KR101273685B1 - Battery charging device - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a charging device for a battery configured to charge the battery in the constant current-constant voltage charging or rapid charging mode by the user's selection. The charging device of the battery includes a battery having a plurality of charging cells and sensing and outputting a voltage level charged in the charging cells and charged by an input charging voltage, and charging a first level according to a level of a charging control signal. A charging voltage generator for supplying a voltage and a charging voltage of a second level to the battery to charge the voltage of the battery; and generating a charging request signal when the charging level detection signal output from the battery is not a preset full charge level. And a system controller for applying a charging control signal having a level corresponding to a charging mode set by a user to the charging voltage generator when a charging request signal is generated from the embedded controller.

CC-CV, Quick Charge, Hotkey, Battery Charge, Charger, Embedded Controller, Fast Charge

Description

Battery charger {BATTERY CHARGING DEVICE}

1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for charging a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for charging a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS to the main parts of the drawings "

12: battery, 14: charging voltage generator,

16: embedded controller, 18: system controller,

20: south bridge, 22: charging mode controller,

24: charging unit, 26: keyboard hotkey,

The present invention relates to a charging device for a battery, and more particularly, to charging a battery configured to charge a battery in constant current-constants voltage and pulse charging mode by a user's selection. Relates to a device.

In a typical mobile electric device, for example, a notebook, a mobile wireless telephone, etc., a main operating voltage is a power source charged in a rechargeable battery (hereinafter, referred to as a "battery"). I'm using it.

Therefore, when the battery voltage is discharged below a certain level, such a mobile electronic device receives a voltage output from a power adapter that converts an external AC power into a DC power. It could not be operated but only had to be charged at regular intervals.

In the case of a laptop, it is configured to charge an external voltage from a power adapter and charge the voltage of the battery coupled to the laptop. In the case of a mobile wireless telephone, the battery is connected to a separate charger to charge. to be.

In the case of the charger of the laptop and the mobile wireless telephone, a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging scheme in which an external power supply voltage supplied from a power adapter is supplied by charging a battery with a constant current and voltage is input. The CC-CV charging method as described above has a long time for discharging the voltage charged in the battery, but has a long charging time.

In order to solve the shortcomings of the CC-CV charging method, a pulse charging method has been developed and applied to a laptop charger. However, the rapid charging method has the advantage that the voltage charging of the battery can be performed in a short time compared to the CC-CV charging method, but the discharge cycle (life cycle) is very short compared to the CC-CV charging, which has the disadvantage of frequent charging. .

Currently, most of the chargers such as laptops and mobile radios are applied to one of the CC-CV charging method and the rapid charging method, so that the battery is normally charged or rapidly charged, and thus the battery cannot be efficiently charged.

For example, when charging only in CC-CV mode, the charging and discharging time is very long, so it was not possible to carry the battery quickly in full charge state. There has been a problem that cannot be done efficiently.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery charging device and a method of controlling the battery capable of charging the battery by selecting one of the CC-CV mode and the quick charge mode in response to a user's request.

Another object of the present invention is to charge the battery in the fast charge mode in the CC-CV mode in response to the selection of a predetermined hot key even when the power supply voltage is applied from the power adapter while the main power of the mobile electronic device is turned off. It is to provide a battery charging device and a control method thereof that can be switched to.

Still another object of the present invention is to change the charging of the battery from the CC-CV mode to the fast charging mode in response to the selection of a preset hot key when the power voltage is applied from the power adapter while the mobile electronic device is operating. The present invention provides a battery charging device and a control method thereof.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charging device for a rechargeable battery, the battery including a plurality of charge cells, and sensing and outputting a voltage level charged in the charge cells and being charged by an input charging voltage. Wow; Supplying a charge voltage of a first level and a charge voltage of a second level to the battery according to the level of a charge control signal to charge the battery voltage and cutting off the charge voltage provided to the battery by input of a charge cutoff signal; A charging voltage generator; When the charge level detection signal output from the battery is not a predetermined fully charged (fully charging) level to generate a charge request signal, and when the level detection signal from the battery is full charge to provide a charge interruption signal to the charge voltage generator An embedded controller; And a system controller for applying a charging control signal having a level corresponding to a charging mode preset by a user to the charging voltage generator when the charging request signal is generated from the embedded controller.

The charging voltage of the first level output from the charging voltage generator is a CC-CV charging voltage, and the charging voltage of the second level is a pulse charging voltge output in a pulse form.

A charge control voltage generator configured to generate a charge control voltage having a predetermined level when the charge control signal is at a first level and to raise the charge control voltage when the charge control signal is at a second level, and an external power adapter CC-CV charging voltage and pulse charging voltage to the battery according to a charge control voltage output from the charge control voltage generator connected between an external power voltage (EVCC) provided from the battery It is preferable to configure the charger to supply selectively.

The charger may be designed to block an output of a charging voltage supplied to the battery in response to a charging cutoff signal output from the embedded controller.

The system controller sets a CC-CV charging mode and a fast charging mode by a user's setting therein, and generates a charging control signal corresponding to the set charging mode when a charging request signal is output from the embedded controller. It is preferred to include a power management module.

A signal is connected to an output terminal of the system controller by connecting a south bridge or an input / output control hub that transmits a charge mode control signal output therefrom to the charge control voltage generator as a charge control signal. It is required to stabilize the level of.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a battery charging device includes: a battery having a plurality of charging cells and sensing and outputting a voltage level charged in the charging cells and charged by an input charging voltage; Supplying a charge voltage of a first level and a charge voltage of a second level to the battery according to the level of a charge control signal to charge the battery voltage and cutting off the charge voltage provided to the battery by input of a charge cutoff signal; A charge voltage generator; When the charge level detection signal from the battery is not a preset full charge level, a charge control signal is provided to the charge voltage generator, and when the fast charge mode key preset on the keyboard is selected, the level of the charge control signal is converted. When the level detection signal from the battery is full charge, and comprises an embedded controller for providing a charge blocking signal to the charging voltage generator.

The embedded controller generates a charge request signal to a system controller which mainly controls the system when the charge level detection signal output from the battery is not a preset full charge level, and charges corresponding to a preset charging mode from the system controller. It is preferable to operate to provide the charging voltage generator with a charging control signal corresponding to a mode control signal.

The charging voltage of the first level output from the charging voltage generator is a CC-CV charging voltage, and the charging voltage of the second level is a pulse charging voltge output in a pulse form.

A charge control voltage generator configured to generate a charge control voltage having a predetermined level when the charge control signal is at a first level and to raise the charge control voltage when the charge control signal is at a second level, and an external power adapter A charger connected between an external power supply voltage (EVCC) provided from the battery and the battery to selectively supply the CC-CV charging voltage and the fast charging voltage to the battery according to the charging control voltage output from the charging control voltage generator. It is desirable to.

The charger may be designed to block an output of a charging voltage supplied to the battery in response to a charging cutoff signal output from the embedded controller.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. It should be understood, however, that the invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention described below are only for explaining the spirit of the present invention to a person skilled in the art, and a detailed description of known functions and configurations of the present invention which may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention It should be noted that it is omitted.

Example 1

1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for charging a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 denotes a lithium ion battery that is widely used in a conventional rechargeable battery, for example, a notebook computer, and detects voltage levels of a plurality of built-in charging cells and detects the corresponding charged voltage detection data. (BCSD: battery cell sensing data)

Reference numeral 14 is a charging voltage generator that converts an external power supply EVCC provided from an external adapter into a CC-CV charging voltage (approximately 12.6 Volt / dc) according to a charging control signal (CCS), thereby charging the CC-CV charging voltage. Is supplied to the battery 12 or the external power supply voltage EVCC is converted into a fast charging voltage (about 13.0 Volt / pulse) in the form of a pulse and supplied to the battery 12.

Reference numeral 16 denotes an embedded controller to generate a charge request signal when the charge voltage detection data BCSD output from the battery 12 is not a preset full charge level, and generate the charge voltage detection data BCSD. Is at the full charge level, the charging voltage generator 14 provides a charging stop signal (CSS). In this case, the charge control generator 14 receiving the charge cutoff signal CSS blocks the CC-CV charge voltage or the fast charge voltage output to the battery 14 to prevent overcharging of the battery 12.

Reference numeral 18 is a system controller which is a processor for controlling the main operation of a mobile electronic device, for example, a notebook or a mobile wireless telephone, operated by the application of the voltage charged in the battery 12.

The system controller 18 is operated by an operating system on the power management module 18a and keyboard (not shown) for monitoring the battery 12 therein and managing the power of the battery. EC firmware that detects a pressed state of a set hot key and transmits a corresponding signal to the embedded controller 16 or transmits a signal from the embedded controller 16 to the power management module 18a. 18b and a system BIOS 18c for controlling the basic input / output of the system. It should be recognized that the power management module 18a, the system BIOS 18b, and the EC firmware 18c embedded in the system controller 18 are software modules, and only the system controller 18 is sufficient as necessary. shall.

Reference numeral 20 interfaces a signal input as a south bridge to the charging voltage generator 14. In the drawings of an embodiment of the present invention, it is indicated as a south bridge or an input / output control hub may be used, and it should be noted that it may not be configured as necessary.

The charging device configured as shown in FIG. 1 is a mobile electronic device, for example, an operating system of a system such as a notebook is executed according to a mode in which the user charges the battery 12 while the notebook is operating normally. It is very useful for normal charging (CC-CV) mode or fast charging mode.

In order to charge the battery 12 in the CC-CV charging mode or the fast charging mode according to the user's setting using the charging device configured as shown in FIG. 1, the user in the power management module 18a in the system controller 18 is charged. Should be set. The power management module 18a may set a charging mode by selecting a menu displayed on a system tray while the window system is operating. The power management module 18a may be configured by a user to set the charging mode. Store the mode in an internal register.

When the charging device as shown in FIG. 1 is operated, the battery 12 checks the voltage charged in the internal charging cells and outputs the charging voltage level detection signal BCSD to the embedded controller 16 at a predetermined cycle.

The embedded controller 16 searches whether the charge voltage of the battery 12 is a predetermined full charge level by the charge voltage level detection signal BCSD transmitted from the battery 12 to charge the battery 12. When the voltage is not at the full charge voltage level, the charging request signal is transmitted to the EC firmware 18b of the system controller 18.

The EC firmware 18b in the system controller 18 transmits a charge request signal to the power management module 18a, which responds to the input of the charge request signal and executes a charge mode stored in an internal register. The search outputs a corresponding charging mode control signal (CMCS) to the south bridge 20 through the system BIOS 18c.

For example, when the charging mode set in the internal register of the system controller 18 by the user is the CC-CV mode, the charging mode signal CMCS is output as logic "high", and the charging set in the internal register set by the user When the mode is the fast charge mode, the charge mode signal CMCS is output as logic "low".

The south bridge 20, which receives the charge mode control signal CMCS from the system control unit 18, is charged up to a level of a power supply voltage or pulled down to a level of ground. A charging control signal (CCS) is provided to the charging mode controller 22 in the charging voltage generator 14.

At this time, the N-type MOS transistor (hereinafter referred to as "transistor") 26 in the charge mode controller 22 is switched according to the logic level of the charge control signal CCS input to the gate to charge the charging control voltage (CCV). Control Voltage) is output to the first voltage level or provided to the charger 24 at a second voltage level higher than the phase first voltage level. In addition, the diode 28 in which the cathode and the anode are connected to the drain and source of the transistor 26 is a diode for preventing the reverse voltage.

For example, when the charging mode is the normal charging (CC-CV) mode and the charging control signal CCS is "high", the transistor 26 for inputting it to the gate is "turned on" so that the level of the charging control voltage CCV is turned on. Is determined as in Equation 1 below and input to the charger 24.

[Equation 1]

If the charging mode set by the user is the fast charging mode and the charging control signal CCS is output as logic "low", the transistor 26 is "turned off" so that the current path of the resistor R3 is blocked. The charge control voltage CCV output from the voltage divider composed of the resistors R1 to R3 and the transistor 26 is output as in Equation 2 below.

&Quot; (2) "

Assuming that the resistance values of the resistors R1 to R3 are the same in Equations 1 and 2, it can be seen that the output voltage value of Equation 1 is lower than the output voltage value of Equation 2.

The charger 24 inputs the charging control voltage CCV determined as in Equation 1 to output the charging voltage of CC-CV of about 12.6 volts to the battery 12 to charge the voltage of the charging cells therein.

The battery 12 charges the voltage of the internal charging cells by the CC-CV charging voltage output from the charger 24, checks the voltage charged in the cells, and outputs the voltage to the embedded controller 16. At this time, the battery 12 continuously detects the charging voltage of the internal charging cells and outputs a corresponding detection signal BCSD to the embedded controller 16 to continuously perform the above-described operation.

When the charging of the battery 12 continues for a predetermined time and outputs a charge detection signal BCSD indicating that the voltage of the charging cells in the battery 12 is fully charged, the embedded controller 16 detects this and the charger 24 Outputs an activated Charging Stop Signal (CSS).

If the charging mode set in the power management module 18a in the system control unit 18 is the high speed charging module and the charging control signal CCS is output as logic "low", the charging mode controller 22 performs the above-mentioned math. The charging control voltage CCV determined as in Equation 2 is output to the charger 24. At this time, the charger 24 outputs a fast charging voltage of 13.0 volts, which is about 0.4 volts higher than the CC-CV charging voltage, to the battery 12 to charge the voltage of the charging cells therein at high speed.

The charging mode as described above may be changed by the user at any time by executing the power management module 18a.

Therefore, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the charging control device configured as shown in FIG. 1 has a battery 12 according to a charging mode set in the power management module 18a in an operating state executed in an operating system loaded in a mobile electronic device. Normal charging and fast charging can be performed to properly charge the battery 12 according to the use state of the mobile electronic device.

[Example 2]

2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for charging a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the embedded controller 16 and the keyboard 26 are embedded such that the transistor 26 in the charge mode controller 22 is directly driven. Only the configuration connected to the controller 16 or / and the EC firmware 18b of the system controller 18 is different from that in FIG. The same reference numerals as in Urea were given.

In the charging control device according to the second embodiment configured as shown in FIG. 2, the main power of a mobile electronic device, for example, a notebook and a mobile wireless telephone, operated by receiving a charging voltage supplied from the battery 12 is not powered on. Therefore, it is possible to change the charging mode of the battery 12 even when the system operation is not performed.

The embedded controller 16 shown in FIG. 2 normally outputs a charge control signal CCS of logic "high" so that the charge control voltage CCV output from the charge mode controller 22 is equal to Equation 1 described above. Causes output to level.

Therefore, the circuit as shown in FIG. 2 normally supplies the charging voltage CC-CV in the normal mode to the battery 12 so that the battery 12 is constant current-constant voltage charged.

At this time, the embedded controller 16 checks whether the charge detection signal BCSD outputted from the battery 12 is full charge level at a predetermined cycle and outputs the charge cutoff signal CCS outputted to the charger 24. To control. For example, when the charge detection signal BCSD of the battery 12 is not at the full charge level, the charge cutoff signal CCS is disabled to allow the charger 24 to supply the normal charge voltage CC-CV. When the charge detection signal BCSD is at a full charge level, the charge cutoff signal CSS is enabled to block the output of the charger 24.

In the above operating state, when a user of a mobile electronic device such as a notebook or a mobile wireless telephone selects a preset hot key on the keyboard 26, a mode selection signal is input to the system controller 18. It is inputted into the EC firmware 18b.

The EC firmware 18b in the system controller 18 outputs the fast charge mode signal to the embedded controller 16 in response to the mode selection signal (hot mode), wherein the embedded controller 16 generates a charge control signal ( CCS) transitions from "high" to "low".

When the charge control signal CCS is input to "low", the transistor 26 is "turned off" and thus the charger 24 is supplied with the charge control voltage CCV determined as described in Equation 2 above.

Accordingly, the charger 24 outputs a fast charging voltage of about 13.0 volts to the battery 12 by input of a charge control voltage CCV as shown in Equation 2, thereby providing a voltage of the battery 12. Charge at high speed.

When a hot key set on the keyboard is selected again and a mode selection signal is provided to the EC firmware 18b, the EC firmware 18b outputs a normal mode charging signal to the embedded controller 16 again to normal charge. The voltage causes the battery 12 to be normally charged.

In the above description, a hot key means when a key function key (function: Fn key) installed on a keyboard of a notebook or the like and an arbitrarily set Fi (here i is an integer such as 1,2) key are simultaneously selected.

Accordingly, the battery charging apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention normally operates the battery 12 coupled to (or mounted on) the system by an external power supply voltage (EVCC) input from an external power adapter when the system is not running. When charging, the user can select the fast charging mode to charge the voltage of the battery 12 at a high speed. When applied to the notebook, the charging module can be selected even when the notebook is not booted. Can be.

In addition, in the above-described second embodiment of the present invention, the case where the hot mode is input to the system controller 18 when the hot key set on the keyboard 26 is selected is described. As described above, the selection signal of the hotkey is directly input to the embedded controller 16 so that the charging mode can be changed without involvement of the system controller 18.

For example, the embedded controller 16 toggles a charge control signal (CCS) that is output to the gate of the transistor 26 when a hot key selection signal installed on the keyboard 26 is inputted, and the battery is operated in a different mode from the previous charge mode. May be charged, and such an operation may be easily implemented by those who understand the technical spirit of the present invention without further continuous experimentation.

As described above, the battery charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide normal charging and fast charging by selectively supplying the CC-CV charging voltage and the fast charging voltage to the battery according to the user's setting, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the battery. It can increase. In addition, the charging mode can be changed even when the main system operated by the power supply voltage supplied from the battery is not running. Therefore, the system needs to boot the system in order to change the charging mode of the battery in a system such as a laptop. There is an advantage that can be efficient.

Claims (11)

In the charging device of the rechargeable battery, A battery having a plurality of charging cells, sensing a voltage level charged in the charging cells to output a charge level detection signal, and charged by an input charging voltage; A charging voltage generator configured to supply a charging voltage of a first level and a charging voltage of a second level to the battery according to a level of a charging control signal to charge the voltage of the battery; An embedded controller which generates a charge request signal when the charge level detection signal output from the battery is not a preset full charge level; And a system controller for applying a charging control signal having a level corresponding to a charging mode preset by a user to the charging voltage generator when a charging request signal is generated from the embedded controller. And an input / output control hub connected to an output terminal of the system controller for stabilizing a charge mode control signal output therefrom to a pull-up level or a pull-down level and transmitting the charge mode signal to the charge voltage generator as a charge control signal. The charging voltage of the first level output from the charging voltage generator is a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging voltage, and the charging voltage of the second level is a pulse charging voltage output in a pulse form. Battery charger. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the embedded controller disables the operation of the charging voltage generator when the charging level detection signal output from the battery is a full charging level. The charging voltage generator of claim 2, wherein the charging voltage generator outputs a charging control voltage having a predetermined level when the charging control signal is at a first level, and raises and outputs the charging control voltage when the charging control signal is at a second level. A constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging voltage is applied to the battery according to a charge control voltage generator and an external power supply voltage supplied from an external power adapter and the charge control voltage output from the charge control voltage generator. , Charging apparatus for a battery, characterized in that configured as a charger for selectively supplying a pulse charging voltage. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the charger cuts off an output of a charging voltage supplied to the battery in response to a charging cutoff signal output from the embedded controller. According to claim 1, wherein the system controller is a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging mode for charging the battery with a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging voltage by the user's settings and a high speed for charging the battery in the pulse charging voltage And a power management module for setting a charging mode and generating a charging control signal corresponding to the set charging mode when a charging request signal is output from the embedded controller. delete In a battery charging apparatus having a battery having a plurality of charging cells and sensing the voltage level charged in the charging cells to output a charge level detection signal, and is charged by the input charging voltage, A charging voltage generator configured to supply a charging voltage of a first level and a charging voltage of a second level to the battery according to a level of a charging control signal to charge the voltage of the battery; When the charge level detection signal from the battery is not a preset full charge level, a charge control signal is provided to the charge voltage generator, and when the hot key for a preset fast charge mode is selected on the keyboard, the charge An embedded controller converting a level of a control signal to convert a charging voltage provided to the battery into a charging voltage of a second level; And a system controller which detects whether a hot key for a preset fast charge mode is selected on the keyboard and outputs a fast charge mode signal to the embedded controller. And an input / output control hub connected to an output terminal of the system controller for stabilizing the charge control signal output therefrom to a pull-up level or a pull-down level and transmitting the charge control signal to the charge voltage generator as a charge control signal. The method of claim 8, wherein the charging voltage of the first level output from the charging voltage generator is a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging voltage, and the charging voltage of the second level is a pulse charging voltage output in the form of a pulse. Battery charger. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the embedded controller disables the operation of the charge voltage generator when the charge level detection signal output from the battery is a full charge level. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the charging voltage generator outputs a charging control voltage of a preset level when the charging control signal is a first level, and raises and outputs the charging control voltage when the charging control signal is a second level. A constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging voltage or Charging apparatus for a battery, characterized in that configured as a charger for selectively supplying a pulse charging voltage.

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