Systems and methods for adaptive fast-charging for mobile devices and devices having sporadic power-source connection

• US 11,128,152 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2017
• Issued: 09/21/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: StoreDot Ltd.
• Original Assignee: StoreDot Ltd.
• Inventors: Aronov, Daniel, Krasovitsky, Leonid
• Primary Examiner(s): Isla, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharief, Mohammed J
• Application Number:
  US15/678,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20170373513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 320128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

The present invention discloses systems and methods for adaptive fast-charging for mobile devices and devices having sporadic power-source connection. Methods include the steps of: firstly determining whether a supercapacitor of a device is charged; upon detecting the supercapacitor is charged, secondly determining whether a battery of the device is charged; and upon detecting the battery is not charged, firstly charging the battery from the supercapacitor. Preferably, the step of firstly determining includes whether the supercapacitor is partially charged, and the step of secondly determining includes whether the battery is partially charged. Preferably, the step of firstly charging is adaptively regulated to perform a task selected from the group consisting of: preserving a lifetime of the battery by controlling a current to the battery, and discharging the supercapacitor in order to charge the battery. Preferably, the discharging enables the supercapacitor to be subsequently recharged.

Claims

1. A method for supplying power to a device when a power-source connection is sporadic, the method comprising:

(a) determining whether an external charger is connected to the device;

(b) determining whether to charge a fast charging battery cell that is internal to the device based on whether the external charger is connected and a charge state of the fast charging battery cell, the charge state based on a percentage of charge capacity of the fast charging battery cell;

(c) determining whether to charge a secondary battery that is internal to the device based on whether the external charger is connected to the device, the charge state of the fast charging battery cell and a percentage of charge capacity of the secondary battery; and

(d) determining whether to enable discharge of the fast charging battery cell, the secondary battery or both upon the device demand based on the percentage of charge capacity of the fast charging battery cell, the percentage of charge capacity of the secondary battery, whether the external charger is connected, or any combination thereof,

wherein the fast charging battery cell has a first charging rate that is higher than a second charging rate of the secondary battery, the fast charging battery cell is serially connected to a battery charging controller, and the battery charging controller is serially connected to the secondary battery, and

wherein the method further comprises charging the fast charging battery cell from the external charger at the first charging rate whenever both are available for charging, and charging the secondary battery at the second charging rate from the fast charging battery cell,

wherein the charging of the secondary battery and of the fast charging battery and power provided to the device are controlled according to the determining steps (a)-(d).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein charging the fast charging battery cell or charging the secondary battery cell further comprises charging the fast charging battery cell or charging the secondary battery cell for a predetermined time, to a predetermined capacity, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time, the predetermined capacity, or both is input by a user of the device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein charging the fast charging battery cell further comprises:

receiving the predetermined charge time from user input, a computer file, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein charging the fast charging battery cell further comprises:

receiving the predetermined capacity from user input, a computer file, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the external charger is connected the fast charging battery cell and the secondary battery are not discharged.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if the external charger is not connected and the fast charging battery cell is at least partially charged, then a percentage to discharge the fast charging battery cell and percentage to discharge the secondary battery is based on a predetermined time duration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fast charging battery cell is of a same type as the secondary battery.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning the fast charging battery cell within the device and configuring the fast charging battery cell to have a device-compatible form factor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fast charging battery cell has active material that is based on germanium and/or on silicon.

11. A system for charging a device when a power-source connection is sporadic, the system comprising:

a fast charging battery cell coupled to the device, internal to the device and to receive a charge from an external power source;

a fast charging battery cell controller coupled to the fast charging battery cell to control an amount of current supplied to the fast charging battery cell;

a secondary battery coupled to the fast charging battery cell and the device, the secondary battery to receive current from the fast charging battery cell and to provide current to the device;

a secondary battery controller coupled to the fast charging battery cell controller and the secondary battery to control an amount of current supplied to the secondary battery,

wherein the fast charging battery cell has a first charging rate that is higher than a second charging rate of the secondary battery, the fast charging battery cell is serially connected to the fast charging battery cell controller, and the secondary battery controller is serially connected to the secondary battery,

wherein the fast charging battery cell controller is further configured to charge the fast charging battery cell from the external charger whenever both are available for charging, and charge the second battery at the second charging rate from the fast charging battery cell, and

wherein the fast charging battery cell controller and the secondary battery controller are configured to manage the charging of the secondary battery and of the fast charging battery based on whether the external charger is connected, a charge state of the fast charging battery cell, a percentage of charge capacity of the secondary battery, or any combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the fast charging battery cell is configured to receive a charge rate of at least 5 C.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the fast charging battery cell controller and the secondary battery controller are positioned in the same chip.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the fast charging battery cell is of a same type as the secondary battery.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the fast charging battery cell is positioned within the device and has a device-compatible form factor.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the fast charging battery cell has active material that is based on germanium and/or on silicon.

17. The system according to claim 11 comprising a device interface controller.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the fast charging battery cell is serially connected between the fast charging battery cell controller and the secondary battery controller, wherein the secondary battery is serially connected to the device interface controller.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein the fast charging battery cell controller, and the secondary battery controller and the device interface controller are operationally connected to each other.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the device interface controller, the secondary battery controller, and the fast charging battery cell controller are configured to manage the charging of the secondary battery, the charging of the fast charging battery cell, and a power provided to the device.