Method and system for detecting power supply source electrical current capacity
First Claim
1. A method for determining a power supply electrical current capacity, the method comprising:
- performing the following with a processor;
placing an operating circuit into an operating mode that causes the operating circuit to have a determined electrical current consumption;
configuring a charging circuit to provide a maximum charging current to a power pack, wherein the charging circuit is electrically connected in parallel with the operating circuit;
receiving from a current meter, subsequent to the configuring, a measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack, wherein the current meter is electrically connected in series with the power pack;
calculating, subsequent to the receiving, a fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by an external power supply,the fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being a maximum output electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply in any configuration of the external power supply,the calculating the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply comprising calculating a sum of the determined electrical current consumption and the measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack;
detecting the operating circuit is in a second operating mode;
determining that the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply; and
configuring, in response to determining the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply, a charging circuit of an electronic device to supply the operating circuits with power from both the power pack and the external power supply.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining a power supply electrical current capacity. In one example, an operating circuit is placed into an operating mode that causes the operating circuit to have a determined electrical current consumption. A charging circuit that is electrically connected in parallel with the operating circuit is configured to provide a maximum charging current to a power pack. After configuring the charging circuit, a value of a measured charging current provided to the power pack is received. After receiving the value of the measured charging current, an electrical current supply capacity value of the external power supply is determined as a function of the determined electrical current consumption and the value of the measured charging current.
31 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for determining a power supply electrical current capacity, the method comprising:
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performing the following with a processor; placing an operating circuit into an operating mode that causes the operating circuit to have a determined electrical current consumption; configuring a charging circuit to provide a maximum charging current to a power pack, wherein the charging circuit is electrically connected in parallel with the operating circuit; receiving from a current meter, subsequent to the configuring, a measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack, wherein the current meter is electrically connected in series with the power pack; calculating, subsequent to the receiving, a fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by an external power supply, the fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being a maximum output electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply in any configuration of the external power supply, the calculating the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply comprising calculating a sum of the determined electrical current consumption and the measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; detecting the operating circuit is in a second operating mode; determining that the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply; and configuring, in response to determining the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply, a charging circuit of an electronic device to supply the operating circuits with power from both the power pack and the external power supply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for determining a power supply electrical current capacity, the apparatus comprising:
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an operating circuit; a charging circuit electrically connectable to a power pack and electrically connected in parallel with the operating circuit, the charging circuit switchably configurable to supply power to the operating circuit from the power pack; an electrical current measurement device electrically connected in series with the power pack and measuring electrical current flowing into the power pack; an external power connection detachably connecting to an external power supply, the external power connection being electrically connected to and supplying power to the operating circuit and the charging circuit; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the operating circuit and the charging circuit, the controller configured to; place the operating circuit into an operating mode, the operating circuit having a determined electrical current consumption while operating in the operating mode; configure the charging circuit to provide a maximum charging current to the power pack; receive, from the electrical current measurement device subsequent to the configuring, a measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; and calculate, subsequent to the receiving, a fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by an external power supply, the fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being a maximum output electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply in any configuration of the external power supply, the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being calculated as a sum of the determined electrical current consumption and the measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; detect that the operating circuit is in a second operating mode, determine that the operating circuit has an electrical current consumption in the second operating mode that is greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply; and configure, in response to determining the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption in the second operating mode that is greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply, the power supply to supply power to the operating circuits from both the power pack and the external power supply. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product for determining a power supply electrical current capacity, the computer program product comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for; placing an operating circuit into an operating mode, the operating circuit having a determined electrical current consumption while operating in the operating mode; and configuring a charging circuit to provide a maximum charging current to a power pack, the charging circuit being electrically connected in parallel with the operating circuit; receiving from a current meter, subsequent to the configuring, a measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack, wherein the current meter is electrically connected in series with the power pack; and calculating, subsequent to the receiving, a fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by an external power supply, the fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being a maximum output electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply in any configuration of the external power supply, the calculating the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply comprising calculating a sum of the determined electrical current consumption and the measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; detecting that the operating circuit is in a second operating mode; determining that the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply; and configuring, in response to determining the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply, a charging circuit of an electronic device to supply the operating circuits with power from both the power pack and the external power supply. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A power supply circuit that determines a power supply electrical current capacity, the power supply circuit comprising:
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a power supply output to supply electrical current to an external operating circuit; a charging circuit electrically connectable to a power pack and electrically connected in parallel with the power supply output, the charging circuit switchably configurable to supply power to the operating circuit from the power pack; an electrical current measurement device electrically connected in series with the power pack and measuring electrical current flowing into the power pack; an external power connection detachably connecting to an external power supply, the external power connection being electrically connected to and supplying power to the power supply output and the charging circuit; an operating circuit control interface connecting to the operating circuit to exchange configuration commands with the operating circuit; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the operating circuit control interface and the charging circuit, the controller configured to; place the operating circuit into an operating mode, the operating circuit having a determined electrical current consumption while operating in the operating mode; and configure the charging circuit to provide a maximum charging current to the power pack; receive, from the electrical current measurement device subsequent to the configuring, a measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; and calculate, subsequent to the receiving, a fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by an external power supply, the fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being a maximum output electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply in any configuration of the external power supply, the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being calculated as a sum of the determined electrical current consumption and the measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; detect that the operating circuit is in a second operating mode; determine that the operating circuit has an electrical current consumption in the second operating mode that is greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply; and configure, in response to determining the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption in the second operating mode that is greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply, the power supply to supply power to the operating circuits from both the power pack and the external power supply. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A portable electronic device that determines a power supply electrical current capacity, the portable electronic device comprising:
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an operating circuit; a power pack; a charging circuit electrically connected to the power pack and electrically connected in parallel with the operating circuit, the charging circuit switchably configurable to supply power to the operating circuit from the power pack; an electrical current measurement device electrically connected in series with the power pack and measuring electrical current flowing into the power pack; an external power connection detachably connecting to an external power supply, the external power connection being electrically connected to and supplying power to the operating circuit and the charging circuit; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the operating circuit and the charging circuit, the controller configured to; place the operating circuit into an operating mode, the operating circuit having a determined electrical current consumption while operating in the operating mode; configure the charging circuit to provide a maximum charging current to the power pack; receive, from the electrical current measurement device subsequent to the configuring, a measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; and calculate, subsequent to the receiving, a fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by an external power supply, the fixed maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being a maximum output electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply in any configuration of the external power supply, the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply being calculated as a sum of the determined electrical current consumption and the measured value of charging current flowing through the power pack; detect that the operating circuit is in a second operating mode; determine that the operating circuit has an electrical current consumption in the second operating mode that is greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply; and configure, in response to determining the second operating mode has an electrical current consumption in the second operating mode that is greater than the maximum electrical current able to be produced by the external power supply, the power supply to supply power to the operating circuits from both the power pack and the external power supply. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification