Charging controller

• US 6,229,286 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Tokuyama, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/566,445
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 320/162, 320/160, 324/426
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging controller for charging a secondary battery by a dc source has a consumption current detector detecting a consumption current of a load; a charging current detector detecting a charging current to the secondary battery; a charging voltage detector detecting a charging voltage to the secondary battery, a function-processor to which detection outputs from the consumption current detector, the charging current detector, and the charging voltage detector are provided, respectively, and

a charging control circuit controlling a charging output to the secondary battery, based on calculation results by the function-processor such that driving the load and charging are simultaneously executed within the ratings of the dc source.

Claims

1. A charging controller for charging a secondary battery from a dc source, the dc source having an electrical rating, the charging controller comprising:

a consumption current detector detecting a consumption current of a load,

a charging current detector detecting a charging current to the secondary battery,

a charging voltage detector detecting a charging voltage to the secondary battery,

a function-processor to which detection outputs from the consumption current detector, the charging current detector and the charging voltage detector are provided, respectively, and

a charging control circuit controlling a charging output to the secondary battery, based on calculation results by the function-processor such that driving the load and charging are simultaneously executed within the rating of the dc source.

2. The charging controller of claim 1, wherein the function-processor:

calculates a function of the consumption current, based on the detection output from the consumption current detector,

calculates a function of the charging current based on the detection output from the charging current detector,

calculates a function of the charging voltage, based on the detection output from the charging voltage detector, and

calculates a sum of the above calculated three functions as an output rating of the dc source, and

said charging controller controls the charging output to the secondary battery so that the output rating of the dc source, calculated by the function-processor, is prevented from exceeding a predetermined value.

3. The charging controller of claim 2, wherein the function-processor includes at least one operational amplifier to calculate the function of the consumption current, the function of the charging current and the function of the charging voltage.

4. The charging controller of claim 1, wherein the charging current detector includes a charging current detection resistor supplying current to said secondary battery.

5. The charging controller of claim 1, wherein the consumption current detector includes a consumption current detection resistor supplying current to the load.

6. The charging controller of claim 1, wherein the function processor comprises an operation circuit for calculating a charging current according to the equation: