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US 9,178,372 B2Granted
Charging control method for a rechargeable battery and portable computer
AssigneesLenovo (Beijing) Limited, Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd.
InventorsShuangcheng Zhao, Xiaoren Cheng, Ling Yao, Weizhi Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are charging control methods for a rechargeable battery and portable computers. The charging control method includes acquiring a control parameter for a charge current of the rechargeable battery; modifying, based on the control parameter, the charge current from a first charge current to a second charge current less than the first charge current; and charging the rechargeable battery with the second charge current. Compared with conventional methods of charging the battery always with the maximal charge current, the present disclosure can improve the battery's lifetime.
Claims6
A charging control method, comprising:
- acquiring a decision parameter for a charge mode;
- deciding, based on the decision parameter, whether a first charge mode or a second charge mode is adopted in a current charging operation;
- and
- charging a rechargeable battery with a first charge voltage in the first charge mode, and charging the rechargeable battery with a second charge voltage larger than the first charge voltage in the second charge mode;
- wherein the decision parameter comprises a number of recycles the battery has undergone, and an amount of time in which a capacity of the battery remaining higher than a second preset voltage;
- said deciding, based on the decision parameter, whether the first charge mode or the second charge mode is adopted in the current charging operation comprises deciding whether the number of recycles exceeds a first preset threshold of recycle number, and whether the amount of time exceeds a first accumulated time threshold,
- deciding to adopt the first charge mode in the current charging operation if the number of recycles exceeds the first preset threshold, or if the amount of time exceeds the first accumulated time threshold, if the number of recycles does not exceed the first preset threshold, and the amount of time does not exceed the first accumulated time threshold, deciding further whether the number of recycles does not exceed a second preset threshold of recycle number less than the first present threshold, and whether the amount of time does not exceed a second accumulated time threshold less than the first accumulated time threshold, and
- deciding to adopt the second charge mode in the current charging operation if the number of recycles does not exceed the second preset threshold, and the amount of time does not exceed the second accumulated time threshold.
5 more elements
A portable computer comprising a mainboard, a rechargeable battery connected to the mainboard, and a charging circuit configured to charge the battery,
- wherein the portable computer further comprises a first charging control device configured to control charging of the battery provided in the portable computer and comprising:
- a second acquisition module configured to acquire a decision parameter for a charge mode;
- a mode decision module configured to decide, based on the decision parameter, whether a first charge mode or a second charge mode is adopted in a current charging operation;
- a voltage control module configured to control the charging circuit to charge the battery with a first charge voltage in the first charge mode, and to charge the battery with a second charge voltage larger than the first charge voltage in the second charge mode;
- wherein the decision parameter comprises a number of recycles the battery has undergone, and an amount of time in which the battery remaining higher than a second preset voltage;
- and
- the mode decision module is configured to decide whether the number of recycles exceeds a first preset threshold of recycle number, and whether the amount of time exceeds a first accumulated time threshold, and decide to adopt the first charge mode in the current charging operation if the number of recycles exceeds the first preset threshold, or if the accumulated time exceeds the first accumulated time threshold, if the number of recycles does not exceed the first preset threshold, and the accumulated time does not exceed the first accumulated time threshold, the mode decision module is configured to further decide whether the number of recycles does not exceed a second preset threshold of recycle number less than the first present threshold, and whether the amount of time does not exceed a second accumulated time threshold less than the first accumulated time threshold, and decide to adopt the second charge mode in the current charging operation if the number of recycles does not exceed the second preset threshold, and the amount of time does not exceed the second accumulated time threshold.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.