Patent Publication Number: US-2010109602-A1

Title: Charging device and method of operating the same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure generally relates to charging devices, particularly to a charging device used in portable electronic devices and a method of operating the same. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With developments in wireless communication and information processing technologies, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are now in widespread use, these portable electronic devices are usually connected to a computer or an external power supply to recharge the battery thereof. However, when the users of these portable electronic devices are outdoors, the computers and external power supplies are usually inaccessible, and these portable electronic devices may not be conveniently recharged. In addition, these portable electronic devices usually cannot connect to each other to share power if needed. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the charging device and the method of operating the same can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the charging device and the method of operating the same. 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of one charging device connected to another charging device to be recharged by the other device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of the pins of two USB interfaces of the two charging devices shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a method of operating the charging device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of the charging device shown in  FIG. 1  connected to other charging devices via a connecting device to be recharged by the other devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a charging device  10  is used in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, or digital cameras. When two charging devices  10 ,  20 , which are mounted in different portable electronic devices, are connected to each other, a user can set one of the two charging devices  10 ,  20  as a host, and the other charging device  10 ,  20  as a client. The host charging device charges the client charging device. 
     The charging device  10  includes a micro processor unit (MPU)  11 , a control module  12 , an interface module  13 , a charging and discharging module  14 , and a power storage module  15  electronically connected in series. The charging and discharging module  14  is also electronically connected to the MPU  11 . 
     The MPU  11  is used to process inner data and application program of the charging device  10 . The control module  12  is used to set the charging device  10  as a host or a client when the charging device  10  is connected to another charging device  10 . The control module  12  includes a host controller  121  and a client controller  122 . The host controller  121  and the client controller  122  can control the MPU  11  to activate charging or discharging programs respectively. When the charging device  10  is set as a host by a user, the host controller  121  is activated. When the charging device  10  is set as a client by a user, the client controller  122  is activated. Moreover, the MPU  11  can automatically judge if the charging device  10  is a host or a client when the charging device  10  is connected to another charging device  20  according to the voltage of the power storage module  15 . For example, if the voltage of the power storage module  15  is higher than that of the power storage module  25  of another charging device  20  connected to charging device  10 , the MPU  11  will judge the charging device  10  should be the host. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the interface module  13  includes a universal serial bus (USB) interface  131 , a USB transceiver  132 , and a detecting module  133  electronically connected in series. The USB interface  131  is used for connecting the charging device  10  to another charging device  20 . The USB interface  131  includes a V BUS  pin, a ID pin, a D+ pin, a D− pin, and a GND pin. The V BUS  pin is for inputting/outputting power. The ID pin is for confirming the charging device  10  is a host or a client. The D+ pin and the D− pin are for sending data. The GND pin is connected to ground. The USB transceiver  132  sends data between the USB interface  131  and the detecting module  133 . The detecting module  133  obtains the ID pin information of another charging device  10  from the USB interface  131  to detect if the charging device  10  is a host or a client. 
     The charging and discharging module  14  is used to input power to the power storage module  15  or output power from the power storage module  15 . Also, the charging and discharging module  14  is used to provide power to the MPU  11 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the process of one charging device  10  charging another charging device  20  may include the following steps: 
     In step S 1 , establishing a connection between two charging devices  10 ,  20  mounted in two different portable electronic devices by means of connecting the USB interface  131  of the charging device  10  to the USB interface  231  of the charging device  20 . 
     In step S 2 , setting one of the charging devices  10 ,  20  as a host, and the other one of the charging devices  10 ,  20  as a client. 
     In step S 3 , the client charging device sends its ID pin information to the host charging device. 
     In step S 4 , the host charging device confirms which charging device is the host charging device, and which charging device is the client charging device according to the ID pin information. 
     In step S 5 , the host charging device discharges. For example, if the charging device  10  is a host charging device, and the charging device  20  is a client charging device, the MPU  11  controls the power storage module  15  to discharge via the charging and discharging module  14 . 
     In step S 6 , the power is output from the host charging device. As mentioned above, the power is output from the host charging device  10  via the USB interface  133 . 
     In step S 7 , the power is input to the client charging device. The power is input to the client charging device  20  via the USB interface  233 . 
     In step S 8 , the client charging device stores the power obtained from the host charging device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , during the process detailed above more than one charging device may be used at the same time. To illustrate, one charging device  10  set as host is connected to three charge devices  10  set as clients via a connecting device  30 . 
     The charging devices  10  allow users to share power among their electronic devices when needed without the need of a computer or electrical outlet which is very convenient and efficient. 
     It is believed that the exemplary embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.