Battery Charging Controller Oscillating Current for Thermal Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery charging technologies generate excessive heat during rapid charging, leading to potential device damage and require extensive, costly laboratory testing for each device configuration, with existing methods being inefficient and conservative in controlling heat generation across different power profiles.
Innovation Solution
A battery charging controller that oscillates the charging current between upper and lower levels based on the electronic device's skin temperature and load, adjusting these levels dynamically to maintain thermal stability and optimize charging speed, eliminating the need for individual thermal relationship tables for each power profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If charging current is increased to achieve faster charging speeds, then charging speed is improved, but heat generation increases causing potential device damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic charging current adjustment by continuously monitoring device skin temperature and modifying the charging current magnitude accordingly. The system transitions from static current levels to dynamic modulation, increasing current when temperature is acceptable and reducing it when temperature thresholds are approached, thereby resolving the contradiction between charging speed and heat generation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the charging controller continuously monitors skin temperature sensors and uses this information to adjust the charging current in real-time. This closed-loop control system allows the charger to respond to thermal conditions and optimize the balance between charging speed and thermal management
2Object-affected harmful factors
If charging current is reduced to control heat generation, then heat generation is controlled, but charging speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts charging current based on real-time temperature monitoring, allowing the charger to operate at high current levels when thermal conditions permit and temporarily reduce current only when necessary. This dynamic approach maximizes charging speed while maintaining thermal safety, avoiding the need for consistently reduced current levels
3Reliability
If conservative charging current levels are used to ensure thermal safety across all device configurations, then thermal safety is improved, but charging speed and overall efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control by monitoring skin temperature at specific locations on the device and adjusting charging current based on local thermal conditions rather than applying a uniform conservative limit across all configurations. This allows the system to optimize charging speed for each specific device state while maintaining thermal safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables each device to self-regulate its optimal charging parameters by providing real-time temperature feedback to the charger. The device essentially communicates its thermal state to the charging controller, allowing the charger to automatically adapt to the specific device configuration and operating conditions without requiring pre-programmed conservative limits for each scenario
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves stable thermal performance, reduces CPU throttling, and allows for faster charging speeds while minimizing unnecessary current reduction, thus enhancing overall charging efficiency and reducing testing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor to sense a skin temperature of the electronic device
Implementation Method 2
greater charging speeds typically result in greater heat generation
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture for a battery charging device are disclosed. Example battery charging devices include a temperature sensor to sense a skin temperature of an electronic device in which the battery is installed, and a current controller to control a magnitude of a charging current to be supplied to the battery. The current controller causes the magnitude of the charging current to oscillate between an upper level and a lower level and a current adjuster adjusts the upper level downwards and the lower level upwards based on the skin temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. In some examples, a memory device stores a thermal set point and a comparator compares the skin temperature to the thermal set point and transmits a control signal to the current adjuster based on the comparison of the thermal set point to the skin temperature.