Faster battery charging in consumer electronic devices

• US 9,819,206 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Keskin, Mustafa, Ahmad-Assi, Hani, Sheehy, Paul Brian, Gilmore, Robert Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Tat, Binh
• Application Number:
  US14/604,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20160218541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 320137-140
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/10 Control circuit supply, e.g. means for supplying power to the control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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

Abstract

In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus detects a level of power received from each of a plurality of sources. The apparatus directs the power received from a first source to a charging circuit and directs the power received from at least a second source to the charging circuit. The apparatus directs the power received from the first source to the charging circuit by comparing the detected level of the power with a threshold and directing the power to the charging circuit based on a result of the comparison. The apparatus directs the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit by comparing the detected level of the power with the threshold and directing the power to the charging circuit based on a result of the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of operating an apparatus, comprising:

detecting a level of power received from each of a plurality of sources;

directing the power received from a first source of the plurality of sources to a charging circuit by;

comparing the detected level of the power received from the first source with a threshold;

directing the power received from the first source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the first source meets a threshold, otherwise directing the power received from the first source to a storage module; and

directing the power received from at least a second source of the plurality of sources to the charging circuit by;

comparing the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source with the threshold;

directing the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source meets a threshold, otherwise directing the power received from the at least a second source to the storage module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the directing the power received from the first source to the charging circuit and the directing the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit are performed concurrently such that a sum of the power received from the first source and the power received from the at least a second source is directed to the charging circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is based on an operating power of the charging circuit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold is variable.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a level of power stored by the storage module.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising directing the power stored by the storage module to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power stored by the storage module is greater than the threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the directing the power received from the first source to the charging circuit and the directing the power stored by the storage module to the charging circuit are performed concurrently such that a sum of the power received from the first source and the power stored by the storage module is directed to the charging circuit.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first source comprises a first sensor, and

wherein the at least a second source comprises at least a second sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the first sensor and the at least a second sensor comprises at least a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a light sensor, a radio frequency (RF) antenna, a millimeter-wave (mm-wave) antenna, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a sonic sensor, a solar sensor or a pressure sensor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first sensor and the at least a second sensor are of different types.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller;

a detector configured to detect a level of power received from each of a plurality of sources; and

a multiplexer controllable by the controller to direct the power received from a first source of the plurality of sources to a charging circuit, and to direct the power received from at least a second source of the plurality of sources to the charging circuit,

wherein the controller is configured to control the multiplexer to direct the power received from the first source to the charging circuit by;

comparing the detected level of the power received from the first source with a threshold;

controlling the multiplexer to;

direct the power received from the first source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the first source meets a threshold, otherwise direct the power received from the first source to a storage module; and

wherein the controller is configured to control the multiplexer to direct the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit by;

comparing the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source with the threshold; and

controlling the multiplexer to;

direct the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source meets a threshold, otherwise direct the power received from the at least a second source to the storage module.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multiplexer is controllable by the controller to direct the power received from the first source to the charging circuit and direct the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit concurrently such that a sum of the power received from the first source and the power received from the at least a second source is directed to the charging circuit.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the threshold is based on an operating power of the charging circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the threshold is variable.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detector is further configured to detect a level of power stored by the storage module.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to control the multiplexer to direct the power stored by the storage module to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power stored by the storage module is greater than the threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the multiplexer is controllable by the controller to direct the power received from the first source to the charging circuit and to direct the power stored by the storage module to the charging circuit concurrently such that a sum of the power received from the first source and the power stored by the storage module is directed to the charging circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the first source comprises a first sensor, and

wherein the at least a second source comprises at least a second sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the first sensor and the at least a second sensor comprises at least a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a light sensor, a radio frequency (RF) antenna, a millimeter-wave (mm-wave) antenna, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a sonic sensor, a solar sensor or a pressure sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first sensor and the at least a second sensor are of different types.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting a level of power received from each of a plurality of sources;

means for directing the power received from a first source of the plurality of sources to a charging circuit; and

means for directing the power received from at least a second source of the plurality of sources to the charging circuit,

wherein the means for directing the power received from the first source to the charging circuit is configured to;

compare the detected level of the power received from the first source with a threshold;

direct the power received from the first source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the first source meets a threshold, otherwise direct the power received from the first source to a storage module; and

wherein the means for directing the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit is configured to;

compare the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source with the threshold;

direct the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source meets a threshold, otherwise direct the power received from the at least a second source to the storage module.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that when executed on at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

detect a level of power received from each of a plurality of sources;

direct the power received from a first source of the plurality of sources to a charging circuit by;

comparing the detected level of the power received from the first source with a threshold;

directing the power received from the first source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the first source meets a threshold, otherwise directing the power received from the first source to a storage module; and

direct the power received from at least a second source of the plurality of sources to the charging circuit by;

comparing the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source with the threshold;

directing the power received from the at least a second source to the charging circuit if the detected level of the power received from the at least a second source meets a threshold, otherwise directing the power received from the at least a second source to the storage module.