Patent Publication Number: US-10326291-B2

Title: Quick charging method, power adapter and mobile terminal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/405,771, filed on Jan. 13, 2017, which is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2015/078905, filed on May 13, 2015, which claims priority to International Application No. PCT/CN2014/090847, filed on Nov. 11, 2014, and International Application No. PCT/CN2015/074050, filed on Mar. 11, 2015. The aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of battery charging, and more particularly, to a quick charging method, a power adapter and a mobile terminal using the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, mobile terminals (such as smart phones) are increasingly favored by consumers. There is a need to frequently recharge the mobile terminals to maintain the power consumption of the mobile terminals. With the increasement of the battery capacity of the mobile terminals, it takes more time to fully charge the battery. Accordingly, how to shorten the charging time has been a major concern to be solved. 
     In related art, in order to shorten the charging time, it is a common method to directly increase an output current of a power adapter regardless of the capacity of a mobile terminal, such that the mobile terminal may be overloaded to cause overheating or even burning, thereby shortening the life span of the mobile terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to more clearly illustrate technical solutions according to implementations of the present disclosure, accompanying drawings used for the implementations of the present disclosure will be briefly introduced hereinafter. Apparently, the accompanying drawings described below merely show some implementations of the present disclosure, and persons skilled in the art may derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic flowchart of a quick charging method according to an implementation of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic flowchart of a quick charging method according to an implementation of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an implementation of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of a power adapter according to an implementation of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In conjunction with the drawings in the implementations of the present disclosure, a clear, complete description for the technical solutions in the implementations of the present disclosure is provided below. Apparently, the described implementations are a part rather than all of the implementations of the present disclosure. All other implementations derived by persons skilled in the art from the implementations of the present disclosure without creative efforts should fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic flowchart of a quick charging method according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The method as shown in  FIG. 1  is executed by a mobile terminal which is configured for coupling with a power adapter via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface of the mobile terminal. The USB interface may be an ordinary USB interface, or may be a micro USB interface. At least one power line located in the USB interface is configured for delivering electrical power from the power adapter to the mobile terminal to charge the mobile terminal. The power line in the USB interface may be a VBus line and/or a ground line in the USB interface. At least one data line located in the USB interface is configured for establishing a bi-directional communication between the power adapter and the mobile terminal. The data line may be a D+ line and/or a D− line in the USB interface. The so-called bi-directional communication may refer to information exchange between the power adapter and the mobile terminal. In other words, the bi-directional communication refers to the power adapter and the mobile terminal exchange information between each other. The mobile terminal is selectively operable under a first charging mode (common charging mode) or a second charging mode (quick charging mode), and a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode is greater than a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the common charging mode. For example, the charging current under the common charging mode is generally less than 2.5 A, and the charging current under the quick charging mode may be greater than 3 A. 
     The method as shown in  FIG. 1  comprises: 
     Step  110 : the mobile terminal sends a first instruction indicating that the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the first instruction being configured for instructing the power adapter to start the quick charging mode and adjust an output of the power adapter to correspond with the quick charging mode, based on the received first instruction. 
     It should be understood that, before step  110 , the mobile terminal may determine whether to be quickly charged, based on current power, current voltage of a battery, or operating state of the mobile terminal, or the like. 
     Step  120 : the mobile terminal receives a charging current delivered by the at least one power line and corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter, so as to charge a battery in the mobile terminal. 
     In the implementation of the present disclosure, instead of blindly increasing an output current to quickly charge the mobile terminal, the power adapter quickly charges the mobile terminal under the quick charging mode only after receiving the first instruction of the mobile terminal, thereby improving the security of the quick charging process, compared to related art. 
     In at least one implementation, before the mobile terminal receives the charging current delivered by the at least one power line and corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter, so as to charge the battery in the mobile terminal, the method as shown in  FIG. 1  may further comprise: sending, by the mobile terminal, a second instruction to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the second instruction being configured for indicating a charging voltage delivered by the at least one power line and corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter. 
     It should be understood that, the charging voltage corresponding to the quick charging mode may be a preset charging voltage of the power adapter, or may be a charging voltage indicated through the second instruction by the mobile terminal. In at least one implementation, the mobile terminal may determine the charging voltage corresponding to the quick charging mode based on its operating parameters, such as battery power, voltage, and temperature and so on. 
     In at least one implementation, before the mobile terminal receives the charging current delivered by the at least one power line and corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter, so as to charge the battery in the mobile terminal, the method may further comprise: sending, by the mobile terminal, a third instruction to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the third instruction being configured for indicating the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter. 
     It should be understood that, the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode may be a preset charging current of the power adapter, or may be a charging current indicated through the third instruction by the mobile terminal. In at least one implementation, the mobile terminal may determine the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode based on its operating parameters, such as battery power, voltage, and temperature and so on. 
     In at least one implementation, the method as shown in  FIG. 1  may further comprise: sending, by the mobile terminal, a fourth instruction to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface during a charging period when the mobile terminal is being charged by the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode through the at least one power line, namely, during a process of the power adapter charges the mobile terminal by using the quick charging mode; the fourth instruction being configured for indicating a current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal such that the power adapter adjusts the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery, or determines whether there is a poor connection between the power adapter and the mobile terminal based on the charging voltage from the power adapter and the current voltage of the battery. That is, the power adapter adjusts the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery, or determines whether there is a poor connection of the USB interface based on the charging voltage from the power adapter and the current voltage of the battery. 
     In at least one implementation, the power adapter may determine impedance of the whole circuit based on a voltage drop between its output voltage and battery voltage obtained, and determine that there is a poor connection between the power adapter and the mobile terminal when the impedance of the circuit is greater than a predetermined threshold. 
     In the above, in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , from the mobile terminal&#39;s perspective, a detailed description for the quick charging method according to the implementation of the present disclosure is provided. Moreover, in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , from the power adapter&#39;s perspective, a description for the quick charging method according to an implementation of the present disclosure is provided hereinafter. 
     It should be understood that, the interactions, relevant features, functions and so on of the power adapter and the mobile terminal described from the mobile terminal&#39;s perspective are corresponding to those described from the power adapter&#39;s perspective, and thus repeated description is omitted appropriately for simplicity. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic flowchart of a quick charging method according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The method as shown in  FIG. 2  is executed by a power adapter which is configured for coupling with a mobile terminal via a USB interface of the mobile terminal. At least one power line located in the USB interface is configured for delivering electrical power from the power adapter to the mobile terminal to charge the mobile terminal, and at least one data line located in the USB interface is configured for establishing a bi-directional communication between the power adapter and the mobile terminal. The power adapter is selectively operable under a common charging mode or a quick charging mode, and a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode is greater than a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the common charging mode. The method as shown in  FIG. 2  comprises: 
     Step  210 : the power adapter receives a first instruction indicating that the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode and sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the first instruction being configured for instructing the power adapter to start the quick charging mode and adjust an output of the power adapter to correspond with the quick charging mode, based on the received first instruction. 
     Step  220 : the power adapter adjusts a charging current to a current corresponding to the quick charging mode, so as to charge a battery in the mobile terminal. 
     In the implementation of the present disclosure, instead of blindly increasing an output current to quickly charge the mobile terminal, the power adapter quickly charges the mobile terminal under the quick charging mode only after receiving the first instruction of the mobile terminal, thereby improving the security of the quick charging process, compared to related art. 
     In at least one implementation, before the power adapter adjusts the charging current to the current corresponding to the quick charging mode, so as to charge a battery in the mobile terminal, the method as shown in  FIG. 2  may further comprise: receiving, by the power adapter, a second instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the second instruction being configured for indicating a charging voltage corresponding to the quick charging mode. 
     In at least one implementation, before the power adapter adjusts the charging current to the current corresponding to the quick charging mode, so as to charge a battery in the mobile terminal, the method as shown in  FIG. 2  may further comprise: receiving, by the power adapter, a third instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the third instruction being configured for indicating the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode. 
     In at least one implementation, the method as shown in  FIG. 2  may further comprise: receiving, by the power adapter, a fourth instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface during a charging period when the mobile terminal is being charged by the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode through the at least one power line, namely, during a process of the power adapter charges the mobile terminal by using the quick charging mode; the fourth instruction being configured for indicating a current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal; and adjusting, by the power adapter, the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal. 
     In at least one implementation, adjusting, by the power adapter, the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal may comprise: adjusting, by the power adapter, the charging current of the power adapter to the charging current corresponding to the current voltage of the battery, based on the current voltage of the battery, and a preset correspondence between the battery voltage and the charging current. 
     In at least one implementation, the method as shown in  FIG. 2  may further comprise: receiving, by the power adapter, a fourth instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface during the charging period when the mobile terminal is being charged by the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode through the at least one power line, the fourth instruction being configured for indicating the current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal; and determining, by the power adapter, whether there is a poor connection between the power adapter and the mobile terminal based on the charging voltage from the power adapter and the current voltage of the battery. Namely, the power adapter determines whether there is a poor connection of the USB interface based on the charging voltage from the power adapter and the current voltage of the battery. 
     In the above, in conjunction with  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a detailed description for the quick charging method according to the implementation of the present disclosure is provided. Moreover, in conjunction with  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , a detailed description for a mobile terminal and a power adapter according to an implementation of the present disclosure is provided hereinafter. It should be understood that, the mobile terminal as shown in  FIG. 3  may realize each of the steps as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 2  performed by a mobile terminal, and the power adapter as shown in  FIG. 4  may realize each of the steps as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 2  performed by a power adapter, which is not described in detail to avoid repetition. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an implementation of the present disclosure. A mobile terminal  300  as shown in  FIG. 3  is configured for coupling with a power adapter via a USB interface of the mobile terminal. At least one power line located in the USB interface is configured for delivering electrical power from the power adapter to the mobile terminal to charge the mobile terminal. At least one data line located in the USB interface is configured for establishing a bi-directional communication between the power adapter and the mobile terminal  300 . The mobile terminal  300  is selectively operable under a common charging mode or a quick charging mode, and a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode is greater than a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the common charging mode. 
     The mobile terminal  300  comprises: 
     A communication circuit  310  configured for sending a first instruction indicating that the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the first instruction being configured for instructing the power adapter to start the quick charging mode and adjust an output of the power adapter to correspond with the quick charging mode, based on the received first instruction; and 
     A charging circuit  320  configured for receiving a charging current delivered by the at least one power line and corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter, so as to charge a battery in the mobile terminal  300 . 
     In the implementation of the present disclosure, instead of blindly increasing an output current to quickly charge the mobile terminal, the power adapter quickly charges the mobile terminal under the quick charging mode only after receiving the first instruction of the mobile terminal, thereby improving the security of the quick charging process, compared to related art. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  310  is further configured for sending a second instruction to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the second instruction being configured for indicating a charging voltage delivered by the at least one power line and corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  310  is further configured for sending a third instruction to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the third instruction being configured for indicating the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode from the power adapter. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  310  is further configured for sending a fourth instruction to the power adapter through the at least one data line in the USB interface during a charging period when the mobile terminal  300  is being charged by the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode through the at least one power line, the fourth instruction being configured for indicating a current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal  300  such that the power adapter adjusts the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery, or determines whether there is a poor connection between the power adapter and the mobile terminal based on the charging voltage from the power adapter and the current voltage of the battery. Namely, the power adapter adjusts the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery, or determines whether there is a poor connection of the USB interface based on the charging voltage from the power adapter and the current voltage of the battery. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a power adapter according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The power adapter  400  as shown in  FIG. 4  is configured for coupling with a mobile terminal via a USB interface of the mobile terminal. At least one power line located in the USB interface is configured for delivering electrical power from the power adapter  400  to the mobile terminal to charge the mobile terminal, and at least one data line located in the USB interface is configured for establishing a bi-directional communication between the power adapter  400  and the mobile terminal. The power adapter  400  is selectively operable under a common charging mode or a quick charging mode, and a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode is greater than a charging current delivered by the at least one power line when the mobile terminal is operable under the common charging mode. 
     The power adapter  400  comprises: 
     A communication circuit  410  configured for receiving a first instruction indicating that the mobile terminal is operable under the quick charging mode and sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the first instruction being configured for instructing the power adapter  400  to start the quick charging mode adjust an output of the power adapter to correspond to the quick charging mode, based on the received first instruction; and 
     A current adjusting circuit  420  configured for adjusting a charging current to a current corresponding to the quick charging mode, so as to charge a battery in the mobile terminal. 
     In the implementation of the present disclosure, instead of blindly increasing an output current to quickly charge the mobile terminal, the power adapter quickly charges the mobile terminal under the quick charging mode only after receiving the first instruction of the mobile terminal, thereby improving the security of the quick charging process, compared to related art. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  410  is further configured for receiving a second instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the second instruction being configured for indicating a charging voltage corresponding to the quick charging mode. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  410  is further configured for receiving a third instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface, the third instruction being configured for indicating the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  410  is further configured for receiving a fourth instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface during a charging period when the mobile terminal is being charged by the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode through the at least one power line, the fourth instruction being configured for indicating a current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal; the current adjusting circuit  420  is configured for adjusting the charging current based on the current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal. 
     In at least one implementation, the current adjusting circuit  420  is configured for adjusting the charging current of the power adapter  400  to the charging current corresponding to the current voltage of the battery, based on the current voltage of the battery, and the preset correspondence between the battery voltage and the charging current. 
     In at least one implementation, the communication circuit  410  is further configured for receiving a fourth instruction sent by the mobile terminal through the at least one data line in the USB interface during a charging period when the mobile terminal is being charged by the charging current corresponding to the quick charging mode through the at least one power line, the fourth instruction being configured for indicating a current voltage of the battery in the mobile terminal; the power adapter  400  determines whether there is a poor connection between the power adapter and the mobile terminal based on the charging voltage from the power adapter  400  and the current voltage of the battery. Namely, the power adapter  400  determines whether there is a poor connection of the USB interface based on the charging voltage from the power adapter  400  and the current voltage of the battery. 
     Persons skilled in the art should appreciate that units and programming steps of various examples described in the implementations of the present disclosure can be realized by electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are realized by hardware or software depends on particular applications and design constraint conditions of technical solutions. For each particular application, persons skilled in the art can employ different methods to realize described functions, but this realization should fall into the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Persons skilled in the art can clearly understand that specific operating processes of the above described systems, devices, and units may be understood by referring to the corresponding processes of the above process implementations which will not be repeated herein for convenience and simplicity. 
     In several implementations provided by the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. The apparatus implementations described above are only illustrative. For example, a division into the units is only a division based on logic functions, and may be a division in other ways when actually implementing. For example, several units or assemblies may be combined or may be integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored, or not executed. On the other hand, mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection illustrated or discussed herein may be indirect coupling or communication connection through certain interfaces, devices, or units, and may be in a form of electricity, machine, or the like. 
     The units described as separate units may be or may not be physically separated, and components shown as units may be or may not be physical units, that is to say, may be in one place, or may be distributed in several network units. A part or all of the units may be selected according to actual requirements to achieve the purpose of the solution of the present implementations. 
     Additionally, various functional units in the implementations of the present disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or various functional units each may exist physically separately or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. 
     If the functions are realized in a form of functional software units and may be sold or used as stand-alone products, they may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the spirit of the technical solution of the present disclosure, or a part of the technical solution that contributes to related art or a certain part of the technical solution may be embodied in a form of software product. The computer software product may be stored in a storage medium, and comprise a plurality of instructions configured to instruct a computer device (personal computer, server, or network device) to execute all or a part of steps of various implementations of the present disclosure. The storage medium described above comprises various medium storing program codes, such as a U-disk, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a disc, a compact disc and so on. 
     The foregoing descriptions are merely example implementations of the present disclosure, rather than limiting the protection scope of the present disclosure. Any person skilled in the art could readily conceive modifications or substitutions within the technical scope of the present disclosure, and these modifications or substitutions should fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure should be limited by the protection scope of the claims.