Multi-purpose battery charging circuit

• US 8,310,207 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ST-Ericcson SA (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: ST-Ericcson SA (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: De Cremoux, Guillaume
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/063,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,290 Days
• Field of Search: 320/137
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration able to be selectively in a simple charge mode when intended for low-end solutions (option 3) or in a charge-and-play mode when intended for medium- and high-end solutions (options 1 and 2 respectively), while maintaining the supply voltage of any portable and mobile electronic devices with an acceptable noise level. The selection will be made possible by the use of multiplexers (MUX1, MUX2). If the option 1 is chosen, the bi-directional switching device (210) will be controlled by a driver circuit (340) for allowing the current which flows through it towards the battery (20) to strongly increase and thereby maintaining the voltage across the circuitry (10) at a value slightly greater than the voltage across the battery (20). If the option 2 is chosen, the synchronous step-down voltage regulator (310) comprising at least the driver circuit (350) and the switching devices (200, 230) will track the voltages across the circuitry (10) and the battery (20) for regulating the voltage across the circuitry (10) at a value in the vicinity of the voltage across the battery (20). If the option 3 is chosen, the battery (20) which cannot be separated from the circuitry (10) will be in a simple charge mode while being charged through the switching device (210).

Claims

1. A multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration configured to be selectively configurable in a charge-and-play mode that is configured to operate a circuit that is separated from an associated battery and simultaneously charge the battery or operate in a simple charge mode to charge the battery coupled to the circuit, the multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration comprising:

a first switching means coupled between a first node and a fourth node;

a bi-directional switching means coupled between a second node and a third node, the bi-directional switching means configured to allow a current flowing from the second node towards the third node to be reverted in order to flow from the third node towards the second node, the bi-directional switching means comprising a semiconductor switching device configured to be controlled by a fourth driver means, wherein the driver means is configured to allow the current flowing from the second node towards the third node to be increased;

a first multiplexing means configured to select a driver means from among at least a first, a second, and a third driver means, the selected driver means configured to control the first switching means;

a second multiplexing means configured to select the second driver means when the first multiplexing means selects the second driver means, the second driver means configured to control a second switching means coupled to the fourth node, and to deactivate the second driver means when the first multiplexing means selects the first driver means or the third driver means, wherein the current is configured to flow through an external energy storage means when the first multiplexing means selects the second driver means, or a short-circuit means when the first multiplexing means selects the first driver means or the third driver means, the external energy storage means or the short-circuit means being coupled between the fourth node and the second node; and

a voltage regulator means comprising at least the first switching means, the second switching means, and the second driver means.

2. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein the selected first driver means includes a first input and a second input, the first input coupled to the first node and the second input coupled to a first reference voltage, the first switching means configured to be switched off when the first input has a voltage potential greater than the second input.

3. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein the selected third driver means includes a first input and a second input, the first input coupled to the second node and the second input coupled to a second reference voltage, the first switching means configured to be switched off when the first input has a voltage potential greater than the second input.

4. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator means comprises a DC-DC controller means comprising a switched operating mode, and a step-down DC-DC controller.

5. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 4, wherein the external energy storage means comprises at least one of an inductor and a coil.

6. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein any one of the driver means comprises a combined digital and analog controller means.

7. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein the first switching means comprises at least one of a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, a bipolar junction transistor, and any other controllable semiconductor switching device.

8. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein a second switching means is configured to be controlled by the driver means that is coupled in anti-series between the first switching means and the fourth node.

9. The multi-purpose battery charging circuit configuration according to claim 1, wherein the multi-purpose battery charging circuit comprises an integrated circuit made from a single silicon implementation.

10. A multi-purpose battery charging method for selectively providing a charge-and-play mode in which a circuit is operated that is separated from an associated battery while the battery is simultaneously charged, or a simple charge mode in which the battery that is coupled to the circuit is charged, the multi-purpose battery charging method comprising:

regulating the voltage of a second node, which is coupled to the circuit, using a first switching means coupled between a first node and a fourth node, the first node being coupled to a power supply means;

allowing a current flowing from the second node towards a third node to be reverted in order to flow from the third node towards the second node, the third node being coupled to the battery, the reverting being controlled by a fourth driver means, wherein the fourth driver means is configured to allow the current flowing from the second node towards the third node to be increased;

selecting, by using a first multiplexing means, a driver means from among at least a first, a second, and a third driver means, the selected driver means configured to control the first switching means;

when the first multiplexing means selects the second driver means, selecting, by using a second multiplexing means, the second driver means, the second driver means configured to control a second switching means coupled to the fourth node;

when the first multiplexing means selects the first driver means or the third driver means, deactivating the second driver means; and

when the first multiplexing means selects the second driver means, getting the current to flow through an external energy storage means, or a short-circuit means when the first multiplexing means selects the first driver means or the third driver means, the external energy storage means or the short-circuit means being coupled between the fourth node and the second node,

wherein the regulating the voltage of the second node being performed by a voltage regulator means comprising at least the first switching means, the second switching means, and the second driver means.

11. A multi-purpose battery charging method according to claim 10, wherein the first driver means includes a first input and a second input, the first input coupled to the first node and the second input coupled to a first reference voltage, the method further comprising switching off the first switching means when the first input has a voltage potential greater than the second input.

12. A multi-purpose battery charging method according to claim 10, wherein the third driver means includes a first input and a second input, the first input coupled to the second node and the second input coupled to a second reference voltage, the method further comprising switching off the first switching means when the first input has a voltage potential greater than the second input.