Charging control circuit

• US 5,686,816 A
• Filed: 11/29/1996
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kunitomo, Kouichi, Hayashi, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIN, KYUNG E
• Application Number:
  US08/757,655
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 320/30, 320/31, 320/32, 320/39, 320/15, 320/2
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

A charging control circuit is disclosed which comprises: a 1st connector (17) receiving an input supply power (34); a 2nd connector (30) for supplying a charging supply power (35) to charge either of a 1st (Ni-Cd) or 2nd (Lithium ion) battery (33a, 33b) and receiving a discharging supply power (36) from the battery; a kind detection portion (15) for detecting which of the 1st and 2nd kind of battery is to be charged; a voltage detection circuit for detecting an emf of the battery to be charged; a current detection circuit for detecting a charging current to the battery to be charged; a REF signal generation portion (15) for generating a REF signal (38) in accordance with outputs from the kind detection portion, the current detection circuit, and the voltage detection circuit; a difference providing portion (111) for providing a difference between the REF signal and the detected emf; and a charging supply power generation circuit for generating the charging supply power from the input supply power according to the output of the difference providing portion (111). The Ni-Cd battery is charged by a constant current and the lithium ion battery, by a constant current and a constant voltage (4.1 V). Completion of charging is detected by a drop of emf of Ni-Cd and decrease in the charging current to Lithium ion battery.

Claims

1. A charging control circuit comprising:

a first connector (17) receiving an input supply power (34);

a second connector (30) for supplying a charging supply power (35) to either of a first or second kind of battery (33a or 33b) to be charged and receiving a discharging supply power (36) from either of said first and second kind of battery;

kind detection means (15) for detecting which of said first and second kind of battery is to be charged;

voltage detection means for detecting an electromotive force of said first or second kind of battery to be charged;

current detection means (R) for detecting a charging current to said first or second kind of battery to be charged;

reference signal generation means (15) for generating a reference signal (38) in accordance with outputs from said kind detection means, said current detection means, and said voltage detection means;

difference providing means (111) for providing a difference between said reference signal and said detected electromotive force; and

charging supply power generation means for generating said charging supply power from said input supply power in accordance with the output of said difference providing means (111).

2. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference signal generation means generates said reference signal such that if said first kind of battery (33a) is to be charged, said charging supply power generation means generates said charging supply power from said input supply power with substantially no voltage drop.

3. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference signal generation means generates said reference signal such that if said second kind of battery (33b) is to be charged, said charging supply power generation means generates said charging supply power having a constant current before said electromotive force detection means detects a predetermined voltage, generates said charging supply power to maintain said predetermined voltage after said electromotive force detection means detects said predetermined voltage.

4. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising charging completion detection means, having a memory storing data of said electromotive force, for detecting completion of charging said first kind of battery when said detected electromotive force decreases from said said data of electromotive force in memory with a predetermined difference and in response to said completion, said reference signal generation means generating said reference signal such that said charging supply power generation means generates substantially no charging current.

5. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising charging completion detection means for detecting completion of charging said second kind of battery to be charged when said detected discharge current is smaller than a predetermined value and in response to said completion, said reference signal generation means generating said reference signal such that said charging supply power generates substantially no charging current.

6. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first kind of battery is a nickel-cadmium battery.

7. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first kind of battery comprises a nickel-hydrogen battery.

8. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second kind of battery comprises a lithium ion battery.

9. A charging control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said charging supply power generation means comprises an FET and a bias controlling circuit for controlling a bias of said FET in accordance with an output of said difference means.