METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BATTERY

• US 20130200857A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Beomju, PARK, Seoyoung, SUNG, Jungoh
• Granted Patent: US 9,099,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and apparatus for charging a battery of a mobile device are provided. In the apparatus, a processor of the device starts a charging process when a connection of a charger is detected after a booting process of the device is initiated. The processor adjusts electric power by performing at least one of reducing consuming power of the device and raising charging power of the device. When a completion condition of a power adjustment is satisfied, the processor returns the electric power by performing at least one of returning the reduced consuming power to a basic consuming value and returning the raised charging power to a basic charging value.

Claims

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

starting a charging process when a connection of a charger is detected after a booting process of the device is initiated;

adjusting electric power by performing at least one of reducing consuming power of the device and raising charging power of the device; and

when a completion condition of a power adjustment is satisfied, returning the electric power by performing at least one of returning the reduced consuming power to a basic consuming value and returning the raised charging power to a basic charging value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the electric power comprises reducing the consuming power of the device by setting an operation clock count of a processor of the device to a smaller value than a basic clock count of the processor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the returning of the electric power comprises returning the operation clock count of the processor to the basic clock count.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the electric power comprises raising the charging power of the device by setting a charging voltage of the device to a higher value than a basic charging voltage of the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the returning of the electric power comprises returning the charging voltage of the device to the basic charging voltage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the returning of the electric power comprises determining that the completion condition of the power adjustment is satisfied when the charger connected to the device is a charger providing a charging current greater than a predetermined threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the returning of the electric power comprises determining that the completion condition of the power adjustment is satisfied when the booting process is completed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the connection of the charger comprises receiving a signal from a sensor detecting the connection of the charger.

9. An apparatus for charging a battery of a mobile device, the apparatus comprises:

a charging unit for starting a charging process when a connection of a charger is detected after a booting process of the device is initiated; and

a processor for adjusting electric power by performing at least one of reducing consuming power of the device and raising charging power of the device, and for, when a completion condition of a power adjustment is satisfied, returning the electric power by performing at least one of returning the reduced consuming power to a basic consuming value and returning the raised charging power to a basic charging value.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor reduces the consuming power of the device by setting an operation clock count of a processor of the device to a smaller value than a basic clock count of the processor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor returns the operation clock count of the processor to the basic clock count.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor raises the charging power of the device by setting a charging voltage of the device to a higher value than a basic charging voltage of the device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor returns the charging voltage of the device to the basic charging voltage.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor determines that the completion condition of the power adjustment is satisfied when the charger connected to the device is a charger providing a charging current greater than a predetermined threshold value.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor determines that the completion condition of the power adjustment is satisfied when the booting process is completed.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a sensor for detecting the connection of the charger,

wherein the processor determines that the charger is connected according to a signal received from the sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a battery for providing power to the apparatus while the charger is not connected to the apparatus.