Charging Unit Impedance Loss Compensation via Offset Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld mobile devices face challenges in minimizing size and circuitry while maintaining performance, as internal battery charging circuitry contributes to bulkiness and overheating, and external charging units experience impedance loss that prevents optimal battery voltage thresholds from being reached.
Innovation Solution
A charging unit with a charging circuit that operates in two modes, providing constant current and voltage, and an offset compensator that adjusts the output voltage to compensate for impedance loss, ensuring the battery reaches the desired threshold voltage by applying an offset voltage based on measured battery parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If internal battery charging circuitry is included in the handheld device, then charging functionality is provided, but device size increases and overheating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The charging circuitry is extracted from the handheld device and placed in an external charging unit. This allows the device to maintain charging functionality while reducing its internal volume and eliminating the source of overheating, as the charging components are now external to the device body
2Volume of moving object
If external charging unit is used to reduce device size, then device volume is reduced, but impedance loss prevents optimal battery voltage threshold from being reached
Solution Approach 1:
The charging unit incorporates a feedback mechanism that monitors the battery voltage and compares it against a threshold value. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts the charging parameters to compensate for impedance losses in the external connection, ensuring the battery reaches its optimal voltage threshold despite the external charging configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes charging parameters (voltage and current levels) dynamically during the charging process. By adjusting these parameters based on real-time monitoring of battery voltage and impedance conditions, the system compensates for losses in the external charging path and maintains reliable charging performance
3Adaptability or versatility
If more circuitry is added to provide new features, then functionality is enhanced, but device size and overheating increase
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the charging circuitry to an external unit, the patent frees up internal space within the handheld device. This extracted space can then be utilized to accommodate additional circuitry for new features and functionality, thereby enhancing adaptability without increasing the overall device volume
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 configuration reduces device size, minimizes overheating, and allows for flexible battery types, ensuring efficient charging and maintaining performance by compensating for impedance losses, thus enhancing the practicality and economics of battery replacement.
Implementation Method 1
an offset compensator configured for applying an offset voltage to the charger to maintain the charger in the first mode to compensate for impedance loss between the charger and the external battery
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a charging unit for charging a rechargeable battery on an external mobile device, the charging unit configured to be electrically coupled to the mobile device for electrical communication thereof, the charging unit comprising: a charging circuit comprising a charger, the charger configured to: operate in a first mode to provide a constant pre-defined charge current to the external battery based on an output voltage of the charger; operate in a second mode to provide a constant pre-defined charge voltage to the external battery; switch from the first mode to the second mode when the output voltage of the charger reaches a predefined threshold voltage; and an offset compensator configured for applying an offset voltage to the charger to maintain the charger in the first mode to compensate for impedance loss between the charger and the external battery thereby allowing the external battery voltage to reach the threshold voltage.