Electronic device comprising a battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019131817-A1
Application number	US-201816170276-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2018
Priority date	Oct 26, 2017
Publication date	May 2, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a battery having a rated charging voltage, a rated charging current, and a design capacity, a charging circuit configured to supply power to the battery, and a processor electrically connected to the battery and the charging circuit. The processor is configured to control the charging circuit to charge the battery in different ways based on a plurality of ranges determined based on a full charge capacity (FCC) of the battery, and, when the FCC of the battery is included in a first range from the design capacity to a first capacity lower than the design capacity, control the charging circuit to charge the battery by setting a first voltage lower than the rated charging voltage and setting a first current lower than the rated charging current.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a battery having a rated charging voltage, a rated charging current, and a design capacity; a charging circuit configured to supply power to the battery; and a processor electrically connected to the battery and the charging circuit, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the charging circuit to charge the battery in different ways based on a plurality of ranges determined based on a full charge capacity (FCC) of the battery, and
when the FCC of the battery is included in a first range from the design capacity to a first capacity lower than the design capacity, control the charging circuit to charge the battery by setting a first voltage lower than the rated charging voltage and setting a first current lower than the rated charging current.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to rapidly charge the battery, and wherein the controlling of the charging circuit to rapidly charge the battery comprises keeping a charging voltage and a charging current supplied to the battery substantially close to the rated charging voltage and the rated charging current.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery is equal to or lower than a predetermined capacity, the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to limit the rapid charging of the battery.

4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein, when a ratio of the FCC to the design capacity is equal to or lower than a predetermined ratio, the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to limit the rapid charging of the battery.

5 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein, when a number of charge/discharge cycles of the battery is equal to or higher than a predetermined number of cycles, the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to limit the rapid charging.

6 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery is included in a second range lower than the first capacity and higher than or equal to a second capacity lower than the first capacity, the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to charge the battery by setting a second voltage lower than the first voltage and varying based on the FCC and setting a second current lower than the first current and varying based on the FCC.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery is lower than the first capacity, the processor is further configured to limit the rapid charging of the battery.

8 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery is included in a third range lower than the second capacity and higher than or equal to a third capacity lower than the second capacity, the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to charge the battery by setting a third voltage equal to a lowest value of the second voltage in the second range and setting a third current lower than a lowest value of the second current in the second range and varying based on the FCC.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the FCC of the battery is lower than the second capacity, limit the rapid charging of the battery.

10 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery is included in a fourth range lower than the third capacity, the processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to charge the battery by setting the third voltage and a fourth current as a lowest value of the third current.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery is lower than the third capacity, the processor is further configured to limit the rapid charging of the battery.

12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display, wherein the processor is further configured to indicate a life of the battery on the display based on a ratio of the FCC to the design capacity.

13 . An electronic device, comprising:
a battery having a rated charging voltage, a rated charging current, and a design capacity; a charging circuit including the battery, a charger, and a controller for supplying power to the battery through the charger; a display; and a processor electrically connected to the battery, the charging circuit, and the display, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the controller to charge the battery in different ways based on a plurality of ranges determined based on a full charge capacity (FCC) of the battery, and
when the FCC of the battery is included in a first range from the design capacity to a first capacity lower than the design capacity, control to supply, to the battery, a first voltage lower than the rated charging voltage and a first current lower than the rated charging current.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to control the controller to rapidly charge the battery, and wherein the controlling of the controller to rapidly charge the battery comprises keeping a charging voltage and a charging current supplied to the battery substantially close to the rated charging voltage and the rated charging current.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 ,
wherein, when the FCC of the battery is included in a second range from the first capacity to a second capacity lower than the first capacity, the processor is further configured to control to supply, to the battery, a second voltage lower than the first voltage and varying based on the FCC and a second current lower than the first current and varying based on the FCC, wherein, when the FCC of the battery is included in a third range from the second capacity to a third capacity lower than the second capacity, the processor is further configured to control to supply, to the battery, a third voltage equal to a lowest value of the second voltage and a third current equal to or lower than a lowest value of the second current and varying based on the FCC, and wherein, when the FCC of the battery is included in a fourth range lower than the third capacity, the processor is further configured to control to supply, to the battery, the third voltage and a fourth current equal to a lowest value of the third current.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein, when the FCC of the battery corresponds to the first capacity, the second capacity, or the third capacity, the processor is further configured to control the controller to limit the rapid charging.

17 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to indicate a life of the battery on the display based on a ratio of the FCC to the design capacity.

18 . A battery charging method performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:
charging a battery by setting a first voltage lower than a rated charging voltage of the battery and setting a first current lower than a rated charging current of the battery, when a full charge capacity (FCC) of the battery is included in a first range from a design capacity to a first capacity lower than the design capacity.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
charging the battery by setting a second voltage lower than the first voltage and varying based on the FCC, and setting a second current lower than the first current and varying based on the FCC, when the FCC of the

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ha Jin Soo
• Kim Kun Suk
• Kim Sung Hoon
• Hwang In Sung

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

• H01M10/44 Primary

  Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) · CPC title

• H01M10/488

  Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density · CPC title

• H02J7/045 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic