Charging apparatus of portable devices

• US 7,750,601 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Chi-Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/896,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/125, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 320/137, 320/160, 320/DIG.21
• US Class Current: 320/125
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging apparatus of portable device, which charges a battery module of the portable devices. The charging apparatus includes a sensing circuit, a control unit, and a linear charging circuit. The sensing circuit detects the voltage of a power adapter when the power adapter is plug to the portable devices, and then produces a sensing signal and transmits it to the control unit. The control unit produces a control signal according to the sensing signal and the remaining capacity of the battery module. The present invention features that the linear charging circuit receives an output power of the sensing circuit and charges the battery module according the control signal.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus of portable devices, applied in charging a battery module of the portable devices, the charging apparatus comprising a sensing circuit and a control unit, the sensing circuit detecting the voltage of a power adapter when the power adapter is plug to the portable devices and then producing a sensing signal, and the control unit producing a control signal according to the sensing signal and the remaining capacity of the battery module, wherein the improvement comprising:

a linear charging circuit, receiving an output power of the sensing circuit and charging the battery module according the control signal.

2. The charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the linear charging circuit charges the battery module in a corresponding fast charging mode or a slow charging mode according to the control signal.

3. The charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit detects if the portable devices are in a sleep state or in a shutdown state, the control unit transmits the control signal to the linear charging circuit for controlling the linear charging circuit to charge the battery module in the fast charging mode.

4. The charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the linear charging circuit charges the battery module in the fast charging mode, if the remaining capacity of the battery module is detected to reach a threshold value by the linear charging circuit, the fast charging mode is switched to the slow charging mode for charging the battery module.

5. The charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the linear charging circuit comprises:

a charging switch, coupled between the power adapter and the battery module;

a linear controller, producing a first signal according to the control signal for controlling the charging switch to close/open, the output power of the power adapter charging the battery module in the fast charging mode by way of the charging switch when the charging switch is closed; and

a charging resistor, in parallel with the charging switch, the output power of the power adapter charging the battery module in the slow charging mode by way of the charging resistor when the charging switch is opened.

6. The charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein when the linear charging circuit charges the battery module in the fast charging mode, if the remaining capacity of the battery module is detected to reach a threshold value by the linear controller, the charging switch is opened.

7. The charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the charging switch is a transistor.

8. The charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the linear charging circuit further includes a protection circuit, receiving the output power and coupling to the charging switch, the linear controller, and the ground, the linear controller producing a second signal to control close/open of the protection circuit according to the difference between the power supply of the battery module and the output power.

9. The charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the linear charging circuit further includes a switching circuit, coupled between the charging switch and the battery module, the linear controller closing/opening the switching circuit according to the first signal.