USB Port Charging Current Control for System Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic apparatuses face instability and potential power shortages when always allowing high current charging from USB ports, as it can deplete the device's battery, leading to system crashes or shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a control module that monitors the battery level and switches the USB port to a lower charging current mode when the battery is low, preventing high current charging and ensuring stable operation by notifying the portable device to recognize the port as a standard downstream port instead of a charging downstream port.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the portable device is always allowed to draw a high current from the USB port, then the charging speed is improved, but the electronic apparatus may not normally operate due to a power shortage
Solution Approach 1:
The USB port dynamically switches between two charging current modes (first charging current and second charging current) based on the battery's remaining level. When the battery level is above the threshold, the port provides the second charging current (higher current for fast charging). When the battery level drops below the threshold, the port switches to the first charging current (lower current to preserve battery power). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the charging speed to the battery's state, ensuring system stability while enabling fast charging when safe.
2Loss of energy
If high current charging is enabled, then the charging efficiency is improved, but the battery may be depleted leading to system crashes or shutdowns
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the battery's remaining level and uses this feedback to control the charging current output. The control module compares the remaining level against a predetermined threshold and automatically adjusts the charging current accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that high current charging (which improves charging efficiency) is only enabled when the battery has sufficient charge, preventing power shortage and system crashes while maximizing charging efficiency when safe.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus performs a communication with a portable device detachably attached to a port of the apparatus. The apparatus supplies bus power to the portable device through the port. The apparatus includes a notification module configured to execute an operation of notifying the portable device whether the port is a first type port configured to supply a first charging current or a second type port configured to supply a second charging current higher than the first charging current. The apparatus controls, when a remaining level of a battery of the apparatus is lower than a threshold, an operation of the notification module such that the portable device recognizes the port as the first type port.