Dual-mode charger circuit

• US 8,269,467 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambit Microsystems Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ambit Microsystems Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Rong, Liu, Jian-Jun, Yan, Feng-Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US12/685,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 320/153
• US Class Current: 320/153
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A dual-mode charger circuit includes a first charge circuit and a second charge circuit connected in parallel between a power source and a battery, to charge the battery under a slow charge mode and a quick charge mode. A central processing unit detects a capacity of the battery and determines whether the detected capacity exceeds a predetermined capacity, and outputs a mode control signal according to the determination. A mode switch circuit switches the second charger circuit on/off according to the mode control signal. When the second charge circuit is off, the battery is charged under the slow charge mode, and when the second charge circuit is on, the battery is charged under the quick charge mode.

Claims

1. A dual-mode charger circuit to charge a battery, comprising:

a first charge circuit connected between a power source and the battery, to provide a first charge path;

a second charge circuit connected in parallel with the first charge circuit, to provide a second charge path;

a central processing unit connected to the battery, to detect a capacity of the battery and determine whether the detected capacity exceeds a predetermined capacity, and to output a mode control signal according to the determination; and

a mode switch circuit connected between the central processing unit and the second charger circuit, to switch the second charger circuit on/off according to the mode control signal;

wherein each of the first and second charge circuits comprises;

a first resistor;

a first transistor comprising a control end connected to the power source via the first resistor, and a first output connected to the power source directly;

a second transistor with a control end connected to a second output of the first transistor, a first output connected to the control end of the first transistor, and a second output connected to the battery; and

a second resistor connected to the control end of the second transistor;

wherein the second transistor and the second resistor form a bias circuit of the first transistor, to provide a bias voltage to the first transistor to turn the first transistor on consistently, when the mode switch circuit switches the second charge circuit off, the battery is charged only through the first charge path under a slow charge mode of the dual-mode charger circuit, and when the mode switch circuit switches the second charge circuit on, the battery is charged through both the first charge path and the second charge path under a quick charge mode of the dual-mode charger circuit.

2. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mode switch circuit comprises a third transistor with a control end connected to the central processing unit, a first output grounded and a second output connected to the control end of the second transistor of the second charge circuit via the second resistor of the second charge circuit, to switch the second charger circuit on/off according to the mode control signal.

3. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor of the first charge circuit or the second charge circuit are pnp transistors, and the third transistor of the mode switch circuit is a npn transistor, wherein the control end is a base, the first output is an emitter and the second output is a collector.

4. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature detection circuit connected to the central processing unit, to detect a temperature of the battery and output the result to the central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit outputs a temperature protection signal according to the detected temperature.

5. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the temperature protection circuit comprises:

a third resistor; and

a temperature detection resistor connected with the third resistor in series between another power source and ground and disposed close to the battery, to detect the temperature of the battery;

wherein a junction of the third resistor and the temperature detection resistor is connected to the central processing unit.

6. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a fourth resistor; and

a fifth resistor connected with the fourth resistor in series between the power source and the mode switch circuit, to divide a voltage of the power source;

wherein a junction of the fourth resistor and the fifth resistor is connected to the central processing unit to pull up a direct current level of the temperature protection signal in order to precisely control mode switch circuit.

7. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth resistor; and

a fifth resistor connected with the fourth resistor in series between the power source and the mode switch circuit, to divide a voltage of the power source;

wherein a junction of the fourth resistor and the fifth resistor is connected to the central processing unit to pull up a direct current level of the mode control signal in order to precisely control mode switch circuit.

8. A dual-mode charger circuit to charge a battery, comprising:

a first charge circuit connected between a power source and the battery, to provide a first charge path;

a second charge circuit connected in parallel with the first charge circuit, to provide a second charge path;

a central processing unit connected to the battery, to detect a capacity of the battery and determine whether the detected capacity exceeds a predetermined capacity, and to output a mode control signal according to the determination; and

a mode switch circuit connected between the central processing unit and the second charger circuit, to switch the second charger circuit on/off according to the mode control signal; and

a temperature detection circuit connected to the central processing unit, to detect a temperature of the battery and output the result to the central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit outputs a temperature protection signal according to the detected temperature;

wherein when the mode switch circuit switches the second charge circuit off, the battery is charged only through the first charge path under a slow charge mode of the dual-mode charger circuit, and when the mode switch circuit switches the second charge circuit on, the battery is charged through both the first charge path and the second charge path under a quick charge mode of the dual-mode charger circuit.

9. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the temperature protection circuit comprises:

a third resistor; and

a temperature detection resistor connected with the third resistor in series between another power source and ground and disposed close to the battery, to detect the temperature of the battery;

wherein a junction of the third resistor and the temperature detection resistor is connected to the central processing unit.

10. The dual-mode charger circuit as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a fourth resistor; and

a fifth resistor connected with the fourth resistor in series between the power source and the mode switch circuit, to divide a voltage of the power source;

wherein a junction of the fourth resistor and the fifth resistor is connected to the central processing unit to pull up a direct current level of the temperature protection signal in order to precisely control mode switch circuit.