System and method of charging a battery using a switching regulator
AssigneeSummit Microelectronics, Inc.
InventorsM. Abid Hussain, Kenneth C. Adkins, Georgios Konstantinos Paparrizos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment the present invention includes a system and method of charging a battery using a switching regulator. In one embodiment, a switching regulator receives an input voltage and input current. The output of the switching regulator is coupled to a battery to be charged. The switching regulator provides a current into the battery that is larger than the current into the switching regulator. As the voltage on the battery increases, the current provided by the switching regulator is reduced. The present invention may be implemented using either analog or digital techniques for reducing the current into the battery as the battery voltage increases.
Claims33
A battery charger comprising:
- a switching regulator having a first input, a first output, and a control input, wherein the first input receives a first input voltage and a first input current, and the first output is coupled to a battery to provide a first output voltage and a first output current;
- an adjustable current controller having at least one input coupled to sense the first output current, at least one output coupled to the control input of the switching regulator, and a second input coupled to the first input of the switching regulator for detecting changes in the first input current or to the battery for detecting changes in the first output voltage, wherein the adjustable current controller changes the first output current to the battery in response to detecting changes in the first input current or first output voltage,
- wherein the switching regulator provides the first output current to the battery that is greater than the first input current, and wherein the first output current is reduced, in a current control mode, as the first output voltage on the battery increases.
A battery charger comprising:
- a switching regulator including at least one switching transistor, the switching transistor having a first input to receive a first input voltage and a first input current, the switching transistor further having a first output coupled to a battery to provide a first output voltage and a first output current;
- a current controller for controlling the first output current to the battery, the current controller having at least one input for sensing the first output current to the battery, a second input for adjusting the first output current in response to a control signal, and a first output coupled to the switching regulator;
- and
- a first controller having a first input coupled to the first input of the switching transistor or the battery, and at least one output coupled to the second input of the current controller, wherein the first controller is responsive to increases in the first input current or first output voltage, and wherein the first controller changes the control signal at the second input of the current controller to reduce the first output current if the first input current or first output voltage increase,
- wherein the switching regulator provides the first output current to the battery that is greater than the first input current, and wherein the first output current is reduced, in a current control mode, as the first output voltage on the battery increases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.