Method and apparatus for controlling charging of secondary battery

• US 9,209,645 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kam, Jae-Woo, Eo, Yoon-Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun
• Application Number:
  US13/830,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20140132202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus for controlling charging of a secondary battery. The apparatus includes a receiving unit, a sensing unit and a charging controller. The receiving unit receives a full-charge time of the secondary battery from a user terminal. The sensing unit monitors a charging state of the secondary battery. The charging controller controls charging of the secondary battery, using the full-charge time and the charging state. Accordingly, the charging of a secondary battery is controlled to be completed at a full-charge time desired by a user, thereby preventing deterioration of the secondary battery.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling charging of a secondary battery, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a full-charge time of the secondary battery from a user terminal;

a sensing unit configured to monitor a charging state of the secondary battery; and

a charging controller configured to control charging of the secondary battery according to the full-charge time and the charging state;

a remaining time calculator configured to calculate a remaining time as a time remaining from when the full-charge time is received to the full-charge time; and

a full-charge time calculator configured to calculate a time to full of the secondary battery according to the charging state of the secondary battery and an intensity of a current applied to the secondary battery,

wherein the charging controller is configured to control the current applied to the secondary battery so that the charging of the secondary battery is completed at the full-charge time,

wherein, when an external power source is not coupled to the user terminal when the full-charge time is received, the remaining time calculator is configured to calculate the remaining time as a time remaining from when the external power source is coupled to the user terminal to the full-charge time,

wherein, when a difference between the remaining time and the time to full is less than a set value, the charging controller is configured to supply the current to the secondary battery, and

wherein, when a difference between the remaining time and the time to full is greater than a set value, the charging controller is configured to supply the current to the secondary battery after a time corresponding to the difference between the remaining time and the time to full elapses.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the remaining time is greater than the time to full, the charging controller is configured to control the intensity of the current supplied to the secondary battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the full-charge time is an alarm time set by a user in the user terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging state comprises at least one of a full-charge capacity of the secondary battery, a discharging capacity of the secondary battery, or a remaining time of the secondary battery.

5. A method for controlling charging of a secondary battery, the method comprising:

receiving a full-charge time of the secondary battery from a user terminal;

monitoring a charging state of the secondary battery; and

controlling charging of the secondary battery according to the full-charge time and the charging state;

calculating a remaining time as a time remaining from when the full-charge time is received to the full-charge time,

calculating a time to full of the secondary battery according to the charging state of the secondary battery and an intensity of a current applied to the secondary battery,

wherein the controlling of the charging of the secondary battery comprises controlling the current applied to the secondary battery so that the charging of the secondary battery is completed at the full-charge time,

wherein, when an external power source is not coupled to the user terminal when the full-charge time is received, the calculating of the remaining time comprises calculating the remaining time as a time remaining from when the external power source is coupled to the user terminal to the full-charge time,

wherein, when a difference between the remaining time and the time to full is less than a set value, the controlling of the charging of the secondary battery comprises supplying the current to the secondary battery, and

wherein, when the difference between the remaining time and the time to full is greater than the set value, the controlling of the charging of the secondary battery comprises supplying the current to the secondary battery after a time corresponding to the difference between the remaining time and the time to full elapses.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, when the remaining time is greater than the time to full, the controlling of the charging of the secondary battery comprises controlling the intensity of the current applied to the secondary battery.