Abstract:
A charging equipment including a charging module, a communicating module, and a control module. The charging module is configured to charge a device for charging according to a control signal and produce a detecting signal according to a magnitude of an output current of the charging module. The communicating module has a communicating range. The communicating module selectively outputs the detecting signal produced by the charging module to another charging equipment operating in the same communicating range, or selectively receives a detecting signal produced by another charging equipment operating in the same communicating range. The control module electrically connects to the communicating module. The control module selectively produces the control signal according to an adjusting signal produced by another charging equipment, or selectively produces the control signal and the adjusting signal according to a detecting signal produced by said another charging equipment and the detecting signal produced by the charging module.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 104115235 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on May 13, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a charging system, particularly relates to charging system capable of controlling multiple charging equipments. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, the portable electronic device is getting more and more popular and the needs of the plugs of mains electricity for charging are soaring accordingly. In this kind of situation, users often face the problem of plug shortage. Therefore, the dealers start to offer charging equipments capable of containing and charging multiple portable electronic devices, such as the charging vehicle or the charging cabinet. 
     Although the charging cabinet can charge more electronic devices, however, in the environment with more charging needs, such as a company, a factory, a school, or a cram school, a charging cabinet may not be sufficient either. In order to fulfill the huge needs for charging, users may sets up multiple charging cabinets in the same environment for charging more electronic devices. However, when multiple charging cabinets are in operation, the instant current of the power supplier may be overloaded and results in the power trip problem. 
     Therefore, the charging management for multiple charging equipments is the most urgent problem. 
     SUMMARY 
     A charging system includes a first charging equipment and a second charging equipment. The first charging equipment includes a first charging module, a first communicating module, and a first control module. The first charging module is electrically connected to an external power and is for charging at least one first device for charging electrically connected to the first charging equipment according to a first control signal and generating a first detecting signal according to a magnitude of an output current from the first charging module. The first communicating module has a first communicating range and is for outputting the first detecting signal. The first control module is electrically connected to the first communicating module and is for generating the first control signal according to an adjusting signal received by the first communicating module. The second charging equipment includes a second charging module, a second communicating module, and a second control module. The second charging module is electrically connected to the external power and is for charging at least one second device for charging electrically connected to the second charging equipment according to a second control signal and generating a second detecting signal according to a magnitude of an output current from the second charging module. The second communicating module in the first communicating range is for receiving the first detecting signal and outputting the adjusting signal to the first communicating module. The second control module is electrically connected to the second communicating module and is for generating the second control signal and the adjusting signal according to the first detecting signal and the second detecting signal. 
     A charging equipment includes a charging module, a communicating module, and a control module. The charging module is electrically connected to a external power and is for charging at least one device for charging electrically connected to the charging equipment according to a control signal and generating a detecting signal according to the magnitude of the output current from the charging module. The communicating module has a communicating range and is for selectively outputting the detecting signal generated by the charging module to other charging equipments in the communicating range or receiving a detecting signal outputted from other charging equipments. The control module is electrically connected to the communicating module and is for selectively generating the control signal according to an adjusting signal outputted from other charging equipments or generating the control signal and an adjusting signal according to the detecting signal outputted from other charging equipments and the detecting signal generated by the charging module, and controlling the communicating module to output adjusting signal generated by the control module to other charging equipments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present disclosure and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of the charging equipment according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of the charging system according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of the control method of the charging system according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawings. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of the charging equipment according to an embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the charging equipment  10  is, for example, a container for containing and charging the device for charging, and the device for charging is, for example, a tablet, a notebook, a cell phone, a digital camera, a video camera, or any other electronic device capable of charging. The device for charging is placed in the container and is electrically connected to the charging equipment  10  through a wire or wirelessly, so that the charging equipment is able to charge the device for charging. 
     The charging equipment  10  includes a charging module  11 , a communicating module  13 , a control module  15 , and a detecting module  17 . The charging module  11  includes a power unit  111 , a switch unit  113 , a connecting unit  115 , and a detecting unit  117 . The power unit  111  is electrically connected to the switch unit  113  and the control module  15 , and is electrically connected to an external power, so that the external power provides the power for the charging equipment. The external power is but not limited to mains electricity, direct current (DC), or other devices capable of charging the charging equipment. 
     The switch unit  113  is electrically connected to the connecting unit  115  and the control module  15 , and is for selectively conducting the power unit  111  to charge the device for charging electrically connected to the connecting unit  115  according to the control signal SC generated by the control module  15 . The switch unit  115  is but not limited to an electric relay or any other adequate switch component. The connecting unit  115  is, but not limited to, a USB slot, a mini USB slot, or any connector slot in other type. 
     The detecting unit  117  is electrically connected to the connecting unit  115  and the control module  15 , and is for detecting the magnitude of the charging current outputted from the connecting unit  115  to the device for charging and generating a detecting signal SI accordingly and outputting the detecting signal SI to the control module  15 . 
     The communicating module  13  has a communicating range and the communicating module  13  is electrically connected to the control module  15  for selectively outputting the detecting signal SI generated by the detecting unit  117  to other charging equipment in the communicating range or selectively receiving the detecting signal SI outputted from other charging equipment in the communicating range. The communicating module  13  is for communication connecting to other charging equipment in the communicating range, and outputting the signal to control other charging equipment or receiving the signal sent from other charging equipment. The specific details are described later. In the present embodiment, the communicating module  13  is connected to the communicating module of other charging equipment with Near Field Communication (NFC). Taking the stacked charging equipments for example, the charging equipment  10  sets the NFC chips on the top and the bottom of the container respectively, so that the charging equipment  10  is communication connected to the charging equipments on the top and the bottom through the NFC chips on the top and the bottom. In other embodiments, the communicating module  13  is also available to make the charging equipment  10  be electrically connected to other charging equipment through wired connections. The embodiment is only for illustrating the spirit of the present disclosure, but not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The control module  15 , depending on whether the charging equipment  10  is the master control equipment, selectively generates the control signal SC according to the adjusting signal outputted from other charging equipment, or selectively generates the control signal SC and the adjusting signal SD according to the detecting signal outputted from other charging equipment and the detecting signal SI generated by the charging module  11  to make the communicating module  13  output the adjusting signal SD to other charging equipment. 
     The detecting module  17  is electrically connected to the control module  15  for detecting the status of the charging equipment  10  and generating an indicating signal SR according to the status of the charging equipment  10 . The status is in association with a location of the device for charging placed in the charging equipment  10 . For example, the detecting module  17  is embedded in the opening part of the container, and when the user places the device for charging in the container or takes the device for charging out of the container, the detecting module  17  detects the movements of the user to the charging equipment  10  and generates the indicating signal SR accordingly. The detecting module  17  is also embedded in the container for placing the device for charging in the container. In other words, each container for placing the device for charging has a detecting module  17 . When the user places the device for charging in the container or takes the device for charging out of the container, the detecting module  17  detects whether there is a device for charging on the container to generate the indicating signal SR accordingly. 
     The detecting module  17  sends the generated indicating signal SR to the control module  15 , so that the control module  15  controls the detecting unit  117  to detect the magnitude of the output current from the connecting unit  115  according to the indicating signal SR to regenerate the detecting signal SI. Meanwhile, the control module  15  selectively makes the communicating module  13  output the regenerated detecting signal SI or selectively regenerate the control signal SC and the adjusting signal SD according to the regenerated detecting signal SI and the detecting signal outputted from other charging equipment to make the communicating module  13  output the regenerated adjusting signal SD to other charging equipment. In other embodiments, the charging equipment  10  is not embedded with the detecting module  17 . The embodiment is only for illustrating the spirit of the present disclosure, but not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In order to explain the charging system, the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  are taken as examples for the explanation. In practice, the charging system can include a plurality of charging equipments and the embodiment is for illustrating the spirit of the present disclosure, but not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of the charging system according to an embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first charging equipment  30  includes a first charging module  31 , a first communicating module  33 , a first control module  35 , and a first detecting module  37 . The second charging equipment  50  includes a second charging module  51 , a second communicating module  53 , a second control module  55 , and a second detecting module  57 . The first charging module  31  in the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging module  51  in the second charging equipment  50  are approximately identical to the charging module  11  shown in  FIG. 1 . The first communicating module  33  and the second communicating module  53  are approximately identical to the communicating module  13  shown in  FIG. 1 . The first control module  35  and the second control module  55  are approximately identical to the control module  15  shown in  FIG. 1 . The details are not further explained hereinafter. 
     The first charging equipment  30  is electrically connected to the external power through the first charging module  31  and the second charging equipment  50  is electrically connected to the external power through the second charging module  51 . The second communicating module  53  is in the communicating range of the first communicating module  33 , so that a charging system is formed by the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50 . Meanwhile, the charging system defines one of the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  as a master control equipment for charging management to the device for charging electrically connected to the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50 . 
     The method for the charging system to define the master control equipment is, for example, calculating the number of the devices for charging electrically connected to the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  and defining the charging equipment electrically connected to more devices for charging as the master control equipment, or calculating the magnitude of the output current from the first connecting unit  315  and the second connecting unit  515  and defining the charging equipment outputting larger magnitude of the current as the master control equipment. 
     Taking the second charging equipment  50  as the master control equipment for example, in the first charging equipment  30  the first switch unit  313  selectively conducting the first power unit  311  to charge the first device for charging electrically connected to the first connecting unit  315  according to the first control signal SC 1 . In the second charging equipment  50 , the second switch unit  513  selectively conducting the second power unit  511  to charge the second device for charging electrically connected to the second connecting unit  515 . The first detecting unit  317  generates the first detecting signal SI 2  according to the magnitude of the output current from the first connecting unit  315 . The second detecting unit  517  generates the second detecting signal SI 2  according to the magnitude of the output current from the second connecting unit  515 . 
     The first charging equipment  30  outputs the first detecting signal SI 1  to the second charging equipment  50  through the first communicating module  33 . The second charging equipment  50  receives the first detecting signal SI 1  through the second communicating module  53 . The second control module  55  of the second charging equipment  50  generates the second control signal SC 2  and the adjusting signal SD 2  according to the first detecting signal SI 1  of the first charging equipment  30  and the second detecting signal SI 2  generated by the second detecting unit  517  in the second charging equipment. The second communicating module  53  of the second charging equipment  50  outputs the adjusting signal SD 2  to the first charging equipment  30 , and the first charging equipment  30  receives the adjusting signal SD 2  through the first communicating module  33 , and the first control module  35  generates the first control signal SC 1  according to the adjusting signal SD 2  to control the first switch unit  313  to output the first current to charge the first device for charging. The second control module  55  controls the second switch unit  513  to output the second current to charge the second device for charging according to the second control signal SC 2 . 
     The second control module  55  generates the second control signal SC 2  and the adjusting signal SD 2  according to the first detecting signal SI 1  and the second detecting signal SI 2 . For example, the sum of the current outputted from the first connecting unit  315  and the second connecting unit  515  is calculated according to the magnitude of the output current from the first connecting unit  315  indicated by the first detecting signal SI 1  and the magnitude of the output current from the second connecting unit  515  indicated by the second detecting signal SI 2 . Whether the sum of the current outputted from the first connecting unit  315  and the second connecting unit  515  exceeds the rated current determines whether the charging sorting for the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  is performed. 
     The rated current is, for example, 15 Ampere (A) in the safety output current specification of the mains electricity. When the sum of the current outputted from the first connecting unit  315  and the second connecting unit  515  exceeds 15 A, the second control module  55  performs the charging sorting according to the needed magnitude of the output current for the first connecting unit  315  and second connecting unit  515  respectively. For example, the needed output current of the second connecting unit is 13 A and the needed output current of the first connecting unit is 10 A, and because the needed output current of the second connecting unit  515  is larger than the needed output current of the first connecting unit  315 , the second charging equipment  50  is prior to the first charging equipment  30  in the charging sorting. The second control module  55  outputs the adjusting signal SD 2  to the first control module  35  for indicating the first switch unit  313  to cut off, so that the first control module  35  generates the first control signal SC 1  according to the adjusting signal SD 2  to make the first switch unit  313  cut off and not charge the first device for charging. The second control module  55  generates the second control signal SC 2  for indicating the second switch unit  513  to conduct or activate, so that the second switch unit  513  conducts or activates to charge the second device for charging. In other embodiments, the master control device can also be the prior device in the charging sorting. For example, when the second charging equipment  50  is the master control device, the priority of the second charging equipment  50  is higher than the priority of the first charging equipment  30  in the charging sorting. 
     In addition, when the sum of the current outputted from the first connecting unit  315  and the second connecting unit  515  does not exceed 15 A, the second control module  55  outputs the adjusting signal SD 2  to the first control module  35  for indicating the first switch unit  313  to conduct or activate, and outputs the second control signal SC 2  to the second switch unit  513  for indicating the second switch unit  513  to conduct or activate, so that the first control module  35  generates the first control signal SC 1  according to the adjusting signal SD 2  to make the first switch unit  313  and the second switch unit  513  conduct or activate together to charge the first device for charging and the second device for charging respectively. 
     When the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  complete the charging process to the first device for charging and the second device for charging respectively, the first switch unit  313  and second switch unit  513  automatically enter the hibernation. Meanwhile, the first detecting module  37  detects the first status of the first charging equipment  30  to generate the first indicating signal SR 1  and the second detecting module  57  detects the second status of the second charging equipment  50  to generate the second indicating signal SR 2 . When the first control module  35  receives the first indicating signal SR 1 , the first control module  35  controls the first detecting unit  317  to regenerate the first detecting signal SI 1  according to the magnitude of the output current from the first connecting unit  315 , and outputs the first detecting signal SI 1  to the second charging equipment  50  through the first communicating module  33 . The second charging control module  55  regenerates the second control signal SC 2  and the adjusting signal SD 2  according to the first detecting signal SI 1  regenerated by the first detecting unit  317  and the second detecting signal S 12  generated by the second detecting unit  517 , and outputs the adjusting signal SD 2  to the first charging equipment  30 . 
     When the second control module  55  receives the second indicating signal SR 2  generated by the second detecting module  57 , the second control module  55  controls the second detecting unit  517  to regenerate the second detecting signal S 12  according the magnitude of the output current from the second connecting unit  515 . The second charging control module  55  regenerates the second control signal SC 2  and the adjusting signal SD 2  according to the second detecting signal S 12  regenerated by the second detecting unit  517  and the first detecting signal SI 1  outputted from the first charging equipment  30 , and outputs the adjusting signal SD 2  to the first charging equipment  30 . 
     Through the first detecting module  37  and the second detecting module  57 , the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  are able to enter the hibernation after finishing the charging process to the first device for charging and the second device for charging, so that the charging system saves more energy. Furthermore, the first detecting module  37  and the second detecting module  57  detect the first status and the second status once every default period, such as detecting the status of the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  every 15 minutes, so that the first charging equipment  30  detects the status of the electrically connected first device for charging again and the second charging equipment  50  detects the status of the electrically connected second device for charging again for activating the charging system again. 
     In order to explain the control method of the charging system in the present disclosure, the charging system is described together as follows. Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a flowchart of the control method of the charging system according to an embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , in the step S 202 , each of the charging equipments in the charging system determines whether the charging equipment is electrically connected to other charging equipment and defines one of the charging equipments as the master control equipment. In the present embodiment, the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  are taken as examples for the explanation and the second charging equipment  50  is defined as the master control equipment of the charging system. 
     In the step S 204 , in the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50 , the first device for charging and the second device for charging are charged according to the first control signal SC 1  and the second control signal SC 2  respectively. 
     In the step S 206 , in the first charging equipment  30 , the magnitude of the charging current outputted from the first charging equipment  30  to the first device for charging is detected and a first detecting signal SI 1  is generated. In the second charging equipment  30 , the magnitude of the charging current outputted from the second charging equipment  50  to the second device for charging is detected and a second detecting signal SI 2  is generated. 
     In the step S 208 , the first charging equipment  30  outputs the first detecting signal SI 1  to the second charging equipment  50 . In the step S 210 , the second charging equipment  50  calculates the total output current of the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  according to the first detecting signal SI 1  and the second detecting signal SI 2 . In the step S 212 , the second charging equipment  50  determines whether the total output current exceeds the rated current. In the step S 214 , when the total output current does not exceed the rated current, the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  simultaneously charge the first device for charging and the second charging equipment. 
     In the step S 216 , when the total output current exceeds the rated current, the second charging equipment  50  performs the power supplying sorting according to the magnitude of the output current from the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50 . In the step S 218 , the second charging equipment  50  generates the second control signal SC 2  and the adjusting signal SD 2  according to the power supplying sorting. In the step S 220 , the second charging equipment  50  outputs the adjusting signal SD 2  to the first charging equipment  30 . In the step S 222 , the first charging equipment  30  generates the first control signal SC 1  according to the adjusting signal SD 2  to control the first charging equipment  30  to charge the first device for charging. 
     When the first charging equipment  30  and the second charging equipment  50  finish the charging process, in the step S 224 , the first detecting module  37  of the first charging equipment  30  generates the first indicating signal SR 1  according to the first status to make the first charging equipment  30  go back to the step S 206  to detect the magnitude of the output current from the first charging equipment  30  to the first device for charging, and the second detecting module  57  of the second charging equipment  50  generates the second indicating signal SR 2  according to the second status to make the second charging equipment  50  go back to the step S 206  to detect the magnitude of the output current from the second charging equipment  50  to the second device for charging. 
     The charging equipment of the present disclosure is electrically connected other charging equipment through the communicating module to form a charging system. In the charging system, a master control equipment is defined from a plurality of charging equipments for charging management, so that when the plurality of charging equipments are simultaneously operated, the power trip problem is less likely to happen. In an embodiment, the charging system further performs the charging sorting to each of the plurality of charging equipments, so that the charging system is able to provide power to each of the plurality of charging equipments according to the charging sorting to enhance the charging efficiency. 
     The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the disclosure to the precise forms or embodiments disclosed. Modifications and adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed embodiments of the disclosure. It is intended, therefore, that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their full scope of equivalents.