Portable battery charger

• US 9,093,855 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Powerstick.Com Inc.
• Original Assignee: Powerstick.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Zhu, Zuohang
• Primary Examiner(s): GARBOWSKI, LEIGH M
• Application Number:
  US13/473,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20130307464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A portable device charger is disclosed, which is able to charge portable devices whether it is connected to an external power supply or not. The charger connects to household AC power as well as USB DC power, and further has a photovoltaic cell. It manages the input power from these three sources to charge a portable device and/or recharge the charger'"'"'s battery, by supplementing the input power with battery power if the device demands more power than the input source, and charging the battery with remaining power if the device demands less power than is provided by the input source. The charger turns off the AC/DC converter and draws no power from the AC source if the battery is full and there is no attached device.

Claims

1. A portable charger for charging a device, the charger comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a battery contained within the housing and having a battery voltage;

(c) an output power connector for providing output power to a device;

(d) an input source for providing power at a system voltage, comprising

(i) a DC power input at the system voltage, and

(ii) an AC power input having an AC/DC converter to convert AC to DC power at the system voltage;

(f) a power path controller connected to the input source, for controlling input power; and

(g) a power multiplexer connected between the power path controller and an output power connector, configured to control output power, wherein the power path controller directs the power from the input source to the output power connector and the battery simultaneously, which power path controller directs at least some of the power from the input source to the output power connector when a device is connected to the output power connector; and

wherein the power multiplexer directs power simultaneously from the power path controller and the battery to the output power connector.

2. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the input source further comprises a photovoltaic panel.

3. The portable charger of claim 2, further comprising a power point controller between the PV panel and the battery, wherein the power point controller directs power from the photovoltaic panel to the battery unless a device is connected to the output power connector wherein the power point controller directs the power from the PV panel to the device.

4. The portable charger of claim 2, wherein the PV panel is auxiliary and connected through the USB power input.

5. The portable charger of claim 1, further comprising a DC/DC converter between the battery and the output power connector for converting the battery voltage to the system voltage, wherein when a device is connected to the output power connector and the device demands further output power than is provided by the input source the output power is supplemented by the battery.

6. The portable charger of claim 1, further comprising a battery charger between the input source and the battery for controlling the current and voltage provided to the battery wherein if the input source provides more power than the device demands, remaining power is directed by the power path controller to the battery charger to charge the battery.

7. The portable charger of claim 6, wherein if a current draw from the AC/DC converter is above a threshold, the AC/DC converter produces an overcurrent signal for the battery charger to reduce a current draw of the battery charger.

8. The portable charger of claim 6, wherein the battery charger is turned off if the voltage, current or temperature is outside of an acceptable range, to protect the battery.

9. The portable charger of claim 8, further comprising a microcontroller configured to monitor the voltage, current or temperature of the battery, and control the battery charger.

10. The portable charger of claim 1, further comprising a USB controller for transmitting data between the portable charger and the device.

11. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein if the battery cannot receive any charge and no device is connected, the AC/DC converter is turned off to save power from an AC source.

12. The portable charger of claim 1, wherein the power path controller directs at least some of the power having a power voltage from the input source to the output power connector without reducing the power voltage to the battery voltage.

13. A method of charging a device battery, comprising the steps of

(a) connecting a DC input source and an AC input source to a charger for providing input power;

(b) connecting a device to the charger;

(c) charging a device battery of the device with input power from the charger;

(e) a multiplexer providing an overcurrent signal when the device battery demands exceed the input power; and

(f) multiplexing output power with power from a charger battery when an overcurrent signal is provided.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

(f) directing remaining power to charge the battery when the input source provides more power than the device demands.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising the further step of:

(f) producing an overcurrent signal for the battery charger to reduce the current draw of the battery charger when the current draw is above a threshold.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

(f) turning off an AC/DC converter when the battery cannot receive a charge and no device is connected to an output power connector.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

(a) receiving excess power in the charger battery when the device demands less power than is provided by the input source.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving comprises the step of receiving power from a photovoltaic panel, and wherein the step of directing comprises the steps of directing the PV panel power to the device when the device is connected;

and directing the PV panel power to charge the battery when no device is connected.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the PV panel is an auxiliary PV panel connected to the USB input.

20. A method of charging a device battery, comprising the steps of

(a) connecting one or more input power sources to a charger for providing input power;

(b) connecting a device to the charger;

(c) charging a device battery of the device with input power from the charger;

(d) a multiplexer providing an overcurrent signal when the device battery demands exceed the input power; and

(e) multiplexing output power with power from a charger battery when an overcurrent signal is provided.