U.S. patent application number 10/874957 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-18 for external battery pack apparatus.
Invention is credited to Kim, Hyun-Jun, Youn, Dae-Young.
Application Number | 20040227489 10/874957 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27751874 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040227489 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Hyun-Jun ; et
al. |
November 18, 2004 |
External battery pack apparatus
Abstract
Disclosed is an external battery pack apparatus for providing a
portable appliance with a power-supply voltage. The apparatus
includes an adapter for containing a power-supply terminal and
output voltage setting terminals, and programming an output voltage
by short-circuiting or open-circuiting at least one pair among the
above terminals; a cable connected to the adapter; and a main body
for containing a battery, a charging controller for charging the
battery, and an output controller for performing a DC-to-DC
conversion on a voltage charged in the battery and outputting the
DC-to-DC converted voltage to the adapter via the cable, detecting
a programming status of the adapter, and varying an output voltage
in response to the detected programming status.
Inventors: |
Kim, Hyun-Jun; (Daejeon,
KR) ; Youn, Dae-Young; (Daejeon, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN, LLP
55 GRIFFIN ROAD SOUTH
BLOOMFIELD
CT
06002
|
Family ID: |
27751874 |
Appl. No.: |
10/874957 |
Filed: |
June 23, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10874957 |
Jun 23, 2004 |
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10301434 |
Nov 21, 2002 |
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6765365 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
320/128 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 7/0042 20130101;
H02J 7/007 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
320/128 |
International
Class: |
H02J 007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2001 |
KR |
UM 2001-40676 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An external battery pack apparatus for providing a portable
appliance with a power-supply voltage, comprising: an adapter for
containing a power-supply terminal and output voltage setting
terminals, and programming an output voltage by short-circuiting or
open-circuiting at least one pair among the above terminals; a
cable connected to the adapter; and a main body for containing a
battery, a charging controller for charging the battery, and an
output controller for performing a DC-to-DC conversion on a voltage
charged in the battery and outputting the DC-to-DC converted
voltage to the adapter via the cable, detecting a programming
status of the adapter, and varying an output voltage in response to
the detected programming status.
2. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 1,
wherein the output controller includes: adapter detecting means for
generating different resistance values in response to a programming
status of terminals of the adapter; and a DC/DC converter for
converting an output DC voltage according to a signal value of an
output signal of the adapter detecting means.
3. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 2,
wherein the adapter detecting means is a feedback circuit for
feeding back an output voltage by a resistor array having different
resistance values according to a connection status of the adapter
terminals, and the DC/DC converter is a PWM circuit controlled by a
feedback signal of the feedback circuit.
4. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 3,
wherein the feedback signal is transmitted to the DC/DC converter
via an optocoupler circuit.
5. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 2,
wherein the adapter is discriminated from other adapters by a color
code having difference colors in response to a setting status of
the output voltage setting terminals.
6. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 1,
wherein the cable has connectors detachably connected to the main
body.
7. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 1,
further comprising: a central controller for checking a
charging/discharging state of the battery by controlling the
charging controller; and a communication port connected to the
central controller, for transmitting the charging/discharging state
information of the battery to a portable appliance.
8. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 7,
wherein the communication port is integrated with the adapter as
one body.
9. The external battery pack apparatus as set forth in claim 2,
further comprising: a central controller for checking a
charging/discharging state of the battery by controlling the
charging controller; and a communication port connected to the
central controller, for transmitting the charging/discharging state
information of the battery to a portable appliance.
10. An external battery pack, comprising: a cable having an adapter
for providing a portable appliance with a power-supply voltage; a
battery; a charging controller for charging the battery; an output
controller for performing a DC-to-DC conversion on a power-supply
voltage generated from the battery, and transmitting the converted
voltage to the cable; a central controller for controlling the
charging controller, and checking a charging/discharging state of
the battery; and a communication port connected to the central
controller, for transmitting information of the
charging/discharging state of the battery to a portable appliance.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/301,434, filed Nov. 21, 2002, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a battery pack apparatus,
and more particularly to an external battery pack apparatus
additionally mounted to a portable appliance having an internal
battery.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Typically, an external dummy pack manufactured by Electro
Fuel Company has been widely used to increase a usable time of a
portable appliance while a user carries the portable appliance.
Such an external dummy pack adopts one of various kinds of adapters
on the basis of a connector type of a portable appliance, so that
an appropriate adapter based on a connector form of the portable
appliance is selectively mounted to the external battery back. A
power-supply voltage is applied to the portable appliance via the
adapter.
[0006] However, a voltage or a current to be applied to the
portable appliance may be different among respective portable
appliances, but the above conventional external dummy pack has no
solution for this problem.
[0007] A representative example for varying such a voltage and
current is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,611. The technique
shown in this patent connects resistant elements between two cable
conductors inside of a connector of a cable terminal, and a
power-supply unit varies an output voltage and an output current by
detecting resistance values of the resistant elements at its own
output terminal.
[0008] However, such a technique has a disadvantage in that a size
of the connector becomes greater because resistant elements should
be contained in the connector. Also, since a PWM (Pulse Width
Modulation) IC is directly or indirectly controlled according to a
resistance value of a connector, electrical signal attenuation is
generated by a length of a cable, resulting in deterioration of
system reliability.
[0009] In the meantime, such an external battery pack apparatus has
a disadvantage in that it cannot effectively use a smart
communication function supported by a conventional internal battery
pack apparatus. This smart communication function means a specific
function for providing a portable appliance of which a battery
serves as a host with either a variety of information, i.e., an
effective lifetime of a battery, the number of charging/discharging
operations of the battery, and a current charged state or a usable
time of the battery, or basic information for computing the
information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of
the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to
provide an external battery pack apparatus having simplified
connector and cable, for adapting an output power to a portable
appliance.
[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide an
external battery pack apparatus for reliably programming an output
power.
[0012] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
an external battery pack apparatus having a smart communication
function, for enabling a portable appliance serving as a host to
recognize status information of a battery.
[0013] In accordance with the present invention, the above and
other objects can be accomplished by the provision of an external
battery pack apparatus for providing a portable appliance with a
power-supply voltage, comprising: an adapter for containing a
power-supply terminal and output voltage setting terminals, and
programming an output voltage by short-circuiting or
open-circuiting at least one pair among the above terminals; a
cable connected to the adapter; and a main body for containing a
battery, a charging controller for charging the battery, and an
output controller for performing a DC-to-DC conversion on a voltage
charged in the battery and outputting the DC-to-DC converted
voltage to the adapter via the cable, detecting a programming
status of the adapter, and varying an output voltage in response to
the detected programming status.
[0014] Preferably, the output controller may include an adapter
detector for generating different resistance values in response to
a programming status of terminals of the adapter, and a DC/DC
converter for converting an output DC voltage according to a signal
value of an output signal of the adapter detector.
[0015] Preferably, the external battery pack apparatus further
includes a central controller for checking a charging/discharging
state of the battery by controlling the charging controller, and a
communication port connected to the central controller, for
transmitting the charging/discharging state information of the
battery to a portable appliance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a coupling status between an
external battery pack apparatus and a portable appliance in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an exterior view of a power line layout in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 depicts a configuration of a power line and a
communication line in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a block diagram of an external
battery pack apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a power-supply
output terminal having an output controller, a cable and an adapter
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0022] FIG. 6 is a detailed circuit diagram of an output controller
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. In the
drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same
reference numerals even though they are depicted in different
drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of
known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be
omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present
invention rather unclear.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a coupling status between an
external battery pack apparatus 20 and a portable appliance 10 in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The horizontal and vertical sizes of the external battery pack
apparatus 20 are similar to those of a notebook computer serving as
a subject portable appliance 10. The external battery pack
apparatus 20 is shaped as a thin flat panel having a thickness of
about 1 cm.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, an external battery pack apparatus 20
is connected to a power line 300 to provide a power input port 110
of a portable appliance 10 with a DC power. The power line 300
includes a connector 320 connected to a power output port 220
toward an external battery pack 20, a cable, a connector 330
connected to a portable appliance, and an adapter 340 detachably
connected to the connector 330. In accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the adapter 340 is properly
selected among various kinds of adapters having different shapes
according to a shape of the power input port 110 of a subject
portable appliance. So, an output voltage is automatically adjusted
to a voltage appropriate for the subject portable appliance on
condition that an appropriate adapter is selected and connected to
the power line 300.
[0026] The external battery pack apparatus 20 contains a
communication port 230 communicated with one of a plurality of
communication ports 120 of a portable appliance 10, and
communicates with the portable appliance 10 via a communication
line 400 having an adapter 430 connected to the portable appliance
10. The communication port 230 for exchanging information with the
external battery pack apparatus 20 may be a wired serial
communication port, for example, a RS-232C and a USB, but it may be
one of a dedicated communication connector terminal and a
communication port such as an IR-da infrared communication, an RF
radio communication, and a wireless LAN in accordance with the
present invention. The external battery pack apparatus 20 provides
the portable appliance 10 with battery information such as a usable
time of the battery, a charging/discharging status, and the number
of charging/discharging operations, etc. The portable appliance 10
can provide a user with various kinds of functions, such as a
remaining time display function, a battery change time notification
function, a battery information guide function, and a used time
notification function, etc., using the battery information.
[0027] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a communication line 400 is connected at its one end to
a connector 420 to be detachably connected with a battery pack main
body 20 for a user's convenience in carrying the portable appliance
10, but this configuration is not always needed in the present
invention; that is, the communication line 400 may be fixedly
connected to the battery pack main body 20.
[0028] In addition, the external battery pack apparatus 20 includes
a power input port 210 for receiving AC or DC power for a charging
operation, and a display 240 for displaying information such as a
charging/discharging status of a battery thereon.
[0029] FIG. 2 is an exterior view of a power line 300 in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to
FIG. 2, connectors 320 and 330 are mounted to both ends of the
power line 300, and an adapter 340 is detachably connected to the
connector 330. The adapter 340 includes power supply terminals
(i.e., positive and negative terminals (+,-)) for generating a
power-supply voltage, and output voltage setting terminals S1 and
S2. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the connector 330 is connected to the adapter 340 via a
six-pin connector, and each of the connector 330 and the adapter
340 is composed of two positive terminals (+), two negative
terminals (-), and two output voltage setting terminals S1 and S2.
In brief, each of the connector 330 and the adaptor 340 has six
pinholes. The power line 330 contains a plurality of signal lines
and power lines connected to the above six pinholes. Herein, the
signal lines and the power lines are made in different colors to be
easily discriminated from each other. It is desirable that an
adapter identification mark is attached on one side of the adapter
340 to enable a user to easily select an appropriate adapter
according to a type of a portable appliance. This identification
mark is a color code composed of color bars discriminated in
different colors. One of colors is determined according to each
setting state of output voltage setting terminals S1 and S2 of the
adapter 340.
[0030] A voltage output terminal is set to one of three states,
i.e., an open circuit, a connection (L) with a negative
terminal(-), and a connection (H) with a positive terminal(+). A
number 3.sup.N setting states can be provided with respect to the
number N of terminals. In a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, it is possible to provide nine setting states using two
output voltage setting terminals S1 and S2. Four combinations among
the nine setting states are adapted to select four output voltages
in the present invention. Such setting states are shown in
different colors as shown in the following Table 1.
1 TABLE 1 S1 S2 Color Output voltage 0 0 Black 20 Volt L 0 Yellow
16 Volt 0 L Red 24 Volt L L Brown 12 Volt
[0031] Accordingly, a necessary voltage can be automatically
selected and applied to all kinds of electronic appliances on
condition that a user selects an appropriate adapter, increasing a
user's convenience of use. In addition, an external battery pack
apparatus is commonly manufactured regardless of a type of a
portable appliance, but it is necessary for only its adapter to be
differently applied to the external battery pack apparatus,
resulting in an economic advantage and increased practical use.
[0032] FIG. 3 depicts a configuration of a power line 300 and a
communication line 400 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, there is a cable having
an integrated connector 500 where a power-side connector and a
communication-side connector are integrated as one body. An
external battery pack apparatus of the integrated connector 500
includes two positive terminals(+), two negative terminals(-), two
output voltage setting terminals for selecting a variable voltage
according to a type of a portable appliance, a single
transmission/reception pin for smart communication, and a S/G pin.
The external battery pack apparatus contains eight pins in total. A
power connector 330 and a communication connector 430 coupled with
a portable appliance 10 are separated from each other at the other
side of the external battery pack apparatus, and the aforesaid
adapter 340 is detachably connected to the power connector 330.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a block diagram of an external
battery pack apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, an external battery
pack apparatus includes a common battery 23, a protection circuit
24, and a charging controller 25. The battery 23 interconnects in
series two or four battery cells adapting a lithium(Li)-ion or
lithium(Li)-polymer cell as a unit cell, and connects the battery
cells in the form of two or three parallel connections, thereby
making nSXmP configuration, where n=2.about.4 and m=2.about.3. The
protection circuit 24 prevents the battery 23 from being damaged by
an overvoltage inflow, and may include another circuit for
preventing a battery damage caused by a complete discharging of the
battery 23. Such configuration of the protection circuit 24 is well
known in a common battery pack structure. The charging controller
25 performs a constant-voltage or constant-current process on input
power to charge the battery 23. If a terminal voltage of the
battery 23 is a high value, the charging controller 25 stops
charging. If a terminal voltage of the battery 23 is a low value,
the charging controller 25 starts charging. This operation is made
by an electrical characteristic without using an additional
circuit. In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the charging controller 25 may further include a
switch, which is switched by a control signal from a central
controller 26 and charges the battery 23 by receiving power from a
power input port 210, besides a constant-voltage/constant-current
circuit.
[0034] An external battery pack apparatus 20 in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a central
controller 26 and an output controller 21. The central controller
26 includes an A/D converter for detecting an output voltage being
an analog signal to check a status of the battery 23, and a
non-volatile memory for storing unique information of the battery
23. The central controller 26 is implemented with a one-chip
microprocessor where a flash memory is embedded in a single
semiconductor chip. The output controller 21 converts a DC voltage
of the battery 23 into a DC voltage proper to a subject portable
appliance, that is, performs a DC-to-DC conversion, the detailed
description thereof to be described in detail later.
[0035] An external battery pack apparatus 20 in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention is controlled by a
central controller 26. The central controller 26 includes a data
converter 22 and a data output port 230 for enabling data stored in
a flash memory or start communication information obtained from the
battery 23 to communicate with an external portable appliance. The
data converter 22 converts data generated from the central
controller 26 into a protocol of a data output port 230. An LED
(light-emitting diode) display 240 indicates information such as
charging or discharging state of the battery 23.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a power-supply
output terminal having an output controller 21, a cable 300 and an
adapter 340 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, a power-supply output
terminal in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention contains a power supply terminal and two output voltage
setting terminals S1 and S2. Also, the power-supply output terminal
further includes an adapter 340 for programming an output voltage
by short-circuiting or open-circuiting at least one pair among the
above terminals, a cable 300 connected to the adapter 340, and an
output controller 21 for performing a DC-to-DC conversion on a
voltage charged in the battery 23 and outputting the DC-to-DC
converted voltage to the adapter 340 via the cable 300. The output
controller 21 detects a programming status of the adapter 340, and
varies an output voltage in response to the detected programming
status. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the output controller 21 includes an adapter detector
composed of a resistor array 290 generating different resistance
values in response to a programming status of terminals of the
adapter 340, and a DC/DC converter 270 for converting an output DC
voltage in response to a signal value of an output signal of the
adapter detector. But, the present invention is not limited to this
scope, and may configure the resistor array 290 to generate
different voltage values according to an interconnection status of
voltage setting terminals S1 and S2 inside of the adapter 340, and
enables an output voltage to be varied in response to the voltage
value generated from the resistor array 290. Further, the present
invention generates different capacity values according to an
interconnection status of voltage setting terminals inside of the
adapter.
[0037] The DC/DC converter 270 is a PWM-based DC-DC converter for
converting an input DC voltage to an output DC voltage. In a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, an output DC voltage
is controlled by a resistance value loaded on a resistor array 290
connected to an oscillator 273. An oscillation frequency of the
oscillator 273 directly affects an output DC voltage level, and a
DC/DC conversion circuit adapting such a switching method is well
known to those skilled in the art. But, a parameter used for
controlling an oscillation frequency of the oscillator 273 is not
limited to a resistance value proposed in the present invention,
and is controlled by a voltage value and a capacity value as
previously stated above.
[0038] Operations of the DC/DC converter 270 will hereinafter be
described below. A voltage provided from a power input port 210 or
a battery 23 is applied to an electronic appliance via a driving
power-supply output part 271. In this case, an operational
amplifier (OP-amp) 272 feeds back an output voltage generated from
the driving power-supply output part 271, and compares the feedback
output voltage with a reference voltage. If the output voltage of
the driving power-supply output part 271 is less than a reference
voltage, the OP-amp 272 outputs a driving signal to an oscillator
273 driving the driving power-supply output part 271. The
oscillator 273 outputs a driving control signal for driving the
driving power-supply output part 271 according to a driving signal
of the OP-amp 272 to the driving power-supply output part 271.
[0039] In the meantime, the DC/DC converter 270 receives a driving
voltage selection value according to a connection status of output
voltage setting terminals contained in the adapter 340, selects a
resistor value of a resistor array 290 according to the selected
driving voltage selection value, outputs a signal to the oscillator
273, thereby providing a driving DC voltage appropriate to a use
voltage (i.e., operation voltage) of an electronic appliance.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a detailed circuit diagram of an output controller
21 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 6, an adapter detector is a feedback
circuit for feeding back an output voltage by a resistor array 290
composed of R7, R8, R9 and R10 having different resistance values
according to a connection status of adapter terminals. The DC/DC
converter 270 contains a PWM circuit IC1 controlled by the feedback
signal. The feedback signal is transmitted to the DC/DC converter
270 via an optocoupler circuit IC2.
[0041] If terminals S1 and S2 are open-circuited, a voltage loaded
on a light emitting part of the optocoupler IC2 is dissipated by
resistors R7 and R8. Also, if the terminals S1 and S2 are
short-circuited at a negative(-) terminal, a resistance loaded on
the light emitting part of the optocoupler IC2 becomes a voltage
dissipated between the resistor R7 and a resistance generated by a
parallel connection of resistors R8, R9 and R10. If the terminals
S1 and S2 are short-circuited at a positive(+) terminal, a
resistance loaded on the light emitting part of the optocoupler IC2
becomes a voltage dissipated between a resistance generated by a
parallel connection of resistors S7, R9 and R10 and the resistor
R8. Likewise, if different resistance values are generated by a
connection program of resistors R7, R8, R9 and R10, an output
potential value being compared with a reference potential using
this different resistance values is fed back to a PWM conversion
circuit IC1 via the light emitting diode of the optocoupler IC2.
That is, this feedback value is applied to an input terminal VFB
for controlling a duty cycle of an output pulse of the PWM
conversion circuit IC1 and an input terminal RT/CT for controlling
a frequency, and then an output voltage is adjusted according to a
setting status of the voltage setting terminals S1 and S2 after
receiving the feedback value.
[0042] As apparent from the above description, an external battery
pack apparatus according to the present invention automatically
adjusts a necessary power-supply voltage on condition that a user
selects an appropriate adapter according to a type of a subject
electronic appliance, so that a manufacturing company can
manufacture a main circuit in the same way, resulting in reduction
of the production cost. Also, a marketing company only needs to
label an adapter ID mark on the external battery pack apparatus,
and a user freely adapts the external battery pack apparatus to his
or her portable appliance as a dedicated battery by employing an
appropriate adapter marked on the external battery pack
apparatus.
[0043] Also, since an adapter of a cable of the external battery
pack contains a simple wiring structure and a circuit is present in
a main body of the external battery pack, the external battery pack
has a small-sized and simplified construction.
[0044] Furthermore, since the external battery pack apparatus
according to the present invention communicates with an electronic
appliance via a communication port, it can support a smart
communication function that has been supported by only an internal
battery in the prior art.
[0045] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the
art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *