BATTERY CHARGE APPARATUS AND CHARGE SYSTEM

• US 20170346327A1
• Filed: 10/12/2016
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chicony Power Technology Co. Ltd. (Chicony Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Chicony Power Technology Co. Ltd. (Chicony Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: CHEN, Chien-Hung, HSU, Chao-Ching, WU, Chu-Yen, LEE, Chung-Shu
• Granted Patent: US 10,243,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 7/00045 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A battery charge apparatus and a charge system are disclosed. The charge apparatus includes first and second charge module connected to each other. The first charge module is connected to an auxiliary power, makes a processor thereof generate a charge-unit-address code for the charge unit thereof, and turns on an auxiliary switch thereof for transmitting the auxiliary power to the second charge module for activated the second charge module. The second charge module then sends a charge-module-address request to the first charge module to ask for a charge-module-address code. Thereafter, the first charge module performs charge procedure and informs the second charge module to perform charge procedure when battery connected to the first charge module is fully charged. The second charge module then performs charge procedure and sends fully charged information to the first charge module when the battery connected to the second charge module is fully charged.

Claims

1. A battery charge apparatus comprising a first charge module and a second charge module, each of the first charge module and the second charge module comprising a main power input terminal, a main power output terminal, an auxiliary power input terminal, an auxiliary power output terminal, a processor, an auxiliary power switch, and at least one charge unit, the auxiliary power switch connected to the auxiliary power input terminal and the auxiliary power output terminal, and the processor electrically connected to the auxiliary power switch and the charge unit;

wherein the main power output terminal of the first charge module is connected to the main power input terminal of the second charge module, the auxiliary power output terminal of the first charge module is connected to the auxiliary power input terminal of the second charge module, the main power input terminal of the first charge module is connected to a main power, and the auxiliary power input terminal of the first charge module is connected to an auxiliary power source;

wherein the auxiliary power switch of the first charge module is turned on and the auxiliary power is conducted to the second charge module after a charge-unit-address code is produced and sent to the charge unit of the first charge module by the processor of the first charge module, and a charge-module-address code provided by the first charge module is transmitted to the second charge module based on a charge-module-address request generated by the second charge module and transmitted to the first charge module;

wherein the processor of the first charge module is configured to control the charge unit of the first charge module to perform charge procedure in accordance with the charge-unit-address code when the charge unit of the first charge module is not fully charged, and the processor of the first charge module is configured to generate a charge command having the charge-module-address code and transmits the charge command to the second charge module after the charge unit of the first charge module is fully charged; and

wherein the processor of second charge module is configured to control the charge unit of second charge module to perform charge procedure after the charge unit of the second charge module receives the charge command, the second charge module generates a fully charged information when the charge unit of the second charge module is fully charged and transmits the fully charged information to the first charge module.

2. The battery charge apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first charge module and the second charge module further comprises a receiving and transmitting unit electrically connected to the auxiliary power input terminal, the processor, and the charge unit, the receiving and transmitting unit of the first charge module is configured to transmit the charge-module-address code and receive the charge-module-address request and the fully charged information.

3. The battery charge apparatus of claim 2, wherein the receiving and transmitting units of the first charge module and the second charge module are in a wire-based connection or in a wireless connection.

4. The battery charge apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the first charge module and the second charge module further comprises a memory connected to the receiving and transmitting unit and the processor.

5. The battery charge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge unit comprises:

a battery management unit electrically connected to the auxiliary power output terminal and the processor;

a charge switch electrically connected to the main power input terminal and the battery management unit; and

a charge port electrically connected to the charge switch and at least one battery.

6. The battery charge apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a third charge module comprising a main power input terminal, a main power output terminal, an auxiliary power input terminal, an auxiliary power output terminal, a processor, an auxiliary power switch, and at least one charge unit,

wherein the auxiliary power switch is connected to the auxiliary power input terminal and the auxiliary power output terminal, the processor is electrically connected to the auxiliary power switch and the charge unit, the main power input terminal of the third charge module is connected to the main power output terminal of the second charge module, and the auxiliary power input terminal of the third charge module is connected to the auxiliary power output terminal of the second charge module;

wherein the auxiliary power switch of the second charge module is turned on and the auxiliary power is conducted to the third charge module after another charge-unit-address code is produced and sent to the charge unit of the second charge module by the processor of the second charge module, and a charge-module-address code provided by the first charge module is transmitted to the third charge module based on a charge-module-address request generated by the third charge module and transmitted to the first charge module;

wherein the processor of the first charge module is configured to generate another charge command having the charge-module-address code and transmits the charge command to the third charge module after receiving the fully charged information sent from the second charge module; and

wherein the processor of third charge module is configured to control the charge unit of third charge module to perform charge procedure after the charge unit of the second charge module receives the charge command, and the third charge module generates another fully charged information when the charge unit of the third charge module is fully charged and transmits the fully charged information to the first charge module.

7. The battery charge apparatus e of claim 6, wherein the charge-module-address request generated by the third charge module is directly transmitted to the first charge module.

8. The battery charge apparatus of claim 6, wherein the charge-module-address request generated by the third charge module is transmitted to the first charge module through the second charge module.

9. A charge system comprising:

a power supply device for providing a main power and an auxiliary power; and

a battery charge apparatus electrically connected to the power supply device, wherein the battery charge apparatus comprises a first charge module and a second charge module, each of the first charge module and the second charge module comprises a main power input terminal, a main power output terminal, an auxiliary power input terminal, an auxiliary power output terminal, a processor, an auxiliary power switch, and at least one charge unit, the auxiliary power switch is connected to the auxiliary power input terminal and the auxiliary power output terminal, and the processor is electrically connected to the auxiliary power switch and the charge unit;

wherein the main power output terminal of the first charge module is connected to the main power input terminal of the second charge module, the auxiliary power output terminal of the first charge module is connected to the auxiliary power input terminal of the second charge module, the main power input terminal of the first charge module is connected to the main power, and the auxiliary power input terminal of the first charge module is connected to the auxiliary power source;

wherein the auxiliary power switch of the first charge module is turned on and the auxiliary power is conducted to the second charge module after a charge-unit-address core is produced and sent to the charge unit of the first charge module by the processor of the first charge module, and a charge-module-address code provided by the first charge module is transmitted to the second charge module based on a charge-module-address request generated by the second charge module and transmitted to the first charge module;

wherein the processor of the first charge module is configured to control the charge unit of the first charge module to perform charge procedure in accordance with the charge-unit-address code when the charge unit of the first charge module is not fully charged, and the processor of the first charge module is configured to generate a charge command having the charge-module-address code and transmits the charge command to the second charge module after the charge unit of the first charge module is fully charged; and

wherein the processor of second charge module is configured to control the charge unit of second charge module to perform charge procedure after the charge unit of the second charge module receives the charge command, the second charge module generates a fully charged information when the charge unit of the second charge module is fully charged and transmits the fully charged information to the first charge module.

10. The charge system of claim 9, wherein the main power provided by the power supply device is conduct to the second charge module through the first charge module during the charge unit of the second charge module is preforming charge procedure.

11. The charge system of claim 9, wherein the main power provided by the power supply device is directly conduct to the second charge module during the charge unit of the second charge module is preforming charge procedure.

12. The charge system of claim 9, wherein each of the first charge module and the second charge module further comprises a receiving and transmitting unit electrically connected to the auxiliary power input terminal, the processor, and the charge unit, the receiving and transmitting unit of the first charge module is configured to transmit the charge-module-address code and receive the charge-module-address request and the fully charged information.

13. The charge system of claim 9, wherein the receiving and transmitting units of the first charge module and the second charge module are in a wire-based connection or in a wireless connection.

14. The charge system of claim 9, wherein each of the first charge module and the second charge module further comprises a memory connected to the receiving and transmitting unit and the processor.

15. The charge system of claim 9, wherein the charge unit comprises:

a battery management unit electrically connected to the auxiliary power output terminal and the processor;

a charge switch electrically connected to the main power input terminal and the battery management unit; and

a charge port electrically connected to the charge switch and at least one battery.

16. The charge system of claim 13, wherein further comprising a third charge module comprising a main power input terminal, a main power output terminal, an auxiliary power input terminal, an auxiliary power output terminal, a processor, an auxiliary power switch, and at least one charge unit,

wherein the auxiliary power switch is connected to the auxiliary power input terminal and the auxiliary power output terminal, the processor is electrically connected to the auxiliary power switch and the charge unit, the main power input terminal of the third charge module is connected to the main power output terminal of the second charge module, and the auxiliary power input terminal of the third charge module is connected to the auxiliary power output terminal of the second charge module;

wherein the auxiliary power switch of the second charge module is turned on and the auxiliary power is conducted to the third charge module after another charge-unit-address code is produced and sent to the charge unit of the second charge module by the processor of the first charge module, and a charge-module-address code provided by the first charge module is transmitted to the third charge module based on a charge-module-address request generated by the third charge module and transmitted to the first charge module;

wherein the processor of the first charge module is configured to generate another charge command having the charge-module-address code and transmits the charge command to the third charge module after receiving the fully charged information sent from the second charge module; and

wherein the processor of third charge module is configured to control the charge unit of third charge module to perform charge procedure, and the third charge module generates another fully charged information when the charge unit of the third charge module is fully charged and transmits the fully charged information to the first charge module.

17. The charge system of claim 16, wherein the charge-module-address request generated by the third charge module is directly transmitted to the first charge module.

18. The charge system of claim 16, wherein the charge-module-address request generated by the third charge module is transmitted to the first charge module through the second charge module.