Battery charger and method for charging a battery
OwnerWon-Woo Leeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A battery charger includes current sources for generating first and second currents respectively, a current sensor, a current source controller, and a reference voltage generator. The first current charges a battery in a first current path, and the second current is conducted to a feedback load in a second current path separate from the first current path. The current sources form a current mirror and are controlled by the current source controller from comparing a reference voltage with a terminal voltage of the feedback load. The current sensor indicates a level of the first current to the reference voltage generator that sets the reference voltage such that the first current is maintained to be constant.
Claims21
A battery charger comprising:
- a first current source for generating a first current for charging a battery in a first current path;
- a second current source for generating a second current conducted to a feedback load in a second current path;
- wherein the first and second current paths are separate with the first and second current sources forming a current mirror;
- a current sensor for indicating a level of the first current;
- a current source controller for adjusting the first and second currents by comparing a reference voltage with a load terminal voltage of the feedback load;
- and
- a reference voltage generator for setting the reference voltage depending on the level of the first current such that the first current is maintained to be constant.
A method of charging a battery, comprising:
- generating a first current for charging a battery in a first current path;
- generating a second current conducted to a feedback load in a second current path;
- wherein the first and second current paths are separate with the first and second currents being generated from a current mirror;
- determining a level of the first current;
- adjusting the first and second currents by comparing a reference voltage with a load terminal voltage of the feedback load;
- and
- setting the reference voltage depending on the level of the first current such that the first current is maintained to be constant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.