Mobile terminal, DC-charging power source adaptor, and charging method

• US 9,899,848 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hisense International Company Limited (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.), Hisense USA Corporation (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hisense International Company Limited (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.), Hisense Mobile Communications Technology Co., Ltd. (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.), Hisense USA Corporation (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hu, Ermeng, Yin, Rongyi, Zhang, Xintao, Du, Wenjuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US15/064,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20170040810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

The disclosure discloses a mobile terminal, a DC-charging power source adaptor, and a charging method, the mobile terminal comprising: a battery configured to store electrical energy; a USB interface configured to be engaged with an external device; and a microprocessor configured to determine whether two differential data pins of the USB interface are shorted, upon detecting an external device being inserted into the USB interface; and if so, to communicate with the inserted external device, wherein if the external device is a DC-charging power source adaptor, then the DC-charging power source adaptor switches two communication pins of a charging interface thereof from being shorted by default to being disconnected, and communicates with the microprocessor; and the microprocessor detects voltage of the battery after communicating successfully with the DC-charging power source adaptor, and if the voltage of a battery core lies in a range delimited by preset DC-charging thresholds, then the microprocessor controls the battery to be DC-charged using charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor, and determines a value of the charging voltage of the DC-charging power source adaptor from the current voltage of the battery core.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a battery configured to store electrical energy;

a USB interface configured to be engaged with an external device; and

a microprocessor configured to determine whether two differential data pins of the USB interface are shorted, upon detecting an external device being inserted into the USB interface; and

if so, to communicate with the inserted external device, wherein if the external device is a DC-charging power source adaptor, then the DC-charging power source adaptor switches two communication pins of a charging interface thereof from being shorted by default to being disconnected, and communicates with the microprocessor; and

the microprocessor detects voltage of the battery after communicating successfully with the DC-charging power source adaptor, and if the voltage of a battery core lies in a range delimited by preset DC-charging thresholds, then the microprocessor controls the battery to be DC-charged using charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor, and determines a value of the charging voltage of the DC-charging power source adaptor from the current voltage of the battery core.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a DC-charging switch, connected between the USB interface and the battery, configured to be controlled by the microprocessor upon detecting that the voltage of the battery core lies in the range delimited by the preset DC-charging thresholds, to be closed to transmit the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor directly to the battery to DC-charge the battery; and

a power source managing chip, connected between the USB interface and the battery, configured to be controlled by the microprocessor upon detecting that the voltage of the battery core goes out of the range delimited by the preset DC-charging thresholds, to receive the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor to charge the battery.

3. A method for charging a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

determining, by the mobile terminal, whether two differential data pins of a USB interface thereof are shorted, upon detecting an external device being inserted into the USB interface;

if so, then communicating with the inserted external device;

if the external device is a DC-charging power source adaptor, then switching, by the DC-charging power source adaptor, two communication pins of a charging interface thereof from being shorted by default to being disconnected, and communicating with the mobile terminal; and

detecting, by the mobile terminal, voltage of the battery after communicating successfully with the DC-charging power source adaptor, and if the voltage of a battery core lies in a range delimited by preset DC-charging thresholds, then charging the battery directly using charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor, and determining a value of the charging voltage of the DC-charging power source adaptor from the current voltage of the battery core.

4. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein communicating, by the mobile terminal, with the inserted external device comprises:

outputting, by the mobile terminal, a specific pulse waveform to the external device; and

exchanging, by the mobile terminal, a handshake instruction with the external device after a preset delay period of time, and if the handshake succeeds, then determining that the inserted external device is the DC-charging power source adaptor.

5. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein communicating, by the mobile terminal, with the inserted external device comprises:

waiting, by the mobile terminal, for reception of a communication command sent by the external device in a preset wait period of time, and if the communication command is received, then determining that the inserted external device is the DC-charging power source adaptor;

or

sending, by the mobile terminal, a communication command to the external device at preset instances of time, and waiting for reception of a response command which is fed back, in a preset wait period of time, and if the valid response command is received in the wait period of time, then determining that the inserted external device is the DC-charging power source adaptor.

6. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the battery is charged directly using the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor in one of the following three DC-charging processes:

(1) searching, by the mobile terminal, a preset reference table using the detected voltage V_{bat _real} of the battery core for a target charging voltage value V_out corresponding to an interval in which V_{bat _real} lies, and sending the target charging voltage value V_out to the DC-charging power source adaptor to determine the value of the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor;

(2) sending, by the mobile terminal, the detected voltage V_{bat_real} of the battery core to the DC-charging power source adaptor, searching through the DC-charging power source adaptor a preset reference table using the detected voltage V_{bat_real} of the battery core for a target charging voltage value V_out corresponding to an interval in which V_{bat_real} lies, and receiving the target charging voltage adjusted and output by the DC-charging power source adaptor; and

(3) determining, by the mobile terminal, a charging current maximum value I_max from a maximum terminal voltage supported by the battery, and an inner resistance of the battery, further determining a target charging current value I_targ corresponding to the current voltage V_{bat_real} of the battery core from I_max, and further calculating a target charging voltage value V_out from I_targ as well as a resistance value on a charging line, a resistance valve on a circuit board of the mobile terminal, and an inner resistance of the battery, and sending the target charging voltage value V_out to the DC-charging power source adaptor to determine the value of the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor.

7. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the range [S1, S2] delimited by the DC-charging thresholds agrees with a voltage range of the battery core corresponding to a constant-current charging phase in a normal DCP charging mode;

and if the voltage of the battery core is less than S1, the battery is pre-charged by a power source managing chip at small current, and if the voltage of the battery core is more than S2, the battery is charged by the power source managing chip at constant voltage; and

if the voltage of the battery core goes out of the range delimited by the DC-charging thresholds, then the mobile terminal instructs the DC-charging power source adaptor to output constant charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor by default.

8. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the range [S1, S2] delimited by the DC-charging thresholds agrees with a voltage range of the battery core corresponding to a constant-current charging phase in a normal DCP charging mode;

and if the voltage of the battery core is less than S1, the battery is pre-charged by a power source managing chip at small current, and if the voltage of the battery core is more than S2, the battery is charged by the power source managing chip at constant voltage; and

if the voltage of the battery core goes out of the range delimited by the DC-charging thresholds, then the mobile terminal instructs the DC-charging power source adaptor to output constant charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor by default.

9. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the range [S1, S2] delimited by the DC-charging thresholds agrees with a voltage range of the battery core corresponding to a constant-current charging phase in a normal DCP charging mode;

and if the voltage of the battery core is less than S1, the battery is pre-charged by a power source managing chip at small current, and if the voltage of the battery core is more than S2, the battery is charged by the power source managing chip at constant voltage; and

if the voltage of the battery core goes out of the range delimited by the DC-charging thresholds, then the mobile terminal instructs the DC-charging power source adaptor to output constant charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor by default.

10. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the range [S1, S2] delimited by the DC-charging thresholds agrees with a voltage range of the battery core corresponding to a constant-current charging phase in a normal DCP charging mode;

and if the voltage of the battery core is less than S1, the battery is pre-charged by a power source managing chip at small current, and if the voltage of the battery core is more than S2, the battery is charged by the power source managing chip at constant voltage; and

if the voltage of the battery core goes out of the range delimited by the DC-charging thresholds, then the mobile terminal instructs the DC-charging power source adaptor to output constant charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor by default.

11. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a host, and starts a normal SDP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are not shorted;

and

the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a normal power source adaptor, and starts a normal DCP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are shorted and the mobile terminal fails to communicate the inserted external device.

12. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a host, and starts a normal SDP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are not shorted;

and

the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a normal power source adaptor, and starts a normal DCP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are shorted and the mobile terminal fails to communicate the inserted external device.

13. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a host, and starts a normal SDP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are not shorted;

and

the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a normal power source adaptor, and starts a normal DCP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are shorted and the mobile terminal fails to communicate the inserted external device.

14. The method for charging a mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a host, and starts a normal SDP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are not shorted;

and

the mobile terminal determines that the inserted external device is a normal power source adaptor, and starts a normal DCP charging mode, upon detecting that the two differential data pins of the USB interface of the mobile terminal are shorted and the mobile terminal fails to communicate the inserted external device.

15. A method for charging by a DC-charging power source adaptor, the method comprising:

configuring two communication pins in a charging interface of the DC-charging power source adaptor to be shorted by default;

controlling the two communication pins of the charging interface to be disconnected, after the charging interface is connected with the mobile terminal; and

communicating with the mobile terminal through the communication pins, and after the communication succeeds, determining a value of charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor from current voltage of a battery core of the mobile terminal.

16. The method for charging by a DC-charging power source adaptor of claim 15, wherein the DC-charging power source adaptor waits for reception of a specific pulse waveform sent by the mobile terminal, after being connected with the mobile terminal, and controls the two communication pins of the charging interface to be disconnected, and communicates with the mobile terminal, upon reception of the specific pulse waveform.

17. The method for charging by a DC-charging power source adaptor of claim 15, wherein the DC-charging power source adaptor determines from a magnitude of charging current output by the DC-charging power source adaptor whether the DC-charging power source adaptor is connected with the mobile terminal, and controls the two communication pins of the charging interface to be disconnected, upon detecting that the DC-charging power source adaptor is connected with the mobile terminal;

and then sends a communication command on its own initiative to the mobile terminal, and exchanges a handshake instruction therewith;

or waits for reception of a communication command sent by the mobile terminal, and feeds back a response command upon reception of the communication command to thereby finish the handshake.

18. The method for charging by a DC-charging power source adaptor of claim 15, wherein the DC-charging power source adaptor adjusts the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor to a target charging voltage value V_out sent by the mobile terminal according to the target charging voltage value V_out;

or

the DC-charging power source adaptor searches a reference table preset in the DC-charging power source adaptor using the voltage of the battery core sent by the mobile terminal for a target charging voltage value V_out corresponding to the current voltage of the battery core, feeds the target charging voltage value V_out to the mobile terminal, and adjusts the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor to the target charging voltage value V_out.

19. The method for charging by a DC-charging power source adaptor of claim 18, wherein the DC-charging power source adaptor receives a target charging current value I_targ, and a charging current maximum value I_max, sent by the mobile terminal, or searches the reference table for a target charging current value I_targ, and a charging current maximum value I_max, corresponding to the current voltage of the battery core;

and

the DC-charging power source adaptor detects in real time charging current I_chg output by the DC-charging power source adaptor, and if I_targ−

I_e≦

I_chg<

I_targ, then the DC-charging power source adaptor adjusts up progressively the charging voltage output by the DC-charging power source adaptor by an amount of AV, so that the real charging current I_chg output by the DC-charging power source adaptor approaches the target charging current value I_targ;

or if the absolute value of the difference between I_chg and I_targ is more than I_e or I_chg is more than I_max, then the DC-charging power source adaptor stops the charging voltage from being output;

wherein I_e represents a controllable range of the difference between the real charging current value of the DC-charging power source adaptor and the target charging current value.

20. The method for charging by a DC-charging power source adaptor of claim 15, wherein the DC-charging power source adaptor outputs constant charging voltage by default.