Battery Bypass Charging Circuit for Accurate Connector Voltage Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing e-Cig chargers often rely solely on internal circuitry for charging, which can limit charging current for safety reasons, leading to longer charging times and potential overcharging or inefficient charging due to inaccurate battery voltage estimation.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an e-Cig charger that measures battery voltage directly from the connectors, allowing for more accurate charging control and optimization. This includes detecting battery properties like type through resistance measurements and implementing a slow control algorithm for current and voltage management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If internal circuitry is used for charging control, then safety is improved, but charging time increases and charging efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary bypass line with a switch that connects the charger directly to the battery terminals, circumventing the internal circuitry. This mediator allows high-current charging paths while the internal circuitry continues to provide safety monitoring, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and charging speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging path is segmented into two independent routes: one through the internal circuitry for safety monitoring and control, and another bypass path for high-speed charging. This segmentation allows each path to perform its specialized function without compromising the other, enabling both safety and fast charging.
2Reliability
If internal circuitry is used for charging control, then safety is improved, but charging efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass line acts as an intermediary high-efficiency charging path that circumvents the limitations of the internal circuitry. The switch controls when to use this intermediary path, allowing efficient charging while the internal circuitry maintains safety oversight through voltage and current monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between the internal circuitry path and the bypass line path based on charging conditions. The switch can transition between states to optimize charging efficiency while maintaining safety, adapting the charging path in real-time based on battery state and charger characteristics.
3Device complexity
If connector voltage measurement is used for battery voltage estimation, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the direct battery voltage measurement mechanism with an electrical substitution method. Instead of mechanically or directly measuring battery voltage through the internal circuitry, the system measures connector voltage and uses electrical characteristics (voltage drops across known resistances) to calculate battery voltage, simplifying the measurement system while maintaining precision through mathematical relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
The method includes operatively connecting an internal circuitry to a first battery to assist in charging the first battery, the first battery having a first terminal and a second terminal, electrically connecting a pair of connectors to the e-vaping device, electrically connecting a diode to the first terminal and a first connector, of the pair of connectors, the diode being in a bypass line that bypasses the internal circuitry, and configuring a controller to measure a first measured voltage at the pair of connectors during an application of a first current, the first current being high enough that the first current passes through the diode and being low enough that the first current does not activate the internal circuitry, and determine a voltage of the first battery based on the first measured voltage.