System and method of charging a battery using a switching regulator
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a switching regulator comprising a first terminal and a second terminal;
a battery; and
a filter coupled between the second terminal of the switching regulator and the battery; and
wherein the switching regulator receives an input current and an input voltage from a power source on the first terminal and provides a filtered output current to the battery through the filter,wherein the filtered output current is greater than the input current into the first terminal of the switching regulator when a voltage on the battery is less than the input voltage, andwherein the filtered output current is reduced, in a current control mode, as the voltage on the battery increases and the input current is maintained below a constant threshold value.
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Abstract
In one embodiment the present invention includes a system and method of charging a battery using a switching regulator. In one embodiment, a switching regulator receives an input voltage and input current. The output of the switching regulator is coupled to a battery to be charged. The switching regulator provides a current into the battery that is larger than the current into the switching regulator. As the voltage on the battery increases, the current provided by the switching regulator is reduced. The present invention may be implemented using either analog or digital techniques for reducing the current into the battery as the battery voltage increases.
81 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a switching regulator comprising a first terminal and a second terminal; a battery; and a filter coupled between the second terminal of the switching regulator and the battery; and wherein the switching regulator receives an input current and an input voltage from a power source on the first terminal and provides a filtered output current to the battery through the filter, wherein the filtered output current is greater than the input current into the first terminal of the switching regulator when a voltage on the battery is less than the input voltage, and wherein the filtered output current is reduced, in a current control mode, as the voltage on the battery increases and the input current is maintained below a constant threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of charging a battery comprising:
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receiving an input current and an input voltage on a first terminal of a switching regulator from a power source; providing a filtered output current from a second terminal of the switching regulator to a battery through a filter; and reducing the filtered output current, in a current control mode, as a voltage on the battery increases, wherein the input current is maintained below a constant threshold value, wherein the filtered output current is greater than the input current when the voltage on the battery is less than the input voltage. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification