BATTERY CONTROL IC, BATTERY PACK, AND AUTHENTICATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160294206A1
• Filed: 01/11/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: OKAWA, Masayoshi, TAKAHASHI, Hiromasa
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

It is possible to limit the use of non-authentic battery packs. A battery control IC (200) includes an authentication circuit (208) and a charge/discharge control circuit (210). The charge/discharge control circuit (210) controls charging and discharging of a battery (22). The authentication circuit (208) performs a process for performing an authentication with a host device. The authentication circuit (208) is configured to perform a process associated with a first authentication in a common key system. The charge/discharge control circuit (210) is configured to perform a control to enable a discharge operation when the first authentication is established.

Claims

1. A battery pack authentication method comprising:

(a) performing a first authentication in a common key system between a battery pack and a host device; and

(b) performing a control to enable the battery pack to perform a discharge operation when the first authentication is established.

2. The battery pack authentication method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(c) performing a second authentication in a public key system between the battery pack and the host device; and

(d) performing a control to enable the battery pack to perform a charge operation when the second authentication is established.

3. The battery pack authentication method according to claim 2, wherein the step (c) is performed after the first authentication is established.

4. The battery pack authentication method according to claim 2, wherein processes associated with the first authentication and the second authentication in the battery pack are performed by an authentication circuit.

5. A battery control IC comprising:

a charge/discharge control circuit that controls charging and discharging of a battery; and

an authentication circuit that performs a process for performing an authentication with the host device, wherein

the authentication circuit is configured to perform a process associated with a first authentication in a common key system, and

the charge/discharge control circuit is configured to perform a control to enable a discharge operation when the first authentication is established.

6. The battery control IC according to claim 5, wherein

the authentication circuit is configured to perform a process associated with a second authentication in a public key system, and

the charge/discharge control circuit is configured to perform a control to enable a charge operation when the second authentication is established.

7. The battery control IC according to claim 6, wherein the authentication circuit is configured to perform a process associated with the second authentication after the first authentication is established.

8. The battery control IC according to claim 6, wherein

one authentication circuit is provided in the battery control IC, and

the one authentication circuit performs processes associated with the first authentication and the second authentication in the battery pack.

9. The battery control IC according to claim 5, further comprising a CPU that controls operations of the charge/discharge control circuit and the authentication circuit.

10. A battery pack comprising:

a battery;

a discharge switch that turns on and off discharging of the battery;

a charge switch that turns on and off charging of the battery; and

a control IC that controls the battery, wherein

the control IC includes;

a charge/discharge control circuit that controls the discharge switch and the charge switch; and

an authentication circuit that performs a process for performing an authentication with a host device,

the authentication circuit is configured to perform a process associated with a first authentication in a common key system, and

the charge/discharge control circuit is configured to control the discharge switch to be turned on when the first authentication is established.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein

the authentication circuit is configured to perform a process associated with a second authentication in a public key system, and

the charge/discharge control circuit is configured to control the charge switch to be turned on when the second authentication is established.