ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR CHARGING BATTERY AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20180102667A1
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Published: 04/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHOI, Hoon, KIM, Yong-Youn, LEE, Dong-Jun, LEE, Hyang-Bok, MAENG, Seong-Kyu, SHIN, Ki-Yong, YI, Han-Jun, CHOI, Jong-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 11,056,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An electronic device is provided, the electronic device including a communication circuit, a battery, and a processor, and the processor is configured to: obtain a strength of a communication signal received by the communication circuit; determine a magnitude of power for charging the battery based on the strength of the communication signal; and charge the battery with power of the determined magnitude.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a communication circuit;

a battery; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to perform control to;

obtain a strength of a communication signal received by the communication circuit;

determine a magnitude of power for charging the battery based on the strength of the communication signal; and

charge the battery with the power of the determined magnitude.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine the magnitude of power to be a first magnitude for normal charging when the strength of the communication signal is less than or equal to a first threshold value; and

determine the magnitude of power to be a second magnitude for quick charging when the strength of the communication signal exceeds the first threshold value.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine whether the strength of the communication signal is increased to a level greater than a second threshold value during charging with power of the first magnitude after determining that the strength of the communication signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value; and

change the magnitude of power from the first magnitude to the second magnitude based on determining that the strength of the communication signal is increased beyond the second threshold value.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

compare the strength of the communication signal with the first threshold value;

gradually decrease the magnitude of power when the strength of the communication signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value until the strength of the communication signal exceeds the first threshold value; and

maintain charging with power of the decreased magnitude.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine whether the magnitude of communication signal is increased to be greater than a second threshold value while charging is maintained with power of the decreased magnitude; and

increase the magnitude of power to a predetermined magnitude when it is determined that the magnitude of the communication signal is increased to be greater than the second threshold value.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

read association information between a plurality of strengths of communication signals received by the electronic device and information associated with a plurality of magnitudes of power for charging, which respectively correspond to each of the plurality of strengths; and

determine the magnitude of power by comparing the strength of the communication signal with the association information.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a charger configured to process power and charging the battery.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to control an input current of the charger based on the magnitude of power.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the charger receives power from the outside from an adapter through at least one of:

a USB-micro B type or USB-C type power line.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine an output voltage of the adapter based on the magnitude of power; and

transmit, to the adapter, another communication signal that requests adjusting the output voltage of the adapter through the USB-micro B type or USB-C type data line.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power reception circuit configured to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitter,

wherein the processor is configured to control a reception condition of the power reception circuit based on the magnitude of power.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power reception circuit configured to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitter,

wherein the processor is configured to transmit a communication signal that requests adjusting the wireless power based on the magnitude of power to the wireless power transmitter through another communication circuit.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine an amount of remaining power of the battery; and

determine the magnitude of power based on the strength of the communication signal and the amount of remaining power.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining the magnitude of power further comprises:

determining whether the strength of the communication signal is increased to be greater than a second threshold value, while charging is performed with power of the first magnitude based on the determination that the strength of the communication signal is less than or equal to a first threshold value; and

changing the magnitude of power from the first magnitude to the second magnitude when the strength of the communication signal is determined to be increased to be greater than the second threshold value.

14. An operation method for charging a battery by an electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining a strength of a communication signal received by the electronic device;

determining a magnitude of power for charging the battery based on the strength of the communication signal; and

performing control to charge the battery with power of the determined magnitude.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the magnitude of power comprises:

determining the magnitude of power to be a first magnitude for normal charging when the strength of the communication signal is less than or equal to a first threshold value; and

determining the magnitude of power to be a second magnitude for quick charging when the strength of the communication signal exceeds the first threshold value.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the magnitude of power comprises:

comparing the strength of the communication signal with a first threshold value;

gradually decreasing the magnitude of power when the strength of the communication signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value until the strength of the communication signal exceeds the first threshold value; and

maintaining charging with power of the decreased magnitude.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining the magnitude of power comprises:

determining whether the magnitude of the communication signal is increased to be greater than a second threshold value, while charging is maintained with power of the decreased magnitude; and

increasing the magnitude of power to a predetermined magnitude when the magnitude of the communication signal is increased to be greater than the second threshold value.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the magnitude of power comprises:

reading association information between a plurality of strengths of communication signals received by the electronic device and information associated with a plurality of magnitudes of power for charging, which respectively correspond to each of the plurality of strengths; and

determining the magnitude of power by comparing the strength of the communication signal and the association information.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

controlling an input current of a charger of the electronic device based on the magnitude of power.