Charging scheme

摘要

Mobile devices have limited power sources. In some cases, such as camera flash operations in cell phones or digital cameras, the power required to provide bright illumination is significant and exceeding the battery voltage level. In order to supply burst power or continuous high power to light sources, such as white LEDs (light emitting diodes), mobile devices typically employ charge storage functioning as energy reservoir that can supply the required power. One such charge storage is a supercapacitor that can supply the needed power repeatedly by discharging and recharging. Various embodiments of the present invention include devices and methods for providing the charge energy and controlling the charge and discharge operations.

主权项

1. A device for controllably providing charge energy, the device comprising:
a power source with a positive lead and a negative lead; charge storage associated with a capacitive circuit assembly having a tap between a first part of the capacitive circuit assembly and a second part of the capacitive circuit assembly; a first charge path including a first positive switch and a first negative switch and disposed between the positive lead and the negative lead, the first charge path traversing the first part of the capacitive circuit assembly, the first positive switch and the first negative switch being dedicated to the first charge path; and a second charge path including a second positive switch and a second negative switch and disposed between the positive lead and the negative lead, the second charge path traversing the second part of the capacitive circuit assembly, the second positive switch and the second negative switch being dedicated to the second charge path, the first and second charge paths each having an input operatively coupled to a voltage regulator and adapted to provide charge current control.