Multi-Battery Power Circuit With Series Charge and Parallel Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Small-sized electronic devices with multiple batteries of different capacities face inefficiencies in charging, leading to wasted battery capacity due to unequal charging currents and voltages, which are not optimally managed by existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

A power supply circuit and method that connects batteries in series during charging to equalize charging currents based on capacity ratios and in parallel during discharge to match system voltage, using switches and circuits to manage charging and discharging efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If batteries with different capacities are charged simultaneously using conventional parallel charging, then charging simplicity is maintained, but battery capacity resources are wasted due to unequal charging currents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging simplicityVSAvoidbattery capacity resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The charging circuit is segmented into multiple independent charging paths, each equipped with its own charging control circuit. This allows each battery to receive customized charging current according to its capacity, avoiding the waste of battery capacity resources while maintaining charging efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The charging circuit dynamically adjusts the charging current for each battery based on its capacity. The charging control circuit automatically configures the charging path and current parameters, transforming the static parallel charging into a dynamic adaptive charging system that optimizes battery capacity utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of substance

If series charging is used for batteries with different capacities, then battery capacity resources are better utilized, but charging speed decreases due to current limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacity resourcesVSAvoidcharging speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The charging circuit dynamically switches between series and parallel configurations based on real-time battery status and capacity requirements. During initial charging, batteries are connected in series to optimize capacity utilization; when batteries are nearly full, the circuit switches to parallel configuration to accelerate charging speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The charging circuit changes the electrical connection parameters (series/parallel configuration) and current parameters dynamically during the charging process. This allows the system to optimize both battery capacity utilization and charging speed at different stages of the charging cycle

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of substance

If multiple independent charging circuits are used for each battery, then battery capacity resources are optimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacity resourcesVSAvoidcharging circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging control circuit is designed as a multi-functional universal controller that can manage multiple batteries simultaneously. It integrates functions of path configuration, current regulation, and charging termination judgment into a single control unit, reducing overall system complexity while achieving optimized battery capacity utilization

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

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple charging control functions are merged into an integrated charging control circuit that automatically manages the charging of all batteries. The circuit combines path switching, current regulation, and charging termination control into a unified system, simplifying the overall architecture while maintaining optimized charging performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4329141B1Multi-battery power supply, charging/discharging method, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP4329141B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4329141B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4329141B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application discloses a multi-battery power supply, a charging/discharging method, and an electronic device. To charge two batteries, the two batteries are connected in series, so that two batteries with different capacities can be fully charged at the same time. When two batteries supply power to the outside, the two batteries are connected in parallel to avoid efficiency loss caused by power conversion. The power supply circuit includes a first circuit, a second circuit, a first switch, a second switch, a first battery, and a second battery. When the first switch is off, a first controlled terminal of the second switch is electrically connected to a second controlled terminal of the second switch, the first controlled terminal of the second switch is electrically disconnected from a third controlled terminal of the second switch, and when the first circuit is on, the first circuit and the second circuit are configured to supply power to two batteries. When the first switch is on, the first controlled terminal of the second switch is electrically disconnected from the second controlled terminal of the second switch, the first controlled terminal of the second switch is electrically connected to the third controlled terminal of the second switch, and when the first circuit is off, both the batteries supply power to the outside through the second circuit.