Power Management System for Multi-Battery Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic devices waste remaining battery power by stopping power supply when the voltage level of built-in power converters drops below a threshold and suffer from mutual charging and discharging among batteries maintained at the same voltage, leading to inefficient power management.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that control the connection of power converters in series or parallel based on voltage levels to optimize power supply, include a mutual charging prevention controller to prevent reverse current, and a sequential discharging controller to manage battery discharge, allowing for single or simultaneous charging modes based on battery capacity and power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If batteries are simultaneously charged to extend operation time, then power supply duration is improved, but reverse current occurs causing mutual charging and discharging
Solution Approach 1:
A control circuit is introduced as an intermediary between multiple batteries to manage charging currents. The control circuit detects voltage levels of each battery and selectively connects or disconnects charging paths, preventing reverse current flow while enabling simultaneous charging. This mediator component ensures that batteries are charged efficiently without mutual interference.
2Reliability
If power converter stops supply when voltage drops below threshold, then system stability is maintained, but remaining battery power is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the power supply threshold based on real-time battery status. Instead of using a fixed voltage threshold, the control circuit continuously monitors battery voltage and power converter output, and adaptively determines when to stop or continue power supply. This dynamic approach allows the system to utilize remaining power effectively while maintaining stability through intelligent control.
3Productivity
If multiple batteries are charged simultaneously via direct connection, then charging speed is improved, but batteries charge and discharge each other reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
A control circuit serves as an intermediary between multiple batteries during simultaneous charging. The control circuit independently manages current flow to each battery based on their respective voltage levels and charging needs, preventing direct battery-to-battery current flow. This enables fast simultaneous charging while eliminating the energy loss from mutual charging and discharging.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system is segmented into independent charging channels for each battery, with the control circuit managing each channel separately. This segmentation allows each battery to be charged independently at optimal rates without interfering with others, achieving high charging speed while preventing energy loss from batteries charging or discharging each other.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are method and apparatus for controlling the supply of power in an electronic device are provided. The apparatus includes two or more batteries, a mutual charging prevention controller, a sequential discharging controller, and a controller that detects remaining capacities of the two or more batteries, charges a main battery of the two or more batteries in a single charging mode, when the remaining battery capacity of the main battery is less than or equal to a preset remaining battery capacity set to select a charging mode, and simultaneously charges the two or more batteries, when the remaining battery capacity of the main battery is greater than the preset remaining battery capacity.