Battery charging systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10263449-B2
Application number	US-201715639960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A loudspeaker battery charging device comprises a three-position selector that establishes one of a first, second, or third charging mode for charging a battery of a loudspeaker. The first charging mode pertains to an off state of the loudspeaker. The second charging mode pertains to an on state of the loudspeaker. The third charging mode pertains to a fast charge state of the loudspeaker. A controller receives a signal from the three-position power switch indicating a selected charging mode of the first, second, or third charging mode. A switch circuit outputs a first power-supplying level in response to the first or second charging mode and outputs a second power-supplying level higher than the first power-supplying level in response to the third charging mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A loudspeaker battery charging device, comprising:
a three-position selector that establishes one of a first, second, or third charging mode for charging a battery of a loudspeaker, the first charging mode pertaining to an off state of the loudspeaker, the second charging mode pertaining to an on state of the loudspeaker, the third charging mode pertaining to a fast charge state of the loudspeaker;
a controller that receives a signal from the three-position selector indicating a selected charging mode of the first, second, or third charging mode; and
a switch circuit that outputs a first power-supplying level in response to the first or second charging mode and that outputs a second power-supplying level higher than the first power-supplying level in response to the third charging mode, wherein the controller further controls the switch circuit to output the first power-supplying level in response to the received signal from the three-position selector indicating the first or second charging mode, and to output the second power-supplying level in response to the received signal from the three-position selector indicating the third charging mode.

2. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 1 further comprising a multiuse light emitting diode (LED) circuit that indicates the selected one of the first, second, or third charging mode.

3. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one indicator includes an LED that indicates whether the loudspeaker is powered on and further indicates the first, second, or third charging mode.

4. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 1 , wherein the selector includes a mechanical switching device that, when selected, establishes the first, second, or third charging mode.

5. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 4 , further comprising a converter that receives a source of power from a power source, and outputs the source of power to the battery according to the state of the selector that establishes the charging mode, limited by an audio volume level of the loudspeaker.

6. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 5 , wherein in changing the switch position, the controller sets the set point voltage for the switch mode battery charge controller which changes the duty cycle of the converter, which in turn sets the correct current for the selected battery charge rate.

7. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 1 , wherein in the third charging mode, the battery charge rate is greater than the battery charge rate of the first and second charging modes.

8. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 1 , wherein in the first and third charging modes, the loudspeaker enters a low energy mode when the charging of the battery is complete.

9. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 8 , wherein in the second charging mode, when audio is at a threshold for a power-related calculation, the charger stops charging until the average power is below the threshold.

10. The loudspeaker battery charging device of claim 1 , wherein when the audio is on, the audio power is prioritized over the battery charge.

11. A speaker sound system, comprising:
a battery; and
a power switch, wherein in a first position of the power switch, audio is off and the battery receives a first power-supplying level, wherein in a second position, audio is on and the battery receives the first power-supplying level, and wherein in a third position, audio is off and the battery receives a second power-supplying level that is greater than the first power-supplying level,
wherein the power switch comprises a three-position selector that indicates a selection of one of the first, second, or third charging mode for charging the battery, the first charging mode corresponding to the first position and pertaining to an off state of the speaker sound system, the second charging mode corresponding to the second position and pertaining to an on state of the speaker sound system, the third charging mode corresponding to the third position and pertaining to a fast charge state of the speaker sound system, and wherein the power switch is controlled by a received signal from the three-position selector to output the first power-supplying level in response to the received signal from the three-position selector indicating the first or second charging mode, and to output the second power-supplying level in response to the received signal from the three-position selector indicating the third charging mode.

12. The speaker sound system of claim 11 , further comprising a multiuse light emitting diode (LED) circuit that indicates the selected one of the first, second, or third position of the power switch.

13. The speaker sound system of claim 12 , wherein the multiuse light emitting diode (LED) circuit includes an LED that indicates whether the system is powered on and further indicates the first, second, or third position of the power switch.

14. The speaker sound system of claim 11 , wherein in the third charging mode, the battery charge rate is greater than the battery charge rate of the first and second charging modes.

15. An apparatus for charging a battery of a loudspeaker, comprising:
a controller that receives a signal from the three-position rocker switch indicating a selected charging mode of a plurality of charging modes, comprising:
a first charging mode pertaining to an off state of the loudspeaker, wherein the battery is charged at a first charge rate;
a second charging mode pertaining to an on state of the loudspeaker, wherein the battery is charged at the first charge rate;
a third charging mode pertaining to the off state of the loudspeaker, wherein the battery is charged at a second charge rate greater than the first charge rate; and

a power switch that outputs a first power-supplying level in response to the first or second charging mode for establishing the first charge rate, and that outputs a second power-supplying level higher than the first power-supplying level in response to the third charging mode for establishing the second charge rate, wherein the controller further controls the power switch to output the first power-supplying level in response to the received signal from the three-position rocker switch indicating the first or second charging mode, and to output the second power-supplying level in response to the received signal from the three-position rocker switch indicating the third charging mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein in the first or third charging mode, when the charging operation is complete, the apparatus enters a low power mode, where some, most, or all electronic components of the loudspeaker are turned off to conserve energy.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the three-position rocker switch comprises a three-position mechanical selector that indicates a selection of one of the first, second, or third charging mode for charging the battery, the first charging mode corresponding to a first position of the mechanical selector and pertaining to an off state of the speaker sound system, the second charging mode corresponding to a second position of the mechanical selector and pertaining to an on state of the speaker sound system, the third charging mode corresponding to a third position of the mechanical selector and pertaining to a fast charge state of the speaker sound system.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein in the second charging mode, when audio is at a threshold for a power-related calculation, the controller stop

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Macdonald Thomas E
• Jackson Craig
• Zastoupil Greg J
• Banton Randy G

Classifications

• H02J7/90

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/65

  against overtemperature · CPC title

• H02J7/0047

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/007 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic