BATTERY CHARGING METHOD

• US 20110169459A1
• Filed: 08/19/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplo Technology Incorporated (Simplo Technology STCS Limited)
• Original Assignee: Simplo Technology Incorporated (Simplo Technology STCS Limited)
• Inventors: CHEN, TAI-HUNG, HUANG, KUO-CHANG, FU, CHIH-JEN, CHEN, MING-TA
• Granted Patent: US 8,305,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/160
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation

Abstract

A battery charging method is provided for extending life of batteries. The method includes providing an appropriate charge-off voltage with respect to variation in both of a remaining capacity and an idle time of the battery. Further, the charge-off voltage may vary according to the remaining capacity and the idle time of the battery, so as to increase charging efficiency of the battery. Additionally, the present invention also provides adjusting a charge-off current to a value according to the variation in an actual capacity of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery charging method, implemented by a control circuit so as to charge a battery according to a charge-off current, comprising:

reading an actual capacity parameter of the battery, wherein the actual capacity parameter of the battery represents a full charge capacity of the battery or a percentage representative of the full charge capacity of the battery divided by a design capacity of the battery;

reading a default regulation defining a plurality of battery capacity regions including a first battery capacity region and a second battery capacity region;

determining whether the actual capacity parameter of the battery is in the first battery capacity region or the second battery capacity region;

charging the battery according to a first charge-off current when determining the actual capacity parameter of the battery is within the first battery capacity region; and

charging the battery according to a second charge-off current when determining the actual capacity parameter of the battery is within the second battery capacity region;

wherein the first battery capacity region and the second battery capacity region are different, and the first charge-off current is smaller than the second charge-off current.

2. The battery charging method according to claim 1, further comprising when the plurality of battery capacity regions further includes a third battery capacity region:

determining whether the actual capacity parameter of the battery is in the third battery capacity region; and

charging the battery according to a third charge-off current when determining the actual capacity parameter of the battery is within the third battery capacity region;

wherein the first battery capacity region, the second battery capacity region, and the third battery capacity region are not identical, and the first charge-off current is smaller than the second charge-off current, which is smaller than the third charge-off current.

3. A battery charging method, implemented by a control circuit so as to charge a battery according to a charge-off voltage, comprising:

recording a actual idle time of the battery;

reading a default regulation defining a plurality of battery idle periods including a first battery idle period and a second battery idle period;

determining whether the actual idle time is in the first battery idle period or the second battery idle period;

charging the battery according to a first charge-off voltage when determining the actual idle time is within the first battery idle period; and

charging the battery according to a second charge-off voltage when determining the actual idle time is within the second battery idle period;

wherein the first battery idle period and the second battery idle period are different, and the first charge-off voltage is larger than the second charge-off voltage.

4. The battery charging method according to claim 3, wherein the first charge-off voltage is fixed at a predetermined voltage level while the second charge-off voltage varies.

5. The battery charging method according to claim 3, when the plurality of battery idle periods further includes a third battery idle period further comprising:

determining whether the actual idle time is in the third battery idle period; and

charging the battery according to a third charge-off voltage when determining the actual idle time is within the third battery idle period;

wherein the first battery idle period, the second battery idle period, and the third battery idle period are different, and the first charge-off voltage is larger than the second charge-off voltage, which is larger than the third charge-off voltage.

6. The battery charging method according to claim 3, further comprising:

reading a remaining capacity parameter of the battery, wherein the remaining capacity parameter of the battery represents a remaining capacity of the battery or a percentage representative of the remaining capacity of the battery divided by a full charge capacity of the battery and the default regulation further defines a plurality of remaining capacity regions of the battery including a first remaining capacity region and a second remaining capacity region;

determining whether the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is in the first remaining capacity region or the second remaining capacity region;

charging the battery in response to a first charge-off voltage when determining the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is within the first remaining capacity region; and

charging the battery according to a second charge-off voltage when determining the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is within the second remaining capacity region;

wherein the first remaining capacity region and the second remaining capacity region are different, and the first charge-off voltage is different to the second charge-off voltage.

7. A battery charging method, implemented by a control circuit so as to charge a battery according to a charge-off voltage, comprising:

reading a remaining capacity parameter of the battery, wherein the remaining capacity parameter of the battery represents a remaining capacity of the battery or a percentage representative of the remaining capacity of the battery divided by a full charge capacity of the battery;

reading a default regulation defining a plurality of remaining capacity regions of the battery including a first remaining capacity region and a second remaining capacity region;

determining whether the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is in the first remaining capacity region or the second remaining capacity region;

charging the battery in response to a first charge-off voltage when determining the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is within the first remaining capacity region; and

charging the battery according to a second charge-off voltage when determining the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is within the second remaining capacity region;

wherein the first remaining capacity region and the second remaining capacity region are different, and the first charge-off voltage is different to the second charge-off voltage.

8. The battery charging method according to claim 7, when the plurality of remaining capacity regions of the battery further includes a third remaining capacity region further comprising:

determining whether the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is in the third remaining capacity region; and

charging the battery according to a third charge-off voltage when determining the remaining capacity parameter of the battery is within the third remaining capacity region;

wherein the first remaining capacity region, the second remaining capacity region, and the third remaining capacity region are different, and at least two of the first charge-off voltage, the second charge-off voltage, and the third charge-off voltage are different.