Battery full-charge detection for charge-and-play circuits
First Claim
1. A battery charge circuit configuration for operating a circuitry and simultaneously charging an associated battery separated from said circuitry comprising:
- a first switching means, said first switching means being passed through by a first current which is charging said battery;
a first current sensor means, for detecting said first current;
a second current sensor means, for detecting a second current, said second current supplying said circuitry;
a first control unit, for controlling said first switching means, wherein said first control unit comprises;
a first input, said first input being connected to said first current sensor means in order to have a current level identical to said first current;
a second input, said second input being connected to said second current sensor means in order to have a current level identical to said second current;
a third input, said third input being connected to a node to which said battery is connected in order to have a voltage level identical to a voltage level across said battery; and
a fourth input, said fourth input having a current level which is a replica of said current level of said first input.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a battery charge circuit (100) in a charge-and-play mode capable to reliably determine the completion of a battery charging operation has been described. Such a determination takes into account the behavior of the battery charge circuit (100) with respect to the temperature, the activity of the circuitry (30) and the source current limitation. Thus, a distinction can be made between a decrease of the battery charge current ICHG below the end-of-charge current level caused by the full-charge state of the battery (20) and by the activation of temperature and current regulation circuits. Furthermore, the battery charge circuit (100) is also configured such that it can be warned both that the activity of the circuitry (30) is to be limited and, by a timer (800) measuring the time interval during which the battery charge current ICHG has been reduced to zero, that the battery (20) is being discharged.
16 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A battery charge circuit configuration for operating a circuitry and simultaneously charging an associated battery separated from said circuitry comprising:
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a first switching means, said first switching means being passed through by a first current which is charging said battery; a first current sensor means, for detecting said first current; a second current sensor means, for detecting a second current, said second current supplying said circuitry; a first control unit, for controlling said first switching means, wherein said first control unit comprises; a first input, said first input being connected to said first current sensor means in order to have a current level identical to said first current; a second input, said second input being connected to said second current sensor means in order to have a current level identical to said second current; a third input, said third input being connected to a node to which said battery is connected in order to have a voltage level identical to a voltage level across said battery; and a fourth input, said fourth input having a current level which is a replica of said current level of said first input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A detection method for detecting a battery end-of-charge condition in a battery charge circuit which operates a circuit and simultaneously charges an associated battery separated from said circuit, comprising at least the following steps:
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detecting a voltage level across said battery being charged; comparing said voltage level across said battery to a reference voltage; detecting a first current, said first current charging said battery; comparing said first current to a reference charge current; detecting a second current, said second current supplying said circuitry; adding together said first and second currents; comparing the resulting current level corresponding to said summation to a reference source current. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification