Battery charger that employs current sharing to simultaneously power an application and charge a battery
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of charging a battery and powering a load, comprising:
- setting a first variable to represent a maximum source current available from a power source;
setting a second variable to represent a maximum rate of charge for the battery;
employing a state machine to calculate a first battery charging control signal that indicates a first current value that represents a maximum charging current for the battery based upon the first variable and the second variable;
employing the state machine to calculate a second battery charging control signal that indicates a second current value that represents a threshold load current based upon the first variable and the second variable;
supplying a current to the load via a power supply circuit; and
supplying an actual charging current to the battery by providing the first battery charging control signal and the second battery charging control signal to the power supply circuit, wherein the actual charging current is based, at least in part, on a sensed magnitude of the load current such that if the load current is less than the threshold load current, the actual charging current is not greater than the maximum charging current; and
such that if the load current is greater than the threshold load current, the actual charging current is not greater than the difference between the maximum source current and the load current.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Circuitry for powering a load and charging of a battery from a power source by a smart power supply is provided. The smart power supply controls the maximum current for battery charging based in part upon variables such as the maximum rate of charge of the battery and maximum source current. The smart power supply is thus capable of providing the power requested by the load, and use the remaining power for battery charging.
192 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of charging a battery and powering a load, comprising:
-
setting a first variable to represent a maximum source current available from a power source; setting a second variable to represent a maximum rate of charge for the battery; employing a state machine to calculate a first battery charging control signal that indicates a first current value that represents a maximum charging current for the battery based upon the first variable and the second variable; employing the state machine to calculate a second battery charging control signal that indicates a second current value that represents a threshold load current based upon the first variable and the second variable; supplying a current to the load via a power supply circuit; and supplying an actual charging current to the battery by providing the first battery charging control signal and the second battery charging control signal to the power supply circuit, wherein the actual charging current is based, at least in part, on a sensed magnitude of the load current such that if the load current is less than the threshold load current, the actual charging current is not greater than the maximum charging current; and
such that if the load current is greater than the threshold load current, the actual charging current is not greater than the difference between the maximum source current and the load current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A power supply for a supplying electrical power to a load, comprising:
-
a power supply circuit that is connectable to a power source, a battery, and a load circuit, wherein the power supply circuit is operable to charge the battery during a charging cycle and to provide a toad current to the load circuit;
the charging cycle includes current regulation;the power supply circuit is further operable to receive one or more battery charging control signals; and
to set one or more operational parameters utilized in the charging of the battery based, in part, on the battery charging control signals such that the current regulation is based, in part, on the battery charging control signals; anda battery charger control circuit operable to provide the one or more battery charging control signals, wherein the battery charger control circuit includes; one or more registers operable to store one or more battery charging variables; and a state machine configured to read at least one of the one or more registers and to calculate the one or more battery charging control signals based, in part, one or more battery charging variables and based, in part, on a sensed magnitude of the load current, wherein the one or more registers include; a first register that is operable to store a first variable of the one or more battery charging variables, wherein the first variable represents an available source current from the power source; and a second register that is operable to store a second variable of the one or more battery charging variables, wherein the second variable represents a maximum rate of charge for the battery; and wherein the one or more battery charging control signals include; a first battery charging control signal that indicates first current value that represents a maximum desired charging current for the battery, wherein the state machine is operable to provide the first battery charging control signal based upon the first variable and the second variable; and a second battery charging control signal that indicates a second current value that represents a maximum load current to be supplied before the power supply circuit reduces an actual charging current from the maximum desired charging current, wherein the state machine is operable to provide the second battery charging control signal based upon the first variable and the second variable. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A power supply for a supplying electrical power to a load, comprising:
-
a power supply circuit that is connectable to a power source, a battery, and a load circuit, wherein the power supply circuit is operable to charge the battery during a charging cycle and to provide a load current to the load circuit;
the charging cycle includes current regulation;
the power supply circuit is further operable to receive one or more battery charging control signals; and
to set one or more operational parameters utilized in the charging of the battery based, in part, on the battery charging control signals such that the current regulation is based, in part, on the battery charging control signals; anda battery charger control circuit operable to provide the one or more battery charging control signals, wherein the battery charger control circuit includes; one or more registers operable to store one or more battery charging variables; and a state machine configured to read at least one of the one or more registers and to calculate the one or more battery charging control signals based, in part, on the one or more battery charging variables and based, in part, on a sensed magnitude of the load current, wherein the one or more registers include; a first register that is operable to store a first variable of the one or more battery charging variables, wherein the first variable represents an available source current from the power source; and a second register that is operable to store a second variable of the one or more battery charging variables, wherein the second variable represents a maximum rate of charge for the battery; and wherein the one or more battery charging control signals include; a first battery charging control signal that indicates first current value that represents a maximum desired charging current for the battery, wherein the state machine is operable to provide the first battery charging control signal such that the first battery charging control signal is the minimum of the first variable and the second variable; and a second battery charging control signal that indicates a second current value that represents a maximum load current to be supplied before the power supply circuit reduces an actual charging current from the maximum desired charging current, wherein the state machine is operable to provide the second battery charging control signal such that the second battery charging control signal is the difference of the first variable and the second variable; and wherein the power supply circuit is operable to supply &
load current and an actual charging current to the battery, wherein the load draws the load current from the power supply and the actual charging current is regulated as follows during the current regulation;if the load current is less than the second current value, then the actual charging current is regulated such that it is the first current value;
otherwise the actual charging current is regulated such that it is equal to the difference between the first current value and the toad current.
-
-
12. A processor-readable medium having processor executable code stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors, enables actions, comprising:
-
setting a first variable to represent an available source current from a power source; setting a second variable to represent a maximum rate of charge for a battery; calculating a first battery charging control signal that indicates a first current value that represents a maximum charging current for the battery based upon the first variable and the second variable; calculating a second battery charging control signal that indicates a second current value that represents a threshold load current based upon the first variable and the second variable; supplying a current to the load via a power supply circuit; and supplying an actual charging current to the battery by providing the first battery charging control signal and the second battery charging control signal to the power supply circuit, wherein the actual charging current is based, at least in part, on a sensed magnitude of the load current, such that if the load current is less than the threshold load current, the actual charging current is not greater than the maximum charging current; and
such that if the load current is greater than the threshold load current, the actual charging current is not greater than the difference between the maximum source current and the load current. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification