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US 7,064,521 B2Granted
Charging circuit for parallel charging in multiple battery systems
AssigneeO2Micro International Limited
InventorsVlad Popescu Stanesti, Marian Niculae, Constantin Bucur
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A charging circuit for controlling a system charging parameter provided to a host of rechargeable batteries, wherein the host of batteries includes at least a first battery and second battery that may be coupled in parallel. The charging circuit provides for fast charging of rechargeable batteries in parallel. Independent current and voltage sensing for each battery enables parallel charging of batteries at different charging currents. The charging circuit may be configured to accept either analog or digital signals from an associated power management unit.
Claims15
A charging circuit for controlling a system charging parameter provided to a host of batteries by a DC to DC converter, wherein said host of batteries comprises at least a first battery and second battery that may be coupled in parallel, said charging circuit compnsing:
- a first pat configured to monitor a first battery charging current provided to said first battery;
- a second path configured to monitor a second battery charging current provided to said second battery;
- a third path configured to monitor a first battery charging voltage provided to said first battery;
- a fourth path configured to monitor a second battery charging voltage provided to said second battery;
- and
- a regulating circuit configured to reduce said system charging parameter provided to said host of batteries by providing a control signal to said DC to DC converter if said first battery charging current exceeds a first maximum charging current level or said second battery charging current exceeds a second maximum charging current level or said first battery charging voltage exceeds a first maximum charging voltage level, or said second battery charging voltage exceeds a second maximum charging voltage level, said first and second maximum charging current levels and said first and second maximum charging voltage levels provided to at least one input terminal of said charging circuit by a host power management unit.
3 more elements
A method for controlling a system charging parameter provided to a host of batteries by a DC to DC converter wherein said host of batteries comprises at least a first battery and second battery that may be coupled in parallel, said method comprising:
- monitoring a first battery charging current level provided to said first battery with a charging circuit;
- monitoring a second battery charging current provided to said second battery with a charging circuit;
- monitoring a first battery charging voltage provided to said first battery with a charging circuit;
- monitoring a second battery charging voltage provided to said second battery with a charging circuit;
- and
- reducing said system charging parameter provided to said host of batteries if said first charging current level exceeds a second maximum charging current level or said second charging current level exceeds a second maximum charging current level, or said first battery charging voltage exceeds a first maximum charging voltage level, or said second battery charging voltage exceeds a second maximum charging voltage level, said first and second maximum charging current levels and said first and second maximum charging voltage levels provided to at least one input terminal of said charging circuit by a host power management unit.
3 more elements
A charging circuit for regulating an output parameter of a DC to DC converter, said output parameter of said DC to DC converter providing power to a host of batteries, wherein said host of batteries comprises at least a first battery and second battery that may be coupled in parallel, said charging circuit comprising:
- a first path configured to monitor a first battery charging current level provided to said first battery;
- a second path configured to monitor a second battery charging current provided to said second battery;
- a third path configured to monitor a first battery charging voltage provided to said first battery;
- a fourth path configured to monitor a second battery charging voltage provided to said second battery;
- and
- a regulating circuit configured to reduce said output parameter of said DC to DC converter if one of said first battery charging current, said second battery charging current, said first battery charging voltage, and said second battery charging voltage exceeds an associated maximum level when said first battery and said second battery are coupled in parallel, said associated maximum levels provided to at least one input terminal of said charging circuit by a host power management unit.
3 more elements
An electronic device comprising:
- a power management unit configured to provide an output signal representative of at least a first maximum charging current level, a second maximum charging current level, a first maximum charging voltage level, and a second maximum charging voltage level;
- a host of batteries comprising at least a first battery and a second battery coupled in parallel;
- a charging circuit for controlling a system charging parameter provided to said host of batteries by a DC to DC converter, said charging circuit comprising:
- a first path configured to monitor a first battery charging current provided to said first battery and compare said first battery charging current to said first maximum charging current level;
- a second pat configured to monitor a second battery charging current level provided to said second battery and compare said second battery charging current to said second maximum charging current level;
- a third path configured to monitor a first battery charging voltage provided to said first battery and compare said first battery charging voltage to said first maximum charging voltage
- a fourth path configured to monitor a second battery charging voltage provided to said second battery and compare said second battery charging voltage to said second maximum charging voltage level;
- and
- a regulating circuit configured to reduce said system charging parameter provided to said host of batteries if said first charging current exceeds said first maximum charging current level or said second charging current exceeds said second maximum charging current level, or said first battery charging voltage exceeds said first maximum charging voltage level, or said second battery charging voltage exceeds said second maximum charging voltage level, said first and second maximum charging current levels and said first and second maximum charging voltage levels provided to at least one input terminal of said charging circuit by said power management unit.
6 more elements
An electronic device that may be powered by one or more of a host of rechargeable batteries or a DC power source, said electronic device comprising:
- a power management unit (PMU) configured to run a power management routine;
- a charging circuit configured to control charging of said host of rechargeable batteries, wherein said host of batteries comprises at least a first battery and a second battery coupled in parallel, said charging circuit comprising;
- a first path configured to monitor a first battery charging current level provided to said first battery and compare said first battery charging current level to said first maximum charging current level;
- a second path configured to monitor a second battery charging current level provided to said second battery and compare said second battery charging current level to said second maximum charging current level;
- a third path configured to monitor a first battery charging voltage provided to said first battery and compare said first battery charging voltage to said first maximum charging voltage level;
- a fourth path configured to monitor a second battery charging voltage provided to said second battery and compare said second battery charging voltage to said second maximum charging voltage level;
- and
- a regulating circuit configured to reduce said system charging parameter provided to said host of batteries if said first charging current exceeds said first maximum charging current level or said second charging current exceeds said second maximum charging current level, or said first battery charging voltage exceeds said first maximum charging voltage level, or said second battery charging voltage exceeds said second maximum charging voltage level, said first and second maximum charging current levels and said first and second maximum charging voltage levels provided to at least one input terminal of said charging circuit by said power management unit;
- and
- a selector circuit configured to select at least one of said DC source and said host of batteries in response to a PMU output signal from said PMU.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.