FR2812468A1 - Battery and charger for mobile phone includes memory module identifying battery type to ensure correct charging regime - Google Patents

Abstract

The battery module (250,300) for a mobile telephone comprises a connector and an electronic circuit (254) for transmitting the parameters required for charging the battery. The charger (100) for the battery includes a microprocessor to control operation in response to detection of a specific battery type. The battery module (250,300) for a mobile telephone (200) comprises a connector and an electronic circuit (254) for transmitting via this connector a signal indicating the parameters required for charging the battery. The electronic circuit includes a memory in which information is stored about the battery. The charger (100) for use with the battery with two places to receive a battery, one (110) being for a mobile telephone (200, 250) with a battery fitted, and one (120) being for the battery (300) alone. An external connector on the charger (141) receives power to charge the batteries and operate the microprocessor which controls the charger operation.

Description

The invention relates to mobile phone battery modules and

  charging devices for such modules. The expression “battery module” designates here and throughout the rest of the text a telephone module, typically of the removable type, which includes an electrical storage component forming a battery in the strict sense, as well

  than if necessary other electronic equipment.

  It is now conventionally known to integrate different electronic equipment into the battery modules, and in particular to integrate therein specific components allowing a charger to recognize the type of battery in question, in order to charge it in an appropriate manner. Such an identification component is for example a resistance at the input of the battery, the value of which corresponds, according to a convention of the

  manufacturer, to a given type of battery.

  However, the number of batteries likely to be used by a mobile being more and more important, it becomes more and more difficult to

differentiate them this way.

  The invention aims to solve this problem and to propose a solution enabling a loader to reliably identify the type to which

  matches a battery it receives.

  These elements are, according to the invention - a battery module for a mobile phone, comprising a connector and electronic means provided for transmitting on this connector a signal identifying parameters required for charging this battery module, these electronic means comprising a memory in which data indicative of said load parameters are recorded; a charging module which includes means for selecting different supply signals intended for the battery module and which includes a control unit able to read data from a memory of a battery module to be charged and to control the means selection in

function of the data read.

  Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention

  will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, made in

  reference to the figure years, in which: - Figure 1 is a simplified electrical diagram of a charger and a battery according to the invention; Figure 2 is a detailed electrical diagram of the charger of Figure 1; - Figures 3a to 3d are timing diagrams illustrating preferred charge sequences in the charger of Figures 1 and 2; FIGS. 4a to 4c represent the respective changes in the voltage, the instantaneous intensity and the average charge intensity of a high-capacity battery in the charger of FIGS. 1 and 2; - Figures 5a to 5c show the evolution of the same parameters

  when charging a low capacity battery.

  - Figures 6a to 6d show, in the case of a simultaneous charging of two batteries, the changes respectively in the voltage and the instantaneous charge intensity of the first battery, and of the charge voltage and intensity second battery snapshots; Figures 6e to 6f show in detail, in correspondence with Figures 6a to 6d, a sequence of slots

  charge intensity of the two batteries simultaneously charging.

  In the embodiment described below, the charger 100 is a

  charger forming a fixed base, commonly known as a "desktop charger".

  This charger 100 has two reception locations 110 and, one 110 for a mobile phone 200 associated with a removable battery.

  250, the other 120 for a removable battery only 300.

  The electrical architecture of this charger extends around a micro-

  controller 130, and has six external connectors 141 to 145 that are going

detail now.

  The connector 141 is a power connector both for charging the batteries and for supplying the microcontroller 130. It is connected to an external power supply unit, not shown here, of the transformer type. This external block here supplies the charger with a current of 2.3 A and a voltage of 6.5 V. The connectors 142 and 143, respectively placed in the housings 110 and 120, are connectors intended to cooperate with means complementary to the batteries 250 and 300, to ensure a connection between these and the charger 100. It will be noted that the supply of the battery 250 by the charger 100 is done directly by connection of said battery to the charger 100, without the current of food does

transits by telephone 200.

  The connector 144 is placed in the housing 110 and makes it possible to

  connect the charger 100 to the mobile phone 200.

  The connector 145, placed in the housing 110 for complete telephone, is in turn placed to contact a connector for

  mobile phone accessories (computer, modem) 200.

  This last connector 145 is disposed on the lateral face of the charger and is in electrical connection through the charger with the previous connector 144, offset on this lateral face of the charger the function of the

  phone 200 external connector.

  This connector 145 therefore makes it possible, during the charging of the battery 250 of the telephone 200, to associate with the telephone accessories such as a personal computer, to use the telephone or to program it during charging. The batteries that this device aims to charge are batteries with special arrangements to make their

identification by the charger.

  Thus, the battery module 250 includes an electrical storage component 252 and an electronic equipment 254. The equipment 254 notably includes an electronic memory containing values of technical parameters characteristic of the storage element 252, in particular those relating to the parameters of charge required by the component of

storage 252.

  These parameters are, for example, a range of required charge voltages, a range of required charge temperatures, and a maximum number of recharges for the battery concerned, the number of recharges already carried out being automatically incremented in said memory. The memory 254 can also include data other than that previously mentioned, such as for example a code making it possible to authenticate the telephone or the capacity of charge of the battery. The memory 254 used here is a memory sold under the

reference DS 24 36.

  It has a non-volatile part which includes the fixed parameters

among those mentioned above.

  In this memory are also stored the indication of the voltage at the battery terminals in real time, measured by means

  of samples internal to the battery, integrated for example into a chip.

  The microcontroller 130 is connected to the connector 142 in order to read the values of these parameters from the memory 254 and command back

  the battery supply with a specifically adapted signal.

  For this, the connector 142 includes three cables, two of which are power cables, connecting the storage component 252 to a switch module 150, the third cable being dedicated to the transport of data.

  bidirectional between the memory 252 and the microcontroller 130.

  The microcontroller 130 controls this switch module 150 placed

  between it and the external connector 142.

  Thus, once the mobile telephone is placed in the housing 110, the microcontroller 130 reads the memory 254, and controls the switch 150, so that the latter transmits directly to the connector 142 a

  signal specifically adapted to battery 250.

  The battery 250 also includes an internal temperature sensor placed therein so as to detect an average ambient temperature inside the shell which surrounds it. It is such an ambient temperature which is decisive for the good charge of Li-lon batteries. The battery also includes means for continuously recording in the memory 254 the instantaneous temperature thus measured. The microcontroller also reads this recorded temperature, and when the temperature leaves the authorized range, it interrupts the charging by means of the controlled switch 150. Likewise, the microcontroller 130 monitors the voltage across the terminals of the storage component 252 to using a sensor

voltage placed in the battery.

  Note however that all or part of the charger electronics can be integrated into a mobile phone such as the telephone 200, this electronics then operating when powered by a "charger

usual transportation.

  The second housing 120 is provided with a connection to the micro-

  controller 130 and the switching module 150, which is identical to that described above, the microcontroller 130 performing the same operations of identifying and controlling the charge signal on the

  battery 300 located in this second housing 120.

  The connector 145, offset on an external face of the charger and connected to the connector 150 is also connected to a second module of

  switching 160, itself controlled by the microcontroller 130.

  When the mobile phone 200 is placed on the charger 100, it is connected to the external connector 145 via the connector

  144. It is supplied by connector 142 through its battery.

  Thus supplied and connected to a possible control accessory, the mobile phone can be used during charging. Thus, the present charger can for example be used as a modem between a personal computer connected to the connector 145 and the mobile telephone 200, and this during charging.

  of the battery associated with this phone 200.

  On the other hand, such a computer can then communicate with the micro-

  controller 130 and read the battery parameters.

  The accessory connector 145 is also connected to the micro-

  controller 130 by a link 180, by which the microcontroller 130 monitors the appearance on this connector of a particular message warning for example that a message specifically intended for this microcontroller

will be addressed to him.

  On the appearance of this particular message, the microcontroller 130 diagnoses the appearance to come of control data which are intended for it, or which are intended for the memory 254 of the battery. The microcontroller 130 then controls the switching module

  so that it sets up an exchange link between the micro-

  controller 130 and the connector 145. The microcontroller 130 then takes into account the programming data or transmits them to the memory 254 via the connector 142 if these data are intended specifically for the

memoir 254.

  Thus the switch 160 is controlled in the manner of a simple switch. In a first position, it connects the connector 145 to the accessory connector 144 for simple deportation of the accessory connector

(rest position).

  In a second position, it connects the connector 145 to the memory 254 for a bi-directional link between these two elements (position triggered upon detection of the particular message, under the control of the

micro-controller).

  By transmitting programming data to the memory 254, it is possible, using a simple personal computer, to update operating parameters therein, for example in the case of technological evolution of the charger, for example to make it

  compatible with the specifications of the new chargers.

  The programming of the microcontroller 130 is also advantageous, in order to adapt by simple programming the charger to

  new generations of removable batteries. Updating the micro-

  controller or battery can be made by charging a software update

  day through the accessory connector 145.

  The control of the microcontroller 130 from an external computer can also be implemented in order to make the microcontroller perform a self-test preprogrammed in this same microcontroller. This

  self-test can be performed for example during manufacturing.

  The present charger and batteries are particularly advantageous when the telephone is intended for operational use, for example in the case where the telephone is used for railway maintenance agents. Memory 254 is updated while charging to update data needed by phone users

which is generally GSM type.

  The electrical architecture of this charger is shown in

detail in figure 2.

  Note the presence of a direct link between the remote connector 145 and the connector 144 which is connected to the handset. This link is used to carry necessary signals permanently

  for mobile, signals which are not switched by the system.

  Note the existence here of a link 146 from the telephone 200, through the battery assembly 250, and coming, via the

  charger connector 142, connect the microcontroller 130.

  By this link, the microcontroller 130 sends a dialogue request in the form of a specific signal to the telephone 200, this request having the role of inhibiting any actions of the telephone 200

on memory 254.

  The present connector 145 presents a series of terminals provided for each contacting a mobile telephone accessory, even a transport charger. However, the terminal intended for the transport charger is not provided with a connection to the rest of the charger 100, so that the transport charger is ignored by the present charger, which avoids any

risk of conflict.

  In a variant, provision is made for the remote connector 145 to be

  used to access memory 254, through handset 200.

  Such a link, not passing through the microcontroller 130, but through a link to the handset 200, can also be used there, to program the memory 254, or to indicate on an external computer the level of

battery charge.

  In FIG. 2, reference has been made to Dalas 1 and Dalas 2, the monofilament links which each ensure a bidirectional data transfer between a battery 250 or 300 and the microcontroller 130. In FIG. 2, the power switching module 150 is shown in the form of two switches SW1 and SW2, in practice

  constituted by MOSFET transistors which are controlled by the micro-

  controller 130 depending on the type of battery encountered.

  We will see later that they are controlled here either as simple switches, or by pulses in slots, depending on the battery encountered. Two light-emitting diodes 170 and 175 are provided, controlled by the microcontroller 130, which each inform of the state of charge of one of the

  batteries 250 and 300. When the diode is green, charging is complete.

  When the LED is flashing green, charging is in progress. When the

  LED is red, there is a fault on the battery (for example a short

  circuit). When the LED is flashing red, the temperature is too high. To avoid a current peak when switching the MOSFETs SW1 and SW2, the latter are controlled so that the switching is slow enough to avoid electromagnetic emissions and simultaneously meet the requirements for

  supply of power to the battery.

  Various advantageous provisions of this arrangement are provided

which will be described now.

  The 250 and 300 batteries are here preferably LI- batteries

  ION which should not be charged below 0 or above C in terms of ambient temperature. The charger 100 is equipped with an external temperature sensor 180 to stop charging if it leaves this range, and resume charging once the temperature has returned to the required range. The circuit of FIG. 2 presents for this an external temperature acquisition module 180 in connection with the microcontroller 130.

  In this arrangement, a short-circuit detector is also provided.

  Upon the appearance of such a short circuit, the microcontroller 130 is reset and, on restarting the microcontroller, the sampling of the battery parameters is carried out again, before the batteries are charged. The battery voltage is notably read by the microcontroller which then identifies the short circuit. More generally, if an anomaly is detected, the charge is interrupted and the light-emitting diode

  corresponding to the battery turns red.

  According to another advantageous arrangement, a voltage regulator 185 is provided, followed by a direct current / direct current transformer 130, located between the power connector 141 and the microcontroller 130. This assembly eliminates the voltage variations present on entrance 141, which

  typically range from 2.5 Volts to 20 Volts.

  The various arrangements described above, in relation to the battery are also present in relation to the battery 300, in particular the functions fulfilled by the communication, 160, power supply and control 130 modules. These various functions take place at

  through the connector 143 shown in Figure 1.

  The arrangements described here in an embodiment constituting a fixed charging base can also be adopted in a mobile telephone handset forming a charger when it is powered by an external block. In addition, in the case where the telephone 200 is provided for reading the data stored in the memory 254, the present charger is advantageously provided for reading the memories via the

  telephone 200, through the accessory connector of telephone 200.

  The reading of the memory 254 by the telephone 200 makes it possible in particular to display the state of charge on a display screen of the telephone 200. The present charger is here provided for receiving two types of batteries, those whose fast charging current is 2.3 A / H and those

  with a fast charge current of 1 A / H.

  When two batteries are placed on the charger, the micro-

  controller identifies, after identification of the two batteries, which one should

be charged first.

  Thus, in FIGS. 3a to 3d, a time axis has been shown each time along which extend each time two blocks each illustrating the charge of one or the other of the two batteries 250 and 300. The hatched block represents the charge of the battery 300 and the checkered block represents the charge of the battery 250 associated with the telephone 200

(location 110).

  As can be seen in these figures, priority is always given to the battery mounted on the telephone, with the exception of the case (Figure 3d) o the two batteries 250 and 300 are batteries with low charge current (at 1 A / H) o, there, the charger has sufficient capacity to charge quickly

  and simultaneously the two batteries (figure 3d).

  Indeed, in these figures, the charger does not have the capacity to charge

  quickly both batteries simultaneously.

  In the case of FIGS. 3a to 3c, it is the battery mounted on the mobile which is charged first, the other battery being put on standby until the end of the charge of the first (at least one of the two batteries present

  a recommended charging current of 2.3 A / H).

  Thus, the micro-controller 130 prioritizes the charge of the battery associated with the mobile, but diagnoses the cases where it can charge

  quickly the two batteries and set up simultaneous charging.

  The charging process itself will now be described in detail in different cases. We will first describe a phase of charging a 2.3 A / H battery alone, then a phase of charging a 1 A / H battery alone, then the

  simultaneous charging of two 1 A / H batteries.

  In the case of charging a 2.3 A / H battery alone, shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c, the power switch box 150 is used under the control of the microcontroller 130 as a simple switch, the current of 2.3 A being transmitted directly from connector 141 to the

battery considered.

  As shown in FIG. 4a, the battery voltage then increases progressively until it reaches approximately 4 Volts (maximum authorized charge voltage), while the input current of the battery remains at 2.3A. More precisely, to optimize the charging time, a voltage exceeding 4.1 Volts is authorized for a predetermined period,

here 300 milliseconds.

  After the end of this first period, referenced T1 on the

  Figure 2, the microcontroller 130 controls the power cut.

  The charge current drops to 0 A and the battery voltage decreases

  gradually. When this voltage reaches 4.08 Volts, the micro-

  controller 130 detects this voltage and then again controls the supply of the battery with a current of 2.3 A. These operations of activation and deactivation of the charge are repeated until the battery reaches its charge level maximum, oscillations that are still maintained to maintain the battery at its maximum charge level. We therefore obtain a current supply at intervals, and slight voltage oscillations

  battery input.

  On the evolution of the average intensity at the input of the battery represented in FIG. 4, three successive phases are distinguished, the first being the continuous supply of the battery, referenced T1 in FIG. 4a, corresponding to an intensity which represents 90% of the load capacity

drums.

  The second phase is defined as the phase starting after the

  first continuous phase going up to the full charge of the battery.

  It consists of close feeding intervals, corresponding to an average intensity slightly lower than that of the first phase. It corresponds to the load of approximately 5 to 10% of the

battery capacity.

  After this second phase, there is a third phase which has a very low average intensity and at more spaced supply intervals, and which corresponds to maintaining the battery at its maximum charge level, compensating for a self-discharge of the latter. (very slow in the case of LI-ION batteries). In the case of a 1 A / H battery, shown in FIGS. 5a to 5c, we find this sequence of power supply and current cut intervals, aimed at keeping the voltage across the battery at around 4 , 1V (The 1A / H battery also has a maximum charging voltage of 4.2 Volts, so the voltage monitoring is the same as for

  the battery charge at 2.3 A / H).

  However, the battery having a required charge current which is

  lower than the intensity delivered by the power supply, the micro-

  controller 130 compensates for this difference by adopting a pulse width modulated power supply with a duty cycle chosen to deliver on the

  battery the average intensity required.

  The duty cycle, denoted c, (Imoyen = c X Imax with Imoyen = 1A and I max = 2.3 A) is given by the following relationships: c = TH / T TH being the supply duration at 2.3 A within a cycle, and T

the duration of a cycle.

  let c = 1 / 2.3 = 0.434 o TH / T = 0.434.

  The duty cycle must therefore be less than or equal to 0.434 for

preserve the battery 1A / H.

  Figures 6a to 6f show the different current trends

  and voltage across two 1A / H batteries charged simultaneously.

  We find on these evolutions the three phases previously exposed.

  These different phases take place on the charger for each of the batteries independently. Thus, the microcontroller 130 controls intervals of charge intensity each consisting of a pulse width modulated intensity, that the other battery is supplied

or not at the time considered.

  When the two batteries are both supplied by pulses with modulated width, the pulses applied to one are slightly offset from the pulses applied to the other, so that non-zero instantaneous currents cannot be obtained simultaneously on both batteries. Thus, for example, when a battery sees its voltage drop to 4.08V, the microcontroller 130 does not reapply a new intensity pulse until the supply pulse sent to the other battery ends. So the supply pulses from either of the two

  batteries are nested.

  More precisely, the intensity pulses are not strictly rectangular but have a slight slope on the rise as on the descent. The microcontroller 130 takes care to respect, during the phases of simultaneous supply of the batteries, a time difference

  ta between the successive pulses of two different batteries.

  The waiting time ta is defined by the following relation: ta = (1- 0.434) - 0.434 xT Thus, we make sure that we do not supply the two batteries at any time

simultaneously (Figures 6e and 6f).

  Such synchronization avoids current peaks and

  voltage drops on the power supply.

  When the charger 100 is not supplied by the power supply unit, the microcontroller 130 is programmed to supply power and supply the electronics of the charger by taking the necessary electrical energy from one or from the two batteries arranged on the charger. The microcontroller then goes, and puts the electronics of the charger, in a

  standby mode to reduce the electricity consumption required.

  When it detects a voltage close to the threshold on the battery supplying it

  minimal critical, the microcontroller 130 stops by itself.

  An overall consumption of the charger electronics is expected, which does not exceed 10 micro-amperes, when powered by a battery, consumption value adapted to the batteries encountered in this mode.

of achievement.

  When the charger is powered by two batteries, the microcontroller is powered by all of these two batteries and starts again

  sleep mode with reduced consumption.

  This battery backup function is advantageous to prevent a sudden stop of the charger functions

  occurs and thus avoid rapid discharge of these batteries.

  In addition, in the case where the charger is supplied by a block

  regulator 185 is programmed to alert the micro-

  controller 130 in the event of a drop in the power supplied by the power supply unit. During such a drop or drop in input supply, the microcontroller 130 then switches the charger to supply mode

on battery (ies).

Claims (15)

  1. Battery module (250, 300) for mobile telephone (200), comprising a connector and electronic means (254) provided for transmitting on this connector a signal identifying parameters required for charging this battery module (250, 300), characterized in that these electronic means (254) comprise a memory (254) in which data indicative of said load parameters are recorded. 2. Battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a sensor of a variable physical parameter and means for recording this variable parameter in the memory (254) of the module. battery (250, 300).   3. Charging module for a battery module (250, 300) of a mobile telephone (200), including means for selecting different supply signals (150) intended for the battery module (250, 300), characterized in that that it includes a control unit (130) capable of reading data from a memory (254) of a battery module (250, 300) to charge and control the selection means (150) as a function of data read.   4. Module according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that it constitutes a fixed device distinct from a mobile telephone and in that it includes a microcontroller (130) and an external connector for computer (145), the microcontroller (130) being connected to this external connector (145) and intended to be controlled via this connector external (145).   5. Charging module according to claim 4, characterized in that the microcontroller (130) is provided for detecting on the external connector (145) the appearance of a signal indicating the start of a microphone control phase -controller (130), and to activate a specific link to this   command in the event of such detection.   6. Module according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that it includes a data exchange connector (142, 143) with the memory (254) of a battery module to be charged (250, 300), an external connector (145) for computer, and means (130, 160, 142, 143) for transmitting control data intended for the battery (250, 300) from said external connector (145) by computer to this connector (142, 143) for exchanging data with the memory of a battery to be charged.   7. Charging module according to claim 4 in combination with claim 6, characterized in that the microcontroller (130) is provided for detecting on the external computer connector (145) the appearance of a signal indicating the start a battery control phase (250, 300), and to activate a connection specific to such a control between the external connector (145) and the battery (250,300) in the case of a such detection.   8. Module according to any one of claims 4 to 7,   characterized in that said external connector (145) for computer is also connected to a connector (143, 144) intended to contact a connector for accessories of a mobile telephone (200) so as to offset onto an external face of the charging module (100) such a connector   for mobile phone accessories (200).   9. Charging module according to any one of claims 3 to   8, characterized in that it comprises an external computer connector (145) and in that it is designed to transmit data between this external computer connector (145) and a mobile telephone (200) received on the communication module charge (100), by simultaneously charging a battery (250) mounted on this mobile phone (200), so that the mobile phone (200) whose battery (250) is being charged can be used simultaneously with the charge to convey data between a computer and a telephone network.   10. Charging module according to any one of claims 3 to   9, characterized in that it comprises at least two receiving and charging locations (110, 120) for battery modules (250, 300), and means (130) provided for putting the charge of a battery on standby (300) not mounted on a phone and charge a battery (250) mounted on a telephone (200).   11. Charging module according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the means (130) for placing the charge on a battery (300) not coupled to a mobile telephone are also provided for diagnosing a capacity of the charging module at charge the two batteries (250, 300) simultaneously, these means (130) being provided for   then order such a simultaneous charge.   12. Charging module according to any one of claims 3 to   11, characterized in that it constitutes a fixed charging module distinct from a mobile phone, and in that it comprises means (130) for taking off, in the event of external non-supply of the charging module (100) , a supply of the charging module on a battery (250, 300) received in view of his charge.   13. Charging module according to any one of claims 3 to   12, characterized in that it comprises means (130, 150) for transforming a given continuous intensity into a pulse width modulated intensity in the case where the received battery requires an average charge intensity lower than the value of a such given intensity continues.   14. Module according to any one of claims 3 to 13, except   claims 4 and 8 to 12, characterized in that all or part of said   charging module (100) is integrated into a mobile telephone (200).   15. Module according to claim 4, in combination with one   any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes   a microcontroller (130) programmed to perform a test on its own operation under the control of a computer connected to said connector external for computer (145).