Multiport USB charger

• US 9,496,726 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Frid, Eugene, Ostrovsky, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Boateng, Alexis A
• Application Number:
  US14/275,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20150035476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/107, 320/111, 320/112, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 320/110, 320/132, 320/135, 320/134, 320/137, 320/138, 320/141, 307/11, 307/151, 307/80, 363/146, 439/535, 439/536, 439/651, 439/956
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/516 Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing , hoods
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6666 with built-in overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A universal serial bus charging device for charging connected electronic devices is presented. The universal serial bus includes a microprocessor and a power supply configured to output a total charging current. The universal serial bus charging device further includes a plurality of low voltage ports in communication with the microprocessor and electrically coupled to the power supply. Each of the plurality of low voltage ports are capable of connecting with the electronic devices and providing the electronic devices a device charging current. The microprocessor is configured to enumerate the connected electronic devices and communicate to each of the enumerated electronic devices the device charging current available through its respective low voltage port connection. The available device charging current for each enumerated electronic device is determined by the microprocessor as a function of a total charging current and the enumerated electronic devices.

Claims

1. A universal serial bus charging device for charging connected electronic devices, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a power supply configured to output a total charging current; and

a plurality of low voltage ports in communication with the microprocessor and electrically coupled to the power supply, each of the plurality of low voltage ports being capable of connecting with the electronic devices and providing the electronic devices a device charging current,

wherein the microprocessor is configured to enumerate the connected electronic devices and communicate to each of the enumerated electronic devices the device charging current available through its respective low voltage port connection,

wherein the available device charging current for each enumerated electronic device is determined by the microprocessor as a function of the total charging current and the enumerated electronic device, and

wherein each of the enumerated electronic devices self-regulates how much of the available device charging current to draw.

2. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 1, wherein, as one or more of the electronic devices are connected/disconnected from the plurality of low voltage ports, the microprocessor is configured to re-enumerate the connected electronic devices and communicate to each of the re-enumerated electronic devices a redetermined device charging current available through its respective low voltage port connection.

3. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 2, wherein the available redetermined device charging current for each re-enumerated electronic device is determined by the microprocessor as a function of the total charging current and the re-enumerated electronic devices.

4. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to continuously re-enumerate and redetermine as one or more of the electronic devices are connected/disconnected to/from the plurality of low voltage ports.

5. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of low voltage ports include a microchip which is connected to a resistive voltage divider network.

6. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 5, wherein the resistive voltage divider network includes a first resistive branch including at least one resistor and a second resistive branch including at least three resistors.

7. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 6, wherein logic circuitry associated with the first resistive branch is configured to ensure that the current does not exceed a maximum current threshold.

8. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 6, wherein logic circuitry associated with the second resistive branch is configured to ensure that the current does not fall below a minimum current threshold.

9. The universal serial bus charging device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to measure voltage of the power supply of the universal serial bus charging device such that if a voltage output of the power supply falls below a nominal value, the microprocessor either disconnects one or more of the plurality of low voltage ports or switches to a disconnect mode.

10. A multiport universal serial bus charging device for charging connected electronic devices, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a power supply configured to output a total charging current; and

a plurality of low voltage ports each in communication with the microprocessor and electrically coupled to the power supply,

wherein the microprocessor is configured to enumerate the connected electronic devices and communicate to each of the enumerated electronic devices a device charging current available through its respective low voltage port connection, and

wherein each of the enumerated electronic devices self-regulates how much of the available device charging current to draw.

11. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 10, wherein each of the low voltage ports of the plurality of low voltage ports includes a microchip connected to a respective resistive voltage divider network.

12. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 11, wherein the respective resistive voltage divider networks include a first resistive branch including at least one resistor and a second resistive branch including at least three resistors.

13. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 12, wherein the device charging current is a current measured along the second resistive branch of the respective voltage divider networks.

14. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 12, wherein logic circuitry associated with the first resistive branch of the respective voltage divider networks is configured to ensure that the current does not exceed a maximum threshold.

15. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 12, wherein logic circuitry associated with the second resistive branch of the respective voltage divider networks is configured to ensure that the current does not fall below a minimum threshold.

16. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 10, wherein the power supply is configured to provide ten (10) watts of power and two (2) amps of charging current.

17. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of low voltage ports includes first and second low voltage ports, each of the first and second low voltage ports capable of providing one (1) amp of charging current to electronic devices attached thereto.

18. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 10, wherein the power supply is configured to provide twenty (20) watts of power and four (4) amps of charging current.

19. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of low voltage ports includes first, second, third, and fourth low voltage ports, each of the first, second, third, and fourth low voltage ports capable of providing one (1) amp of charging current to electronic devices attached thereto.

20. The multiport universal serial bus charging device according to claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to measure voltage of the power supply of the multiport universal serial bus charging device such that if a voltage output of the power supply increases above the specified range the microprocessor either disconnects one of the plurality of low voltage ports or switches to a disconnect mode.

21. A method for charging multiple portable devices attached to a multiport universal serial bus charging device, the method comprising:

comparing a charging current draw from the multiple portable devices attached to the multiport universal serial bus charging device with a maximum charging current capacity of the multiport universal serial bus charging device; and

if the combined charging current draw from the multiple portable devices is greater than the maximum charging current capacity of the multiport universal serial bus charging device, renegotiating the charging current draw of at least one of the portable devices so that the combined charging current draw from the multiple portable devices does not exceed the maximum charging current capacity of the multiport universal serial bus charging device,

wherein each of the multiple portable devices self-regulates how much current to draw from the multiport universal serial bus charging device.