Multi-Port USB Charging Control for Mobile Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current charging technologies for mobile terminals, such as smartphones and tablets, face challenges with prolonged charging times due to limited charging currents, especially with increasing battery capacities, and suffer from poor compatibility and high costs associated with non-standard DC charging solutions.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal with a multi-port charging control function, utilizing multiple USB interfaces in parallel, where a USB charging management module detects charger connections, controls charging currents, and combines them to efficiently charge the battery, reducing charging time and costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single USB interface is used for charging, then compatibility is maintained, but charging time is prolonged due to limited charging current

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUSB interface compatibilityVSAvoidcharging time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple USB interfaces (first USB interface and second USB interface) into a unified charging system. The charging management module receives charging currents from both interfaces simultaneously and manages their combined input, enabling the mobile terminal to achieve higher charging currents while maintaining USB interface compatibility and standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Use of energy by moving object

If battery capacity is increased to extend standby time, then energy storage is improved, but charging time is prolonged due to limited charging current

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidcharging time
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The charging management module combines charging currents from multiple USB interfaces to provide a higher total charging current to the large-capacity battery. This allows the system to maintain extended standby time through increased battery capacity while avoiding prolonged charging times by utilizing the aggregated current from multiple interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If a special DC charging interface is used for large-current charging, then charging speed is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to non-standard interfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging speedVSAvoidcharging interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the USB interfaces perform multiple functions: they can provide both data transmission and charging functions, and can provide both small-current and large-current charging by combining multiple interfaces. The charging management module intelligently manages the combination of currents from multiple standard USB interfaces to achieve large-current charging without requiring special non-standard interfaces, thereby maintaining universality and reducing device complexity.

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

4Power

If multiple USB interfaces are used in parallel for charging, then charging current is increased, but control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging currentVSAvoidcharging control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging management module acts as an intermediary between multiple USB interfaces and the battery. It receives charging currents from the first and second USB interfaces, manages their combination, controls the charging process, and provides the combined current to the battery through the charging management chip. This intermediary structure simplifies the control of multiple interfaces by centralizing management functions in a single module.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2991187B1Mobile terminal with multi-port charging control function
Publication Date: 2019.03.20 HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMM CO LTD
  • EP2991187B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2991187B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2991187B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Disclosed is a mobile terminal, comprising: a battery; a universal serial bus interface; a central processing unit used for generating an opening or closing command, and used for outputting an adjustment signal; a universal serial bus charging management module used for opening or closing a charging channel according to the opening or closing command, and used for controlling the magnitude of the charging current according to the adjustment signal, and converging the charging currents and transmitting same to a charging management chip; and the charging management chip used for transmitting the charging currents to the battery for charging.