Dual-cell control circuit and method, and electronic device

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a dual-cell control circuit and method, and an electronic device. The circuit comprises a power regulation circuit and a charging circuit, wherein an input end of the charging circuit is used for connecting to a charging power source; a first output end of the charging circuit is connected to an input end of the power regulation circuit and a first end of a first cell; an output end of the power regulation circuit and a second end of the first cell are connected to a first end of a second cell, and a second end of the second cell is grounded; a rated charging current of the first cell is less than or equal to a rated charging current of the second cell; when the input end of the charging circuit is connected to the charging power source, the charging circuit is used for outputting currents to the power regulation circuit and the first cell, so that the charging current of the first cell reaches a rated charging current range; and the power regulation circuit is used for providing a charging current to the second cell, so that the charging current of the second cell reaches the rated charging current range. A first cell and a second cell are charged in series, thereby solving the problem of excessive heat generation during parallel charging.

Description

A dual-cell control circuit, control method, and electronic device

[0001] This invention claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on November 8, 2024, with application number 202411599316.7 and title "A dual-cell control circuit, control method and electronic device". Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a dual-cell control circuit, control method, and electronic device. Background Technology

[0003] In electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets, dual-cell batteries can be used as the power source to provide longer battery life and higher power output. Especially for high-power-consuming applications such as high-definition video playback, gaming, and multitasking, dual-cell solutions can increase the usage time of electronic devices and meet the daily needs of users.

[0004] Current technologies for dual-cell charging solutions include series charging and parallel charging. Parallel charging requires a large current from the charging power supply, leading to significant heat generation during charging. Series charging requires both cells to have the same charging rate and battery capacity; otherwise, issues such as limited charging rate and uneven charging capacity may occur. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a dual-cell control circuit, method, and electronic device, which solves the problem that it is impossible to detect the health status of two cells separately during the use of the electronic device.

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a dual-cell control circuit that solves the problems of severe heat generation and uneven power distribution in traditional dual-cell systems during parallel charging by introducing the coordinated operation of a power regulation circuit and a charging circuit. The input terminal of the charging circuit is connected to a charging power supply, and the first output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the first cell to provide charging current to the first cell. The rated charging current of the first cell is smaller than or equal to the rated charging current of the second cell, and the charging current output from the second terminal of the first cell may not meet the charging needs of the second cell. By using the power regulation circuit connected in parallel with the first cell to provide charging current to the second cell, the second cell can be charged efficiently within its rated charging current range, overcoming the problem of mismatch between cell capacity and charging rate in series charging schemes.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the dual-cell control circuit further includes a controller and a first switching transistor. The first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first cell; the second terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the first terminal of the second cell. The first switching transistor serves as a switch for starting and stopping series charging. When the controller determines that the input terminal of the charging circuit is connected to a charging power supply, it controls the first switching transistor to close and controls the power regulation circuit to operate, thus enabling the first and second cells to be charged in series.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the dual-cell control circuit further includes a second switching transistor; the first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first cell, and the second terminal of the second switching transistor is grounded. When the controller controls the first switching transistor to close, it indicates that the first and second cells need to be charged in series. At this time, the second switching transistor is kept open to avoid short circuit.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the charging circuit includes a first charging circuit and a second charging circuit. The input terminals of the first and second charging circuits are connected in parallel to the output terminals of the charging circuits. The output terminal of the first charging circuit is connected to the first output terminal of the charging circuit. The output terminal of the second charging circuit is connected to the second output terminal of the charging circuit, and the second output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell. Parallel charging can be achieved by using the first and second charging circuits to provide charging current to the first and second battery cells, respectively. When the controller controls the first switch to close, it indicates that the first and second battery cells need to be charged in series, and at this time, the second charging circuit is stopped.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the charging circuit includes a current-limiting circuit; the two ends of the current-limiting circuit are respectively connected to the first output terminal and the second output terminal of the charging circuit. By setting the current-limiting circuit, when the first and second battery cells are charged in parallel, the current-limiting circuit can achieve a balance in the charge of the first and second battery cells. When the first and second battery cells are discharged in parallel, the current-limiting circuit can prevent mutual charging between the first and second battery cells. When the controller controls the first switch to close, it indicates that the first and second battery cells need to be charged in series, and at this time the controller controls the current-limiting circuit to open.

[0011] In one possible implementation, during the charging process of the first and second battery cells, when the first or second battery cell is charged to a certain level, in order to achieve power balance between the two battery cells, the controller can also control the power regulation circuit to stop working, control the first switching transistor to turn off, control the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit to work together, and control the second switching transistor and the current limiting circuit to turn on, so that the first and second battery cells are charged in parallel, and the first and second battery cells achieve power balance through current limiting.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the dual-cell control circuit further includes a power management circuit. The first input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, and the second input terminal is connected to either the first or second output terminal of the charging circuit. The output terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the power-consuming device. The power management circuit can supply power to the power-consuming device. When not charging, the controller stops the power regulation circuit from operating, opens the first switching transistor, closes the second switching transistor, and activates the current-limiting circuit, allowing the first and second cells to discharge in parallel to the power management module to supply power to the power-consuming device.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the power regulation circuit is a three-level buck circuit.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the signal detection terminal of the power regulation circuit is connected to the input terminal of the first charging circuit. The power regulation circuit directly detects whether there is input at the input terminal of the charging circuit. When it determines that there is no input at the input terminal of the charging circuit, it actively stops working to avoid delays in controller commands.

[0015] Secondly, this application provides a control method for a dual-cell control circuit, which is applied to the dual-cell control circuit described in any embodiment of the first aspect above. The method includes:

[0016] When an input current is detected in the charging circuit, the charging circuit converts the input current and outputs the converted current to the first battery cell, ensuring that the charging current of the first battery cell reaches its rated charging current range. Furthermore, the converted current is also output to the power regulation circuit, which, in parallel with the first battery cell, provides charging current to the second battery cell, ensuring that the charging current of the second battery cell reaches its rated charging current range.

[0017] Thirdly, this application provides a three-cell control circuit, including a first power regulation circuit, a second power regulation circuit and a third charging circuit;

[0018] The input terminal of the third charging circuit is used to connect to the charging power supply; the first output terminal of the third charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the first end of the third battery cell.

[0019] The output terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the third battery cell are connected to the input terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the fourth battery cell;

[0020] The output terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the fourth battery cell are connected to the first terminal of the fifth battery cell, and the second terminal of the fifth battery cell is grounded; the rated charging current of the third battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the fourth battery cell, and the rated charging current of the fourth battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the fifth battery cell.

[0021] When the charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the third charging circuit, the third charging circuit is used to output current to the first power regulation circuit and the third battery cell, so that the charging current of the third battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the third battery cell; the first power regulation circuit is used to provide charging current to the fourth battery cell in parallel with the third battery cell, so that the charging current of the fourth battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the fourth battery cell; the second power regulation circuit is used to provide charging current to the fifth battery cell in parallel with the fourth battery cell, so that the charging current of the fifth battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the fifth battery cell.

[0022] Fourthly, this application provides an electronic device including a first battery cell, a second battery cell, and a dual-cell control circuit as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0023] Fifthly, this application provides a computer storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the method described in any one of the second aspects.

[0024] In a sixth aspect, this application provides a computer program product including instructions; when the instructions are executed by an electronic device, the electronic device performs the method described in any one of the second aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a horizontally folding electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a vertically folding electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a dual-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a three-level step-down circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another dual-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a fast charging curve provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a parallel charging architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method for controlling the series connection of two battery cells according to an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another dual-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another dual-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a dual-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a current limiting circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a dual-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a three-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of another three-cell control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., used in this application specification, claims, and drawings are used to distinguish different objects, not to limit a specific order.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0043] For multi-battery devices such as foldable screens, the currently widely used parallel charging architecture faces charging heat issues due to low efficiency of the SC chip and high total battery current IBAT. Adopting a series charging architecture can significantly reduce the total IBAT, and the SC chip efficiency under this architecture is higher, which helps reduce charging heat and minimizes localized hotspots. However, current mainstream series charging solutions require the series-connected batteries to have consistent capacity and charging rate, which is not conducive to the planning and utilization of overall device architecture space. When the capacity of the series-connected batteries is inconsistent, the charging speed is limited by the charging rate of the smaller battery, and it will lead to uneven power distribution, resulting in reduced battery life and cycle life. Furthermore, series charging scenarios often employ a series discharging architecture, requiring the introduction of a buck converter chip, causing additional battery capacity loss.

[0044] A dual-cell solution refers to a power configuration that uses two cells connected in parallel or series to increase the total battery capacity and power output, providing greater battery capacity, longer range, and higher power output. However, dual-cell solutions also present some challenges and limitations. Currently, dual-cell solutions can employ two charging methods: series charging and parallel charging.

[0045] When using a dual-cell parallel charging scheme, the charging current provided by the power supply is the sum of the charging currents of the two cells. This requires the power supply to provide a large charging current, leading to heat generation during charging. When using a dual-cell series charging scheme, two cells with the same rated charging current are required. If the rated charging currents of the two cells are different, the charging current of each cell will be limited by the smaller rated current, resulting in an imbalance in cell charge levels. This leads to reduced battery life and cycle life.

[0046] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a dual-cell control circuit. When the charging circuit's input is connected to a charging power supply and charging begins, the first and second cells are charged in series, solving the problem of severe overheating during parallel charging. The charging circuit modulates the output power of the charging power supply to an input power supply that meets the rated parameters of the first cell. Simultaneously, the modulated input power is delivered to the power regulation circuit and the first cell, enabling the first cell to charge at its rated current and ensuring its charging efficiency. Since the rated charging current of the first cell is less than that of the second cell, the output of the power regulation circuit is connected in parallel with one end of the first cell to provide charging current to the second cell. This allows the output of the power regulation circuit to supplement the charging current of the second cell, enabling it to charge at its rated current without reducing charging efficiency due to the charging current limitation of the first cell.

[0047] The dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment enables the first and second cells to be charged in series, solving the problem of severe heat generation during parallel charging. It also enables both the first and second cells to be charged at the rated charging current, avoiding the problem of uneven charging caused by differences in cell charging rate or cell capacity. This allows the two cells to maintain a balanced charging amount during the charging process, improving charging efficiency.

[0048] The dual-cell control circuit and method provided in this application are applicable to electronic devices employing a dual-cell solution, such as foldable phones, tablets, laptops, and other portable electronic devices (e.g., wireless headphones, handheld game consoles, and portable speakers). The dual-cell solution provides these electronic devices with longer battery life and higher power output to meet users' needs for battery life and performance.

[0049] Taking foldable phones as an example, foldable phones can be divided into horizontally foldable phones and vertically foldable phones.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a horizontally folding electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a vertically folding electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0051] For the horizontally folding electronic device shown in Figure 1, it can be implemented by folding inwards or outwards.

[0052] The implementation of inward folding is shown in Figures 1-(1) to 1-(3). 1-(1) corresponds to a schematic diagram of the electronic device in the folded state, 1-(2) corresponds to a schematic diagram of the electronic device in the unfolding process, and 1-(3) corresponds to a schematic diagram of the electronic device in the unfolded state. Inward-folding phones, unlike outward-folding phones, allow the screen to fold inward from the outside. When folded, the screen is inside, providing better screen protection. When unfolded, inward-folding phones offer a large-screen experience similar to outward-folding phones.

[0053] The outward folding mechanism is implemented as shown in Figures 1-(4) to 1-(6). Figure 1-(4) shows the electronic device in its folded state, Figure 1-(5) shows the electronic device in its unfolded state, and Figure 1-(6) shows the electronic device in its unfolded state. Outward folding phones are the most common type, where the screen can fold outward from the center, making the phone smaller. When unfolded, the screen is fully displayed on the front of the phone, providing a larger working area. When folded, outward folding phones are more portable and easier to carry.

[0054] For the vertically folding electronic device shown in Figure 2, its rotating component is located in the center of the vertical screen. The electronic device can be folded in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2. The folding direction of the vertically folding phone is vertical, just like a traditional flip phone. Its screen folds vertically, thus forming a smaller, more compact shape. When unfolded, the screen of the vertically folding phone presents a vertical strip shape, similar to a conventional smartphone screen.

[0055] The principle of this application is similar to that of other folding electronic devices, and will not be elaborated further. It is understood that the solution of this application can also be applied to folding electronic devices that include multiple rotating components, i.e., "triple-fold" or higher electronic devices. Of course, the solution provided in this application can also be applied to other electronic devices that use a dual-cell battery solution. The above is merely illustrative and does not limit the application scenarios of the solution provided in this application.

[0056] Furthermore, the dual-cell detection circuit and method provided in this application embodiment are also applicable to other energy storage devices employing a dual-cell solution. For example, portable power banks, power tools, and electric vehicles used for outdoor adventures.

[0057] The following description, using a dual-cell detection circuit applied to a mobile phone as an example, illustrates the dual-cell detection circuit provided in this application embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figure 3, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment. The dual-cell control circuit includes a power regulation circuit and a charging circuit.

[0058] The input terminal of the charging circuit is used to connect to the charging power supply; the first output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the power regulation circuit and the first end of the first battery cell.

[0059] The output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell are connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell, and the second terminal of the second battery cell is grounded; the rated charging current of the first battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the second battery cell.

[0060] In this embodiment, a charging adapter that meets the mobile phone charging protocol can be used to provide charging power to the mobile phone. Specifically, the output end of the charging adapter is plugged into the charging port of the mobile phone to connect to the input end of the charging circuit, and the input end of the charging adapter is connected to a power source. When the output end of the charging adapter is plugged into the mobile phone charging port to transmit electrical energy, it can be understood that the input end of the charging circuit is connected to the charging power source, and the dual-cell battery starts charging; when the output end of the charging adapter is not plugged into the mobile phone charging port, or when the output end of the charging adapter is plugged into the mobile phone charging port but does not transmit electrical energy, it can be understood that the input end of the charging circuit is not connected to the charging power source.

[0061] The power regulation circuit can be connected in parallel with the first battery cell, and its specific placement is not restricted. For example, for foldable screen phones, the power regulation circuit can be placed on the motherboard or on the sub-board.

[0062] In one possible implementation, the power regulation circuit in the dual-cell control circuit can be a three-level step-down circuit as shown in Figure 4.

[0063] The three-level buck converter circuit includes transistors S1, S2, S3, and S4, a flying capacitor Cfly, and an inductor L. Transistors S1, S2, S3, and S4 are connected in series to control the current flow path. One end of the flying capacitor Cfly is connected to the common terminal of transistors S1 and S2, and the other end is connected to the common terminal of transistors S3 and S4, providing a smooth voltage transition between different switching states. One end of transistor S1 is connected to the input voltage Vin, and one end of transistor S4 is grounded. One end of inductor L is connected to the common terminal of transistors S2 and S3, and the other end of inductor L is grounded through a capacitor to reduce output voltage ripple; the other end of inductor L is also connected to one end of a second battery cell for storing and releasing energy and providing a smooth current at the output.

[0064] The three-level step-down circuit achieves three output voltage levels (positive voltage, zero voltage, and negative voltage) by controlling the switching state of the switching transistor, thereby realizing efficient voltage conversion.

[0065] When switches S1 and S2 are on, and switches S3 and S4 are off, the input voltage Vin flows through switches S1 and S2, inductor L, and capacitor to form a positive output voltage. When switches S1 and S3 are on, and switches S2 and S4 are off, the current in inductor L flows through switches S1 and S3 to form a zero-voltage output voltage, and the flying capacitor Cfly is used to maintain a smooth voltage transition. When switches S3 and S4 are on, and switches S1 and S2 are off, the input voltage Vin flows through switches S3 and S4, inductor L, and capacitor to form a negative output voltage.

[0066] This application embodiment uses a three-level step-down circuit as the power regulation circuit, which can accurately control the output current of the power regulation circuit. According to the charging current of the second cell, the output current of the power regulation can be dynamically adjusted so that the second cell can be charged at the rated charging current during the charging process, thereby improving the charging efficiency and cell life.

[0067] The charging circuit modulates the output voltage of the charging power supply. The current output by the charging power supply, after passing through the charging circuit, provides a current to the first battery cell that meets its charging requirements. In this embodiment, after modulation by the charging circuit, the charging current output to the first battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the first battery cell. As shown in Figure 3, the output terminal of the charging circuit is simultaneously connected to the input terminal of the power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the first battery cell. The power regulation circuit modulates the output voltage of the charging circuit, and its output terminal is connected to the second terminal of the first battery cell and then to the first terminal of the second battery cell.

[0068] The rated charging current of the first battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the second battery cell. This means that even if the current of the first battery cell reaches its rated charging current range, the current output from the second terminal of the first battery cell alone is insufficient to meet the charging requirements of the second battery cell. In this embodiment, the output terminal of the power regulation circuit is connected in parallel with the second terminal of the first battery cell to the first terminal of the second battery cell, so that the power regulation circuit and the first battery cell jointly provide charging current for the second battery cell.

[0069] The rated charging current of a battery cell is related to its maximum charging rate and rated capacity. The rated charging current is equal to the product of the maximum charging rate and the rated capacity. For example, if the rated capacity of a battery cell is 2000 mAh and the maximum charging rate is 2 times the charging rate (C), then the rated charging current of the battery cell is 4 amps.

[0070] If the rated charging current of the first cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the second cell, it means that the maximum charging rate of the first cell * the rated capacity of the first cell ≤ the maximum charging rate of the second cell * the rated capacity of the second cell.

[0071] Because voltage or current fluctuations occur during charging, when the charging current of the battery cell reaches the rated charging current range, it indicates that the current charging current meets the charging requirements of the battery cell. The rated charging current range is the rated charging current plus or minus the fluctuating current.

[0072] Through the aforementioned dual-cell control circuit, with a charging power supply connected to the input of the charging circuit, the charging circuit outputs current to the power regulation circuit and the first cell, ensuring that the charging current of the first cell reaches its rated charging current range. Furthermore, the power regulation circuit and the first cell are connected in parallel to provide charging current to the second cell, ensuring that the charging current of the second cell reaches its rated charging current range. Series charging of the first and second cells solves the heat generation problem associated with parallel charging. By connecting the power regulation circuit in parallel to the first cell, the second cell can be charged at its rated charging current, resolving the issue of uneven charging when dual cells with different rated charging currents are connected in series.

[0073] Based on the dual-cell control circuit shown in Figure 3 above, this application embodiment further provides a dual-cell control circuit, as shown in Figure 5. The circuit also includes a first switching transistor Q1 and a controller, wherein the controller is not shown in the figure.

[0074] The first terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell; the second terminal of the first switching transistor Q1 is connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell.

[0075] When a charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the controller is used to control the first switching transistor Q1 to close and control the power regulation circuit to work, so that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are charged in series.

[0076] The first switch Q1 is positioned between the first and second battery cells, serving as the start switch for series charging. When the controller detects current flowing into the charging circuit input, it controls the first switch Q1 to close, thus connecting the first and second battery cells and controlling the power regulation circuit to perform voltage conversion.

[0077] Since the power conversion efficiency of the power regulation circuit is usually slightly lower than that of the charging circuit, in order to give full play to the energy efficiency advantage of the charging circuit, the charging current relationship between the first cell and the second cell can be set as follows: rated capacity of the first cell * maximum charging rate of the first cell > 0.5 * rated capacity of the second cell * maximum charging rate of the second cell, that is, rated charging current of the first cell > 0.5 * rated charging current of the second cell.

[0078] As an example, the first battery cell of the foldable phone has a rated capacity of 2000 mAh and a maximum charging rate of 3C, while the second battery cell has a rated capacity of 3000 mAh and a maximum charging rate of 2.5C. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a fast charging curve provided in an embodiment of this application. The maximum total charging current that the foldable phone can withstand is set at 12 amps. In the first charging current step of the constant current charging stage, the charging current allocated to the first battery cell is 5 amps, and the charging current allocated to the second battery cell is 7 amps. The cell voltage of both the first and second battery cells is 4.5 volts. With the charging power supply output voltage being 4 times the cell voltage, in the dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment, the charging circuit adopts a 4:2 buck circuit so that the first and second cells connected in series can each be divided by 1 cell voltage. The typical conversion efficiency of the 4:2 buck circuit is 98.56%, and the efficiency of the power regulation circuit is 95%. Therefore, the peak heat dissipation power of the 4:2 buck circuit and the power regulation circuit are 0.78 watts and 0.45 watts, respectively, and the total heat dissipation of the dual-cell control circuit is 1.23 watts.

[0079] In the parallel charging architecture shown in Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of a parallel charging architecture provided by an embodiment of this application, a first charging circuit and a second charging circuit need to be set up in parallel. Both the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit are 4:1 buck circuits to convert 4 times the cell voltage to 1 times the cell voltage. The typical efficiency values ​​of the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit at the operating point are 97.19% and 97.21%, respectively, with corresponding peak heat dissipation of 0.63 watts and 0.88 watts, and a total charging heat dissipation of 1.51 watts. Compared with the dual-cell series charging architecture, the dual-cell series charging architecture provided by this embodiment of the application can reduce hot spot power consumption by 0.28 watts in this scenario, an optimization of about 18.76%. With the trend of thinner and lighter foldable devices (such as foldable phones) and the distribution of system load, the heat dissipation capacity of the secondary board is usually significantly weaker than that of the main board. Charging heat dissipation becomes a bottleneck for the thermal experience of fast charging. If the power regulation circuit is placed on the secondary board, the heat dissipation of the secondary board is reduced by 0.43 watts, an optimization of 48.93%, which is more obvious.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the controller dynamically adjusts the output voltage of the charging power supply and the output current of the power regulation module to ensure that the charging current of the first battery cell meets its rated charging current range, and that the charging current of the second battery cell meets its rated charging current range. As shown in Figure 8, the specific process is as follows:

[0081] S801: The controller determines whether the charging adapter meets the charging requirements of the mobile phone through the charging protocol.

[0082] The controller detects whether the charging adapter has been successfully connected to the phone's charging port by checking the physical connection status or electrical signals of the interface. After confirming the connection, the controller communicates with the charging adapter through the charging interface based on a preset charging protocol (such as USB Power Delivery (USB-PD), Quick Charge, etc.) to check whether the charging parameters (such as voltage, current, etc.) provided by the charging adapter meet the phone's charging requirements.

[0083] If the charging parameters provided by the charging adapter meet the phone's charging requirements, the controller will determine that the verification is successful and continue to step S802. If the charging parameters provided by the charging adapter do not meet the phone's charging requirements, the controller will determine that the verification fails. In this case, the phone may display an error message or refuse to charge to ensure the safety of the battery cell and the phone.

[0084] S802: When the requirements are met, the controller controls the first switch Q1 to close and adjusts the output voltage VBUS of the charging adapter to the initial voltage of the series charging mode.

[0085] The initial voltage in series charging mode refers to the initial voltage that the charging adapter needs to provide in dual-cell series charging mode. Because the two cells are connected in series, the voltage of each cell will fluctuate around its rated voltage. Therefore, the initial voltage is usually the sum of the rated voltages of the two cells, plus a safety margin, to ensure a smooth charging process.

[0086] When the charging parameters provided by the charging adapter meet the charging requirements of the mobile phone, the controller controls the first switch Q1 to close, so that the first battery cell and the second battery cell start to charge in series, and controls the charging adapter to output the initial voltage of the series charging mode.

[0087] S803: The controller detects in real time whether the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is less than the minimum value of the rated charging current range Iset_a-Ith_a of the first battery cell.

[0088] The charging current of the first battery cell is Ibat_a, the rated charging current of the first battery cell is Iset_a, the fluctuating current of the first battery cell is Ith_a, the rated charging current range of the first battery cell is Iset_a±Ith_a, the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the first battery cell is Iset_a-Ith_a, and the maximum value of the rated charging current range of the first battery cell is Iset_a+Ith_a.

[0089] If the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is less than the minimum value of the rated charging current range Iset_a-Ith_a of the first battery cell, proceed to step S804; if the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the rated charging current range Iset_a-Ith_a of the first battery cell, proceed to step S807.

[0090] S804: The controller detects whether the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b+Ith_b of the second battery cell.

[0091] The charging current of the second battery cell is Ibat_b, the rated charging current of the second battery cell is Iset_b, the fluctuating current of the second battery cell is Ith_b, the rated charging current range of the second battery cell is Iset_b±Ith_b, the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the second battery cell is Iset_b-Ith_b, and the maximum value of the rated charging current range of the second battery cell is Iset_b+Ith_b.

[0092] If the charging current Ibat_b of the second cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b+Ith_b of the second cell, proceed to step S805; if the charging current Ibat_b of the second cell is less than or equal to the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b+Ith_b of the second cell, proceed to step S806.

[0093] S805: The controller controls the output current Ireg of the power regulation circuit to decrease the set current Istep every set time Tcycle.

[0094] If the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b+Ith_b of the second battery cell, then the charging current of the second battery cell needs to be reduced. The controller controls the output current Treg of the power regulation circuit to decrease the set current Istep every set time interval Tcycle, so as to reduce the charging current of the second battery cell.

[0095] S806: The controller controls the output voltage VBUS of the charging adapter to increase the set voltage Vstep every set time Tcycle.

[0096] If the charging current Ibat_b of the second cell is less than or equal to the maximum value of the rated charging current range of the second cell, Iset_b + Ith_b, and the charging current Ibat_a of the first cell is less than the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the first cell, Iset_a - Ith_a, then it indicates that the current charging current of the first cell is relatively low, and the charging current of the second cell has room for increase, requiring an increase in the charging current of the first cell. The controller controls the output voltage VBUS of the charging adapter (charging power supply) to increase the set voltage Vstep at set intervals Tcycle to increase the charging current of the first cell.

[0097] S807: The controller detects in real time whether the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_a+Ith_a of the first battery cell.

[0098] When it is determined that the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the first battery cell, Iset_a-Ith_a, it is necessary to further determine whether the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range of the first battery cell, Iset_a+Ith_a, so as to determine whether the charging current of the first battery cell is within the rated charging current range of the first battery cell.

[0099] If the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the first battery cell, Iset_a-Ith_a, and the charging current Ibat_a of the first battery cell is less than the maximum value of the rated charging current range of the first battery cell, Iset_a+Ith_a, then it indicates that the charging current of the first battery cell is within the rated charging current range of the first battery cell, and step S809 is executed.

[0100] If the charging current Ibat_a of the first cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_a+Ith_a of the first cell, it indicates that the current charging current of the first cell is large, and then step S808 is executed.

[0101] S808: The controller controls the output voltage VBUS of the charging adapter to decrease the set voltage Vstep every set time Tcycle.

[0102] When the charging current of the first battery cell is large, the controller can control the output voltage VBUS of the charging adapter (charging power supply) to decrease the set voltage Vstep at set time intervals Tcycle, so as to reduce the charging current of the first battery cell.

[0103] S809: The controller detects whether the power regulation circuit is turned on.

[0104] If the power regulation circuit is already in operation, then step S810 is executed; if the power regulation circuit is not in operation, then the controller controls the power regulation circuit to start operating.

[0105] S810: The controller detects whether the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is less than the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the second battery cell, Iset_b-Ith_b.

[0106] If the charging current Ibat_b of the second cell is less than the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the second cell, Iset_b-Ith_b, it indicates that the charging current of the second cell is small, and step S811 is executed. If the charging current Ibat_b of the second cell is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the rated charging current range of the second cell, Iset_b-Ith_b, then step S812 is executed.

[0107] S811: The controller controls the output current Ireg of the power regulation circuit to increase the set current Istep every set time Tcycle.

[0108] If the charging current of the second cell is too low, it is necessary to increase the charging current of the second cell. The controller controls the output current Treg of the power regulation circuit to increase the set current Istep every set time interval Tcycle to increase the charging current of the second cell.

[0109] S812: The controller detects whether the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b+Ith_b of the second battery cell.

[0110] If the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is greater than the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b + Ith_b of the second battery cell, it indicates that the current charging current of the second battery cell is too large, and step S805 is executed. If the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b - Ith_b of the second battery cell, and the charging current Ibat_b of the second battery cell is less than or equal to the maximum value of the rated charging current range Iset_b + Ith_b of the second battery cell, it indicates that the charging current of the second battery cell is within the rated charging current range of the second battery cell, and the current charging state is maintained.

[0111] Through the above steps S801-S812, the controller can dynamically adjust the output current of the power regulation circuit and the output voltage of the charging adapter according to the charging current of the first battery cell and the second battery cell, so that both the first battery cell and the second battery cell can be charged with current within the rated charging current range.

[0112] In one possible implementation, the signal detection terminal of the power regulation circuit is connected to the input terminal of the first charging circuit. The power regulation circuit is used to stop operating when it detects no input at the input terminal of the charging circuit.

[0113] After the controller detects no input at the charging circuit's input terminal, it stops the power regulation circuit from operating; however, this process is delayed. Alternatively, the signal detection terminal of the power regulation circuit can be connected to the input terminal of the first charging circuit. The power regulation circuit can then directly detect whether there is input at the charging circuit's input terminal and actively stop operating when it determines there is no input, thus avoiding delays in the controller's commands.

[0114] In one possible implementation, as shown in Figure 9, the dual-cell control circuit also includes a second switching transistor.

[0115] The first terminal of the second switch Q2 is connected to the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell, and the second terminal of the second switch Q2 is grounded.

[0116] The second switch Q2 is used to control the current path. When the second switch Q2 is closed, the current flows directly from the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell to ground GND. When the second switch Q2 is open and the first switch Q1 is closed, the current flows from the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell to the first terminal of the second battery cell.

[0117] When charging the first and second battery cells in series, the controller controls the second switch Q2 to open and the first switch Q1 to close, thus connecting the first and second battery cells in series and ensuring that the current output from the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell does not flow to ground (GND). In other words, when the first switch Q1 is closed, the second switch Q2 is opened.

[0118] In one possible implementation, as shown in Figure 10, the charging circuit includes a first charging circuit and a second charging circuit.

[0119] The input terminals of the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit are connected in parallel to the output terminal of the charging circuit; the output terminal of the first charging circuit is connected to the first output terminal of the charging circuit; the output terminal of the second charging circuit is connected to the second output terminal of the charging circuit, and the second output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell.

[0120] The controller is used to stop the second charging circuit from operating when the first switching transistor is closed.

[0121] The charging circuit is divided into a first charging circuit and a second charging circuit, which are responsible for supplying power to the first and second battery cells, respectively. The controller controls the operating states of the first switching transistor and the second charging circuit to achieve two modes: parallel charging and series charging. When charging the first and second battery cells in series, the controller controls the second charging circuit to pause operation. That is, when the first switching transistor Q1 is closed, the second charging circuit is controlled to pause operation. When charging the first and second battery cells in series, the first switching transistor Q1 must be closed; therefore, controlling the first switching transistor Q1 to be closed can be considered as charging the first and second battery cells in series.

[0122] Based on the dual-cell control circuit shown in Figure 10, the controller can control the first and second cells to charge in parallel. In one possible implementation, the controller first controls the second charging circuit to pause operation, the second switch Q2 is turned off, and then controls the first charging circuit and the power regulation circuit to operate, controlling the first switch Q1 to close, so that the first and second cells are charged in series.

[0123] When the charge level of the first battery cell reaches the first charge threshold or the charge level of the second battery cell reaches the second charge threshold, the controller stops the power regulation circuit from operating, disconnects the first switch Q1, and starts the second charging circuit by closing the second switch Q2. At this time, the first and second battery cells are charged in parallel.

[0124] The first charge threshold refers to a specific charge level reached by the first battery cell during charging. This first charge threshold is typically set when the battery cell is close to full charge to ensure that the first battery cell does not become overcharged in series charging mode.

[0125] The second charge threshold refers to a specific charge level reached by the second battery cell during charging. The first charge threshold is usually also set when the battery cell is close to full charge to ensure that the second battery cell is not over-saturated in series charging mode.

[0126] Based on the dual-cell control circuit shown in Figure 10, this application embodiment further provides a dual-cell control circuit. As shown in Figure 11, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment. The dual-cell control circuit also includes a current limiting circuit. The two ends of the current limiting circuit are respectively connected to the first output terminal and the second output terminal of the charging circuit.

[0127] During the series charging process of the first and second battery cells, the controller closes the first switch Q1 and controls the current limiting circuit to be in the open state, ensuring that the current flows through the series path of the first and second battery cells.

[0128] In parallel charging mode, the controller's current limiting circuit is activated, providing a current limiting path between the first and second cells. This ensures that the current distribution between the two cells is uniform, preventing one cell from being overcharged while the other is undercharged. It achieves a balance of power between the first and second cells, preventing cell lifespan reduction or safety issues caused by power differences.

[0129] Specifically, when the controller detects that the input terminal of the charging circuit is connected to a charging power supply, the controller first stops controlling the second charging circuit and disconnects the second switch Q2 and the current limiting circuit; then, it starts controlling the first charging circuit and the power regulation circuit to open and closes the first switch Q1, at which point the first and second battery cells are charged in series. During this process, disconnecting the second switch Q2 and the current limiting circuit before closing the second switch Q1 prevents short circuits.

[0130] When the charge level of the first battery cell reaches the first charge threshold or the charge level of the second battery cell reaches the second charge threshold, the controller stops the power regulation circuit, disconnects the first switch Q1, and starts the second charging circuit, closing the second switch Q2 and the current limiting circuit. At this time, the first and second battery cells are charged in parallel, and the current limiting circuit enables them to achieve charge balance.

[0131] In one possible implementation, the current limiting circuit is shown in Figure 12. The current limiting circuit can be an N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor (NMOS transistor) with its substrate grounded. The base and source of the NMOS transistor are grounded through capacitors, and the base and source of the NMOS transistor are connected to the output terminals of the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit, respectively. The controller sends a control signal to the gate of the NMOS transistor to control the current limiting circuit. The current limiting circuit has a bidirectional current limiting mode, a fully on mode, and a fully off mode.

[0132] In bidirectional current limiting mode, the current limiting circuit allows current to flow in both directions while limiting the current magnitude to ensure it remains within a safe range. In parallel charging mode, the bidirectional current limiting mode ensures current balance between the two cells, preventing one cell from being overcharged while the other is undercharged. In parallel discharging mode, the bidirectional current limiting mode ensures current balance between the two cells, preventing one cell from being over-discharged while the other has excess charge.

[0133] In fully on mode, the current limiting circuit allows current to flow freely without imposing any restrictions.

[0134] In the fully shut-off mode, the current-limiting circuit completely blocks current flow. During the switch from series charging mode to parallel charging mode, the controller first disconnects the current-limiting circuit to prevent current flow and ensure the safety of the switching process.

[0135] The dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment can not only perform series charging and parallel charging of the two cells, but also perform parallel discharging of the two cells to power various electrical components in the mobile phone. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment. The dual-cell control circuit also includes a power management circuit.

[0136] The first input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, and the second input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the first or second output terminal of the charging circuit. That is, the second input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the output terminal of the first or second charging circuit, and the output terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the electrical device.

[0137] The power management circuit, also known as the power management IC (PMI), mainly serves as an energy transfer intermediary between the dual battery cells and the power-consuming device in the dual-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment.

[0138] With the charging power supply connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the first and second battery cells are being charged. The first input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, that is, the first input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the charging power supply. The power management circuit uses the charging power supply to power the electrical devices.

[0139] When no charging power supply is connected to the input of the charging circuit, the first and second battery cells can be connected in parallel to supply power. Specifically, the controller stops the power regulation circuit and turns on the current limiting circuit, allowing the first and second battery cells to supply power to the electrical device in parallel. When the first and second battery cells are connected in parallel, the first switch Q1 is off and the second switch Q2 is on. In parallel discharge mode, the current limiting circuit limits the current, preventing current collision between the two cells and ensuring a stable discharge current for each cell.

[0140] The above are some specific implementations of the dual-cell control circuit provided in the embodiments of this application. Based on this, this application also provides a corresponding control method for the dual-cell control circuit, which is applied to the dual-cell control circuit described in the above embodiments.

[0141] The method provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The control method includes:

[0142] When a charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the control charging circuit converts the power output of the charging power supply and outputs charging current to the power regulation circuit and the first battery cell through the first output terminal of the charging circuit, so that the charging current of the first battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the first battery cell.

[0143] Furthermore, the power regulation circuit converts the current output from the first output terminal of the charging circuit, and provides charging current to the second cell through the power regulation current and the first cell connected in parallel, so that the charging current of the second cell reaches the rated charging current range of the second cell.

[0144] Based on the above dual-cell control circuit, this application embodiment also provides a three-cell control circuit, as shown in Figure 14.

[0145] The three-cell control circuit includes a first power regulation circuit, a second power regulation circuit, and a third charging circuit.

[0146] The input terminal of the third charging circuit is used to connect to the charging power supply; the first output terminal of the third charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the third battery cell.

[0147] The output terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the third battery cell are connected to the input terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the fourth battery cell.

[0148] The output terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the fourth battery cell are connected to the first terminal of the fifth battery cell, and the second terminal of the fifth battery cell is grounded; the rated charging current of the third battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the fourth battery cell, and the rated charging current of the fourth battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the fifth battery cell.

[0149] When a charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the third charging circuit, the third charging circuit is used to output current to the first power regulation circuit and the third battery cell, so that the charging current of the third battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the third battery cell; the first power regulation circuit is used to provide charging current to the fourth battery cell in parallel with the third battery cell, so that the charging current of the fourth battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the fourth battery cell; the second power regulation circuit is used to provide charging current to the fifth battery cell in parallel with the fourth battery cell, so that the charging current of the fifth battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the fifth battery cell.

[0150] The three-cell control circuit provided in this application embodiment achieves series charging of the third, fourth, and fifth cells through multi-stage power regulation circuits and a series charging method. This ensures that the charging current of each cell is within its rated range, effectively avoiding overcharging or undercharging, and improving charging efficiency and battery life. Specifically, the third charging circuit is directly connected to the charging power supply, providing current to the first power regulation circuit and the third cell; the first power regulation circuit is connected in parallel with the third cell to supply power to the fourth cell and the second power regulation circuit, regulating the charging current of the fourth cell; the second power regulation circuit is connected in parallel with the fourth cell to supply power to the fifth cell, regulating the charging current of the fifth cell. This series charging of the three cells solves the problem of severe heat generation during parallel charging and allows all three cells to be charged at their rated charging current, avoiding charging imbalances caused by differences in cell charging rates or cell capacities. This ensures that the three cells maintain a balanced charging level during the charging process, improving charging efficiency.

[0151] Based on the three-cell control circuit shown in Figure 14, this application embodiment further provides a three-cell control circuit, as shown in Figure 15. The third charging circuit includes a fourth charging circuit, a fifth charging circuit, a sixth charging circuit, a first current circuit, and a second current limiting circuit. The fourth, fifth, and sixth charging circuits, as well as the first input terminal of the power management circuit, are connected in parallel to the charging power supply. The second input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the output terminal of the sixth charging circuit.

[0152] The output terminal of the fourth charging circuit is connected to the first terminal of the third battery cell and the input terminal of the first power regulation circuit. The output terminal of the fifth charging circuit is connected to the first terminal of the fourth battery cell and the input terminal of the second power regulation circuit. The output terminal of the sixth charging circuit is connected to the first terminal of the fifth battery cell. The two ends of the first current limiting circuit are respectively connected to the output terminals of the fourth charging circuit and the fifth output circuit. The two ends of the second current limiting circuit are respectively connected to the output terminals of the fifth charging circuit and the sixth output circuit.

[0153] The output terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the third battery cell are connected in parallel to one end of the third switching transistor Q3. The input terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the fourth battery cell are connected in parallel to the other end of the third switching transistor Q3. The second terminal of the third battery cell is grounded through the fourth switching transistor Q4. The output terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the fourth battery cell are connected in parallel to one end of the fifth switching transistor Q5. The first terminal of the fifth battery cell is connected to the other end of the fifth switching transistor Q5, and the second terminal of the fifth battery cell is grounded. The second terminal of the fourth battery cell is grounded through the sixth switching transistor Q6.

[0154] The above are some specific implementations of the dual-cell detection circuit and dual-cell detection method provided in the embodiments of this application. Based on this, this application also provides a corresponding electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device may be an electronic device adopting a dual-cell solution, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, desktop, laptop, notebook computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), handheld computer, netbook, personal digital assistant (PDA), wearable electronic device, smartwatch, etc. This application does not impose any special limitations on the specific form of the above-mentioned electronic device. In this embodiment, the structure of the electronic device can be as shown in Figure 16, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0155] As shown in Figure 16, the electronic device may include a processor 110, an external memory interface 120, an internal memory 121, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 130, a charging management module 140, a power management module 141, a first battery cell 300, a second battery cell 400, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 150, a wireless communication module 160, an audio module 170, a speaker 170A, a receiver 170B, a microphone 170C, a headphone jack 170D, a sensor module 180, buttons 190, a motor 191, an indicator 192, a camera 193, a display screen 194, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 195, etc. The sensor module 180 may include a pressure sensor 180A, a gyroscope sensor 180B, a barometric pressure sensor 180C, a magnetic sensor 180D, an accelerometer sensor 180E, a distance sensor 180F, a proximity sensor 180G, a fingerprint sensor 180H, a temperature sensor 180J, a touch sensor 180K, an ambient light sensor 180L, a bone conduction sensor 180M, etc.

[0156] It is understood that the structure illustrated in this embodiment does not constitute a specific limitation on the electronic device. In other embodiments, the electronic device may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0157] The charging management module 140 receives charging input from a charger. The charger can be a wireless charger or a wired charger. In some wired charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 receives charging input from the wired charger via the USB interface 130. In some wireless charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 receives wireless charging input via the wireless charging coil of the electronic device. While charging the battery cells 300 and 400, the charging management module 140 can also supply power to the electronic devices via the power management module 141.

[0158] The power management module 141 connects to battery cells 300 and 400, and the charging management module 140 connects to the processor 110. The power management module 141 receives input from battery cells 300, 400, and / or the charging management module 140, and supplies power to the processor 110, internal memory 121, display screen 194, camera 193, and wireless communication module 160, etc. The power management module 141 can also monitor parameters such as battery capacity, battery cycle count, and battery health status (leakage current, impedance). In some other embodiments, the power management module 141 may also be located within the processor 110. In other embodiments, the power management module 141 and the charging management module 140 may be located in the same device.

[0159] The technical solution of this embodiment, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as flash memory, portable hard disk, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0160] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on its differences from other embodiments. In particular, the apparatus embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without creative effort.

[0161] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A dual-cell control circuit, characterized in that, Includes power regulation circuit and charging circuit; The input terminal of the charging circuit is used to connect to the charging power supply; the first output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the power regulation circuit and the first end of the first battery cell. The output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell are connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell, and the second terminal of the second battery cell is grounded; the rated charging current of the first battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the second battery cell. When the charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the charging circuit is used to output current to the power regulation circuit and the first battery cell, so that the charging current of the first battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the first battery cell. The power regulation circuit is connected in parallel with the first battery cell to provide charging current to the second battery cell, so that the charging current of the second battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the second battery cell.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circuit also includes a controller and a first switching transistor; The first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell; the second terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell. When the charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the controller is used to control the first switch to close and control the power regulation circuit to operate so that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are charged in series.

3. The circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The circuit also includes a second switching transistor; The first terminal of the second switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell, and the second terminal of the second switching transistor is grounded. The controller is used to control the second switch to open when the first switch is closed.

4. The circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The charging circuit includes a first charging circuit and a second charging circuit. The input terminals of the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit are connected in parallel to the output terminal of the charging circuit; the output terminal of the first charging circuit is connected to the first output terminal of the charging circuit; the output terminal of the second charging circuit is connected to the second output terminal of the charging circuit, and the second output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell. The controller is used to control the second charging circuit to stop working when the first switch is closed.

5. The circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The charging circuit includes a current limiting circuit; The two ends of the current limiting circuit are respectively connected to the first output terminal and the second output terminal of the charging circuit. The controller is used to control the current limiting circuit to open when the first switch is closed.

6. The circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the first charging circuit, the controller is further configured to, upon detecting that the first battery cell is being charged in series to a first preset level, or upon detecting that the second battery cell is being charged in series to a second preset level, control the power regulation circuit to stop working, control the first switch to turn off, control the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit to work together, and control the second switch and the current limiting circuit to turn on, so that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are charged in parallel.

7. The circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The dual-cell control circuit also includes a power management circuit. The first input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the second input terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the first or second output terminal of the charging circuit, and the output terminal of the power management circuit is connected to the electrical device. When the input terminal of the charging circuit is not connected to the charging power supply, the controller is used to control the power regulation circuit to stop working, control the first switch to open, control the second switch to close, and control the current limiting circuit to turn on, so that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are connected in parallel to supply power to the electrical device.

8. The circuit according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The power regulation circuit is a three-level step-down circuit.

9. The circuit according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The signal detection terminal of the power regulation circuit is connected to the input terminal of the first charging circuit; The power regulation circuit is used to stop operating when no input is detected at the input terminal of the charging circuit.

10. A control method for a dual-cell control circuit, characterized in that, It is applied to a dual-cell control circuit, which includes a power regulation circuit and a charging circuit; The input terminal of the charging circuit is used to connect to the charging power supply; the first output terminal of the charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the power regulation circuit and the first end of the first battery cell. The output terminal of the power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the first battery cell are connected to the first terminal of the second battery cell, and the second terminal of the second battery cell is grounded; the rated charging current of the first battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the second battery cell. The method includes: When the charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the charging circuit, the charging circuit is controlled to convert the power output of the charging power supply, and the charging current is output to the power regulation circuit and the first battery cell through the first output terminal of the charging circuit, so that the charging current of the first battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the first battery cell. Furthermore, the power regulation circuit controls the current output from the first output terminal of the charging circuit to convert the current, and provides charging current to the second cell through the power regulation current and the first cell in parallel, so that the charging current of the second cell reaches the rated charging current range of the second cell.

11. A three-cell control circuit, characterized in that, It includes a first power regulation circuit, a second power regulation circuit, and a third charging circuit; The input terminal of the third charging circuit is used to connect to the charging power supply; the first output terminal of the third charging circuit is connected to the input terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the first end of the third battery cell. The output terminal of the first power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the third battery cell are connected to the input terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the first terminal of the fourth battery cell; The output terminal of the second power regulation circuit and the second terminal of the fourth battery cell are connected to the first terminal of the fifth battery cell, and the second terminal of the fifth battery cell is grounded; the rated charging current of the third battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the fourth battery cell, and the rated charging current of the fourth battery cell is less than or equal to the rated charging current of the fifth battery cell. When the charging power supply is connected to the input terminal of the third charging circuit, the third charging circuit is used to output current to the first power regulation circuit and the third battery cell, so that the charging current of the third battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the third battery cell; the first power regulation circuit is used to provide charging current to the fourth battery cell in parallel with the third battery cell, so that the charging current of the fourth battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the fourth battery cell; the second power regulation circuit is used to provide charging current to the fifth battery cell in parallel with the fourth battery cell, so that the charging current of the fifth battery cell reaches the rated charging current range of the fifth battery cell.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: The first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the dual-cell control circuit as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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