Methods and apparatus for simultaneously charging multiple rechargeable batteries
First Claim
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1. A charger comprising:
- a single current source;
two or more separate charging ports;
a controller configured to determine, for each of two or more rechargeable batteries coupled respectively to the two or more ports, an amount of charge required to fully charge the respective battery based on a charge in the respective battery, and a charging current in proportion to the amount of charge required to fully charge the respective battery such that each of the two or more rechargeable batteries will reach a fully charged state at substantially the same time; and
a current allocator configured to allocate the charging currents from the single current source to the two or more ports, wherein the current allocator allocates the charging currents in proportion to the amount of charge required to fully charge each of the two or more rechargeable batteries coupled respectively to the two or more ports such that each of respectively more rechargeable batteries will reach a fully charged state at substantially the same time.
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Abstract
A charger has two or more separate charging ports to which two or more rechargeable batteries can be coupled, respectively. Current from a single current source is allocated to the two or more separate charging ports so that the two or more rechargeable batteries will be fully charged at substantially the same time.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A charger comprising:
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a single current source; two or more separate charging ports; a controller configured to determine, for each of two or more rechargeable batteries coupled respectively to the two or more ports, an amount of charge required to fully charge the respective battery based on a charge in the respective battery, and a charging current in proportion to the amount of charge required to fully charge the respective battery such that each of the two or more rechargeable batteries will reach a fully charged state at substantially the same time; and a current allocator configured to allocate the charging currents from the single current source to the two or more ports, wherein the current allocator allocates the charging currents in proportion to the amount of charge required to fully charge each of the two or more rechargeable batteries coupled respectively to the two or more ports such that each of respectively more rechargeable batteries will reach a fully charged state at substantially the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of charging two or more rechargeable batteries from a single current source by use of two or more separate charging ports, the batteries being coupled to different respective charging ports, the method comprising;
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determining relative amounts of charge required to fully charge the two or more rechargeable batteries based on a charge in each of the two or more rechargeable batteries, and a charging current for each of the two or more rechargeable batteries in proportion to the amount of charge required to fully charge the respective battery such that each of the two or more rechargeable batteries will reach a fully charged state at substantially the same time; and allocating the charging currents from the single current source to the two or more separate charging ports, wherein the charging currents are allocated in proportion to the amount of charge required to fully charge each of the two or more rechargeable batteries coupled respectively to the two or more ports such that each of the two or more rechargeable batteries will reach a fully charged state at substantially the same time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification