CONTROLLING A CHARGING OPERATION OF A BATTERY

• US 20070013346A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: OH, Jang
• Granted Patent: US 8,212,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/160
• CPC Class Codes: N/A

Abstract

A charging operation for a battery includes determining an actual full charge capacity of the battery and a design capacity of the battery. The actual full charge capacity of the battery is compared with the design capacity of the battery. One or more of a charge voltage and a cut-off current, such as with an embedded controller, is adjusted if the actual full charge capacity is less than the design capacity. The battery is controlled by charging the battery with one or more of an adjusted cut-off current and/or an adjusted charge voltage.

Claims

1. A method for controlling charging of a battery, the method comprising:

determining an actual full charge capacity of a battery and a design capacity of the battery;

comparing the actual full charge capacity of the battery with the design capacity of the battery;

adjusting one or more of a charge voltage or a cut-off current if the actual full charge capacity is less than the design capacity; and

controlling the battery, wherein controlling the battery includes charging the battery with one or more of an adjusted cut-off current or an adjusted charge voltage.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the charge voltage and the cut-off current comprises increasing the charge voltage and lowering the present cut-off current.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the charge voltage and the cut-off current comprises selecting an adjustment state from a plurality of adjustment states each having a preset charge voltage and a preset cut-off current.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the battery comprises maintaining a present charging scheme if the actual full charge capacity exceeds the design capacity of the battery.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the charge voltage comprises incrementally increasing the charge voltage.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the cut-off current comprises incrementally decreasing the cut-off current.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the cut-off current comprises incrementally decreasing the cut-off current and maintaining a preset charge voltage.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the charge voltage comprises incrementally increasing the charge voltage and maintaining a preset cut-off current.

9. An apparatus for controlling a charging operation of a battery, the apparatus comprising:

a battery cell;

a charging module configured to adjust a cut-off current and a charge voltage of the battery cell; and

an embedded controller configured to determine a state of the battery cell and to determine the charge voltage and the cut-off current based on a combination of the charge voltage and the cut-off current, wherein the embedded controller is configured to deliver a control signal to the charging module based on the determined charge voltage and the determined cut-off current.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the embedded controller comprises a full charge bit output unit configured to set a combination signal that includes the determined charge voltage and determined cut-off current.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the embedded controller is configured to select the combination signal from combinations of charge voltages and associated cut-off currents.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the combinations of charge voltages and associated cut-off currents are stored in the embedded controller.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the charging module is configured to incrementally adjust one or more of the cut-off current and the charge voltage.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the charging module is configured to incrementally increase the charge voltage.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the charging module is configured to incrementally decrease the cut-off current.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the charging module is configured to incrementally decrease the cut-off current and to maintain a preset charge voltage.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the charging module is configured to incrementally increase the charge voltage and to maintain a preset cut-off current.