Back to results
US 11,239,680 B2Granted
Battery charger
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsMustapha El Markhi, Alejandro Vera, Rohit Bhan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery charger includes a battery power regulator configured to set a charge signal provided to a battery based on a charge control signal and charge enable signal. The battery charger also includes a controller configured to provide the charge control signal to the battery power regulator. The controller is also configured to temporarily de-assert the charge enable signal for a predetermined amount of time in response to determining that a change is needed in the charge control signal. The controller is further configured to re-assert the charge enable signal after the predetermined amount of time.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a controller having a first controller output and a second controller output, the controller configured to:
- temporarily de-assert a charge enable signal at the first controller output for a time period;
- change a charge control signal at the second controller output within the time period;
- and
- re-assert the charge enable signal at the first controller output after an elapse of the time period;
- and
- a circuit including:
- transistors;
- a transistor control circuit including:
- switches coupled to the transistors and to the second controller output, the switches configured to control a respective state of each transistor, responsive to the change in the charge control signal, to change a battery charge signal;
- and
- a control transistor coupled to the switches and to the first controller output, the control transistor configured to:
- disable provision of the battery charge signal, within the time period, responsive to the temporary de-asserting of the charge enable signal;
- and enable the provision of the battery charge signal responsive to the re-asserting of the charge enable signal.
11 more elements
A method for charging a battery comprising:
- applying, by a battery power regulator, a first charge signal to a battery based on a charge control signal and assertion of a charge enable signal;
- determining, by a controller, that the charge control signal is to change;
- de-asserting, by the controller, the charge enable signal based on the determining, thereby causing the battery power regulator to disable the first charge signal;
- changing, by the controller, the charge control signal in response to the de-asserting;
- re-asserting, by the controller, the charge enable signal a predetermined amount of time after the changing;
- and
- applying, by the battery power regulator, a second charge signal to the battery based on the changed charge control signal and the re-assertion of the charge enable signal.
4 more elements
A circuit comprising:
- a battery terminal;
- a controller having a charge enable output and a charge control output;
- and
- a charge control circuit including:
- a first transistor having a first control input and first and second transistor terminals, the first control input coupled to the charge enable output;
- a transistor array including:
- a second transistor having a second control input and third and fourth transistor terminals, the third transistor terminal coupled to the first transistor terminal, and the fourth transistor terminal coupled to the battery terminal;
- a third transistor having a third control input and fifth and sixth transistor terminals, the fifth transistor terminal coupled to the first transistor terminal, and the sixth transistor terminal coupled to the battery terminal;
- a first switch coupled to the second transistor terminal, the second control input, and the charge control output;
- a second switch coupled to the first transistor terminal, the second control input, and the charge control output;
- a third switch coupled to the second transistor terminal, the third control input, and the charge control output;
- and
- a fourth switch coupled to the first transistor terminal, the third control input, and the charge control output.
10 more elements
A system comprising:
- a battery terminal;
- a battery having a battery input and a battery output, the battery input coupled to the battery terminal;
- a processor having a processor input and a processor output, the processor input coupled to the battery output;
- a controller having a controller input, a charge enable output, and a charge control output, the controller input coupled to the processor output;
- and
- a charge control circuit including:
- a first transistor having a first control input and first and second transistor terminals, the first control input coupled to the charge enable output;
- a transistor array including:
- a second transistor having a second control input and third and fourth transistor terminals, the third transistor terminal coupled to the first transistor terminal, and the fourth transistor terminal coupled to the battery terminal;
- a third transistor having a third control input and fifth and sixth transistor terminals, the fifth transistor terminal coupled to the first transistor terminal, and the sixth transistor terminal coupled to the battery terminal;
- a first switch coupled to the second transistor terminal, the second control input, and the charge control output;
- a second switch coupled to the first transistor terminal, the second control input, and the charge control output;
- a third switch coupled to the second transistor terminal, the third control input, and the charge control output;
- and
- a fourth switch coupled to the first transistor terminal, the third control input, and the charge control output.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.