Cradle charger controller with below ground level biasing
First Claim
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1. A cradle charging system, comprising:
- a charging cradle defining a space for receiving a battery of an electronic device;
a transformer charging circuitry for charging the battery in the electronic device, the transformer charging circuitry further comprising;
primary side circuitry for receiving a charging voltage;
secondary side circuitry for inductively coupling the charging voltage to the battery, wherein the secondary side circuitry provides a controlled output signal based on either constant voltage control or constant current control responsive to a charge level of the battery, wherein the secondary side circuitry has a negative voltage for a ground reference, wherein the secondary side circuitry has a negative voltage for a ground reference; and
a control circuit for generating the controlled output signal responsive to at least one of a sensed charging voltage to the battery and a sensed charging current to the battery, wherein the control circuit generates a voltage control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the sensed charging voltage and a reference voltage in a first mode of operation and wherein the control circuit generates a current control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the sensed charging current and the reference voltage in a second mode of operation.
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Abstract
A cradle charging system comprises a charging cradle defining a space for a battery of an electronic device. Transformer charging circuitry for charging the battery in the electronic device includes a primary side circuitry for receiving a charging voltage. Secondary side circuitry inductively couples the charging voltage to the battery. The secondary side circuitry provides a controlled output signal based on either constant voltage control or constant current control responsive to a charge level of the battery.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cradle charging system, comprising:
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a charging cradle defining a space for receiving a battery of an electronic device; a transformer charging circuitry for charging the battery in the electronic device, the transformer charging circuitry further comprising; primary side circuitry for receiving a charging voltage; secondary side circuitry for inductively coupling the charging voltage to the battery, wherein the secondary side circuitry provides a controlled output signal based on either constant voltage control or constant current control responsive to a charge level of the battery, wherein the secondary side circuitry has a negative voltage for a ground reference, wherein the secondary side circuitry has a negative voltage for a ground reference; and a control circuit for generating the controlled output signal responsive to at least one of a sensed charging voltage to the battery and a sensed charging current to the battery, wherein the control circuit generates a voltage control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the sensed charging voltage and a reference voltage in a first mode of operation and wherein the control circuit generates a current control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the sensed charging current and the reference voltage in a second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18)
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8. A cradle charging system, comprising:
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a charging cradle defining a space for receiving a battery of an electronic device; a transformer charging circuitry for charging the battery in the electronic device, the transformer charging circuitry further comprising; primary side circuitry for receiving a charging voltage; secondary side circuitry for inductively coupling the charging voltage to the battery, wherein the secondary side circuitry provides a controlled output signal based on either constant voltage control or constant current control responsive to a charge level of the battery wherein the secondary side circuitry has a negative voltage for a ground reference; and a control circuit for generating the controlled output signal responsive to a battery control signal indicating whether the battery is a one cell or a two cell battery and to either a monitored charging voltage of the battery or a monitored charging current of the battery, the control circuit further comprising; a first differential amplifier for sensing an output voltage to the battery; a second differential amplifier for sensing an output current to the battery; a first error amplifier for generating a voltage control signal responsive to the sensed output voltage of the first differential amplifier and a reference voltage; a second error amplifier for generating a current control signal responsive to the sensed output current of the second differential amplifier and the reference voltage; a first output driver for outputting the voltage control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to an enable signal at a first logical level; a second output driver for outputting the current control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the enable signal at the second logical level, and control logic for generating the enable signal at the second logical level when the output voltage is below a predetermine level and at the first logical level when the output voltage is above the predetermined level, wherein the predetermined level is established responsive to the battery control signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for charging a battery using a cradle charger circuit, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a charging voltage applied to the battery; monitoring a charging current applied to the battery;
generating a voltage control signal responsive to the monitored charging voltage and a reference voltage;generating a current control signal responsive to the monitored charging current and a reference voltage; outputting the voltage control signal as a control signal to a primary side of cradle charger circuit when the charging voltage is above a predetermined level; outputting the current control signal as the control signal to the primary side of cradle charger circuit when the charging voltage is below the predetermined level; controlling charging of the battery responsive to the control signal; and generating a negative voltage for a ground reference with respect to a negative battery terminal of a second side circuitry of a transformer circuit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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19. A control chip for controlling a secondary side of a transformer charging circuit, comprising:
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a battery voltage input for receiving a sensed charging voltage of a battery being charged by the transformer charging circuit; at least one current input for receiving a sensed charging current to the battery being charged by the transformer charging circuit; at least one control output for providing a controlled output signal; a control circuit for generating the controlled output signal to control the secondary side of a transformer charging circuit, the secondary side having a negative voltage for a ground reference, responsive to at least one of the sensed charging voltage to the battery and the sensed charging current to the battery, wherein the control circuit generates a voltage control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the sensed charging voltage and a reference voltage in a first mode of operation and wherein the control circuit generates a current control signal as the controlled output signal responsive to the sensed charging current and the reference voltage in a second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification