Apparatus and method for controlling battery recharging and discharging in a portable terminal

• US 7,868,583 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeon, Jae-Hyoung, Lee, Byung-Kwan, Kim, Ji-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/864,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20080224654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling battery discharging in a portable terminal having a detachable external battery are provided. The method includes determining if the external battery has been connected with the portable terminal when the portable terminal is booted, receiving power from the external battery when the external battery is connected with the portable terminal and receiving power from an embedded battery of the portable terminal when the external battery has been completely discharged. Furthermore, in charging the batteries, the embedded battery of the portable terminal is first charged when battery charging current is input in a state that the external battery has been connected with the portable terminal, and the external battery is charged when the embedded battery has been completely charged. Power from the external battery is first used when a portable terminal assembled with the external battery is used, and an embedded battery is first charged in charging batteries. Therefore, the embedded battery capacity of the portable terminal can be maintained as much as possible. Furthermore, although the external battery is separated from the portable terminal during battery charging/discharging, the embedded battery capacity can be maintained as much as possible. As a result, even if only the embedded battery is used, a using time of the embedded battery can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to improve the user'"'"'s convenience.

Claims

1. A method for controlling battery discharging and recharging in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

determining if a detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal;

receiving power from the detachable external battery if the detachable external battery is connected with the portable terminal;

receiving power from an embedded battery of the portable terminal if the detachable external battery has been completely discharged; and

receiving power from the embedded battery if the detachable external battery is separated from the portable terminal during discharging of the detachable external battery.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining is performed when the portable terminal is booted.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

charging the embedded battery of the portable terminal when battery charging current is input in a state that the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal; and

charging the detachable external battery when the embedded battery is completely charged.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising outputting a message for notifying that a corresponding battery is being charged during the charging of at least one of the embedded battery and the external battery.

5. A method for controlling battery discharging in a portable terminal having a detachable external battery, the method comprising:

determining if the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal;

outputting a message prompting a user to select a priority in discharging the batteries if the detachable external battery is connected with the portable terminal; and

if one of the detachable external battery and an embedded battery of the portable terminal is selected by the user in response to the message, receiving power from the selected battery.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the determining is performed when the portable terminal is booted.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising receiving power from the embedded battery if the external battery is separated from the portable terminal during discharging in a case that the selected battery is the external battery.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the receiving of power comprises:

receiving power from the external battery if one of the embedded battery and the external battery is not selected during a time interval after the message is output; and

receiving power from the embedded battery if the external battery has been completely discharged.

9. An apparatus for controlling battery discharging in a portable terminal having a detachable external battery, the apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit for applying power supplied from at least one of the detachable external battery and an embedded battery of the portable terminal to the portable terminal;

a switching unit for switching power of the embedded battery or the detachable external battery so as to transfer the switched power to the power supply unit; and

a controller for determining if the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal, for applying power of the detachable external battery to the power supply unit through the switching unit if the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal, for applying power of the embedded battery to the power supply unit if the detachable external battery is completely discharged, and for applying power of the embedded battery to the power supply unit if the external battery is separated from the portable terminal while power of the external battery is applied to the power supply unit.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller determines if the detachable external battery has been connected when portable terminal is booted.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller outputs a message prompting a user to select a priority in discharging the batteries when the external battery is connected with the portable terminal while the portable terminal is booted.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein when one of the embedded battery and the external battery is selected by the user who has responded to the message, the controller applies power of the selected battery to the power supply unit.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein if the selected battery is the external battery, the controller applies power of the embedded battery to the power supply unit if the external battery is separated from the portable terminal during discharging.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein when one of the embedded battery and the external battery is not selected during a time interval after the message is output, the controller first applies power from the external battery to the power supply unit.

15. A method for controlling battery recharging in a portable terminal having a detachable external battery, the method comprising:

determining if the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal when battery charging current is input;

outputting a message prompting a user to select a priority in charging the batteries when the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal; and

if one of the detachable external battery and an embedded battery of the portable terminal is selected by a user in response to the message, charging the selected battery.

16. The method as clamed in claim 15, wherein the charging of the selected battery comprises charging the embedded battery if the external battery is separated from the portable terminal during charging if the selected battery is the external battery.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the charging of the selected battery comprises charging the embedded battery if one of the embedded battery and the external battery is not selected during a time interval after the message is output, and charging the external battery when the embedded battery is completely charged.

18. An apparatus for controlling battery recharging in a portable terminal having a detachable external battery, the apparatus comprising:

a charging unit for charging at least one of an embedded battery and the detachable external battery with current input from an external charger;

a controller for charging the embedded battery when battery charging current is input from the charger in a state that the detachable external battery has been connected with the portable terminal, for charging the detachable external battery when the embedded battery is completely charged, and for outputting a message notifying that at least one of the embedded battery and the detachable external battery is being charged.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller outputs a message prompting a user to select a priority in charging the batteries when the battery charging current is input in a state that the external battery has been connected with the portable terminal.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein when one of the external battery and the embedded battery is selected by the user in response to the message, the controller first charges the selected battery.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the controller charges the embedded battery when the external battery is separated from the portable terminal during charging in a case that the selected battery is the external battery.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein when one of the embedded battery and the external battery is not selected during a time interval after a message is output, the controller first charges the embedded battery and then charges the external battery when the embedded battery is completely charged.