POWER BANK APPARATUS FOR MEASURING CAPACITIES OF OTHER POWER BANKS

• US 20160204628A1
• Filed: 04/01/2015
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DIGI Power Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DIGI Power Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Huang, Min-Huang
• Application Number:
  US14/676,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20160204628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/387 Determining ampere-hour charge capacity or SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks is provided. The power bank apparatus includes at least one input port, at least one detection circuit, and a processing circuit. The input port is configured to receive an input power signal from the other power bank as a capacity measuring signal. The detection circuit is connected to the input port to receive the capacity measuring signal. The detection circuit detects a voltage and a current of the capacity measuring signal to generate a voltage value and a current value. The processing circuit is connected to the detection circuit to receive the voltage value and the current value. The processing circuit calculates a power supply time according to the current value. The processing circuit calculates a capacity value of the other power bank according to the voltage value, the current value, and the power supply time.

Claims

1. A power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks, configured to measure a capacity value of at least one other power bank, the power bank apparatus comprising:

at least one input port configured to receive at least one input power signal from the at least one other power bank to serve as at least one capacity measuring signal;

at least one first detection circuit connected to the at least one input port to receive the at least one capacity measuring signal, the at least one first detection circuit detecting a voltage and a current of the at least one capacity measuring signal to generate at least one first voltage value and at least one first current value; and

a processing circuit connected to the at least one first detection circuit to receive the at least one first voltage value and the at least one first current value, the processing circuit calculating at least one power supply time according to the at least one first current value, and the processing circuit calculates the capacity value of the at least one other power bank according to the at least one first voltage value, the at least one first current value, and the at least one power supply time.

2. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 1, further comprising:

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) output port connected to the processing circuit and another mobile device,

wherein, the capacity value calculated by the processing circuit is transmitted to the other mobile device through the USB output port, in order for the other mobile device to display the capacity value.

3. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 1,

a charge control unit connected to the at least one input port to receive the at least one capacity measuring signal, the charge control unit controlled by the processing circuit to convert the capacity measuring signal and generate a charge signal.

4. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 3, further comprising:

a battery connected to the charge control unit and receiving the charge signal, so as to be charged,

wherein the battery serves as a load of the at least one other power bank.

5. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 4, further comprising:

a discharge control unit connected to the battery, the discharge control unit controlled by the processing circuit to convert a voltage of the battery and thereby generate at least one discharge signal.

6. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 5, further comprising:

at least one output port connected to the discharge control unit and receiving the at least one discharge signal to serve as at least one output power signal, and providing the at least one output power signal to at least one external load.

7. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 6, wherein the at least one external load is at least one mobile device.

8. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 6, wherein the at least one external load is the at least one other power bank, wherein the power bank apparatus further comprises:

at least one second detection circuit connected to the discharge control unit to receive the at least one discharge signal, the at least one second detection circuit measuring a voltage and a current of the at least one discharge signal and generating at least one second voltage value and at least one second current value,

wherein the processing circuit determines whether the at least one other power bank has completed charging according to the at least one second current value,

when a determination result is yes, the processing circuit controls the discharge control unit to stop generating the at least one discharge signal, the processing circuit controlling the charge control unit to begin generating the charge signal, and the processing circuit beginning to calculate the at least one power supply time according to the at least one first current value.

9. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 6, wherein the at least one output port is connected to the processing circuit,

wherein the processing circuit outputs the capacity value of the at least one other power bank to a mobile device through the at least one output port,

wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile application program configured to display the capacity value of the at least one other power bank.

10. The power bank apparatus for measuring capacities of other power banks according to claim 6, further comprising:

a capacity display connected to the processing circuit, the capacity display configured to display the capacity value of the at least one other power bank.