Device and Charging Method

• US 20160064971A1
• Filed: 02/17/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Dai, Jing-Jhe
• Application Number:
  US14/623,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20160064971A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage

Abstract

A charging device and a charging method are disclosed, wherein the charging device for charging multiple electronic devices has a plurality of power connectors, a battery level monitor module, a power module, and a control module. The plurality of power connectors are coupled to the multiple electronic devices. The battery level monitor module monitors the battery level of each electronic device connected to the plurality of power connectors. The power module charges the multiple electronic devices. The control module is signally connected with the plurality of power connectors, the battery level monitor module, and the power module, and adjusts the charging current supplied to each electronic device according to the battery level of each electronic device.

Claims

1. A charging device for charging a plurality of electronic devices respectively comprising:

a plurality of power connectors, which can be coupled to the plurality of electronic devices, respectively;

a battery level monitor module, which is used to monitor and acquire a battery level of each electronic device coupled to the power connectors, respectively;

a power module, which is coupled to the plurality of power connectors to charge each of the electronic devices through the plurality of power connectors individually; and

a control module, which is signally connected with the plurality of power connectors, the battery level monitor module, and the power module, respectively, and adjusts an amount of a charging current supplied by the power module to each of the electronic devices according to the battery level of each electronic device.

2. The charging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power module supplies a greater amount of the charging current to the electronic device with the relatively lower battery level among the plurality of electronic devices.

3. The charging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the charging device comprises a timer module for determining if a pre-determined period of time is reached, after the pre-determined period of time is reached, the battery level monitor module re-acquires a real-time battery level of each electronic device.

4. The charging device as claimed in claim 3, after the battery level monitor module re-acquires a real-time battery level of each electronic device ,the control module dynamically adjusts the amount of the charging current supplied by the power module to each electronic device according to the real-time battery level of each electronic device in order to provide the greater amount of the charging current to the electronic device with the relatively lower real-time battery level among the plurality of electronic devices.

5. The charging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein during the charging process, if the charging device is coupled to a to-be-charged device, the battery level monitor module acquires a real-time battery level of each electronic device and the battery level of the to-be-charged device at the same time, such that the control module re-adjusts the amount of the charging current supplied by the power module to each of the electronic devices and the to-be-charged devices according to the real-time battery level of each electronic device and the battery level of the to-be-charged device.

6. A charging method used in a charging device coupled to a plurality of electronic devices, the charging method comprising the following steps:

monitoring and acquiring a battery level of each electronic device coupled to the charging device; and

adjusting an amount of a charging current supplied to each electronic device according to the battery level of each electronic device.

7. The charging method as claimed in claim 6, wherein a greater amount of the charging current to the electronic device with the relatively lower battery level among the plurality of electronic devices.

8. The charging method as claimed in claim 6, the charging method further comprising the following steps:

determining if the charging device is coupled to a to-be-charged device.

9. The charging method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

if the determining result is yes, monitoring and acquiring a real-time battery level of each electronic device and the battery level of the to-be-charged device; and

re-adjusting the amount of the charging current supplied to each electronic device and to the to-be-charged device according to the battery level of each electronic device and the battery level of the to-be-charged device.

10. The charging method as claimed in claim 6, the charging method further comprising the following steps:

re-acquiring the battery level of the electronic device in real time after a predetermined time is reached; and

dynamically adjusting the amount of the charging current supplied to each electronic device according to the real-time battery level of each electronic device to provide the greater amount of the charging current to the electronic device with a relatively lower real-time battery level among the plurality of electronic devices.

11. The charging method as claimed in claim 7, the charging method further comprising the following steps:

re-acquiring the battery level of the electronic device in real time after a predetermined time is reached; and

dynamically adjusting the amount of charging current supplied to each electronic device according to the real-time battery level of each electronic device to provide the greater charging current to the electronic device with the relatively lower real-time battery level among the plurality of electronic devices.