IP Library Granted Patent US 8,860,378
Granted Patent B2
US 8,860,378 · App. 13/303,176 · Granted Oct 14, 2014

Method and system for attachment and removal indication for battery charging devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,860,378
App. No.
13/303,176
Granted
Oct 14, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for indicating an attachment and removal for a portable device. The method includes the steps of attaching the portable device to a charging system, delivering current to the portable device from the charging system, the delivered current is limited based on the portable device, replicating the current flowing through the first switch at a second switch, generating a voltage based on the current flowing through the second switch, comparing the voltage with a pre-defined threshold voltage, and indicating at least one of attachment or removal for the portable device based on the comparison.

Claims (43)

1. A battery charging system for indicating attachment and removal for a portable device, the system comprising:

a first switch for connecting the portable device to a power supply;

a second switch connected to the first switch for replicating a current flowing through the first switch;

a resistor connected to the amplifier for generating a voltage based on the current flowing through the second switch;

a comparator connected to the resistor for comparing the voltage with a pre-defined threshold voltage; and

an indicator for indicating at least one of attachment or removal for the portable device based on the comparison.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging system further comprises an amplifier connected to the second switch for:

driving the current flowing through the first switch into the second switch; and

supplying the current to the portable device within a pre-defined range.

3. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging system further comprises a current limiter for limiting the current flowing through the charging system.

4. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is further configured to set a value of an output flag based on the comparison, wherein the value of the output flag comprises at least one of attachment or removal.

5. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging system is configured to make one or more system level decisions regarding charging of the portable device when the voltage based on the current is below the pre-defined threshold voltage.

6. The battery charging system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more system level decisions comprising at least one of:

resetting the portable device;

discontinuing the charging of the portable device;

alerting the portable device; or

continuing charging of the portable device.

7. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging system further comprises a threshold database for storing one or more threshold voltages, wherein the one or more threshold voltages are set by the user for attachment or removal detection.

8. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined threshold voltage is adjustable.

9. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging system is a universal serial port (USB) charging port.

10. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging system further comprises a digital signal converter for digitizing the current flowing through the charging system.

11. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the comparator is a digital module.

12. The battery charging system of claim 1 , wherein the comparator is an analog circuit.

13. A method for indicating attachment and removal for a portable device, the method comprising:

attaching the portable device to a charging system;

delivering current to the portable device from the charging system, wherein the delivered current is limited based on the portable device;

replicating the current flowing through a first switch at a second switch;

generating a voltage based on the current flowing through the second switch;

comparing the voltage with a pre-defined threshold voltage; and

indicating at least one of attachment or removal for the portable device based on the comparison.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

driving the current flowing through the first switch into the second switch; and

supplying the current to the portable device within a pre-defined range.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising limiting the current flowing through the charging system.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising setting a value of an output flag based on the comparison, wherein the value of the output flag comprises at least one of attachment or removal.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising making one or more system level decisions regarding charging of the portable device when the voltage based on the current is below the pre-defined threshold voltage, further wherein the pre-defined threshold voltage is set by the user for attachment or removal detection.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein making the one or more system level decisions further comprises at least one of:

resetting the portable device;

stopping the charging of the portable device;

alerting the portable device; or

continuing charging of the portable device.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pre-defined voltage is stored in a threshold database, further wherein the pre-defined voltage is adjustable.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising digitizing the current flowing through the charging system.

Assignments (11)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 16, 2025
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY IRELAND LIMITED; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; ATMEL CORPORATION; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORP.; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR ULC; MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY GERMANY GMBH
To: CRESTONE IP MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 071991/0419 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 13, 2017
From: STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 044865/0164 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2011
From: PULIJALA, SRINIVAS K.
To: STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027273/0260 →