Dynamic current redistribution for portable electronic devices

• US 9,812,878 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stieber, Marcel Colman Eric, Wang, Thomas Gang, Venkatasamy, Vidhyananth Ramasamy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US14/968,325
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 713321
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for dynamic current redistribution. Example methods may include determining that a power source is in communication with a first battery, determining that a second battery is in communication with the first battery, and charging the first battery at a first charging current value. Example methods may include charging the second battery at a second charging current value, determining that an input voltage from the power source is equal to or greater than a voltage threshold, and charging the second battery at a third charging current value that is higher than the second charging current value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a user device, that a charging adapter is connected to the user device, the user device comprising a first battery and a power management integrated circuit;

determining, by the user device using a power management integrated circuit, that the charging adapter has a rated maximum output current value;

determining that the rated maximum current value is greater than a first maximum charging load value of the first battery;

charging the first battery at the first maximum charging load value with a first charging current;

determining that a second battery is connected to the user device, the second battery having a second maximum charging load value that is greater than the first maximum charging load value;

determining a second charging current value that is a difference between the rated maximum current value and the first maximum charging load value;

charging the second battery at the second charging current value with a second charging current;

determining that the second charging current value is less than the second maximum charging load value;

increasing the second charging current to a third charging current value, wherein the third charging current value is less than the second maximum charging load value;

determining, by the user device using the power management integrated circuit, that an input voltage at the user device is equal to or greater than 4.75 volts;

increasing the second charging current to a fourth charging current value, wherein the fourth charging current value is less than the second maximum charging load value;

determining that the input voltage is less than 4.75 volts; and

reducing the second charging current to a fifth charging current value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by the user device using the power management integrated circuit, the first charging current at a periodic time interval;

determining that the first charging current has decreased at a first time interval;

determining that the fifth charging current value is less than the second maximum charging load value;

increasing the second charging current to a sixth charging current value, wherein the sixth charging current value is equal to the second maximum charging load value; and

determining, by the user device using the power management integrated circuit, that the input voltage is equal to or greater than 4.75 volts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the user device using the power management integrated circuit, that the input voltage is about 0 volts;

determining that the charging adapter is connected to the user device;

charging the first battery at the first maximum charging load value;

charging the second battery at a sixth charging current value; and

determining that the input voltage is equal to or greater than 4.75 volts.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first battery has reached a maximum capacity;

determining that the fifth charging current value is less than the second maximum charging load value; and

increasing the second charging current to the second maximum charging load value.

5. A system comprising:

a first battery;

a second battery;

at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to;

determine that a power source is in communication with the system, wherein the power source is configured to provide a rated maximum current value to the system;

determine that the rated maximum current value is greater than a first maximum charging load value of the first battery;

charge the first battery at a first charging current value;

charge the second battery at a second charging current value;

determine that an input voltage at the system from the power source is equal to or greater than a voltage threshold;

charge the second battery at a third charging current value higher than the second charging current value, wherein a sum of the first charging current value and the third charging current value is equal to or less than the rated maximum current value.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine that the first charging current value is equal to a first maximum charging load value of the first battery;

determine that the third charging current value is less than a second maximum charging load value of the second battery;

determine that the input voltage is equal to or greater than the voltage threshold; and

charge the second battery at a fifth charging current value that is higher than the third charging current value.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is configured to charge the second battery at the fifth charging current value by increasing the third charging current value by a first predetermined amount, and the at least one processor is configured to charge the second battery at the fourth charging current by reducing the third charging current value by a second predetermined amount,

wherein the second predetermined amount is less than the first predetermined amount.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine that the input voltage is less than the voltage threshold;

determine that the first charging current has decreased;

determine that the third charging current value is less than a second maximum charging load of the second battery; and

charge the second battery at a fifth charging current value that is higher than the third charging current value.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine that the first charging current has reduced by a first amount; and

charge the second battery at a fifth charging current value by increasing the third charging current value by the first amount.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a rated maximum current output that the power source can provide;

determine a first maximum charging load value for the first battery, wherein the first charging current value is the first maximum charging load value;

determine a difference between the rated maximum current output and the first maximum charging load value, wherein the second charging current value is equal to the difference; and

charge the second battery at the third charging current value by increasing the second charging current value by a predetermined amount.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the power source can provide additional current by executing the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a rated maximum current output that the power source can provide; and

determine a difference between the rated maximum current output and the first charging current value.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine that the first battery has a first stored energy value that is less than a second stored energy value of the second battery; and

determine that the first battery is prioritized for charging over the second battery.

13. A method comprising:

determining, by one or more computer processors coupled to at least one memory, that a power source is in communication with a first battery, wherein the power source is configured to provide a rated maximum current value to the system;

determining that the rated maximum current value is greater than a first maximum charging load value of the first battery;

determining that a second battery is in communication with the first battery;

charging the first battery at a first charging current value;

charging the second battery at a second charging current value;

determining that an input voltage from the power source is equal to or greater than a voltage threshold;

charging the second battery at a third charging current value that is higher than the second charging current value, wherein a sum of the first charging current value and the third charging current value is equal to or less than the rated maximum current value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the first charging current value is equal to a first maximum charging load value of the first battery;

determining that the third charging current value is less than a second maximum charging load value of the second battery;

determining that the input voltage is equal to or greater than the voltage threshold; and

charging the second battery at a fifth charging current value that is higher than the third charging current value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein charging the second battery at the fourth charging current value comprises increasing the third charging current value by a first predetermined amount;

and

wherein charging the second battery at the fourth charging current value comprises reducing the fourth charging current by a second predetermined amount that is different than the first predetermined amount.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the input voltage is less than the voltage threshold;

determining that the first charging current has decreased;

determining that the third charging current value is less than a second maximum charging load value of the second battery; and

charging the second battery at a fifth charging current value that is higher than the third charging current value.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring a current supplied to the first battery at predetermined time intervals; and

determining that the first charging current value has decreased by a first amount;

wherein charging the second battery at the fifth charging current value comprises increasing the third charging current value by the first amount.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the first charging current value has reduced by a first amount; and

charging the second battery at a fifth charging current value by increasing the third charging current value by the first amount.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a rated maximum current output that the power source can provide;

determining a first maximum charging load value for the first battery, wherein the first charging current charges the first battery at the first maximum charging load value;

determining a difference between the rated maximum current output and the first maximum charging load value, wherein the second charging current value is equal to the difference; and

charging the second battery at the third charging current value by increasing the second charging current value by a predetermined amount.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the first battery has a first stored energy value that is less than a second stored energy value of the second battery; and

determining that the first battery is prioritized for charging over the second battery.