Power adapter, terminal, and method for processing exception of charging loop

• US 10,211,656 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Zhang, Jialiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US15/115,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20160344228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320137
• 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 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power adapter comprises a power conversion unit, a charging interface, an anomaly detection unit, and an anomaly handing unit. The power conversion unit forms a charging loop with a terminal via the charging interface, so as to charge a battery of the terminal. The anomaly detection unit detects whether an anomaly occurs on the charging loop. When the anomaly occurs on the charging loop, the anomaly handing unit controls the charging loop to enter into a protection state. The power adapter can improve the security of a charging process. Also provided are a terminal, and a method for handing an anomaly in a charging loop.

Claims

1. A power adapter, comprising a power conversion unit and a charging interface, the power conversion unit being configured to form a charging loop with a terminal via the charging interface so as to charge a battery of the terminal, and wherein, the power adapter further comprises an anomaly detection unit and an anomaly handling unit;

the anomaly detection unit is configured to detect whether an anomaly occurs in the charging loop, and the anomaly handling unit is configured to control the charging loop to enter into a protection state if the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, wherein

the anomaly detection unit is configured to;

detect a value of the output voltage of the power adapter;

compare the value of the output voltage of the power adapter with a first voltage threshold; and

determine that the output voltage of the power adapter is an over-voltage and that the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, if the value of the output voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold;

and/or, the anomaly detection unit is configured to;

detect a value of the output current of the power adapter;

compare the value of the output current of the power adapter with a first current threshold; and

determine that the output current of the power adapter is an over-current and that the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, if the value of the output current is greater than the first current threshold.

2. The power adapter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit, configured to send charging protection indicative information to the terminal if the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, so as to indicate the terminal to control the charging loop to enter into the protection state.

3. The power adapter according to claim 2, wherein, the charging interface comprises a power wire and a data wire;

the power conversion unit is configured to form the charging loop with the terminal via the power wire in the charging interface so as to charge the battery of the terminal; and

the communication unit is configured to send the charging protection indicative information to the terminal via the data wire in the charging interface.

4. The power adapter according to claim 1, wherein, the anomaly handling unit is configured to control the charging loop to enter into the protection state by acts of:

reducing an output voltage of the power adapter;

reducing an output current of the power adapter;

or

disconnecting the charging loop.

5. The power adapter according to claim 1, wherein, the anomaly occurring in the charging loop comprises at least one of following anomalies that:

an output voltage of the power adapter is an over-voltage;

an output current of the power adapter is an over-current;

a voltage at two ends of the battery is an over-voltage;

a current at the two ends of the battery is an over-current; and

a temperature of the battery is an over-temperature.

6. The power adapter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit, configured to send first indicative information to the terminal if the value of the output voltage of the power adapter is less than the first voltage threshold, wherein the first indicative information comprises the value of the output voltage of the power adapter and is configured to indicate the terminal to re-determine based on a second voltage threshold set at the terminal side whether the output voltage of the power adapter is the over-voltage.

7. The power adapter according to claim 1, wherein, the anomaly handling unit comprises a first over-voltage protection unit and a second over-voltage protection unit;

and

the anomaly handling unit is configured to;

control the charging loop to enter into the protection state through the first over-voltage protection unit; and

control the charging loop to enter into the protection state through the second over-voltage protection unit, if the first over-voltage protection unit loses efficacy.

8. The power adapter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit, configured to send second indicative information to the terminal if the value of the output current of the power adapter is less than the first current threshold, wherein the second indicative information comprises the value of the output current of the power adapter and is configured to indicate the terminal to re-determine based on a second current threshold set at the terminal side whether the output current of the power adapter is the over-current.

9. The power adapter according to claim 5, further comprising a communication unit;

wherein

the communication unit is configured to receive a battery parameter detected by the terminal, wherein the battery parameter is configured to indicate the voltage at the two ends of the battery, the current at the two ends of the battery or the temperature of the battery;

the anomaly detection unit is configured to;

determine whether the battery parameter received by the communication unit is greater than a predetermined battery parameter threshold; and

determine that the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, if the battery parameter is greater than the predetermined battery parameter threshold.

10. A method for handling an anomaly in a charging loop, comprising:

detecting, by a power adapter, whether the anomaly occurs in the charging loop between the power adapter and a terminal; and

controlling, by the power adapter, the charging loop to enter into a protection state if the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, wherein

detecting, by the power adapter, whether the anomaly occurs in the charging loop between the power adapter and the terminal comprises;

detecting, by the power adapter, a value of the output voltage of the power adapter, and determining, by the power adapter, that the output voltage is an over-voltage and that the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, if the value of the output voltage is greater than a first voltage threshold; and

/or

detecting, by the power adapter, a value of the output current of the power adapter, and determining, by the power adapter, that the output current is an over-current and that the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, if the value of the output current is greater than a first current threshold.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the power adapter, charging protection indicative information to the terminal, so as to indicate the terminal to control the charging loop to enter into the protection state.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein,

the power adapter is contacted with the terminal through a charging interface, and the charging interface comprises:

a power wire for charging, and a data wire; and

sending, by the power adapter, the charging protection indicative information to the terminal comprises;

sending, by the power adapter, the charging protection indicative information to the terminal through the data wire.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein, controlling, by the power adapter, the charging loop to enter into the protection state comprises:

reducing, by the power adapter, an output voltage of the power adapter;

reducing, by the power adapter, an output current of the power adapter;

or

disconnecting, by the power adapter, the charging loop.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the anomaly occurring in the charging loop comprises at least one of following anomalies that:

an output voltage of the power adapter is an over-voltage;

an output current of the power adapter is an over-current;

a voltage at two ends of a battery is an over-voltage;

a current at the two ends of the battery is an over-current; and

a temperature of the battery is an over-temperature.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the power adapter, first indicative information to the terminal if the value of the output voltage of the power adapter is less than the first voltage threshold, wherein the first indicative information comprises the value of the output voltage of the power adapter and is configured to indicate the terminal to re-determine based on a second voltage threshold set at the terminal side whether the output voltage of the power adapter is the over-voltage.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the power adapter, second indicative information to the terminal if the value of the output current of the power adapter is less than the first current threshold, wherein the second indicative information comprises the value of the output current of the power adapter and is configured to indicate the terminal to re-determine based on a second current threshold set at the terminal side whether the output current of the power adapter is the over-current.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a battery parameter detected by the terminal, wherein the battery parameter is used to indicate the voltage at the two ends of the battery, the current at the two ends of the battery or the temperature of the battery;

wherein controlling, by the power adapter, the charging loop to enter into the protection state comprises;

determining, by the power adapter, whether the battery parameter is greater than a predetermined battery parameter threshold; and

determining, by the power adapter, that the anomaly occurs in the charging loop, if the battery parameter is greater than the predetermined battery parameter threshold.