Device and a method for charging a battery to input a direct or an alternating current

• US 5,640,076 A
• Filed: 12/07/1994
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Youn, Kil Young
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/350,617
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/12, 320/27, 320/29, 320/49, 320/56, 320/DIG. 1, 363/142
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/11 Prioritized supply of power or power supply compensation

Abstract

A device for charging a battery with one of a direct current and an alternating current includes a power adapter for providing a power signal and a power signal determining unit. The power signal determining unit determines whether the power signal is an alternating current or a direct current and a power transmission route selector selects a first power transmission route for the direct current and a second power transmission route for the alternating current. A charger receives the power signal to charge the battery. A power selecting unit includes a unit for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger when the first power transmission route for the alternating current signal is selected. A unit for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery when the second power transmission route for the direct current signal is selected.

Claims

1. A device for charging a battery with one of a direct current and an alternating current comprises:

a power adapter for providing a power signal;

a power signal determining unit including;

means for converting the power signal from the power adapter to a digital signal;

means for checking a level of the digital signal converted from the power signal;

means for determining the digital signal as an alternating current signal when the level of the digital signal changes and for selecting a first power transmission route for the alternating current signal; and

means for determining the digital signal as a direct current signal when the level of the digital signal does not change and for selecting a second power transmission route for the direct current signal;

a charger for receiving the power signal to charge the battery; and

a power selecting unit including;

means for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger when the first power transmission route for the alternating current signal is selected in the power signal determining unit; and

means for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery when the second power transmission route for the direct current signal is selected in the power signal determining unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said power signal determining unit further includes:

means for clamping the power signal applied to the power adapter;

a first operational amplifier for amplifying an output signal of the clamping means;

a second operational amplifier for converting an output signal of the first operational amplifier to the digital signal; and

a microcontroller for determining whether the digital signal is one of the direct current signal and the alternating current signal.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said second operational amplifier is a comparator.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the power signal determining unit further includes a resistor connected to the first operational amplifier for receiving the power signal output from the power adapter.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the power signal determining unit further includes a variable resistor connected to a non-inverting input of the first operational amplifier;

and

a resistor connected to the inverting input and an output of the first amplifier in a feedback configuration.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the power signal determining unit further includes a variable resistor connected to an inverting input of the second operational amplifier.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said power selecting unit further includes:

a first transistor for transmitting the alternating current signal from the power adapter to the charger; and

a second transistor for transmitting the direct current signal from the power adapter to the battery.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the direct current signal from the power adapter is transmitted directed to the battery.

9. A device for charging a battery comprises:

a power adapter for providing a power signal;

a power signal determining unit for determining whether the power signal is one of an alternating current and a direct current;

means for selecting one of a first power transmission route for the direct current and a second power transmission route for the alternating current;

a charger for receiving the power signal to charge the battery; and

a power selecting unit including;

means for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger when the first power transmission route for the alternating current signal is selected in the selecting means; and

means for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery when the second power transmission route for the direct current signal is selected in the selecting means.

10. A method for charging a battery using a device including a power adapter and a power signal determining unit, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an analog power signal from the power adapter to the power signal determining unit;

converting the analog power signal to a digital power signal;

detecting an occurrence of a first interrupt at every predetermined period of the digital signal and executing a first interrupt operation;

detecting an occurrence of a second interrupt when the digital signal transitions from a first level to a second level and executing a second interrupt operation;

determining whether the power signal is applied to the power signal determining unit;

initializing an interval variable when the power signal is applied to the power signal determining unit;

checking the digital signal when the first interrupt operation is executed;

determining the power signal applied to the power signal determining unit as the direct current when the digital signal has no transition from the first level to the second level and the second interrupt operation is not performed during a set period of time;

selecting a power transmission route for the direct current and applying the direct current to the battery for charging;

determining the power signal applied to the power signal determining unit as the alternating current when the digital signal transition from the first level to the second level, the second interrupt operation is performed, and the digital signal has a frequency in a predetermined frequency range; and

selecting a power transmission route for the alternating current and applying the alternating current to the battery for charging.

11. A method for charging a battery according to claim 10, wherein the first interrupt detecting step detects the occurrence of the first interrupt at every half period of the digital signal.

12. A method for charging a battery using a device including a power adapter and a charger, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a power signal;

determining whether the power signal is one of an alternating current and a direct current;

selecting one of a first power transmission route for the direct current and a second power transmission route for the alternating current;

transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger when the first power transmission route for the alternating current signal is selected; and

transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery when the second power transmission route for the direct current signal is selected.

13. A method for charging a battery using a device including a power adapter and a charger, the method including the steps of:

providing a power signal;

converting the power signal to a digital signal;

checking a level of the digital signal converted from the power signal;

determining the digital signal as an alternating current signal when the level of the digital signal changes and selecting a first power transmission route for the alternating current signal; and

determining the digital signal as a direct current signal when the level of the digital signal does not change and for selecting a second power transmission routE;

for the direct current signal;

transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger when the first power transmission route for the alternating current signal is selected; and

transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery when the second power transmission route for the direct current signal is selected.

14. A device for charging a battery comprising:

a power adapter for providing a power signal;

means for converting the power signal to a digital signal;

a power signal determining unit for determining whether the power signal is one of an alternating current and a direct current based on a level of the digital signal;

means for selecting one of a first power transmission route for the alternating current and a second power transmission route for the direct current;

a charger for receiving the power signal to charge the battery; and

a power selecting unit including;

means responsive to selection of a first power transmission route for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger; and

means responsive to selection of the second power transmission route for transmitting the power signal from the power adapter directly to the battery.

15. A method for charging a battery using a device including a power adapter and a charger, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a power signal;

converting the power signal to a digital signal;

determining whether the power signal is one of an alternating current and a direct current based on a level of the digital signal;

selecting one of a first power transmission route for the alternating current and a second power transmission route for the direct current;

transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery through the charger when the first power transmission route for the alternating current signal is selected; and

transmitting the power signal from the power adapter to the battery when the second power transmission route for the direct current signal is selected.