Charge device for battery charging and method thereof

• US 9,912,180 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Se-Won, Jung, Won-Bae
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US14/595,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20150200560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 320164
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A charge device for controlling an abnormal charge request is provided. The charge device includes a controller that interrupts a charge path, when power is applied and that determines whether a charge request is an abnormal charge request through a detour charge path and that controls to maintain interruption of the charge path, if the charge request is an abnormal charge request. The controller may be further configured to interrupt the detour charge path, in response to determining that the charge request is a normal charge request; connect the charge path; and supply a charge current to the charge path.

Claims

1. A charge device, comprising:

a Low Drop Out (LDO) configured to convert a reference voltage to a detection voltage for detecting an abnormal charge request;

a switch configured to disconnect or connect a charge path with an external device; and

a processor, the processor is configured to;

disconnect the charge path with the external device by control of the switch in a non-charging operation,

determine a normal voltage based on the detection voltage in a charging operation,

determine whether a charge request is the abnormal charge request based on whether the normal voltage is changed,

control to maintain disconnection of the charge path by the switch, in response to determining that the charge request is the abnormal charge request, and

control to connect of the charge path by the switch, in response to determining that the charge request is a normal charge request.

2. The charge device of claim 1, wherein the switch comprising a Field Effect Transistor (FET) element.

3. The charge device of claim 1, wherein the switch is configured to establish a detour charge path through the processor in response to disconnecting the charge path with the external device,

wherein the processor is configured to control to:

interrupt the detour charge path, if the charge request is the normal charge request and

control the switch to connect the charge path

with the external device.

4. The charge device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to compare a set voltage to a measured voltage for measuring based on the detection voltage;

and determine the charge request to the abnormal charge request, if the set voltage is different from the measured voltage.

5. The charge device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a display, an indicating lamp, a speaker, and a vibration generator configured to provide a notification of the abnormal charge request.

6. The charge device of claim 1, wherein the reference voltage is a chargeable voltage of the external device,

wherein the detection voltage is set to a voltage lower that the reference voltage.

7. The charge device of claim 1, wherein the normal voltage is a set voltage that is normally measured based on the detection voltage, if the charge request is the normal charge request.

8. The charge device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a change of the normal voltage, if the detection voltage is measured a voltage lower than a set voltage due to resistance of a foreign substance.

9. The charge device of claim 1, further comprising a current measuring unit,

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the charge request is the abnormal charge request based on a change of a current by the current measuring unit.

10. A method of controlling charge in a charge device, the method comprising:

disconnecting a charge path, with an external device by control of a switch of the charge device in a non-charging operation;

determining a normal voltage based on a detection voltage in a charging operation;

determining whether a charge request is an abnormal charge request based on whether the normal voltage is changed;

maintaining disconnection of the charge path by the switch in response to determining that the charge request is an abnormal charge request; and

connecting the charge path by the switch, in response to determining that the charge request is a normal charge request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the charge request is the abnormal charge request comprises comparing a set voltage to a measured voltage for measuring based on a reference voltage;

and determining the charge request to the abnormal charge request, if the set voltage is different from the measured voltage.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising notifying, in response to determining that the charge request is the abnormal charge request, the abnormal charge request through at least one of a display, an indicating lamp, a speaker, and a vibration generator.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the reference voltage is a chargeable voltage of the external device,

wherein the detection voltage is set to a voltage lower that the reference voltage.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to establish a detour charge path through a processor in response to disconnecting the charge path with the external device,

further comprising disconnecting the detour charge path if the charge request is the normal charge request;

and controlling the switch to connect the charge path with the external device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising converting a reference voltage to the detection voltage for detecting the abnormal charge request using a Low Drop Out (LDO) element.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a change of the normal voltage, if the detection voltage is measured a voltage lower than a set voltage due to resistance of a foreign substance.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause a charge device to:

disconnect a charge path, with an external device by control of a switch of the charge device in a non-charging operation;

determine a normal voltage based on a detection voltage in a charging operation;

determine whether a charge request is an abnormal charge request based on whether the normal voltage is changed;

maintain disconnection of the charge path by the switch in response to determining that the charge request is an abnormal charge request; and

connect the charge path by the switch, in response to determining that the charge request is a normal charge request.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining whether the charge request is the abnormal charge request comprise instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the charge device to compare a set voltage to a measured voltage for measuring based on a reference voltage;

and determine the charge request to the abnormal charge request, if the set voltage is different from the measured voltage.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the charge device to notify, in response to determining that the charge request is the abnormal charge request, the abnormal charge request through at least one of a display, an indicating lamp, a speaker, and a vibration generator.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the switch is configured to establish a detour charge path through the processor in response to disconnecting the charge path, with the external device,

further comprising instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the charge device to disconnect the detour charge path if the charge request is a normal charge request, and control the switch to connect the charge path with the external device.