Current compensation module, charging apparatus, and charging apparatus controlling method

• US 9,065,288 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Pai, Kai-Jen, Hsieh, Chu-Chung, Chien, Ming-De
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/872,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 320/164
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/446 Initial charging measures
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00718 in response to charge current gradient
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A current compensation module, a charging apparatus, and a charging apparatus controlling method are disclosed. The current compensation module is used for controlling an outputted charging current in order to charge a battery module. The current compensation module includes a transition unit, a proportional controlling unit, and an integral controlling unit. The transition unit allows an internal signal of the current compensation module increasing from a first voltage. When the internal signal attains to a second voltage, the proportional controlling unit will output a proportional controlling signal to adjust the charging current. When the charging current attains to a rated output current, the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportional controlling unit to output a proportional-integral controlling signal in order to control and adjust the charging current for the battery module, and to suppress the output overshoot current of the charging apparatus.

Claims

1. A current compensation module employed in a charging apparatus, so as to output a control signal to a driving circuit in order to adjust and control a charging current, which is outputted from a power conversion module to a battery module, wherein when the charging apparatus outputs the charging current, there can be operated in a first start-up phase, a second start-up phase, and a third start-up phase, the current compensation module comprising:

a transition unit, having an operation of a clamping control for implementing of the current compensation module and the charging apparatus, wherein when the charging apparatus is operated in the first start-up phase to output the charging current, the transition unit is employed for the operation of the clamping control, to make an internal-signal voltage in the current compensation module increasing from a first voltage;

a proportional controlling unit, electrically connected to the transition unit, wherein when the internal-signal voltage attains to a second voltage, and that the charging current is lower than a rated output current, the charging apparatus is operated in the second start-up phase, thus the proportional controlling unit will output a proportional controlling signal to control and adjust the charging output current of the power conversion module through the driving circuit; and

an integral controlling unit, electrically connected to the proportional controlling unit and the transition unit, wherein when the charging current attains to the rated output current, the charging apparatus is operated in the third start-up phase, thus the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportional controlling unit to output a proportional-integral controlling signal to control and adjust the power conversion module through the driving circuit, and to output a constant current to charge the battery module.

2. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transition unit is connected to the integral controlling unit in series, wherein when the charging current is lower than the rated output current of the charging apparatus, the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition;

when the charging current attains to the rated output current, the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition.

3. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition, the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportional controlling unit to output the proportional-integral controlling signal, so as to control the power conversion module through the driving circuit.

4. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transition unit is connected to the integral controlling unit in parallel, wherein when the charging current is lower than the rated output current, the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition;

when the charging current attains to the rated output current, the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition.

5. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition, the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportional controlling unit to output the proportional-integral controlling signal.

6. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transition unit can be a diode.

7. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current compensation module can be implemented by an analog circuit.

8. The current compensation module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current compensation module can be implemented by a digital-control scheme.

9. A charging apparatus used for inputting an AC or a DC power from a power input terminal, and outputting a charging power for charging battery module, wherein when the charging apparatus outputs the charging current, there have three operative conditions in a first start-up phase, a second start-up phase, and a third start-up phase;

the charging apparatus comprising;

a power conversion module, electrically connected to the power input terminal for receiving the AC or the DC power to convert the charging power for charging the battery module;

a driving circuit, electrically connected to the power converting module; and

a current compensation module, electrically connected to the driving circuit, to output a control signal inputting the driving circuit, wherein the driving circuit is electrically connected to the power conversion module to make the current compensation module that can adjust and control a charging current of the power conversion module, the current compensation module comprising;

a transition unit, having an operation of a clamping control for implementing the current compensation module and the charging apparatus, wherein when the charging apparatus is operated in the first start-up phase to output the charging current, the transition unit is employed for the operation of the clamping control, and to make an internal-signal voltage in the current compensation module can be increased from a first voltage;

a proportional controlling unit, electrically connected to the transition unit, wherein when the internal-signal voltage attains to a second voltage, and that the charging current is lower than a rated output current of the power conversion module, the charging apparatus is operated in the second start-up phase, thus the proportional controlling unit will output a proportional controlling signal to control and adjust the output current of the power conversion module through the driving circuit; and

an integral controlling unit, electrically connected to the proportional controlling unit and the transition unit, wherein when the charging current attains to the rated output current of the power conversion module, the charging apparatus and the current compensation module are operated in the third start-up phase, thus the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportional controlling unit to output a proportional-integral controlling signal to control and adjust the output current of the power conversion module through the driving circuit to output a constant current for charging the battery module.

10. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transition unit is connected to the integral controlling unit in series, wherein when the charging current is lower than the rated output current of the power conversion module, the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition;

when the charging current attains to the rated output current, the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition.

11. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition, the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportional controlling unit to output the proportional-integral controlling signal.

12. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transition unit is connected to the integral controlling unit in parallel, wherein when the charging current is lower than the rated output current of the power conversion module, the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition;

when the charging current attains to the rated output current, the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition.

13. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition, the integral controlling unit incorporates with the proportion controlling unit to output the proportional-integral controlling signal.

14. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transition unit can be a diode.

15. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the current compensation module can be implemented by an analog circuit.

16. The charging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the current compensation module can be implemented by a digital-control scheme.

17. A charging apparatus controlling method is employed for a current compensation module in the charging apparatus to adjust and control a charging current of a power conversion module to charge a battery module, wherein when the charging apparatus outputs the charging current, there have three operative conditions in a first start-up phase, a second start-up phase, and a third start-up phase, the method comprising the steps as follow:

operating a clamp control in the first start-up phase to enable an internal-signal voltage increase from a first voltage;

wherein, the internal-signal voltage will be increased along with the increased charging current;

when the increased internal-signal voltage attains to a second voltage, and the charging current is lower than a rated output current of the power conversion module, the current compensation module operates in the second start-up phase to output a proportional controlling signal in order to adjust and control the charging current; and

when the charging current attains to the rated output current of the power conversion module, the current compensation module operates in the third start-up phase to output a proportional-integral controlling signal to adjust and control the power conversion module outputting a constant current, so as to charge the battery module.

18. The charging apparatus controlling method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

when the charging current attains to the rated output current of the power conversion module, a transition unit can be operated in the cut-in condition; and

when the transition unit is operated in the cut-in condition, outputting the proportional-integral controlling signal.

19. The charging apparatus controlling method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

when the charging current attains to the rated output current of the power conversion module, a transition unit can be operated in the cut-off condition; and

when the transition unit is operated in the cut-off condition, outputting the proportional-integral controlling signal.

20. The charging apparatus controlling method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a step of using a diode to constitute the transition unit.

21. The charging apparatus controlling method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a step of using an analog circuit to implement the current compensation module.

22. The charging apparatus controlling method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a step of using a digital-control scheme to implement the current compensation module.