Method for charging battery inside electronic device with a plurality of power supplies and a plurality of charging modules with USB OTG functionality

• US 9,728,989 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Soo-Hyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRISCHLER, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US13/936,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 320119, 320138, 320108, 307 82, 307 58
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for charging a battery in an electronic device In one exemplary method for charging the battery in the electronic device includes detecting a charging input from a plurality of external devices, and when detecting the charging input, charging the battery with power supplied from the external devices using a plurality of charging modules.

Claims

1. A method for charging a battery in an electronic device, comprising:

conducting wireless charging the electronic device using a second charging module, when a second switch is closed in response to detecting a second external device through a second input port;

checking, in response to detecting a charging input from a first external device, a first current inputted through a first input port,

conducting wired charging the electronic device using a first charging module if wired charging is detected from an external wired device;

supplying a current from the electronic device to the first external device using the first charging module if wired charging is not detected from the external wired device,

wherein the first input port is coupled with a first external electronic device,

wherein the second input port is coupled with a second external electronic device,

wherein the second switch is connected with the second input port, the second charging module, and a first switch,

wherein the first switch selectively connects the first input port to the second input port, and a second switch,

wherein the second charging module, when the first switch is closed, is connected with the first charging port, and the second charging module, when the first switch is opened and the second switch is closed, is not connected with the first input port and is connected with the second input port.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting a wired connection from the external wired device, temporarily aborting the wireless charging the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

determining an external device to be used for the battery charging by considering the first current inputted from the first external device and a second current inputted through the second input port from the second external device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

when determining one of the first and second external device as the external device for the battery charging, charging the battery with one of the first and second current using the first charging module or the second charging module.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the first external device is a USB On-The-Go (OTG) device; and

when the first external device is the USB OTG device, supplying the current to the USB OTG device using one of the plurality of charging modules.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when a current inputted from the second external device is greater than the current used by the USB OTG device, supplying the battery using residual current inputted from the second external device.

7. An electronic device comprising:

at least one battery;

a plurality of charging modules including a first charging module and a second charging module;

at least one processor;

a first input port to be coupled with a first external electronic device;

a second input port to be coupled with a second external electronic device;

a first switch to selectively connect the first input port to the second input port, and a second switch;

a first charger connected to the first port, and the first charger to charge the battery;

a second charger selectively connected to the second port via the second switch, and the second charger to charge the battery;

a memory; and

at least one program stored in the memory and configured for execution by the at least one processor,

wherein the program comprises at least one instruction for;

conducting wireless charging the electronic device using the second charging module, when the second switch is closed in response to detecting the second external device through the second input port,

checking, in response to detecting a charging input from the first external device, a first current inputted through the first input port,

conducting wired charging the electronic device using the first charging module if wired charging is detected from an external wired device,

supplying a current from the electronic device to the first external device using the first charging module if wired charging is not detected from the external wired device,

wherein the second switch is connected with the second input port, the second charging module, and the first switch,

wherein the second charging module, when the first switch is closed, is connected with the first charging port, and the second charging module, when the first switch is opened and the second switch is closed, is not connected with the first input port and is connected with the second input port.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

an instruction for in response to detecting a wired connection from the external wired device, temporarily aborting the wireless charging the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the instruction for determining an external device to be used for the battery charging by considering the first current inputted from the first external device and a second current inputted through the second input port from the second external device.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

an instruction for, when one of the first and second external device is determined as the external device for the battery charging, charging the battery with one of the first and second current.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

an instruction for, determining whether the first external device is a USB On-The-Go (OTG) device, and when the first external device is the USB OTG device, supplying the current to the USB OTG device using one of the plurality of charging modules.