Charging methods of detachable electronic devices

• US 9,184,604 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Chou, Ying-Tzu, Lee, Chun-Ta
• Primary Examiner(s): Parihar, Suchin
• Application Number:
  US14/073,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20140312854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 320/157
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first battery, a first charging unit, a first voltage adjustment unit, a power detection module, and a first control module. The first charging unit charges the first battery according to a supply voltage and a first charging enable signal. The first voltage adjustment unit outputs a first output voltage according to the supply voltage and a first battery voltage of the first battery. The power detection module generates a power consumption information according to the first output voltage. The first control module sets a charging time according to the supply voltage and the power consumption information, in which the first control module generates the first charging enable signal to control the first charging unit to charge the first battery according to the charging time.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first device, comprising;

a first battery;

a first charging unit, charging the first battery according to a supply voltage and a first charging enable signal;

a first voltage adjustment unit, outputting a first output voltage according to the supply voltage or a first battery voltage of the first battery;

a power detection module, generating a power consumption information according to the first output voltage; and

a first control module, setting a charging time according to the supply voltage and the power consumption information, wherein the first control module generates the first charging enable signal to control the first charging unit to charge the first battery according to the charging time.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a multiplexer selectively outputting the supply voltage or the first battery voltage to the first voltage adjustment unit, wherein the multiplexer outputs the supply voltage to the first voltage adjustment unit when the supply voltage is received, and the multiplexer outputs the first battery voltage to the first voltage adjustment unit when the supply voltage is not received.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a second device detachably engaging with the first device, comprising:

a second battery, outputting a second battery voltage;

a second charging unit, charging the second battery according to a second charging enable signal and the first output voltage; and

a second control module, outputting the second charging enable signal to control the second charging unit to charge the second battery according to the first output voltage and the charging time when the first device and the second device is engaged with each other.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first control module sets the charging time according to a lookup table, wherein the lookup table records the power consumption information and the charging time corresponding to the power consumption information.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first control module further detects the first battery information of the first battery, and the control module sets the charging time according to the supply voltage, the power consumption information, and the first battery information.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second control module further detects the second battery information of the second battery, and the first control module further sets the charging time according to the supply voltage, the power consumption information, the first battery information, and the second battery information.

7. A charging method, adopted in an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a first device which comprises a first battery, comprising:

determining whether a supply voltage has been provided;

charging the first battery according to the supply voltage when the supply voltage has been provided;

outputting a first output voltage according to the supply voltage;

generating a power consumption information according to the first output voltage by a power detection module;

setting the charging time according to the supply voltage and the power consumption information; and

charging the first battery according to the charging time.

8. The charging method of claim 7, wherein the first output voltage is outputted according to a first battery voltage of the first battery when the supply voltage has not been provided.

9. The charging method of claim 7, wherein the electronic device further comprises a second device which comprises a second battery, comprising:

detecting whether the second device is engaged with the first device;

charging the second battery according to the first output voltage and the charging time when the second device is engaged with the first device; and

not charging the second battery when the second device is disengaged from the first device.

10. The charging method of claim 9, wherein the charging time is set according to a lookup table which records the power consumption information and the charging time corresponding to the power consumption information.

11. The charging method of claim 10, further comprising detecting a first battery information of the first battery and setting the charging time according to the supply voltage, the power consumption information, and the first battery information.

12. The charging method of claim 11, further comprising detecting a second battery information of the second battery and setting the charging time according to the supply voltage, the power consumption information, the first battery information, and the second battery information.