Patent ID: 11955821
Assignee: O2MICRO INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A device comprising:
a connection interface that connects said device to a power source to receive input power;
a first battery having a positive terminal coupled to said connection interface through a first switch, and having a negative terminal coupled to a reference terminal;
a second battery having a positive terminal coupled to said connection interface, and having a negative terminal coupled to said reference terminal through a second switch and coupled to said positive terminal of said first battery through a third switch; and
switch control circuitry, coupled to said first, second and third switches, and configured to control said first, second and third switches such that said device selectively operates in a mode of a plurality of modes comprising at least a balancing mode that is operable for balancing voltages of said first and second batteries when there is a difference between said voltages,
wherein in said balancing mode, said switch control circuitry turns off said third switch and turns on said first and second switches, and controls a switch of said first and second switches to operate in a linear mode,
wherein said linear mode comprises adjusting a charging current from one of said first and second batteries to the other one of said first and second batteries based on a target reference,
wherein said target reference is adjustable according to said difference, and
wherein said adjusting comprises said switch control circuitry controlling said switch of said first and second switches to increase said charging current if said difference decreases.