Method and apparatus for recharging batteries in a more efficient manner

• US 8,836,282 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2014
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superior Communications (Sinclair Broadcast Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Superior Communications (Sinclair Broadcast Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, George, Mkhitarian, Harry, Sentosa, Samuel, Su, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Muralidar, Richard V
• Application Number:
  US14/182,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 211 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/107, 320/111, 320/138, 307 43- 46, 307/48, 307 64- 67
• US Class Current: 320/111
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/007 Detection of the absence of a load

Abstract

A battery charger including a converter unit, a terminal adaptor, a cable, a battery, and/or multiple power connectors. A terminal, such as an electronic device, can be connected to the converter unit using the cable or directly to the converter unit without the cable. The converter unit determines when to draw power from an external power and when to cease drawing power from the external power source by detecting a power enablement condition or a power disablement condition. The power disablement condition occurs when the terminal is fully charged, the terminal is disconnected from the converter unit, and/or a charge time of the terminal exceeds the predetermined charge time threshold. The power enablement condition occurs when the terminal is initially connected to the converter unit and/or the terminal needs to be charged. The battery supplies power to components of the converter unit and/or the terminal.

Claims

1. An electric charge cutoff device for delivering power to a terminal, comprising:

a housing;

a terminal adaptor connectable to the terminal;

a cable for extending from the housing and connected to the terminal adaptor;

a power connector plug connected to the housing and configured to receive power from a power source external to the housing;

a sensor circuit positioned within the housing and for electrically coupling to the cable, and configured to detect a variation in a capacitance of the cable;

a latched relay positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the power connector plug and configured to electrically couple to the terminal adaptor, and configured to disable reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source in response to the sensor circuit detecting the variation in the capacitance of the cable; and

a renewable energy source positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the sensor circuit, and configured to provide power to the sensor circuit when reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source is disabled.

2. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 1, wherein the cable is configured such that the variation in the capacitance of the cable is caused by the terminal adaptor being disconnected from the terminal.

3. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller electrically coupled to the sensor circuit and the latched relay, and configured to send a signal to the latched relay indicating that the sensor circuit detected the variation in the capacitance of the cable.

4. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 3, wherein the microcontroller is configured to send a signal to the latched relay indicating that the latched relay is to enable reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source.

5. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 4, wherein the microcontroller is configured to send the signal to the latched relay indicating that the latched relay is to enable reception of power by the power connector plug in response to the sensor circuit detecting a variation in the capacitance of the cable.

6. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 3, wherein the renewable energy source is electrically coupled to the microcontroller and is configured to provide power to the microcontroller when reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source is disabled.

7. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 1, wherein the renewable energy source is a rechargeable battery.

8. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 7, further comprising a battery monitor electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery and configured to determine a charge level of the rechargeable battery.

9. The electric charge cutoff device of claim 8, wherein the battery monitor is configured to cause the latched relay to enable reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source for delivery to the rechargeable battery in response to the charge level detected by the battery monitor.

10. A charger for delivering power to a battery of a terminal, comprising:

a housing;

a terminal adaptor connectible to the terminal;

a cable for extending from the housing and connected to the terminal adaptor, and configured such that a capacitance of the cable varies in response to the terminal adaptor being disconnected from the terminal;

a power connector plug connected to the housing and configured to receive power from a power source external to the housing;

a sensor circuit positioned within the housing and for electrically coupling to the cable, and configured to detect a variation in the capacitance of the cable in response to the terminal adaptor being disconnected from the terminal; and

a switch positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the power connector plug and configured to electrically couple to the terminal adaptor, and configured to disable reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source in response to the sensor circuit detecting the variation in the capacitance of the cable.

11. The charger of claim 10, further comprising a microcontroller electrically coupled to the sensor circuit and the switch, and configured to send a signal to the switch indicating that the sensor circuit detected the variation in the capacitance of the cable.

12. The charger of claim 11, wherein the microcontroller is configured to send a signal to the switch indicating that the switch is to enable reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source.

13. The charger of claim 12, wherein the sensor circuit is configured to detect a variation in the capacitance of the cable in response to the terminal adaptor being connected to the terminal.

14. The charger of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller is configured to send the signal to the switch indicating that the switch is to enable reception of power by the power connector plug in response to the terminal adaptor being connected to the terminal.

15. The charger of claim 10, further comprising a renewable energy source positioned within the housing and configured to provide power to the sensor circuit when reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source is disabled.

16. The charger of claim 15, further comprising a battery monitor electrically coupled to the renewable energy source and configured to determine a power level of the renewable energy source, and configured to cause the switch to enable reception of power by the power connector plug from the power source for delivery to the renewable energy source in response to the power level detected by the battery monitor.

17. A method for disabling power to a converter unit comprising:

detecting, using a sensor circuit, a variation in a capacitance of a cable that extends from a housing of the converter unit, the sensor circuit being positioned within the housing;

disabling, using a latched relay, reception of power into the housing from an external power source when the variation in the capacitance is detected, the latched relay being positioned within the housing; and

powering the sensor circuit with a renewable energy source when the power is disabled from being received into the housing, the renewable energy source being positioned within the housing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the variation in the capacitance of the cable is caused by the cable being disconnected from a terminal that the cable is configured to deliver power to.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising enabling, using the latched relay, reception of power into the housing from the external power source when a variation in the capacitance of the cable is detected by the sensor circuit.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising supplying power to a battery of a terminal that the cable is connected to when reception of power into the housing from the external power source is enabled.