Adaptive Battery Charging Timer for Overcharge Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery charging methods often lead to degraded performance, where batteries may not be fully charged or can be overcharged, risking ignition or explosion, due to inadequate adaptation to charging environments and battery characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A time-based adaptive battery charging control method that adjusts charging parameters based on the battery's charging environment, characteristics, and connected charging device, using a processor to set a charging limit timer that limits charging time based on factors like charging cycle, temperature, and battery state of charge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional battery charging methods are used, then charging simplicity is maintained, but battery performance degrades due to overcharging or undercharging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery charging safetyVSAvoidcharging control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging limit timer is configured in advance based on battery characteristics and charging environment before charging begins. This preliminary configuration prevents overcharging by establishing a maximum charging duration threshold that accounts for battery capacity, age, temperature, and state of charge, thereby ensuring safety without requiring complex real-time monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors charging parameters including battery state of charge, temperature, and elapsed time, comparing these against the pre-configured charging limit timer. When the timer threshold is approached, the system provides feedback to adjust or terminate charging, creating a closed-loop control mechanism that enhances safety while maintaining manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If charging time is extended to ensure full charge, then charging completeness improves, but risk of overcharging and battery damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging completenessVSAvoidovercharging damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system intentionally limits charging to a partial duration determined by the charging limit timer, which is configured to stop charging before complete saturation is reached. This partial charging approach, adjusted based on battery characteristics and environmental conditions, prevents the excessive action of overcharging while still providing sufficient charge for operational needs, thereby balancing productivity with safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The charging limit timer dynamically adjusts its threshold parameter based on multiple factors including battery capacity, state of charge, temperature, and battery age. By changing the time parameter adaptively rather than using a fixed charging duration, the system achieves optimal charging completeness while preventing overcharging damage across different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If charging parameters are fixed, then system simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different charging environments and battery states is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging environment adaptationVSAvoidcharging control mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging limit timer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a time counter, a safety threshold indicator, and an adaptive control parameter. By configuring a single timer mechanism to handle various charging scenarios including different battery types, temperatures, and charge levels, the system achieves broad adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same hardware component performs multiple protective roles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3340422B1Charging control method for battery based on time and electronic device supporting the same
Publication Date: 2022.07.27 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3340422B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3340422B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3340422B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device (100) is disclosed, and includes a battery (140) supplying power to the electronic device (100), a charging circuit (150) charging the battery (140) and a processor (110). The processor (110) is configured to obtain context information associated with charging of the battery (140), if the context information satisfies a first specified condition, to set a timer associated with a charging time of the charging circuit (150) to a first time, if the context information satisfies a second specified condition, to set the timer to a second time different from the first time, and to charge the battery (140) by using the charging circuit (150) during the first time corresponding to the first specified condition or the second time corresponding to the second specified condition.