Electronic device and method for controlling power supply in electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12026032-B2
Application number	US-202117475231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 15, 2020
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may comprise: a connection circuit configured to connect to an external electronic device, a processor configured to: transmit, to a low power control circuit, a first control signal including power saving state information for the electronic device and a second control signal including charging enabled state information based on a power state of the electronic device being a power saving state, and a charging function setting state for the external electronic device being determined as a charging enabled state based on the external electronic device being connected to the connection circuit, and the low power control circuit being configured to cut off first power to a data input/output control circuit based on the power saving state information for the electronic device included in the first control signal and to supply second power to the external electronic device connected to the connection circuit based on the charging enabled state information included in the second control signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a connection circuit configured to connect to an external electronic device;
a display;
a low power control circuit; and
at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, individually and/or collectively configured to:
recognize connection of the external electronic device to the connection circuit,
determine a power state of the electronic device based on whether the display is on or off in a power-on state,
control to transmit, to the low power control circuit, a first control signal including active state information or power saving state information for the electronic device based on the power state of the electronic device, wherein the first control signal includes the active state information based on the power state of the electronic device being an active state where the display is on in the power-on state, or the power saving state information based on the power state of the electronic device being a power saving mode where the display is off in the power-on state, and
control to transmit, to the low power control circuit, a second control signal including, charging enabled state information based on a charging function setting state for the external electronic device being determined as a charging enabled state, and
wherein the low power control circuit is configured to:
supply first voltage to a data input/output control circuit, based on the active state information for the electronic device included in the first control signal,
cut off the first voltage to the data input/output control circuit, based on the power saving state information for the electronic device included in the first control signal, and
supply second voltage, higher than the first voltage, to the external electronic device connected to the connection circuit, based on the charging enabled state information included in the second control signal, and

wherein the at least one processor is individually and/or collectively configured to: based on a predetermined time being expired while the second voltage is supplied to the external electronic device, cut off the second voltage to the external electronic device, wherein the predetermined time is to be started based on the first control signal including the power saving state information for the electronic device for cutting off the first voltage to the data input/output control circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: identify a device type of the external electronic device based on the external electronic device being connected to the connection circuit and, based on the device type of the external electronic device being identified as a charging receiving device, determine the power state of the electronic device and the charging function setting state for the external electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising: a remaining battery measurement circuit configured to measure a remaining battery level of the electronic device, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
compare a threshold battery level value with the remaining battery level measured by the remaining battery measurement circuit based on the power state of the electronic device being determined as a power saving state, and the charging function setting state for the external electronic device being determined as the charging enabled state;
based on the remaining battery level being less than or equal to the threshold battery level value, switch the charging function setting state from the charging enabled state to a charging disabled state and transmit, to the low power control circuit, a first control signal including the power saving state information for the electronic device and a second control signal including charging disabled state information; and
based on the remaining battery level being greater than the threshold battery level value, transmit, to the low power control circuit, a first control signal including the power saving state information for the electronic device and a second control signal including the charging enabled state information.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
start a charging supply timer of the predetermined time based on transmitting, to the low power control circuit, the first control signal including the power saving state information for the electronic device and the second control signal including the charging enabled state information;
based on determining that the charging supply timer expires, switch the charging function setting state from the charging enabled state to a charging disabled state; and
transmit, to the low power control circuit, the first control signal including the power saving state information for the electronic device and a second control signal including charging disabled state information.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the low power control circuit includes:
a first power circuit configured to determine whether to supply the first voltage to the data input/output control circuit connected with a data communication port of the connection circuit based on a first control signal received from the at least one processor; and
a second power circuit configured to determine whether to supply the second voltage to a charging power port of the connection circuit connected with the external electronic device based on a second control signal received from the at least one processor.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first power circuit is configured to:
supply the first voltage to the data input/output control circuit based on the first control signal being determined to include active state information for the electronic device;
cut off the first voltage to the data input/output control circuit based on the first control signal being determined to include the power saving state information for the electronic device; and
cut off the first voltage to the data input/output control circuit based on the first control signal being determined to include power off information for the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second power circuit is configured to:
supply the second voltage to the charging power port of the connection circuit based on a second control signal being determined to include the charging enabled state information; and
cut off the second voltage to the charging power port of the connection circuit based on a second control signal being determined to include the charging disabled state information.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a folding detection circuit configured to detect whether the electronic device is open or closed, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
determine that the electronic device is in a folded state based on a third control signal including folding state information received from the folding detection circuit and, based on the charging function setting state for the external electronic device being determined as the charging enabled state, transmit, to the low power control circuit, a first control signal including the power saving state information for the electronic device and a second control signal including the charging enabled state information; and
determine that the electronic device is an unfolded state based on the third control signal received from the folding detection circuit and, based on the charging function setting state for the external electronic device being determined as the charging enabled state, transmit, to the low power control circuit, a first control signal including active state information for the electroni

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jehwan
• Kim Kunsuk
• Lee Jiwoo

Classifications

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/96 Primary

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• G06F1/266

  Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips · CPC title

• G06F1/3212

  Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level · CPC title