Re: [PATCH v7 1/4] gadget: Introduce the usb charger framework

[Pavel Machek <pavel@ucw.cz>]

Hi!

On Mon 2016-04-18 10:59:23, David Laight wrote:
> From: Pavel Machek
> > Sent: 18 April 2016 11:40
> ...
> > > >> > Actually, less is not stupid. Charging li-ion battery from li-ion battery might
> > > >> > be stupid. Imagine I'm on train, with device like N900 (50% battery) and power bank
> > > >> > (3Ah). I'm actively using the device. If I let it charge at full current, I'll waste
> > > >> > energy. If I limit current to approximately the power consumption, it will run the
> > > >> > powerbank empty, first, then empty the internal battery, maximizing total time I
> > > >> > can use the device.
> > > >>
> > > >> why would you waste energy ? What the charger chip would do is charge
> > > >> battery to maximum then just to maintenance charge from that point
> > > >> on. Where is energy being wasted other than normal heat dissipation ?
> > > >
> > > > Physics 101, of course wasted energy goes to heat. Lets not waste
> > > > energy by charging li-ion from li-ion when it is not required.
> > >
> > > your cellphone has no means to know that it's connected to a Li-Ion
> > > battery. We don't have visibility on what we're connected to, just how
> > > much it can source.
> > 
> > But cellphone user knows what he connected his charger to, and that's
> > why it is useful to be able to lower the current. Even when you said
> > "less is just stupid" I demonstrated it is not, at least in case when
> > your power source is a battery.
> 
> It reality you may want the phone/tablet to be configurable to take power
> from USB, but disable the li-ion charging circuit.
> That will maximise the time you get when running from an external battery.
> I connect my tablet to the 1A output (which discharges the internal battery
> slowly) rather than the 2A one (which will charge it with some
> cables).

Yes, being able to power device from external without charging the
battery is useful, too.

But I'd still like to control individual currents, too. If I have
power bank and two devices, I may want to select which one charges
faster.

Best regards,									
									Pavel
-- 
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