Method for controlling battery charging and electronic device therefor

• US 10,670,469 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Ryu, Sanghyun, Jung, Ku-Chul, Ko, Kangjun, Seo, Hyundeok, Lee, Minjeong
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US16/096,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20190145833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/02 Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/022 for recording
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and a method for controlling battery charging in an electronic device. The electronic device comprises a plurality of temperature sensors disposed at different positions, a battery, a memory, at least one processor, and a charging module for controlling charging of the battery, wherein the charging module may be configured to identify a charging type of the battery, to select at least one temperature sensor among the plurality of the temperature sensors based on the charging type of the battery, and to control a charging current of the battery based on a temperature measured through the at least one temperature sensor. Other embodiments may be possible.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors disposed at different positions in the electronic device;

a battery;

at least one processor; and

a charging circuit coupled to the processor and configured to control charging of the battery,

wherein the charging circuit is configured to;

identify a charging type of the battery as at least one of wired charging or wireless charging,

select at least one temperature sensor from among the plurality of the temperature sensors based on the identified charging type, wherein, based on the identified charging type including wired charging, one or more first temperature sensors are selected from among the plurality of temperature sensors, and, based on the identified charging type including wireless charging, one or more second temperature sensors are selected from among the plurality of temperature sensor, wherein the one or more second temperature sensors include at least one temperature sensor not included in the one or more first temperature sensors, and

control a charging current of the battery based on a temperature measured through the selected at least one temperature sensor,

wherein the plurality of temperature sensors includes a first temperature sensor associated with the charging circuit and a second temperature sensor associated with a wireless power module, and

wherein the one or more first temperature sensors include the first temperature sensor, and the one or more second temperature sensors include the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is configured to determine the charging type of the battery based on an interface connected to an external power device, and

the interface comprises a wired interface for a wired connection and a wireless interface for a wireless connection.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is configured to, based on the selecting of at least one temperature sensor comprising selecting two more temperature sensors, set respective monitoring periods for each of the two or more temperature sensors, and monitor temperature measured through the two more temperature sensors for the corresponding monitoring periods.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is configured to, based on any one temperature sensor of the selected at least one temperature sensor measuring a temperature higher than a control temperature associated therewith, reduce the battery charging current.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is configured to, based on any one temperature sensor of the selected at least one temperature sensor measuring a temperature higher than a control temperature associated therewith, reduce an input current of the charging circuit or an output current of the charging circuit.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the charging module is configured to, based on any one temperature sensor of the selected at least one temperature sensor measuring a temperature higher than a control temperature associated therewith, block the battery charging current.

7. An operating method of an electronic device, comprising:

identifying a battery charging type of the electronic device as at least one of wired charging or wireless charging;

selecting at least one temperature sensor from among a plurality of temperature sensors disposed at positions in the electronic device based on the identified battery charging type, wherein, based on the identified charging type including wired charging, one or more first temperature sensors are selected from among the plurality of temperature sensors, and, based on the identified charging type including wireless charging, one or more second temperature sensors are selected from among the plurality of temperature sensor, wherein the one or more second temperature sensors include at least one temperature sensor not included in the one or more first temperature sensors; and

controlling a charging current of the battery based on a temperature measured through the selected at least one temperature sensor,

wherein the plurality of temperature sensors includes a first temperature sensor associated with the charging circuit and a second temperature sensor associated with a wireless power module, and

wherein the one or more first temperature sensors include the first temperature sensor, and the one or more second temperature sensors include the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the battery charging type comprises:

determining the battery charging type based on an interface of the electronic device connected with an external power device for the battery charging,

wherein the interface comprises a wired interface for a wired connection and a wireless interface for a wireless connection.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the charging current of the battery comprises:

based on the selecting of at least one temperature sensor comprising selecting two or more temperature sensors, setting respective monitoring periods for each of the two or more temperature sensors;

monitoring temperature measured through the two or more temperature sensors for the corresponding monitoring periods; and

controlling the charging current of the battery based on the monitoring.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the charging current of the battery comprises:

reducing the battery charging current based on any one temperature sensor of the selected at least one temperature sensor measuring a temperature higher than a control temperature associated therewith.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the charging current of the battery comprises:

reducing an input current of a charging circuit of the electronic device or an output current of the charging module of the electronic device based on any one temperature sensor of the selected at least one temperature sensor measuring a temperature higher than a control temperature associated therewith.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling the charging current of the battery comprises:

blocking the battery charging current based on any one temperature sensor of the selected at least one temperature sensor measuring a temperature higher than a control temperature associated therewith.