WO2024034840A1

WO2024034840A1 - Electronic device which charges battery by controlling plurality of ports, and operation method therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2024034840A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/008859
Authority: WO
Inventors: 심현준
Original assignee: 삼성전자주식회사
Priority date: 2022-08-08
Filing date: 2023-06-26
Publication date: 2024-02-15

Abstract

Disclosed are an electronic device which charges a battery by controlling a plurality of ports, and an operation method therefor. The disclosed electronic device may comprise a plurality of ports, a battery, a memory, and a processor. The battery may store power received from an external power source connected through at least one of the plurality of ports. The memory may record a database. The processor may determine whether there are two or more ports connected to external power sources among the plurality of ports. The processor may determine the priority of two or more ports connected to external power sources on the basis of the database. The processor may control the two or more ports such that the battery is charged through the port with the highest priority on the basis of the priority.

Description

Electronic device that controls a plurality of ports to charge a battery and method of operating the same

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device that charges a battery by controlling a plurality of ports.

An electronic device may include a plurality of ports, and various types of external power sources may be connected to the plurality of ports. An electronic device can charge a battery by receiving power from an external power source connected to a plurality of ports. An external power source can charge the battery of an electronic device while also supplying power to drive the electronic device. If an external power source does not supply enough power to charge and drive the electronic device, the battery of the electronic device may be discharged. For example, when an electronic device operates all peripheral devices such as a processor to increase performance, the power to drive the electronic device may be greater than the power supplied by an external power source. At this time, even though the electronic device is connected to an external power source, a discharge that consumes the power stored in the battery may occur.

An electronic device according to an embodiment may include a plurality of ports, a battery, memory, and a processor. The battery may store power received from an external power source connected through at least one of a plurality of ports. The memory can record a database. The processor may determine whether there are two or more ports connected to an external power source among the plurality of ports. The processor can determine the priority of two or more ports connected to an external power source based on the database. The processor may control two or more ports based on priority so that the battery is charged through the port with the highest priority.

A method of operating an electronic device according to an embodiment may include determining whether two or more ports are connected to an external power source among a plurality of ports. When there are two or more ports connected to an external power source, a method of operating an electronic device may include determining the priority of the two or more ports connected to an external power source based on a database. A method of operating an electronic device may include controlling two or more ports based on priority so that the battery is charged through the port with the highest priority.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to one embodiment may store one or more programs. When executed by a processor of an electronic device, one or more programs may include an operation of determining whether two or more ports are connected to an external power source among a plurality of ports. When there are two or more ports connected to an external power source, one or more programs may include an operation of determining the priority of the two or more ports connected to an external power source based on a database. One or more programs may include an operation to control two or more ports so that the battery is charged through the port with the highest priority based on priority.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a power management module and a battery according to various embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a diagram roughly illustrating a process of charging an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 4 is a flow chart to roughly explain the process of charging an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining a database recording the maximum current according to the charging voltage for each port according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining a database recording the maximum charging capacity for each port according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining the priority of a port according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining the priority of a port according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a database that records whether an electronic device is charged or discharged according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining priority update according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an electronic device that charges a battery by controlling a plurality of ports according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions thereof will be omitted.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100, according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment 100, the electronic device 101 communicates with the electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199. It is possible to communicate with at least one of the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (e.g., a long-distance wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, an audio output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, and a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, connection terminal 178, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196 , or may include an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 178) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module 176, camera module 180, or antenna module 197) are integrated into one component (e.g., display module 160). It can be.

The processor 120, for example, executes software (e.g., program 140) to operate at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120. It can be controlled and various data processing or calculations can be performed. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or computation, the processor 120 stores commands or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) in volatile memory 132. The commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 can be processed, and the resulting data can be stored in the non-volatile memory 134. According to one embodiment, the processor 120 includes a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor 123 that can operate independently or together (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural network processing unit ( It may include a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device 101 includes a main processor 121 and a secondary processor 123, the secondary processor 123 may be set to use lower power than the main processor 121 or be specialized for a designated function. You can. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of it.

The auxiliary processor 123 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or while the main processor 121 is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) At least some of the functions or states related to can be controlled. According to one embodiment, co-processor 123 (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module 180 or communication module 190). there is. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed in the electronic device 101 itself on which the artificial intelligence model is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (e.g., server 108). Learning algorithms may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but It is not limited. An artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), belief deep network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to hardware structures, artificial intelligence models may additionally or alternatively include software structures.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. Data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program 140) and instructions related thereto. Memory 130 may include volatile memory 132 or non-volatile memory 134.

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 and may include, for example, an operating system 142, middleware 144, or application 146.

The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, keys (eg, buttons), or digital pen (eg, stylus pen).

The sound output module 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. Speakers can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display module 160 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The display module 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch.

The audio module 170 can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires sound through the input module 150, the sound output module 155, or an external electronic device (e.g., directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101). Sound may be output through the electronic device 102 (e.g., speaker or headphone).

The sensor module 176 detects the operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. can do. According to one embodiment, the sensor module 176 includes, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, or light sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that can be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly or wirelessly with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimulation (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimulation that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least a part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

Communication module 190 is configured to provide a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or wireless communication channel between electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108). It can support establishment and communication through established communication channels. Communication module 190 operates independently of processor 120 (e.g., an application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 190 is a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., : LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module) may be included. Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., legacy It may communicate with an external electronic device 104 through a telecommunication network such as a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 uses subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 to communicate within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199. The electronic device 101 can be confirmed or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies, for example, NR access technology (new radio access technology). NR access technology provides high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low latency). -latency communications)) can be supported. The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (eg, mmWave bands), for example, to achieve high data rates. The wireless communication module 192 uses various technologies to secure performance in high frequency bands, for example, beamforming, massive array multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and full-dimensional multiplexing. It can support technologies such as input/output (FD-MIMO: full dimensional MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., second network 199). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 supports Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mmTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing URLLC. Example: Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each of 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) can be supported.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive signals or power to or from the outside (eg, an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199 is, for example, connected to the plurality of antennas by the communication module 190. can be selected. Signals or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the at least one selected antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (eg, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, a mmWave antenna module includes a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (e.g., bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band); And a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to the second side (e.g., top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high frequency band. can do.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and signal ( (e.g. commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the external electronic devices 102 or 104 may be of the same or different type as the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more of the external

electronic devices

102, 104, or 108. For example, when the electronic device 101 needs to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may perform the function or service instead of executing the function or service on its own. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology can be used. The electronic device 101 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

Figure 2 is a block diagram 200 of the power management module 188 and battery 189, according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 2 , power management module 188 may include a charging circuit 210, a power regulator 220, or a power gauge 230. The charging circuit 210 may charge the battery 189 using power supplied from an external power source for the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the charging circuit 210 is configured to determine the type of external power source (e.g., power adapter, USB, or wireless charging), the size of power that can be supplied from the external power source (e.g., about 20 watts or more), or the battery (189). ), a charging method (e.g., normal charging or fast charging) can be selected based on at least some of the properties of ), and the battery 189 can be charged using the selected charging method. The external power source may be connected to the electronic device 101 by wire, for example, through the connection terminal 178, or wirelessly through the antenna module 197.

The power regulator 220 may generate a plurality of powers having different voltages or different current levels by, for example, adjusting the voltage level or current level of power supplied from an external power source or the battery 189. The power regulator 220 may adjust the power of the external power source or battery 189 to a voltage or current level suitable for each of some of the components included in the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the power regulator 220 may be implemented in the form of a low drop out (LDO) regulator or a switching regulator. The power gauge 230 may measure usage status information about the battery 189 (e.g., capacity, charge/discharge count, voltage, or temperature) of the battery 189.

The power management module 188 may, for example, use the charging circuit 210, the voltage regulator 220, or the power gauge 230 to control the battery 189 based at least in part on the measured usage information. Charge state information related to charging (e.g., life, overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent, overcharge, overdischarge, overheating, short circuit, or swelling) can be determined. The power management module 188 may determine whether the battery 189 is normal or abnormal based at least in part on the determined charging state information. If the state of the battery 189 is determined to be abnormal, the power management module 188 may adjust charging of the battery 189 (eg, reduce charging current or voltage, or stop charging). According to one embodiment, at least some of the functions of the power management module 188 may be performed by an external control device (eg, processor 120).

The battery 189 may include a battery protection circuit (protection circuit module (PCM)) 240, according to one embodiment. The battery protection circuit 240 may perform one or more of various functions (eg, a pre-blocking function) to prevent performance degradation or burnout of the battery 189. The battery protection circuit 240 is, additionally or alternatively, a battery management system (battery management system) that can perform various functions including cell balancing, battery capacity measurement, charge/discharge count measurement, temperature measurement, or voltage measurement. It may be configured as at least a part of BMS)).

According to one embodiment, at least part of the usage state information or the charging state information of the battery 189 is a corresponding sensor (e.g., temperature sensor), power gauge 230, or power management module among the sensor module 276. It can be measured using (188). According to one embodiment, the corresponding sensor (e.g., temperature sensor) among the sensor modules 176 is included as part of the battery protection circuit 140, or is disposed near the battery 189 as a separate device. You can.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various types. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of this document are not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the above items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another, and to refer to that component in other respects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. One (e.g. first) component is said to be "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g. second) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively". When mentioned, it means that any of the components can be connected to the other components directly (e.g. wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term “module” used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is interchangeable with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. It can be used as A module may be an integrated part or a minimum unit of the parts or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of the present document are one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). It may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including these. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of a device (e.g., electronic device 101) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves), and this term refers to cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium. There is no distinction between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or through an application store (e.g. Play StoreTM) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smart phones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the above-described components may include a single or plural entity, and some of the plurality of entities may be separately placed in other components. there is. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations described above may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (eg, modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, or omitted. Alternatively, one or more other operations may be added.

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic device 301 (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1) includes a processor 302 (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1) and a memory 303 (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1). It may include a memory 130), a battery 304 (eg, battery 189 in FIG. 1), and a plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N.

According to various embodiments, each of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N may be an example of the connection terminal 178 of FIG. 1.

At least one of the components of the electronic device 301 may be the same or similar to at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, and overlapping descriptions will be omitted below.

The electronic device 301 can be simultaneously connected to various types of external power sources through a plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. The electronic device 301 supplies power from any one of a plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N connected to a plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. You can receive it. A plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may supply power wired or wirelessly. The electronic device 301 receives power wired or wirelessly through a plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N and a plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. can be supplied.

Accordingly, the electronic device 301 may be a device that can be connected to two or more external power sources at the same time, either wired or wirelessly, and can receive power from any one of them. For example, the electronic device 301 may be a variety of computing devices such as a mobile phone, smart phone, tablet, e-book device, laptop, personal computer, desktop, workstation, or server that can be connected wired or wirelessly to two or more external power sources at the same time. devices, various wearable devices such as smart watches, smart glasses, or head-mounted displays (HMDs), various home appliances such as smart speakers, smart TVs, or smart refrigerators, smart cars, smart kiosks, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and WADs. (Walking Assist Device), drone, or robot.

The processor 302 may determine whether there are two or more ports connected to an external power source among the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. When there are two or more ports connected to an external power source, the processor 302 may determine the priority of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N connected to an external power source. The processor 302 may receive power from any one of a plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N connected to a plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. A plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N can be controlled. The processor 302 may control two or more ports based on priority so that the battery 304 is charged through the port with the highest priority. The processor 302 may update the priority when a new external power source is connected to one of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N.

The memory 303 may record data generated when the processor 302 controls the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N to charge the battery 304. The memory 303 may store a database that can be used to determine the priority of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. The memory 303 may provide the processor 302 with a database stored when determining the priorities of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N. The memory 303 may store a database in which the priorities determined by the processor 302 are recorded. Additionally, memory 303 may store an updated database when priorities are updated. The memory 303 can store a database recording the charge amount of the battery 304 at regular intervals.

The battery 304 can receive power from an external power source connected to the highest priority port and store it. Processor 302 may monitor the state of charge of battery 304. When discharge occurs in the battery 304, the processor 302 may update the priorities of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N.

The plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N may be ports capable of receiving power by being connected to an external power source. The plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N may be ports capable of receiving power as well as being connected to an external device to transmit and receive data. For example, the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2 to 305-N) include USB-A type ports, 5-pin ports, 8-pin ports, and USB-C types that can receive power, as well as electronic It may include a dedicated charging port for device 301. In addition, the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N are not only externally exposed ports that can be connected to an external power source by wire, but also wireless ports inside the electronic device 301 that can be wirelessly connected to an external power source. It may include a power transmission receiver. Additionally, when the electronic device 301 is an electric vehicle, the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N may include charging ports for charging the electric vehicle.

The plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may be various types of chargers capable of supplying power to the electronic device 301. For example, the plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may include a DC charger that is a dedicated charger for the electronic device 301. A plurality of external power sources (306-1, 306-2 to 306-N) use legacy type chargers such as Adaptive Fast Charging (AFC)/Quick Charge QC (QC)/Universal Serial Bus (USB), etc. It can be included. The plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may include a USB-C type Power Delivery (PD) charger. The plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may include a PD charger supporting roleswap/alternate mode, etc. The plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may be wireless power transmission transmitters that wirelessly supply power to the electronic device 301. Additionally, when the electronic device 301 is an electric vehicle, the plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N may include a charger of a charging station capable of charging the electric vehicle. there is.

In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. Operations 401 to 407 are performed by a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 and the processor of FIG. 3) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 and the electronic device 301 of FIG. 3). (302)).

In operation 401, the processor 302 determines whether an external power source is connected to one or more of the plurality of ports (e.g., the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N in FIG. 3). can be judged. For example, when external power source 1 (e.g., external power source 1 (306-1) in FIG. 3) is connected to port 1 (e.g., port 1 (305-1) in FIG. 3), the processor connects external power source 1 to port 1 (305-1) in FIG. It can be determined that it is connected to 1.

In operation 402, when connected to an external power source, the processor may determine the priority of a plurality of ports connected to the external power source. For example, the processor may determine the priorities of a plurality of ports based on a database recorded in memory. For example, the processor may determine port 2 (e.g., port 2 (305-2) in FIG. 3) as priority 1 and port 1 as priority 2 based on the database. The method for determining priority will be explained in FIGS. 4 to 10.

At operation 403, the processor may determine whether the electronic device is charging. At this time, if the electronic device is charging, operation 404 may be performed subsequently. For example, if a new external power source is connected to port 2 of the electronic device and the electronic device was charging through port 1, the processor can determine whether a port with a higher priority than port 1 exists. If the electronic device is not charging, operation 406 may be performed subsequently. For example, if the electronic device is not charging, the processor may perform charging through the connected port in operation 401.

At operation 404, the processor may determine whether a port exists that has a higher priority than the port currently charging the electronic device. At this time, if a port with a higher priority exists, operation 405 may be performed subsequently. If a higher priority port does not exist, operation 407 may be performed subsequently. For example, let's assume that port 2 is priority 1 and port 1 is priority 2. Also, let's assume that you are currently charging an electronic device through port 2. If an electronic device is currently charging through port 1, the processor may determine the existence of port 2, which has a higher priority than port 1 that is currently charging the electronic device. If the electronic device is currently being charged through port 2, the processor may determine whether discharge of the electronic device occurs during charging.

In operation 405, the processor may perform charging of the electronic device through the highest priority port.

In operation 406, the processor may continue to allow the electronic device to be charged through the highest priority port determined in operation 405.

In operation 407, the processor may determine whether discharge occurs in the electronic device during charging. The processor can monitor whether discharge occurs in the electronic device during charging. If a discharge occurs, operation 402 may be performed subsequently. If no discharge occurs, operation 406 may be performed. For example, if discharge occurs while charging an electronic device through port 1, the processor can update the priority of the port to which an external power source is connected. The processor may perform operations 403 to 407 based on the updated priority. If discharge does not occur while charging the electronic device through port 1, the processor can continue charging the electronic device through port 1.

Referring to FIG. 5, a database recording the maximum current according to the charging voltage for each port for a plurality of ports (e.g., the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N in FIG. 3) (hereinafter, The second DB) is shown. The second DB may include a plurality of tables (500-1, 500-2 to 500-N) recording the maximum current according to the charging voltage for each port for a plurality of ports.

Multiple ports may need to support different specifications. The plurality of ports may be different types of ports and may have different degrees of heat generation, so they may need to support different voltages and currents. Therefore, the maximum current depending on the charging voltage for each port may vary.

In particular, when heat generation due to charging is high, components (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 and the processor 120 of FIG. 3) of the electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 and the electronic device 301 of FIG. 3) (302)), the temperature control may be affected, and the temperature control algorithm may operate to lower the charge amount and discharge the battery. Ultimately, the charging state of the electronic device is maintained when charging is started, but the charging amount decreases due to heat control, which may cause the battery to discharge and turn off the electronic device. Therefore, the maximum current according to the charging voltage for each port may have to be determined based on the heating temperature.

That is, the maximum current according to the charging voltage for each port may be the maximum value of the current that prevents the heating temperature of the electronic device from exceeding a certain temperature while charging. The heating temperature may be a temperature that does not limit the operation of components of the electronic device (eg, the processor 120 of FIG. 1 and the processor 302 of FIG. 3) when charging the electronic device. The heat generation of electronic devices may not increase consistently depending on the boost function of the charging chip. Therefore, the maximum current according to the charging voltage for each port may be an experimentally predetermined value.

Below, the tables included in the second DB will be described based on the table 500-1 of port 1.

Referring to the table 500-1 of port 1, the first column records the port number, the second column records the charging voltage, and the third column records the maximum current, but is not limited thereto.

The first column may indicate which port the table is for among a plurality of ports. For example, port 1 in the first column may mean a table of port 1 among a plurality of ports.

The second column may record the charging voltage of the corresponding port. The maximum value in the second column may be the maximum voltage supported by the corresponding port. For example, if 20 V is listed as the maximum value in the second column, the corresponding port may be a port that supports up to 20 V charging. The charging voltage in the second column may be displayed at 1 V intervals, but is not limited to this.

In the third column, the maximum value of the current that does not exceed a certain heating temperature can be recorded. The specific heating temperature may be a temperature at which no restrictions occur in the operation of components of the electronic device when charging the electronic device. For example, assume that the temperature at which the operation of components of an electronic device is not restricted is 50 degrees. At this time, when the charging voltage in port 1 does not exceed the heating temperature of 50 degrees and the charging voltage is 1 V, the maximum current may be 3000 mA. The maximum current can be 3300 mA when the charging voltage is 9 V, which does not exceed the heating temperature of 50 degrees in port 1. The maximum current can be 1300 mA when the charging voltage is 19 V, which does not exceed the heating temperature of 50 degrees in port 1. The maximum current can be 1200 mA when the charging voltage is 20 V, which does not exceed the heating temperature of 50 degrees in port 1. Here, the maximum current for each voltage may be an experimentally determined value.

As the maximum current increases, the heat generation of the electronic device may increase. Charging capacity can be the product of charging voltage and maximum current. If the maximum current increases as the charging voltage increases, the heat generation of the electronic device may increase. Therefore, since it must not exceed a certain heating temperature, the maximum charging current according to the charging voltage for each port included in the second DB does not continue to increase.

The second DB may be stored in memory (eg, memory 303 in FIG. 3). The second DB can be used to determine charging capacity when an external power source is connected to the port. In Figure 6, a method of determining the maximum charging capacity for each port based on the specifications of the second DB and external power will be explained.

Referring to FIG. 6, a database 600 recording the maximum charging capacity for each port is shown. The database 600, which records the maximum charging capacity for each port, has a first column recording the port number, a second column recording the charging voltage, a third column recording the maximum current, a fourth column recording the charging capacity of the corresponding port, and an external power source. It may include a fifth column recording the type, but is not limited to this. For example, port 1 can be powered with a charging voltage of 9 V, a charging current of 3.3 A, and a charging capacity of 29.7 W, and may be the port connected to the PD charger. The charging capacity recorded in the fourth column of the database 600, which records the maximum charging capacity for each port, may be the largest charging capacity that can be supplied through the corresponding port.

The charging voltage, charging current, and charging capacity recorded in the database 600, which records the maximum charging capacity for each port, may be determined based on the specifications of the external power source connected to the second DB of FIG. 5 and the port. The charging capacity can be determined by an AND combination of the specifications of the second DB and the external power source. The specifications of the external power source may be the voltage and current that the external power source can support.

The charging capacity may be determined as a combination of voltage and current that supplies the largest charging capacity based on the specifications of the external power source connected to the second DB and port in FIG. 5. The charging capacity may be the largest charging capacity determined based on the voltage and current that can be supplied by the external power source and the maximum current for each charging voltage of the port to which the external power source is connected. The charging capacity may be the largest charging capacity determined by combining the voltage and current that can be supplied by the external power source and the maximum current for each charging voltage of the port to which the external power source is connected using an AND condition.

For example, assume that a PD charger with specifications of 5 V 5 A, 9 V 5 A, and 20 V 5 A is connected to port 1 (e.g., port 1 (305-1) in FIG. 3). At this time, the PD charger can supply a charging current of up to 5 A at 5 V, so it can supply a charging capacity of 25 W. The PD charger can supply up to 5 A at 9 V, providing a charging capacity of 45 W. The PD charger can supply a charging current of up to 5 A at 20 V, thus providing a charging capacity of 100 W. According to the table of port 1 included in the second DB (e.g., the table 500-1 of port 1 in FIG. 5), the electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 and the electronic device 301 in FIG. 3) )) can support up to 3 A with 5 V, up to 3.3 A with 9 V and up to 1.2 A with 20 V via port 1. Therefore, the charging capacity is determined by the voltage (5 V, 9 V, 20 V) and current (5 A, 5 A, 5 A) that the external power supply can supply and the charging voltage (5 V, 9 V, 5 A) of the port connected to the external power supply. The combination that can supply the largest charging capacity can be determined by combining the maximum current (3 A, 3.3 A, 1.2 A) according to 20 V) using AND conditions. Ultimately, among the combinations of voltages and currents at which electronic devices can be charged: 5 V 3 A (15 W), 9 V 3.3 A (29.7 W) and 20 V 1.2 A (24 W), it will supply the largest charging capacity of 29.7 W. The possible combination of 9 V 3.3 A can be determined as the maximum charging capacity of port 1.

Likewise, if a PD charger with specifications of 5 V 5 A, 9 V 5 A, and 20 V 5 A is connected to port 2 (e.g., port 2 (305-2) in FIG. 3), the charging capacity can be calculated using the same method as above. This can be decided. Therefore, the 9 V 3 A combination that can supply the largest charging capacity of 27 W can be determined as the maximum charging capacity of port 2.

As previously explained, the second DB contains the maximum current for each voltage considering the heat generation of the electronic device, so the heat generation of the electronic device can be controlled by determining the charging capacity using an AND combination of the specifications of the second DB and the external power supply. there is. Accordingly, there may be no restrictions on the operation of components of the electronic device due to heat generation.

Below, a method of determining port priority according to the type of external power source will be described.

Referring to FIG. 7, a database (hereinafter referred to as third DB) is shown that records the priorities of a plurality of ports (eg, 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N in FIG. 3). The third DB is the first column that records the port priority, the second column that records the presence or absence of charging, the third column that records the type of external power source, the fourth column that records the port number, and the third column that records the OS capacity (operation system capacity). Column 5, column 6 recording the charging chip capacity, column 7 recording the current OS capacity, column 8 recording the current charging chip capacity, column 9 recording the presence or absence of discharge, column 10 recording the charging voltage, and column 10 recording the charging capacity. It may include, but is not limited to, the 11th column recorded.

The 10th and 11th columns of the third DB may be the charging voltage and charging capacity determined in FIG. 6. The presence or absence of charging in the second row is indicated as 1 for ports that charge electronic devices (e.g., electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 and electronic device 301 in FIG. 3), and as 0 for ports that do not charge electronic devices. It can be. Accordingly, only ports connected to an external power source for charging an electronic device may be displayed as 1. For example, referring to FIG. 7, port 1 (e.g., port 1 305-1 in FIG. 3) connected to an external power source for charging an electronic device may be displayed as 1.

Below, a method for determining port priority when external power sources are the same is explained.

If there are more than two ports connected to an external power source among the plurality of ports, the priority can be determined for the two or more ports connected to the external power source. Electronic devices can receive power from an external power source connected to the highest priority port.

When more than one of the plurality of ports is connected to an external power source and the type of external power source connected to the ports is the same, the processor (e.g., processor 120 and processor 302 in FIG. 1) based on the charging capacity of each port. You can decide priorities. The charging capacity for each port may be the maximum charging capacity that the port can supply. If the type of external power source is the same, the priority may be determined as the charging capacity of each port increases.

For example, referring to the third column of the third DB, port 1 and port 2 (eg, port 2 (305-2) in FIG. 3) may be connected to a PD charger that is the same type of external power source. Looking at the 11th column, which is the charging voltage, the charging capacities of port 1 and port 2 may be 29.7 W and 27 W, respectively. Since the type of external power connected to port 1 and port 2 is the same, the larger the charging capacity, the higher the priority can be determined. Accordingly, looking at the first row, the priorities of port 1 and port 2 can be determined to be 1 and 2, respectively.

Therefore, if the type of external power source is the same, the charging speed can be increased by receiving power from the external power source with the largest charging capacity.

The third DB may be stored in memory (eg, memory 303 in FIG. 3). The third DB can be updated when a new external power source is connected to the port or when a discharge occurs.

Below, a method for determining port priority when the types of external power sources are different is explained.

Referring to FIG. 8, a priority table 800 and a third DB 801 according to the type of external power source are shown.

When two or more external power sources are connected to a plurality of ports (e.g., 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N in FIG. 3) and the two or more external power sources are of different types, the processor (e.g., processor 120 in FIG. 1) ) and the processor 302) may need to select one external power source to charge the electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 and the electronic device 301 in FIG. 3).

A plurality of external power sources (e.g., a plurality of external power sources 306-1, 306-2 to 306-N in FIG. 3) include a dedicated charger, a legacy charger, a PD charger, and an alternate adapter. It may include, but is not limited to this. If the electronic device supports wireless charging, the plurality of external power sources may include a wireless charger.

Recent USB-C type PD chargers can support roll swap and alternate modes. These PD chargers can change charging ON/OFF, charging direction, and chargeable capacity in real time. In particular, PD chargers that support alternate mode may change the charging direction and cause insufficient charging capacity, resulting in interruptions in data transmission and DP (Display Port) output. Therefore, in order to determine the priority of a plurality of ports, it may be important whether an external power source connected to the port can stably supply charging capacity. In other words, for an external power source, providing stable charging may be more important than providing large charging capacity.

Accordingly, the processor can determine the priority of the port connected to the external power source based on the weight of the external power source connected to the port. The weight of the external power source may be determined to be higher as the charging direction and chargeable capacity are constant. The weight of the external power source can be determined to be higher as the external power source stably supplies charging capacity. The weight of the external power source can be determined to be larger as the external power supply supplies a certain amount of power. Higher weights may result in higher priorities.

For example, referring to the priority table 800, the dedicated charger provided with the electronic device may have the highest priority, the alternate adapter may have the fourth priority, and the wireless charger may have the lowest priority. there is. The priorities in the priority table 800 are only examples and are not limited. That is, the dedicated charger may have the highest weight and the wireless charger may have the smallest weight. A dedicated charger may be provided with the electronic device and may be one that the manufacturer recommends as the safest and most reliable charger to use. Therefore, a dedicated charger may have the highest weight because it can supply constant power. On the other hand, the alternate adapter supports the alternate mode, which may cause change in charging direction and lack of charging capacity, so the weight may be lower than that of a dedicated charger. Wireless chargers may generate more heat than other chargers. Therefore, in case of excessive heat generation, the wireless charger may reduce the charging amount or stop charging. In addition, if the electronic device is not accurately placed on the wireless charger, charging will not work properly, and if the arrangement of the electronic device with the wireless charger changes due to an external force such as vibration during charging, charging may be interrupted. Therefore, the weight of the wireless charger may be the lowest.

In conclusion, when the types of external power sources connected to two or more ports are different, the weight of the external power that can supply stable charging capacity may be determined to be higher than the weight of the external power that cannot supply stable charging capacity. When the types of external power sources connected to two or more ports are different, the weight of the external power that can supply a certain amount of power may be determined to be higher than that of the external power that cannot.

The weight can be determined to be higher for external power sources that can stably supply charging capacity. The weight can be determined to be higher for an external power source that can supply a certain amount of power. The weight may be determined to be higher for an external power source that can supply a certain charging capacity.

The weight may be determined to be higher for an external power source that can keep the charging direction constant from the external power source to the battery of the electronic device. The weight may be determined to be higher for an external power source that can only supply power to the battery of the electronic device. The weight may be determined to be higher for external power sources that do not support alternate mode and role swap mode.

For example, referring to the third DB 801, the charging capacity of port 3 may be 20 W, which is smaller than the charging capacity of port 1 and port 2. However, since the external power source connected to port 3 is connected to a dedicated charger, it can supply more constant charging power than port 1 and port 2 connected to the PD charger. Therefore, the weight of the dedicated charger connected to port 3 may be the greatest. As a result, port 3 may have the highest priority. Therefore, the electronic device can receive power from a dedicated charger connected to port 3.

Ultimately, the electronic device can preferentially select a port connected to an external power source that can stably maintain its charging state. Electronic devices can receive power from an external power source that can stably maintain a state of charge. Therefore, stable charging may be possible by preventing situations such as changing the charging direction and battery discharge.

Below, a method for updating the priority when discharge occurs in an electronic device even while charging is described.

When charging of the electronic device begins, the electronic device may be charging, but later, the electronic device may be discharged even though the electronic device is connected to an external power source.

For example, assume that an electronic device that is not connected to an external power source receives 10 W from a battery to maintain operation. At this time, when an external power source capable of supplying 15 W is connected to port 1 of the electronic device, the electronic device can use 10 W to maintain operation and store the remaining 5 W in the battery. Accordingly, the electronic device may be charging. Hereafter, we will assume that a USB device and an adapter for DP output are connected to port 2 and port 3 of the electronic device. If the USB device and the adapter for DP output use 5 W and 3 W of power respectively, a total of 18 W of power can be used, including 10 W to maintain the operation of the electronic device. At this time, since the external power supplies 15 W, a shortage of 3 W may occur. Therefore, the insufficient 3 W is supplied from the battery of the electronic device, and the battery may be discharged.

Accordingly, the processor (e.g., the processor 120 in FIG. 1 and the processor 302 in FIG. 3) operates the electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 and the electronic device 301 in FIG. 3) at regular intervals. The charging status can be monitored. The processor can monitor whether the electronic device is charging or discharging at regular intervals.

The processor can monitor whether the electronic device is charging at regular intervals and record it in the database. Referring to FIG. 9, a database (hereinafter referred to as first DB) that records whether the electronic device is charged or discharged is shown.

The first DB records the port number in the first column, the second column in which the OS capacity is recorded, the third column in which the charging chip capacity is recorded, the fourth column in which the current OS capacity is recorded, the fifth column in which the current charging chip capacity is recorded, and discharge occurrence. It may include, but is not limited to, a sixth column recording presence or absence.

OS capacity is the battery capacity provided by an operating system (OS), and the capacity of the battery (e.g., the battery 189 in FIG. 1 and the battery 304 in FIG. 3) can be expressed in percentage units. The larger the charging capacity supplied by the external power source, the faster the OS capacity percentage can rise.

The charging chip capacity may be the capacity actually charged in the battery. Charging chip capacity can be displayed in mA units. Using the charging chip capacity, it is possible to specifically determine whether the charging capacity of the battery has increased.

The presence or absence of discharge may indicate whether discharge occurred while the electronic device was charging for a certain period of time. The presence or absence of discharge may be displayed as 1 when discharge occurs. The presence or absence of discharge may be displayed as 0 if no discharge occurs.

The presence or absence of discharge may be monitored at regular intervals and determined based on the OS capacity or charging chip capacity recorded in the first DB. The OS capacity in the second column and the charging chip capacity in the third column may mean the battery capacity a certain time ago relative to the present. The current OS capacity in the fourth column and the current charging chip capacity in the fifth column may mean the current battery capacity. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the battery is in a charged or discharged state by comparing the OS capacity and the current OS capacity. By comparing the charging chip capacity with the current charging chip capacity, you can determine whether the battery is in a charged or discharged state. For example, referring to the first DB 900, the OS capacity may be 56% and the current OS capacity may be 54%. The battery's capacity may decrease by 2% over a period of time and the battery may now be in a discharged state. Referring to the first DB 900, the charging chip capacity may be 5600 mA, and the current charging chip capacity may be 5400 mA. The battery capacity may decrease by 200 mA for a certain period of time, so the current battery state may be discharged.

The first DB may be stored in memory (eg, memory 303 in FIG. 3). The first DB can be initialized when the connection between the external power source and the port is lost. The first DB can be rewritten when an external power source is connected to a new port.

Below, a method for updating the priorities of a plurality of ports (e.g., 305-1, 305-2 to 305-N in FIG. 3) when in a discharge state will be described.

An electronic device (eg, the electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 and the electronic device 301 in FIG. 3) can update the priority of a port. The electronic device can update the port's priority when a new external device is connected to the port while charging. When a new external power source is connected to the electronic device, the electronic device can perform operations 401 to 402 of FIG. 4 . The electronic device can update the port's priority if discharge occurs during charging.

Referring to FIG. 10 , when a discharge occurs, the third DB 1000 before update and the third DB 1001 after update are shown.

Referring to the third DB 1000 before the update, the external power of port 1 (e.g., port 1 (305-1) in FIG. 3) and port 2 (e.g., port 2 (305-2) in FIG. 3) is PD. It can be the same as a charger. However, the charging capacity of port 1 and port 2 may be 29.7 W and 27 W, respectively. Therefore, since the external power source is the same, the priority of port 1, which has a larger charging capacity, may be determined to be higher than that of port 2. Accordingly, electronic devices (eg, electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 and electronic device 301 in FIG. 3) can be charged through the PD charger connected to port 1.

The PD charger connected to port 1 may supply power lower than 29.7 W to the electronic device for some reason, thereby discharging the battery (eg, battery 189 in FIG. 1 and battery 304 in FIG. 3). At this time, the occurrence of discharge may be recorded in the first DB, which monitors and records the battery capacity of the electronic device at regular intervals. When discharge occurs, the processor (eg, processor 120 and processor 302 in FIG. 1) may update a third DB in which the priorities of ports are recorded.

Referring to the third DB 1001 after the update, port 2, which had priority 2 in the third DB 1000 before the update, may be updated to priority 1. Additionally, the priority of port 1, which had a priority of 1, may be updated to 2. Since discharge occurred in port 1, the presence or absence of discharge may be indicated as 1.

If discharge occurs again, the processor can update the third DB again. Then, the processor can charge the electronic device from an external power source connected to the highest priority port based on the updated third DB. Therefore, when discharge occurs, discharge of the electronic device can be prevented by changing the charging port.

In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. Operations 1101 to 1103 include at least one component (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 and It may be performed by the processor 302 of FIG. 3).

In operation 1101, the electronic device may determine whether there are two or more ports connected to an external power source among a plurality of ports.

In operation 1102, when there are two or more ports connected to an external power source, the electronic device may determine the priority of the two or more ports connected to an external power source based on a database.

In operation 1103, the electronic device may control two or more ports based on priority so that the battery is charged through the port with the highest priority.

Since the matters described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 are applied to each operation shown in FIG. 11, a more detailed description will be omitted.

According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include determining whether two or more ports are connected to an external power source among a plurality of ports. According to one embodiment, when there are two or more ports connected to an external power source, a method of operating an electronic device may include determining the priority of the two or more ports connected to an external power source based on a database. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include controlling two or more ports so that the battery is charged through the port with the highest priority based on priority.

According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the database may include a first DB in which the battery capacity of the electronic device is monitored and recorded at regular intervals. According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the database may include a second DB in which the maximum charging current according to the charging voltage for each port is recorded for a plurality of ports. According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the database may include a third DB in which the priorities of two or more ports connected to an external power source are recorded.

According to one embodiment, in the method of operating an electronic device, the second DB may be a DB in which the current for each voltage that prevents the electronic device from exceeding a certain heating temperature when charging the electronic device is measured and recorded in advance for each of the plurality of ports. .

According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the priority of two or more ports connected to an external power source may be determined based on the weight of the external power source connected to the port. According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the weight may be determined to be greater for an external power supply that supplies constant power than for an external power supply that supplies a large amount of power.

According to one embodiment, the operation of controlling two or more ports in a method of operating an electronic device may determine whether the electronic device is charging or discharging based on the first DB. According to one embodiment, the operation of controlling two or more ports in a method of operating an electronic device may update the third DB when the electronic device is discharging. According to one embodiment, the operation of controlling two or more ports in a method of operating an electronic device may include controlling the ports to charge the battery from an external power source connected to the port with the highest priority based on the updated priority.

According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the operation of determining the priority of two or more ports is performed on ports connected to an external power source among a plurality of ports based on the specifications of the second DB and the external power source connected to the port. You can determine the highest charging capacity that can be received for each port. According to one embodiment, the operation of determining the priority of two or more ports in a method of operating an electronic device may determine the priority of a plurality of ports based on the highest charging capacity and the type of external power connected to the plurality of ports. there is.

According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the highest charging capacity that can be received for each port may be determined by an AND combination of the specifications of the second DB and the external power source. According to one embodiment, the specifications of an external power source in a method of operating an electronic device may be the voltage and current that the external power source can support.

According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the priority of two or more ports connected to an external power source is such that when the type of external power source connected to two or more ports is the same, power is supplied from an external power source that supplies greater power. The higher the port, the higher the priority can be determined.

According to one embodiment, in a method of operating an electronic device, the priority of two or more ports connected to an external power source is set to a port that receives power from an external power source that supplies constant power when the type of external power source connected to the two or more ports is different. The higher the priority, the higher the priority can be determined.

According to one embodiment, the operation of controlling two or more ports in a method of operating an electronic device includes updating the third DB when a new external power source is connected to one of the plurality of ports while the electronic device is charging. You can. According to one embodiment, the operation of controlling two or more ports in a method of operating an electronic device may include controlling the ports to charge the battery from an external power source connected to the port with the highest priority based on an updated third DB. .

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the specification and drawings are merely provided as specific examples to easily explain the technical content according to the embodiments of the present invention and to aid understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, and limit the scope of the embodiments of the present invention. It is not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should be interpreted as including all changes or modified forms derived based on the technical idea of the various embodiments of the present invention in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein. .

Claims

In the electronic device (101; 301),

A plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-N);

A battery 189 that stores power received from an external power source 306-1, 306-2, 306-N connected through at least one of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2, 305-N. 304);

Memory 303 for recording a database; and

Determine whether there are two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) among the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-N), and determine whether the external power source ( When there are two or more ports connected to (306-1, 306-2, 306-N), the priority of two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) based on the database A processor (120; 302) that determines and controls the two or more ports so that the batteries (189, 304) are charged through the port with the highest priority based on the priority.

Electronic device (101; 301) including.
According to paragraph 1,

The database is,

The first DB 900, which monitors and records the battery capacity of the electronic device 101 (301) at regular intervals, charging voltage for each port for the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2, and 305-N. The priorities of two or more ports connected to the second DB (500-1, 500-2, 500-N) and the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) in which the maximum charging current according to are recorded are Includes a recorded third DB (700; 801; 1000, 1001),

The second DB (500-1, 500-2, 500-N),

When charging the electronic device (101; 301), current for each voltage that prevents the electronic device (101; 301) from exceeding a certain heating temperature is supplied to the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-). N) Electronic device (101; 301), which is a DB in which each star is previously measured and recorded.
According to any one of claims 1 and 2,

The priorities of two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) are:

It is determined based on the weight of the external power sources (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) connected to the port,

The weight is,

An electronic device (101; 301) in which an external power supply supplying constant power is determined to be larger than an external power supply supplying large power.
According to any one of claims 1 to 3,

The processor 120; 302,

Based on the first DB 900, it is determined whether the electronic device 101; 301 is charging or discharging, and if the electronic device 101; 301 is discharging, the third DB 700; 801; 1000, 1001), and controls the ports to charge the batteries 189, 304 from an external power source connected to the highest priority port based on the updated priority.
According to any one of claims 1 to 4,

The processor 120; 302,

Based on the specifications of the second DB (500-1, 500-2, 500-N) and the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) connected to the port, the plurality of ports (305- 1, 305-2, 305-N), determine the highest charging capacity that can be received for each port for the ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N), and determine the highest charging capacity The plurality of ports (305-) based on the capacity and type of external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) connected to the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-N). 1, 305-2, 305-N), the electronic device 101; 301.
According to any one of claims 1 to 5,

The highest charging capacity that can be received for each port is:

It is determined by AND combination of the specifications of the second DB (500-1, 500-2, 500-N) and the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N),

The specifications of the external power sources (306-1, 306-2, and 306-N) are:

The voltage and current that the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) can support.

Electronic devices (101; 301).
According to any one of claims 1 to 6,

The priorities of two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) are:

When the types of external power sources (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) connected to the two or more ports are the same, the port that receives power from an external power supply that supplies greater power is determined to have a higher priority. , electronic devices (101; 301).
According to any one of claims 1 to 7,

The priorities of two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) are:

When the types of external power sources (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) connected to the two or more ports are different, the port that receives power from an external power source that supplies constant power is determined to have a higher priority. Electronic devices (101; 301).
According to any one of claims 1 to 8,

The processor 120; 302,

When a new external power source is connected to one of the plurality of ports 305-1, 305-2, and 305-N while the electronic device 101; 301 is being charged, the third DB 700; 801 ; 1000, 1001), and controls the ports to charge the batteries 189, 304 from an external power source connected to the highest priority port based on the updated third DB. .
In a method of operating an electronic device,

determining whether there are two or more ports connected to an external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) among the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-N);

When there are two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N), two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) based on the database determining priorities;

Controlling the two or more ports so that the batteries 189, 304 are charged through the port with the highest priority based on the priority.

A method of operating an electronic device (101; 301) including.
According to clause 10,

The database is,

A first DB (900) in which the battery capacity of the electronic device (101; 301) is monitored and recorded at regular intervals, and a second DB (500) in which the maximum charging current according to the charging voltage for each port is recorded for the plurality of ports. -1, 500-2, 500-N) and a third DB (700; 801; 1000, 1001) in which the priorities of two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) are recorded. ), including a method of operating the electronic device (101; 301).
According to any one of claims 10 to 11,

The second DB (500-1, 500-2, 500-N),

When charging the electronic device (101; 301), current for each voltage that prevents the electronic device (101; 301) from exceeding a certain heating temperature is supplied to the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-). N) A method of operating an electronic device (101; 301), which is a DB previously measured and recorded for each star.
According to any one of claims 10 to 12,

The priorities of two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) are:

It is determined based on the weight of the external power sources (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) connected to the port,

The weight is,

A method of operating an electronic device (101; 301) in which an external power supply supplying constant power is determined to be larger than an external power supply supplying large power.
According to any one of claims 10 to 13,

The step of controlling the two or more ports is,

Based on the first DB 900, it is determined whether the electronic device 101; 301 is charging or discharging, and if the electronic device 101; 301 is discharging, the third DB 700; 801; 1000, 1001) and controlling the ports to charge the batteries 189, 304 from an external power source connected to the highest priority port based on the updated priority. method.
determining whether there are two or more ports connected to an external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) among the plurality of ports (305-1, 305-2, 305-N);

When there are two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N), two or more ports connected to the external power source (306-1, 306-2, 306-N) based on the database determining priorities; and

Controlling the two or more ports so that the batteries 189, 304 are charged through the port with the highest priority based on the priority.

A computer-readable recording medium recording a program that performs a method of operating an electronic device (101; 301) including.