WO2008145434A1 - Portable telecommunications device - Google Patents

Portable telecommunications device Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008145434A1
WO2008145434A1 PCT/EP2008/053728 EP2008053728W WO2008145434A1 WO 2008145434 A1 WO2008145434 A1 WO 2008145434A1 EP 2008053728 W EP2008053728 W EP 2008053728W WO 2008145434 A1 WO2008145434 A1 WO 2008145434A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
current
input
converter
voltage
telecommunications device
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2008/053728
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Kai Inha
Mikael Troberg
Petri Vuori
Original Assignee
Nokia Corporation
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB0710332A external-priority patent/GB0710332D0/en
Priority claimed from US11/763,303 external-priority patent/US8154247B2/en
Application filed by Nokia Corporation filed Critical Nokia Corporation
Publication of WO2008145434A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008145434A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/0068—Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a portable telecommunications device having a charging interface for connection to an external power supply for charging a battery of the portable telecommunications device.
  • Portable telecommunications devices such as mobile telephones are typically powered by a battery pack and require periodic charging from a power supply such as a mains power supply or a car battery.
  • the devices typically include a charging interface into which a connector of a charger is plugged in order to charge the battery.
  • portable telecommunications devices are including applications and functions such as WCDMA video calling, which require increased power consumption. Future applications are likely to require even greater charging powers than existing platforms can supply.
  • miniaturised connectors are being used on charging devices for connection to the portable telecommunications devices.
  • These miniaturised connectors cannot tolerate high currents, and typically cannot tolerate currents above approximately IA.
  • IA currents above approximately IA.
  • miniaturised connectors make it difficult to supply the required power to charge the devices, given that the voltage input is also limited.
  • the present invention provides a portable telecommunications device comprising: a charging interface for connection to an external power supply; a voltage and current ratio converter configured to convert an input voltage and current at the charging interface into an output voltage and current for charging a battery; and a controller configured to control the voltage and current ratio converter.
  • the present invention also provides a method of charging a portable telecommunications device comprising: providing an input voltage and current to a charging interface of the telecommunications device; converting the input voltage and current at the charging interface into an output voltage and current for charging a battery according to a conversion ratio; and controlling the conversion ratio.
  • the inclusion of the voltage and current ratio converter and the controller allows greater control over the various charging parameters.
  • the controller is configured to monitor an input current at the charging interface and control the converter so that the input current does not exceed a maximum input current.
  • the present invention can operate at a maximum voltage of the power supply whilst maintaining a low current which can be tolerated by a charging connector, and the converter reduces the voltage and increases the current inside the device.
  • a higher charging current can be supplied to a battery. This further provides the opportunity to use a device requiring a high current without a battery, using power from a charger.
  • the controller is configured to monitor the input voltage and the input current, and control the converter to maximise the input power.
  • the charging current is gradually increased to the point where the external source voltage starts to drop, whereby the current is adjusted to maintain the maximum external source voltage. This means that the maximum charge power can be utilised.
  • the controller is configured to monitor an output current of the converter and control the converter to maximise the output current. The output current is maximised when the input power is maximised.
  • the converter is a buck, or step down, converter.
  • the controller controls the duty cycle of the buck converter.
  • Figure IA illustrates a prior art charging system
  • Figure IB illustrates charging of a device in accordance with the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a device in accordance with the present invention
  • Figure 3 illustrates control of the external power supply
  • Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure IA illustrates schematically a prior art charging system for a portable telecommunications device, such as a mobile telephone.
  • a charger provides power from a power supply 1 via a connector 2 in the mobile telephone to charge a battery 3 of the mobile telephone.
  • a switch 4 may be included in the mobile telephone between the connector 2 and the battery 3 to disconnect the charging current when the battery 3 is fully charged.
  • components such as the connector 2 are miniaturised.
  • Such miniaturised connectors 2 have a maximum current limit, typically of approximately IA.
  • the maximum input power to the connector 2 is 4.5V at IA with the output power to the battery 3 being 4.5V at IA.
  • Figure IB illustrates a charging arrangement of the present invention.
  • the mobile telephone includes a buck or step down converter 5 between the charging connector 2 and the battery 3.
  • step down mode switching power supplies include a serial switch, no additional switch is needed to isolate the power supply 1 from the battery 3.
  • a controller 6 controls the parameters of the buck converter 5, and in particular monitors parameters such as the input current and voltage and the output current and voltage, and controls parameters of the buck converter 5, such as the duty cycle in order to control the input and output voltages and the input and output currents of the buck converter 5.
  • the controller 6 can control the buck converter 5 to maintain the input current to be less than or equal to the IA limit of the connector 2 whilst maintaining the output voltage at the required charging voltage, in this case 4.5V, whilst drawing 18 volts from the power supply 1 and provided a charging current of 3.7A.
  • This is calculated as (18V/4.5V)* IA* 0.9, wherein 0.9 is an efficiency factor which is typically in the range 0.7 to 0.99.
  • the controller 6 can control the buck converter 5 to maximise the input power by maintaining the input current at the maximum IA.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the system of the present invention in more detail.
  • the power supply 1 provides input power having an input voltage U in and an input current I in .
  • U in and I in are monitored by the controller, in the form of CPU 7, using A/D converters 8, 9.
  • the buck converter 5 steps down the voltage to produce output voltage U out and output current I out which are used to charge the battery 3.
  • CPU 7 also monitors output voltage U out using A/D converter 10.
  • CPU 7 monitors the various parameters input from A/D converters 8, 9, 10 and outputs control signals to control switches 11 , 12. Therefore, the CPU 7 can monitor U in and I in and U out and control parameters of the buck converter 5.
  • the connector 2 between the power supply 1 and the mobile telephone is a miniaturised connector which can only support currents up to a maximum current limit I in max
  • the input current I in can be monitored and the parameters of the buck converter 5 controlled such that:
  • the output voltage U out can be monitored and the parameters of the buck controller 5 controlled by the CPU 7 to maintain U out at a voltage appropriate for charging the type of battery.
  • the parameters of the buck converter 5 may be adjusted to maximise the input current I in whilst keeping it below the maximum input current tolerated by the connector 2, so that the output power to the battery 3 is maximised.
  • the battery 3 may not be able to use all the input power, for instance if the battery is nearly full, in which case the input current may be reduced.
  • the CPU and the control mechanism make sure that the varying load (R L ) is adequately compensated.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which the power source (charger) may adjust its output voltage.
  • the charger may be a charging device, another telecommunication device, computing device, or any other equipment capable of providing power.
  • the control of the voltage may be achieved by signalling on the power line by analog modulation, digital data modulation, current modulation, added or subtracted voltage modulation, load interrupt sequencing, RF, magnetic field variations or inductions. If the charger or power source has no means of adjusting its power output, the charge controller can automatically adapt to the output capabilities of the power source.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a method in accordance with the present invention.
  • step Sl an input voltage and current are provided to the charging interface.
  • step S2 these are converted using a conversion ratio and output as an output voltage and current according to the conversion ratio in step S3.
  • step S4 the input voltage and current are monitored and the result of the monitoring is used to adjust the conversion ratio.
  • step S5 the output current and voltage are monitored and the conversion ratio is adjusted accordingly.

Abstract

A portable telecommunications device comprises a charging interface for connection to an external power supply (1), a voltage and current ratio converter (5) configured to convert an input voltage at the charging interface into an output voltage for charging a battery (3); and a controller (7) configured to control the converter.

Description

Portable Telecommunications Device
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable telecommunications device having a charging interface for connection to an external power supply for charging a battery of the portable telecommunications device.
Background to the Invention
Portable telecommunications devices such as mobile telephones are typically powered by a battery pack and require periodic charging from a power supply such as a mains power supply or a car battery. The devices typically include a charging interface into which a connector of a charger is plugged in order to charge the battery.
Currently, portable telecommunications devices are including applications and functions such as WCDMA video calling, which require increased power consumption. Future applications are likely to require even greater charging powers than existing platforms can supply.
Furthermore, portable telecommunications devices are being made smaller, and accordingly miniaturised connectors are being used on charging devices for connection to the portable telecommunications devices. These miniaturised connectors cannot tolerate high currents, and typically cannot tolerate currents above approximately IA. Thus, such miniaturised connectors make it difficult to supply the required power to charge the devices, given that the voltage input is also limited.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a portable telecommunications device comprising: a charging interface for connection to an external power supply; a voltage and current ratio converter configured to convert an input voltage and current at the charging interface into an output voltage and current for charging a battery; and a controller configured to control the voltage and current ratio converter.
The present invention also provides a method of charging a portable telecommunications device comprising: providing an input voltage and current to a charging interface of the telecommunications device; converting the input voltage and current at the charging interface into an output voltage and current for charging a battery according to a conversion ratio; and controlling the conversion ratio.
The inclusion of the voltage and current ratio converter and the controller allows greater control over the various charging parameters.
Preferably, the controller is configured to monitor an input current at the charging interface and control the converter so that the input current does not exceed a maximum input current.
Accordingly, the present invention can operate at a maximum voltage of the power supply whilst maintaining a low current which can be tolerated by a charging connector, and the converter reduces the voltage and increases the current inside the device. Thus a higher charging current can be supplied to a battery. This further provides the opportunity to use a device requiring a high current without a battery, using power from a charger.
Preferably, the controller is configured to monitor the input voltage and the input current, and control the converter to maximise the input power. Preferably, the charging current is gradually increased to the point where the external source voltage starts to drop, whereby the current is adjusted to maintain the maximum external source voltage. This means that the maximum charge power can be utilised. Preferably, the controller is configured to monitor an output current of the converter and control the converter to maximise the output current. The output current is maximised when the input power is maximised.
Preferably, the converter is a buck, or step down, converter.
Preferably, the controller controls the duty cycle of the buck converter.
Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure IA illustrates a prior art charging system;
Figure IB illustrates charging of a device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a device in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 illustrates control of the external power supply; and Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method in accordance with the present invention.
Detailed Description
Figure IA illustrates schematically a prior art charging system for a portable telecommunications device, such as a mobile telephone. A charger provides power from a power supply 1 via a connector 2 in the mobile telephone to charge a battery 3 of the mobile telephone. A switch 4 may be included in the mobile telephone between the connector 2 and the battery 3 to disconnect the charging current when the battery 3 is fully charged. However, in small devices, components such as the connector 2 are miniaturised. Such miniaturised connectors 2 have a maximum current limit, typically of approximately IA. As shown in Figure IA, if the output charging voltage to the battery is fixed, for instance at 4.5 V for a standard lithium battery, the maximum input power to the connector 2 is 4.5V at IA with the output power to the battery 3 being 4.5V at IA.
Figure IB illustrates a charging arrangement of the present invention. Instead of the switch 4, the mobile telephone includes a buck or step down converter 5 between the charging connector 2 and the battery 3. As step down mode switching power supplies include a serial switch, no additional switch is needed to isolate the power supply 1 from the battery 3. A controller 6 controls the parameters of the buck converter 5, and in particular monitors parameters such as the input current and voltage and the output current and voltage, and controls parameters of the buck converter 5, such as the duty cycle in order to control the input and output voltages and the input and output currents of the buck converter 5.
As shown in Figure IB, the controller 6 can control the buck converter 5 to maintain the input current to be less than or equal to the IA limit of the connector 2 whilst maintaining the output voltage at the required charging voltage, in this case 4.5V, whilst drawing 18 volts from the power supply 1 and provided a charging current of 3.7A. This is calculated as (18V/4.5V)* IA* 0.9, wherein 0.9 is an efficiency factor which is typically in the range 0.7 to 0.99. To maximise the charging power, the controller 6 can control the buck converter 5 to maximise the input power by maintaining the input current at the maximum IA.
Figure 2 illustrates the system of the present invention in more detail. The power supply 1 provides input power having an input voltage Uin and an input current Iin. Uin and Iin are monitored by the controller, in the form of CPU 7, using A/D converters 8, 9. The buck converter 5 steps down the voltage to produce output voltage Uout and output current Iout which are used to charge the battery 3. CPU 7 also monitors output voltage Uout using A/D converter 10. CPU 7 monitors the various parameters input from A/D converters 8, 9, 10 and outputs control signals to control switches 11 , 12. Therefore, the CPU 7 can monitor Uin and Iin and Uout and control parameters of the buck converter 5. In particular, where the connector 2 between the power supply 1 and the mobile telephone is a miniaturised connector which can only support currents up to a maximum current limit Iin max, the input current Iin can be monitored and the parameters of the buck converter 5 controlled such that:
!,n < Iin max.
Furthermore, the output voltage Uout can be monitored and the parameters of the buck controller 5 controlled by the CPU 7 to maintain Uout at a voltage appropriate for charging the type of battery. The parameters of the buck converter 5 may be adjusted to maximise the input current Iin whilst keeping it below the maximum input current tolerated by the connector 2, so that the output power to the battery 3 is maximised. However, the battery 3 may not be able to use all the input power, for instance if the battery is nearly full, in which case the input current may be reduced. The CPU and the control mechanism make sure that the varying load (RL) is adequately compensated.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment in which the power source (charger) may adjust its output voltage. The charger may be a charging device, another telecommunication device, computing device, or any other equipment capable of providing power. The control of the voltage may be achieved by signalling on the power line by analog modulation, digital data modulation, current modulation, added or subtracted voltage modulation, load interrupt sequencing, RF, magnetic field variations or inductions. If the charger or power source has no means of adjusting its power output, the charge controller can automatically adapt to the output capabilities of the power source.
Figure 4 illustrates a method in accordance with the present invention. In step Sl, an input voltage and current are provided to the charging interface. In step S2, these are converted using a conversion ratio and output as an output voltage and current according to the conversion ratio in step S3. In step S4, the input voltage and current are monitored and the result of the monitoring is used to adjust the conversion ratio. In step S5, the output current and voltage are monitored and the conversion ratio is adjusted accordingly. It should be realised that the foregoing examples should not be construed as limiting. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading the present application. Such variations and modifications extend to features already known in the field, which are suitable for replacing the features described herein, and all functionally equivalent features thereof.
Moreover, the disclosure of the present application should be understood to include any novel features or any novel combination of features either explicitly or implicitly disclosed herein or any generalisation thereof and during the prosecution of the present application or of any application derived therefrom, new claims may be formulated to cover any such features and/or combinations of such features.

Claims

Claims
1. A portable telecommunications device comprising: a charging interface for connection to an external power supply; a voltage and current ratio converter configured to convert an input voltage and current at the charging interface into an output voltage and current for charging a battery; and a controller configured to control the voltage and current ratio converter.
2. A telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to monitor an input current at the charging interface and control the converter so that the input current does not exceed a maximum input current.
3. A telecommunications device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the input voltage and the input current, and control the converter to maximise the input power.
4. A telecommunications device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the converter such that the input current is gradually increased to the point where the input voltage starts to drop, whereby the input current is adjusted to maintain the maximum input voltage.
5. A telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to monitor an output current of the converter and control the converter to maximise the output current.
6. A telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the converter is a buck converter.
7. A telecommunications device according to claim 6, wherein the controller controls the duty cycle of the buck converter.
8. A telecommunications device according to claim I 5 further comprising a power supply adjuster for adjusting the intake power from the power supply by adjusting properties of the power supply.
9. A method of charging a portable telecommunications device comprising: providing an input voltage and current to a charging interface of the telecommunications device; converting the input voltage and current at the charging interface into an output voltage and current for charging a battery according to a conversion ratio; and controlling the conversion ratio.
10. A method according to claim 9, comprising monitoring the input current at the charging interface and controlling the conversion ratio so that the input current does not exceed a maximum input current.
11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, comprising monitoring the input voltage and the input current, and controlling the conversion ratio to maximise the input power.
12. A method according to claim 9, comprising controlling conversion ration such that the input current is gradually increased to the point where the input voltage starts to drop, whereby the input current is adjusted to maintain the maximum input voltage.
13. A method according to claim 9, comprising monitoring the output current of controlling the conversion ratio to maximise the output current.
14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the controlling the conversion ratio comprises controlling a duty cycle of a buck converter.
15. A method according to claim 9, further comprising adjusting an intake power from the power supply by adjusting properties of the power supply.
PCT/EP2008/053728 2007-05-31 2008-03-28 Portable telecommunications device WO2008145434A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0710332.8 2007-05-31
GB0710332A GB0710332D0 (en) 2007-05-31 2007-05-31 Portable telecommunications device
US11/763,303 2007-06-14
US11/763,303 US8154247B2 (en) 2007-06-14 2007-06-14 Portable telecommunications device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008145434A1 true WO2008145434A1 (en) 2008-12-04

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2008/053728 WO2008145434A1 (en) 2007-05-31 2008-03-28 Portable telecommunications device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2008145434A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2860844A1 (en) * 2013-09-20 2015-04-15 Electrochem Solutions, Inc. Adaptive charger to maximize charge rate
CN106961132A (en) * 2016-01-12 2017-07-18 立锜科技股份有限公司 Mobile device charger and related adaptive charging voltage generator
US10164459B2 (en) 2013-10-07 2018-12-25 Intel Corporation Selective rasterization

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5625275A (en) * 1995-05-24 1997-04-29 Ast Research, Inc. Power supply which provides a variable charging current to a battery in a portable computer system
US5986437A (en) * 1996-12-17 1999-11-16 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Power supply system for portable electronic devices
EP1043824A2 (en) * 1999-04-09 2000-10-11 Fujitsu Limited Battery charge control circuit, battery charging device, and battery charge control method
EP1691466A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2006-08-16 Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Company, Limited Charger, and dc/dc converter having this charger

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5625275A (en) * 1995-05-24 1997-04-29 Ast Research, Inc. Power supply which provides a variable charging current to a battery in a portable computer system
US5986437A (en) * 1996-12-17 1999-11-16 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Power supply system for portable electronic devices
EP1043824A2 (en) * 1999-04-09 2000-10-11 Fujitsu Limited Battery charge control circuit, battery charging device, and battery charge control method
EP1691466A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2006-08-16 Shindengen Electric Manufacturing Company, Limited Charger, and dc/dc converter having this charger

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2860844A1 (en) * 2013-09-20 2015-04-15 Electrochem Solutions, Inc. Adaptive charger to maximize charge rate
US9866051B2 (en) 2013-09-20 2018-01-09 Electrochem Solutions, Inc. Adaptive charger to maximize charge rate
US10164459B2 (en) 2013-10-07 2018-12-25 Intel Corporation Selective rasterization
US10164458B2 (en) 2013-10-07 2018-12-25 Intel Corporation Selective rasterization
CN106961132A (en) * 2016-01-12 2017-07-18 立锜科技股份有限公司 Mobile device charger and related adaptive charging voltage generator

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