DE-102010062251-B4 - Charger for a vehicle and control method thereof

DE102010062251B4DE 102010062251 B4DE102010062251 B4DE 102010062251B4DE-102010062251-B4

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted charger for charging a battery of a portable device, comprising: a memory (10) which stores a charge table in which ratios of the charge quantity of the battery of the portable device to voltage bandwidths of the vehicle battery are written; a voltage monitor (20) that monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery at a predetermined time interval; a plug-in device (30) of the portable device that receives the portable device and charges the battery of the portable device by the voltage of the vehicle battery; and a charging controller (50) that detects the portable device being received through the plug (30) of the portable device and controls the plug (30) of the portable device so that the battery of the portable device is charged by the voltage of the vehicle battery to a voltage value that corresponds to the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery in the charging table, where the charging control (50) is set up, to fully charge the battery of the portable device in a first voltage range, to partially charge the battery of the portable device in a second voltage range to charge and not to charge the battery of the portable device in a third voltage bandwidth.

Inventors

Dong Ok Kim

Assignees

HYUNDAI MOTOR CO.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20101201
Priority Date: 20100907

Claims (14)

A vehicle-mounted charger for charging a battery of a portable device, comprising: a memory (10) that stores a charge table in which the ratios of the charge quantity of the portable device's battery to voltage ranges of the vehicle battery are written; a voltage monitor (20) that monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery at a predetermined time interval; a connector (30) of the portable device that receives the portable device and charges the portable device's battery using the voltage of the vehicle battery; and a charging controller (50) that detects the portable device being received by the plug (30) of the portable device and controls the plug (30) of the portable device so that the battery of the portable device is charged by the voltage of the vehicle battery to a voltage value corresponding to the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery in the charging table, whereby the charging controller (50) is configured to fully charge the battery of the portable device in a first voltage range, to partially charge the battery of the portable device in a second voltage range, and not to charge the battery of the portable device in a third voltage range.
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 1 wherein the charging controller (50) further controls the plug device (30) of the portable device to charge the battery of the portable device until the voltage of the vehicle battery is reduced to a critical voltage.
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 1 , which further comprises an output unit (40), wherein the charging control (50) outputs the voltage of the vehicle battery through the output unit (40).
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 1 , wherein the voltage monitor (20) comprises: a voltage measuring device that measures the voltage of the vehicle battery; and an analog-to-digital converter that converts the measured voltage into a digital value.
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 1 , which further comprises an audio-video navigation link, wherein the charging control (50) is connected to an audio-video navigation system by means of an audio-video navigation to output the voltage of the vehicle battery.
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 2 , which further comprises an output unit (40), wherein the charging control (50) outputs the voltage of the vehicle battery through the output unit (40).
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 2 , wherein the voltage monitor (20) comprises: a voltage measuring device that measures the voltage of the vehicle battery; and an analog-to-digital converter that converts the measured voltage into a digital value.
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 2 , which further comprises an audio-video navigation link, wherein the charging control (50) is connected to an audio-video navigation system by means of an audio-video navigation to output the voltage of the vehicle battery.
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 8 , wherein the audio-video navigation linkage activates the audio-video navigation system using a first control signal from the charging controller (50), and deactivates the audio-video navigation system using a second control signal from the charging controller (50).
Charger mounted in a vehicle after Claim 9 , wherein the charging control (50) activates the audio-video navigation system until the voltage to be applied to the battery of the portable device is shielded.
A method for charging a portable device battery with a vehicle battery, comprising: monitoring the voltage of the vehicle battery by a voltage monitor (20); retrieving a charge ratio corresponding to the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery from a charge table, in which charge ratios to vehicle battery voltage ranges are written, when the portable device is detected by a charge controller (50); and charging the portable device battery with the vehicle battery by means of a plug connector (30) of the portable device until the portable device battery is charged to a voltage value to satisfy the retrieved charge ratio, whereby charging the portable device comprises: fully charging the portable device battery in a first voltage range, partially charging the portable device battery in a second voltage range, and not charging the portable device battery in a third voltage range.
Procedure according to Claim 11 , furthermore comprising enabling the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery to be output acoustically, visually or by both.
Procedure according to Claim 11 , furthermore comprising enabling the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery to be output acoustically, visually or by both by connecting to an audio-video navigation system via an audio-video navigation link.
Procedure according to Claim 13 , with the audio-video navigation system activated until loading is stopped.

Description

BACKGROUND Field of invention The present application relates to a charger for a vehicle. In particular, the present application relates to a charger installed in a vehicle, designed to periodically monitor the voltage of a vehicle battery and, when a portable device required for charging is detected, to control the charge level of a battery in the portable device based on the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery, as well as a control method thereof. Description of the state of the art A battery used in a vehicle must maintain a sufficient state of charge to improve stability, lifespan, and output power. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly check and manage the vehicle battery's condition, such as its state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH). Many in-vehicle chargers have been developed for this purpose. Conventional in-vehicle chargers can only charge a portable device battery at the vehicle battery's voltage when the vehicle is in start-up or ACC (Accessory On - ignition on) mode. Furthermore, these chargers can cause the vehicle battery to fully discharge if a portable device battery is charged while the vehicle is in ACC mode. Additionally, in-vehicle chargers are not designed to provide instantaneous charging of the vehicle battery's voltage. From the JP 2007 - 74 784 A A vehicle-mounted charger for charging a battery of a portable device is known, comprising: a memory that stores a charge table in which ratios of the charge quantity of the battery of the portable device to voltage bandwidths of the vehicle battery are written; a voltage monitor that monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery at a predetermined time interval; a plug-in device of the portable device that receives the portable device and charges the battery of the portable device by the voltage of the vehicle battery; and a charge controller that detects the portable device being received by the plug-in device of the portable device and controls the plug-in device of the portable device so that the battery of the portable device is charged by the voltage of the vehicle battery to a voltage value that corresponds to the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery in the charge table. The information disclosed above in this background section is intended only to improve the understanding of the background of the invention and may therefore contain information that does not constitute the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art in this country. SUMMARY The task is therefore to provide a vehicle-mounted charger for charging a portable device's battery using a vehicle battery, which features improved charge control. The problem is solved by a charger having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 11. Advantageous further developments are set out in the dependent claims. One embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted charger for charging the battery of a portable device using a vehicle battery. The device comprises a memory, a voltage monitor, a connector for the portable device, and a charging controller. The memory stores a charging table in which the ratios of the charge quantity of the portable device's battery to the voltage ranges of the vehicle battery are recorded. The voltage monitor monitors the voltage of the vehicle battery at a predetermined time interval. The connector for the portable device accepts the portable device and charges its battery using the voltage of the vehicle battery. The charging controller detects the portable device. The device, which is received by the plug of the portable device, controls the plug of the portable device so that the battery of the portable device is charged by the voltage of the vehicle battery to a voltage value corresponding to the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery in the charge table. The charge controller is configured to fully charge the battery of the portable device within a first voltage range, to partially charge the battery of the portable device within a second voltage range, and not to charge the battery of the portable device within a third voltage range. A further embodiment of the present invention provides a method for charging a battery of a portable device with a vehicle battery. The method comprises: monitoring the voltage of the vehicle battery by a voltage monitor; retrieving a charge ratio corresponding to the monitored voltage of the vehicle battery from a charge table, in which charge ratios to voltage ranges of the vehicle battery are specified, when the portable device is detected by a charge controller; and charging the portable device's battery with the vehicle battery via a portable device connector until the portable device's battery is charged to a voltage level sufficient to meet the requested charge ratio. Charging the portable device includes fully charging the portable device's battery at a first voltage range, partially charging the portable device's battery at a second voltage