Electronic device state detection for zero power charger control, systems and methods

• US 9,805,890 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Doljack, Frank Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US13/662,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20130207455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91, 307 18, 307 29, 307 43, 307130
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/00 Switches operated by change of a physical condition operated by change of magnetic or electric field H01H36/00; thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/007 Detection of the absence of a load

Abstract

A charger appliance configured to determine a no-load, disconnected state from an electronic device having a rechargeable battery, and configured to determine a connected state of the charger with an electronic device in which recharging power may be supplied through the charger to the electronic device. Automatic connection and disconnection of a mains power supply is made depending on the detected state of the charger to avoid wasteful energy consumption in a no-load state. State detection may be determined by monitoring a voltage on one or more signal lines associated with the electronic device.

Claims

1. An energy management control for an electrical device powered by a mains power supply via a cable including a power line and at least one signal line,

the energy management control comprising:

a processor-based device;

converter circuitry configured to supply output power to the power line in the cable when the cable is connected to the electrical device; and

a switch operable by the processor-based device to connect an electrical path between the mains power supply and the converter circuitry or disconnect and electrically isolate the mains power supply from the converter circuitry;

wherein the processor-based device is configured to monitor a voltage of the at least one signal line to determine whether the cable is connected or disconnected to the electrical device, and to operate the switch to disconnect and electrically isolate the mains power supply from the converter circuitry when the cable is determined to be disconnected from the electrical device.

2. The energy management control of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage element, and wherein the processor-based device is further configured to:

apply a voltage to the at least one signal line with the energy storage element; and

measure a voltage of the at least one signal line.

3. The energy management control of claim 2, wherein the energy management control is configured to determine that the cable is connected to the electrical device when the applied voltage is different than the measured voltage.

4. The energy management control of claim 2, wherein the energy storage element is operable to power the processor-based device when the switch is operated to disconnect and electrically isolate the mains power supply from the converter circuitry.

5. The energy management control of claim 2, wherein the processor-based device is configured to monitor the voltage of the at least one signal line while the mains power supply is disconnected and electrically isolated from the converter circuitry.

6. The energy management control of claim 1, wherein the cable includes the power line, a pair of signal lines, and a ground line.

7. The energy management control of claim 6, wherein the cable is configured with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

8. The energy management control of claim 6, wherein the pair of signal lines are shorted together.

9. The energy management control of claim 8, wherein the processor-based device is operable in a low power sleep mode while the cable is determined to be disconnected.

10. The energy management control of claim 9, wherein the processor-based device is configured to:

monitor a voltage associated with the shorted signal lines while in the low power sleep mode,

wake up when any change in voltage of the shorted signal lines is detected, and

based on the detected change in voltage, operate the switch to connect the electrical path between the mains power supply and the converter circuitry or disconnect and electrically isolate the mains power supply and the converter circuitry.

11. The energy management control of claim 10, wherein the processor-based device is configured to operate the switch to disconnect and electrically isolate the mains power supply from the converter circuitry based on a detected increase in voltage on the shorted signal lines.

12. The energy management control of claim 10, wherein the processor-based device is configured to operate the switch to connect the electrical path between the mains power supply and the converter circuitry based on a detected decrease in voltage on the shorted signal lines.

13. The energy management control of claim 9, further comprising an energy storage element, and wherein the processor-based device is configured to:

wake up while the while the cable is determined to be disconnected;

measure a voltage associated with the energy storage element; and

if the measured voltage is below a predetermined threshold, operate the switch to connect the electrical path between the mains power supply and the converter circuitry for a time sufficient to re-charge the energy storage element to a predetermined voltage.

14. The energy management control of claim 6, wherein the processor-based device is configured to monitor a voltage of a first one of the pair of signal lines to determine whether the cable is connected to the electrical device, and wherein the controller is configured to monitor a voltage of the second one of the pair of signal lines to determine whether the cable is disconnected to the electrical device.

15. The energy management control of claim 14, wherein a first change in voltage on the first signal line indicates a connection of the cable to the electrical device, and wherein a second change in voltage on the second signal line indicates a disconnection of the cable from the electrical device, wherein the first and second changes in voltage are different from one another.

16. The energy management control of claim 6, wherein the processor-based device is configured to monitor a voltage of only one of the pair of signal lines to determine whether the cable is connected to the electrical device.

17. The energy management control of claim 16, wherein the processor-based device is operable in a lower power sleep mode, and is configured to periodically wake up and check the voltage of the only one of the pair of signal lines to determine whether the cable is connected to the electrical device.

18. The energy management control of claim 17, wherein the processor-based device is configured to connect the electrical path between the mains power supply to and the converter circuitry prior to checking the voltage on the only one of the pair of signal lines.

19. The energy management control of claim 1, wherein the processor-based device is configured to connect the electrical path between the mains power supply and the converter circuitry prior to monitoring the voltage of the at least one signal line.

20. The energy management control of claim 1, wherein the electrical device is a portable electronic device including a rechargeable onboard power supply, and the energy management control is configured as a charging appliance for the rechargeable onboard power supply.

21. The energy management control of claim 20, wherein the portable electronic device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a portable DVD player, an audio and video media entertainment device, an electronic reader device, a gaming devices, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a digital camera device, or a video recorder device.

22. The energy management control of claim 1, wherein the converter circuitry is adapted for one of an AC mains power supply and a DC mains power supply.

23. The energy management control of claim 1, further comprising an interface plug, the interface plug configured to connect to the mains power supply.

24. The energy management control of claim 23, wherein the interface plug is configured to connect to a DC power supply of a vehicle via a power outlet provided in the vehicle.

25. The energy management control of claim 24, wherein the vehicle is at least one of a passenger vehicle, a commercial vehicle, a construction vehicle, a military vehicle, an off-road vehicle, a marine vehicle, an aircraft, a space vehicle, or a recreational vehicle.

26. The energy management control of claim 1, wherein the energy management control is configured as an electrical outlet.

27. The energy management control of claim 26, wherein the outlet includes at least one connector for the cable.

28. The energy management control of claim 27, wherein the at least one connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

29. The energy management control of claim 27, wherein the outlet is one of a wall outlet, a floor outlet, or a furniture outlet.

30. The energy management control of claim 26, wherein the outlet includes a plurality of connectors for a respective one of a plurality of cables.