Electronic device and method for charging a battery of the electronic device

• US 10,340,728 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Yasuda, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin, Naum
• Application Number:
  US15/568,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A temperature detector detects a temperature of a battery. A charging unit charges the battery. A power reception coil receives a first electric power transmitted in a contactless manner from a power transmission coil of a contactless charging device. A supplying unit supplies the charging unit with a second electric power on the basis of the first electric power. A setting unit sets a supply current to be supplied from the supplying unit to the charging unit. A determination unit determines whether the battery is continuously charged. The setting unit sets the supply current to a value larger than a settable minimum value regardless of the temperature of the battery when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the second electric power, and reduces the supply current as the temperature is higher when the determination unit determines that the battery is continuously charged.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a battery;

a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the battery;

a charging unit configured to charge the battery;

a power reception coil configured to receive a first electric power transmitted in a contactless manner from a power transmission coil of a contactless charging device;

a supplying unit configured to supply the charging unit with a second electric power on the basis of the first electric power;

a setting unit configured to set a supply current to be supplied from the supplying unit to the charging unit;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the battery is continuously charged,

wherein the setting unit sets the supply current to a value larger than a settable minimum value regardless of the temperature when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the second electric power, and reduces the supply current as the temperature is higher when the determination unit determines that the battery is continuously charged; and

a predetermined circuit to be controlled by the setting unit,

wherein the charging unit supplies the predetermined circuit with a third electric power, and the setting unit changes an operation of the predetermined circuit so that a consumption current of the predetermined circuit increases to set the supply current to the value larger than the settable minimum value regardless of the temperature when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the second electric power, and then restores the operation of the predetermined circuit when the determination unit determines that the battery is continuously charged.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the setting unit sets the supply current to a settable maximum value regardless of the temperature when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the second electric power.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a limiting unit configured to limit the supply current to be supplied from the supplying unit to the charging unit,

wherein the setting unit increases, when changing the operation of the predetermined circuit, the consumption current of the predetermined circuit so that the supply current increases to an upper limit of the supply current, the upper limit being set in the limiting unit.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined circuit comprises a generator configured to generate a clock signal, and

the setting unit increases a frequency of the clock signal to increase the consumption current when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the second electric power.

5. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a predetermined circuit;

a battery;

a charging unit configured to charge the battery and supply the predetermined circuit with a first electric power;

a power reception coil configured to receive a second electric power transmitted in a contactless manner from a power transmission coil of a contactless charging device;

a supplying unit configured to supply the charging unit with a third electric power on the basis of the second electric power;

a controller configured to control the predetermined circuit; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether the battery is continuously charged,

wherein the controller changes an operation of the predetermined circuit so that a consumption current of the predetermined circuit increases when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the third electric power, and then restores the operation of the predetermined circuit when the determination unit determines that the battery is continuously charged.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising

a limiting unit configured to limit a supply current to be supplied from the supplying unit to the charging unit,

wherein the controller increases, when changing the operation of the predetermined circuit, the consumption current of the predetermined circuit so that the supply current increases to an upper limit of the supply current, the upper limit being set in the limiting unit.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the predetermined circuit comprises a generator configured to generate a clock signal, and

the controller increases a frequency of the clock signal to increase the consumption current when the charging unit starts charging the battery on the basis of the third electric power.

8. A method for charging a battery on the basis of a first electric power transmitted in a contactless manner from a contactless charging device, the method being performed by an electronic apparatus comprising the battery, the method comprising:

detecting a temperature of the battery;

receiving the first electric power from a power transmission coil of the contactless charging device by a power reception coil of the electronic apparatus;

supplying a charging unit with a second electric power on the basis of the first electric power, the charging unit charging the battery;

setting a supply current to be supplied to the charging unit; and

determining whether the battery is continuously charged,

wherein the supply current is set to a value larger than a settable minimum value regardless of the temperature when the battery starts to be charged on the basis of the second electric power, and the supply current is reduced as the temperature is higher when it is determined that the battery is continuously charged, and

wherein an operation of a predetermined circuit is changed so that a consumption current of the predetermined circuit increases when the battery starts to be charged on the basis of the third electric power, and then the operation of the predetermined circuit is restored when it is determined that the battery is continuously charged.

9. A method for charging a battery on the basis of a first electric power transmitted in a contactless manner from a contactless charging device, the method being performed by an electronic apparatus comprising the battery, the method comprising:

supplying a predetermined circuit of the electronic apparatus with a second electric power;

receiving the first electric power from a power transmission coil of the contactless charging device by a power reception coil of the electronic apparatus;

supplying a charging unit with a third electric power on the basis of the first electric power, the charging unit charging the battery;

controlling the predetermined circuit; and

determining whether the battery is continuously charged,

wherein an operation of the predetermined circuit is changed so that a consumption current of the predetermined circuit increases when the battery starts to be charged on the basis of the third electric power, and then the operation of the predetermined circuit is restored when it is determined that the battery is continuously charged.