Battery charging and discharging by using a bi-directional transistor

• US 7,759,907 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ferguson, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US12/434,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 320/110, 320/163, 320/164, 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/164
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A battery charger for an electronic device receives current limited power from an external power source, such as a Universal Serial Bus power interface. The battery charger can linearly regulate a charging current to an internal battery and limit the charging current so as not to demand current in excess of what the external power source can provide. A bi-directional pass element coupled between a system power terminal and the internal battery controls the charging current and effectively isolates the internal battery from a system load during charging of the battery while providing a low impedance path from the internal battery to the system load during discharging of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a first input configured to accept DC power from an AC adapter;

a second input configured to accept DC power from a Universal Serial Bus power interface;

a first output configured to provide power to a system load;

a second output configured for connection to a battery;

a first isolation circuit coupled in series between the first input and the first output to prevent current flow in a reverse direction to the first input;

a second isolation circuit and a current sensing circuit coupled in series between the second input and the first output, wherein the second isolation circuit is connected in parallel with the first isolation circuit to the first output, and wherein the second isolation circuit prevents current flow in a reverse direction to the second input, and the current sensing circuit measures the current flow from the Universal Serial Bus power interface;

a bi-directional pass element coupled between the first output and the second output, wherein the bi-directional pass element conducts a charging current in a first direction to the second output during charging of the battery and conducts a discharging current to a second direction from the second output during discharging of the battery; and

a charging controller configured to linearly regulate the charging current of the bi-directional pass element based on the current flow from the Universal Serial Bus power interface measured by the current sensing circuit, wherein the current sensing circuit does not measure current provided by the AC adapter when the AC adapter is connected to the first input terminal.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, further comprising a current limiting circuit coupled between the Universal Serial Bus power interface and the second input.

3. The battery charger of claim 1, further comprising:

a first bypass transistor coupled across the first isolation circuit; and

a second bypass transistor coupled across the second isolation circuit, wherein the first bypass transistor and the second bypass transistor are selectively enabled to couple an output of the AC adapter or an output of the Universal Serial Bus power interface to the first output.

4. A battery charger comprising:

a dual input source selector with a first input coupled to a primary power source that provides DC power from an AC power source and a second input coupled to a secondary power source that provides DC power from a Universal Serial Bus power interface, wherein the dual input source selector selectively couples the primary power source or the secondary power source to a system power terminal of an electronic device;

a current sensor coupled in series between the secondary power source and the system power terminal to measure a supply current from the secondary power source, wherein the current sensor is not coupled to the primary power source; and

a battery controller coupled between the system power terminal and a battery of the electronic device, wherein a bi-directional device in the battery controller conducts a charging current in a first direction from the system power terminal to the battery during charging of the battery and conducts a discharging current in a second direction from the battery to the system power terminal during discharging of the battery, wherein the battery controller is configured to regulate the charging current based on the current flow from the secondary power source measured by the current sensing circuit, and wherein the current sensing circuit does not measure the current flow from the primary power source.

5. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the primary power source is provided by an AC adapter and the secondary power source is provided by the Universal Serial Bus power interface.

6. The battery charger of claim 4, further comprising a current limiter coupled between the secondary power source and the second input to ensure that the supply current is less than a predetermined level.

7. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the battery controller automatically enters a discharge mode when the supply current exceeds a predefined level.

8. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the dual input source selector automatically disconnects the secondary power source from the system power terminal when power is available from the primary power source.

9. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the battery controller linearly regulates the charging current and limits the charging current to ensure that the supply current is less than a reference level.

10. The battery charger of claim 9, wherein the reference level is selectable from a plurality of predefined limits.

11. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the bi-directional device fully disconnects the battery from the system power terminal during a disable mode.

12. A battery controller comprising:

a bi-directional pass element coupled between a system power terminal and a battery terminal, wherein the system power terminal is alternately connected to DC power from an AC power source and DC power from a Universal Serial Bus power interface;

a current sensor coupled in series between the Universal Serial Bus power source and the system power terminal to measure a supply current from the Universal Serial Bus power interface, wherein the current sensor is not coupled to the AC power source;

a battery control loop that senses a voltage difference between the system power terminal and the battery terminal, wherein the battery control loop outputs a feedback control signal based on the voltage difference; and

a pass element driver that accepts the feedback control signal, wherein the pass element driver configures the bi-directional pass element to conduct a charging current in a first direction when the voltage of the system power terminal wherein the battery controller is configured to regulate the charging current based on the current flow from the Universal Serial Bus power interface measured by the current sensing circuit, and wherein the current sensing circuit does not measure current from the AC power source, and wherein the battery controller is configured to conduct a discharging current in an opposite direction when the voltage of the system power terminal is less than the voltage of the battery terminal.

13. The battery controller of claim 12, wherein the bi-directional pass element is a P-channel enhancement mode MOSFET with a source terminal coupled to the system power terminal and a drain terminal coupled to the battery terminal.

14. The battery controller of claim 12, wherein the bi-directional pass element is a MOSFET with a configurable body contact.

15. The battery controller of claim 12, wherein the bi-directional pass element is a P-channel enhancement mode MOSFET with a configurable body contact, wherein the body contact is coupled to the system power terminal during a charging mode, and wherein the body contact is coupled to the battery terminal during a discharging mode.

16. The battery controller of claim 15, further comprising a comparator coupled across the bi-directional pass element to sense the voltage polarity of the bi-directional pass element and to connect the body contact accordingly.

17. The battery controller of claim 15, further comprising a switching diode coupled across the bi-directional pass element to assist in a transient response of the battery.

18. The battery controller of claim 15, wherein the body contact connects to a channel terminal with a relatively higher voltage during a shutdown mode to prevent current flow in a body diode and thereby fully disconnecting the battery from the system power terminal.

19. The battery controller of claim 12, wherein the charging current is linearly regulated.

20. The battery controller of claim 12, wherein the pass element driver controls a gate voltage with respect to a body terminal of the bi-directional pass element to control the level of the charging current or the discharging current.

21. The battery controller of claim 12, wherein power is selectively provided to the system power terminal by an AC adapter or the Universal Serial Bus power interface.

22. The battery controller of claim 21, further comprising:

a current sensor that outputs a current sense voltage indicative of the level of current supplied by the Universal Serial Bus power interface to the system power terminal; and

an error amplifier that compares the current sense voltage to a reference level and override;

the feedback control signal to reduce the charging current when the current sense voltage exceeds the reference level.