Parallel Battery Segmentation in Foldable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
In foldable electronic devices, connecting batteries in series reduces output power, while connecting them in parallel leads to uneven charging and potential overcharging or over-discharging due to impedance differences, causing battery damage.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a housing structure that includes two batteries connected in parallel, each with a dedicated charging control circuit to manage charging and discharging currents, ensuring uniform power distribution and preventing overcharging or over-discharging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If batteries are connected in series to increase output power, then the output voltage is boosted, but the overall thickness of the electronic device becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple individual batteries (first battery, second battery, third battery, fourth battery) that are connected in parallel. This segmentation allows the device to achieve the required capacity without increasing thickness, as each battery can be smaller and arranged in a compact parallel configuration within the available space.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing thickness (one dimension) to accommodate series-connected batteries, the patent transitions to a parallel connection arrangement that utilizes other spatial dimensions. The batteries are arranged in a parallel configuration that fits within the device's footprint area, effectively moving the solution from a thickness-oriented approach to an area-oriented approach.
2Length of stationary object
If batteries are connected in parallel to reduce device thickness, then the device becomes thinner, but impedance differences cause uneven charging and overcharging/over-discharging
Solution Approach 1:
The battery management system is segmented into individual control circuits for each battery (first charging control circuit, second charging control circuit, third charging control circuit, fourth charging control circuit). Each control circuit independently monitors and manages its associated battery, enabling precise control of charging and discharging currents to compensate for impedance differences and prevent overcharging or over-discharging.
Solution Approach 2:
Each charging control circuit receives feedback signals from its associated battery (such as voltage, current, and temperature information) and adjusts the charging/discharging parameters accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and adjustment, ensuring uniform charging across all batteries despite impedance variations, and preventing overcharging or over-discharging conditions.
3Device complexity
If a single power management integrated circuit manages multiple batteries in parallel, then the control structure is simple, but charging current is not uniformly distributed due to impedance differences
Solution Approach 1:
The single power management integrated circuit is segmented into multiple independent charging control circuits (first, second, third, and fourth charging control circuits), with each circuit dedicated to managing a specific battery. This segmentation transforms the control structure from a centralized single-circuit approach to a distributed multi-circuit approach, maintaining relative simplicity while achieving uniform current distribution through independent control of each battery channel.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device may include a housing having a first housing structure and a second housing structure, wherein the first and second housing structures are foldable with respect to each other about a hinge axis, a processor disposed in the housing, a first battery disposed in the first housing structure, a second battery disposed in the second housing, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) extending from the first housing structure to the second housing structure and crossing the hinge axis, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), a first charging control circuit disposed in the first housing structure, and a second charging control circuit disposed in the second housing structure. In addition, various embodiments are possible which are understood through the disclosure.