Charging method, charging system and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10879716-B2
Application number	US-201815983226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2018
Priority date	Nov 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A charging method, a charging system and an electronic device are provided. The charging method includes the following steps: An inputting current limit is set. An inputting current of at least one charger is measured. A power source voltage of a power source is adjusted until a current difference between the inputting current and the inputting current limit is within a predetermined range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charging method for optimizing charging efficiency, comprising:
setting an inputting current limit;
measuring an inputting current of at least one charger; and
adjusting a power source voltage of a power source until a current difference between the inputting current and the inputting current limit is within a predetermined range having a bottom bound and a top bound, wherein the bottom bound and the top bound are unequal, the power source voltage is increased such that the current difference is raised to the bottom bound, and the power source voltage is decreased such that the current difference is declined to the top bound.

2. The charging method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the power source voltage includes:
determining whether the current difference is within the predetermined range; and
increasing the power source voltage, if the current difference is less than the bottom bound of the predetermined range.

3. The charging method according to claim 2 , wherein the bottom bound is larger than 0 and lower than the top bound.

4. The charging method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the power source voltage includes:
determining whether the current difference is within the predetermined range having a bottom bound and a top bound; and
decreasing the power source voltage, if the current difference is larger than the top bound of the predetermined range.

5. The charging method according to claim 4 , wherein the top bound is larger than the bottom bound.

6. The charging method according to claim 1 , wherein the inputting current is measured at an input end of the charger.

7. The charging method according to claim 1 , wherein a quantity of the at least one charger is two, and the inputting current is a sum of two sub-currents inputted to the two chargers.

8. The charging method according to claim 1 , wherein the power source is a programmable power source.

9. An electronic device, comprising:
at least one charger which charges a battery;
a controller which sets an inputting current limit;
a current detector which measures an inputting current of the charger; and
a communication unit which sends a programming command to a power source which adjusts a power source voltage of the power source until a current difference between the inputting current and the inputting current limit is within a predetermined range having a bottom bound and a top bound, wherein the bottom bound and the top bound are unequal, the power source voltage is increased such that the current difference is raised to the bottom bound, and the power source voltage is decreased such that the current difference is declined to the top bound.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the programming command is used for determining whether the current difference is within the predetermined range, and increasing the power source voltage, if the current difference is less than the bottom bound of the predetermined range.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein the bottom bound is larger than 0 and lower than the top bound.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the programming command is used for determining whether the current difference is within the predetermined range having a bottom bound and a top bound, and decreasing the power source voltage, if the current difference is larger than the top bound of the predetermined range.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the top bound is larger than the bottom bound.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the current detector measures the inputting current at an input end of the charger.

15. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein a quantity of the at least one charger is two, a quantity of the at least one current detector is two, the inputting current includes two sub-currents, and the current detectors measure the two sub-currents of the two chargers respectively.

16. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the power source is a programmable power source.

17. A charging system for optimizing charging efficiency, comprising:
at least one charger which charges a battery;
a controller which sets an inputting current limit;
at least one current detector which measures an inputting current of the charger; and
a programmer which adjusts a power source voltage of a power source until a current difference between the inputting current and the inputting current limit is within a predetermined range having a bottom bound and a top bound, wherein the bottom bound and the top bound are unequal, the power source voltage is increased such that the current difference is raised to the bottom bound, and the power source voltage is decreased such that the current difference is declined to the top bound.

18. The charging system according to claim 17 , wherein the programmer determines whether the current difference is within the predetermined range, and increases the power source voltage, if the current difference is less than the bottom bound of the predetermined range.

19. The charging system according to claim 17 , wherein the programmer determines whether the current difference is within the predetermined range having a bottom bound and a top bound, and decreases the power source voltage, if the current difference is larger than the top bound of the predetermined range.

20. The charging system according to claim 17 , wherein a quantity of the at least one charger is two, a quantity of the at least one current detector is two, the inputting current includes two sub-currents, and the current detectors measure the two sub-currents of the two chargers respectively.

Assignees

• Mediatek Inc

Inventors

• Hsu Chih-Yuan
• Chen Shih-Ming
• Lee Chi-Ming

Classifications

• H02J7/953 Primary

  in response to charge current gradient · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/00718

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/007 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic