Portable computer and docking station having charging circuits with remote power sensing capabilities

A charging circuit system comprising:

• a first power supply;
• a sensor configured to sense a power level of said first power supply and provide a first signal representative of said power level;
• a transmitter configured to accept said first signal and transmit a second signal representative of said power level;
• a charging circuit comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive said second signal;
• a current allocation circuit coupled to said receiver, said current allocation circuit configured to provide a control signal to maximize a charging current to an associated battery while maintaining a supply current from said first power supply within a maximum current rating of said first power supply;
• and
• an error amplifier configured to provide said control signal based on said second signal;
• a second power supply;
• and
• said receiver further comprising a summation circuit and an input amplifier, wherein said summation circuit comprises a first summation input terminal and second summation input terminal, wherein said first summation input terminal is coupled to a first input signal terminal for receiving said second signal, and said second summation input terminal is coupled to an output of said input amplifier, wherein said input amplifier is configured to receive an input signal representative of a power level of said second power supply, and wherein an output of said summation circuit is coupled to said error amplifier.

A charging circuit system comprising:

• a first power supply;
• a sensor configured to sense a power level of said first power supply and provide a first signal representative of said power level;
• a transmitter configured to accept said first signal and transmit a second signal representative of said power level, wherein said second signal is a voltage signal;
• a charging circuit comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive said second signal;
• a current allocation circuit coupled to said receiver, said current allocation circuit configured to provide a control signal to maximize a charging current to an associated battery while maintaining a supply current from said first power supply within a maximum current rating of said first power supply;
• a second power supply;
• and
• said receiver further comprising an error amplifier, a summation circuit, and an input amplifier, wherein said summation circuit comprises a first summation input terminal and second summation input terminal, wherein said first summation input terminal is coupled to a first input signal terminal of said charging circuit for receiving said second signal, and said second summation input terminal is coupled to an output of said input amplifier, wherein said input amplifier is configured to receive an input signal representative of a power level of said second power supply, and wherein an output of said summation circuit is coupled to said error amplifier, said error amplifier configured to provide an output control signal based on said output of said summation circuit.

A charging circuit system comprising:

• a first power supply;
• a sensor configured to sense a power level of said first power supply and provide a first signal representative of said power level;
• a transmitter configured to accept said first signal and transmit a second signal representative of said power level, wherein said second signal is a current signal;
• a charging circuit comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive said second signal;
• a current allocation circuit coupled to said receiver, said current allocation circuit configured to provide a control signal to maximize a charging current to an associated battery while maintaining a supply current from said first power supply within a maximum current rating of said first power supply;
• a second power supply;
• and
• said receiver further comprising an error amplifier, a summation circuit, and an input amplifier, wherein said summation circuit comprises a first summation input terminal and second summation input terminal, wherein said first summation input terminal is coupled to a first input signal terminal of said charging circuit for receiving said second signal and a conversion resistor for providing a voltage drop across said conversion resistor in proportion to said second signal, and said second summation input terminal is coupled to an output of said input amplifier, wherein said input amplifier is configured to receive an input signal representative of a power level of said second power supply, and wherein an output of said summation circuit is coupled to said error amplifier, said error amplifier configured to provide an output control signal based on said output of said summation circuit.

A docking station for a laptop computer comprising:

• a docking power supply;
• a docking sensor configured to sense a power level of said docking power supply and provide a first signal representative of said power level;
• and
• a docking charging circuit comprising:
• at least one input signal terminal and at least one output signal terminal;
• and
• a transmitter comprising an amplifier, said amplifier having an input coupled to said at least one input signal terminal, and said amplifier having an output coupled to said at least one output signal terminal, wherein said at least one input signal terminal is configured to receive said first signal from said docking sensor, and wherein said amplifier is configured to amplify said first signal and provide a second signal;
• wherein said second signal is a voltage signal, and said transmitter further comprises a convention circuit configured to convert said second signal to a third signal proportionate to said second signal, wherein said third signal is a current signal.

A laptop computer system comprising:

• an input device;
• a processor;
• an output device;
• a battery;
• a remote power supply;
• a laptop charging circuit configured to provide a charging current to said battery and to receive supply current from said remote power supply, said laptop charging circuit comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive a first signal representative of said supply current from said remote power supply;
• a current allocation circuit coupled to said receiver, said current allocation circuit configured to provide a control signal configured to maximize said charging current to said battery while maintaining said supply current from said remote power supply within a maximum current rating of said remote power supply;
• and
• an error amplifier configured to provide said control signal based on said first signal;
• a laptop power supply;
• and
• said receiver further comprising a summation circuit and an input amplifier, wherein said summation circuit comprises a first summation input terminal and second summation input terminal, wherein said first summation input terminal is coupled to a first input signal terminal for receiving said first signal and said second summation input terminal is coupled to an output of said input amplifier, wherein said input amplifier is configured to receive an input signal representative of a power level of said laptop power supply, and wherein an output of said summation circuit is coupled to said error amplifier.

A laptop computer system comprising:

• an input device;
• a processor;
• an output device;
• a battery;
• a remote power supply;
• a laptop charging circuit configured to provide a charging current to said battery and to receive supply current from said remote power supply;
• said laptop charging circuit comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive a first signal representative of said supply current from said remote power supply, wherein said first signal is a voltage signal;
• and
• a current allocation circuit coupled to said receiver, said current allocation circuit configured to provide a control signal configured to maximize said charging current to said battery while maintaining said supply current from said remote power supply within a maximum current rating of said remote power supply;
• a laptop power supply;
• and
• said receiver further comprising an error amplifier, a summation circuit, and an input amplifier, wherein said summation circuit comprises a first summation input terminal and second summation input terminal, wherein said first summation input terminal is coupled to a first input signal terminal of said charging circuit for receiving said first signal, and said second summation input terminal is coupled to an output of said input amplifier, wherein said input amplifier is configured to receive an input signal representative of a power level of said laptop power supply, and wherein an output of said summation circuit is coupled to said error amplifier, said error amplifier configured to provide said control signal based on said output of said summation circuit.

A laptop computer system comprising:

• an input device;
• a processor;
• an output device
• a battery;
• a remote power supply;
• a laptop charging circuit configured to provide a charging current to said battery and to receive supply current from said remote power supply, said laptop charging circuit comprising:
• a receiver configured to receive a first signal representative of said supply current from said remote power supply, wherein said first signal is a current signal;
• and
• a current allocation circuit coupled to said receiver, said current allocation circuit configured to provide a control signal configured to maximize said charging current to said battery while maintaining said supply current from said remote power supply within a maximum current rating of said remote power supply;
• a laptop power supply;
• and
• said receiver further comprising an error amplifier, a summation circuit, and an input amplifier, wherein said summation circuit comprises a first summation input terminal and second summation input terminal, wherein said first summation input terminal is coupled to a first input terminal of said charging circuit for receiving said first signal and a conversion resistor for providing a voltage drop across said conversion resistor in proportion to said first signal, and said second summation input terminal is coupled to an output of said input amplifier, wherein said input amplifier is configured to receive an input signal representative of a power level of said laptop power supply, and wherein an output of said summation circuit is coupled to said error amplifier, said error amplifier configured to provide said control signal based on said output of said summation circuit.