Automobile charger

Abstract

A novel automobile charger comprises a direct current (DC) voltage supply, wherein a positive pole of the (DC) voltage supply is connected with a first end or a first lead of a DC-to-DC module, a first end of a battery voltage detection module and a first end of a load module simultaneously, while a negative pole of the DC voltage supply is connected with a second end of the DC-to-DC module, a first end of a microcontroller, a first end of an automobile start control module and a second end of the battery voltage detection module simultaneously. A third end of the DC-to-DC module is connected with a second end of the microcontroller. Third, fourth and fifth ends of the microcontroller are connected with a third end of the battery voltage detection module, a second end of the automobile start control module and a first end of a load detection module respectively. A second end of the load detection module is connected with a third end of the automobile start control module and a second end of the load module simultaneously.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A jumpstarter device, comprising:
 a power supply connected to a microcontroller via a voltage regulator;   a power supply voltage detector, connected to the microcontroller, to detect a power supply voltage;   a load detector, connected to the microcontroller, to detect a connection to an automobile battery, wherein the microcontroller generates an output signal based on a detected power supply voltage in response to a detected connection;   switching circuitry including a plurality of MOSFETs to selectively connect a terminal of the power supply to the automobile battery when the microcontroller generates the output signal, such that the power supply supplies a charging current to the automobile battery; and   a boost device for boosting a gate voltage of the plurality of MOSFETs.   
     
     
         8 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , the voltage regulator comprising a voltage stabilizer connected to a resistor, a capacitor, and the microcontroller. 
     
     
         9 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the load detector comprises a resistor in parallel with a capacitor, the resistor and capacitor connected to the microcontroller. 
     
     
         10 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller comprises a plurality of ports, the ports including a power supply port, a ground port, an output signal port, and a switching circuitry port. 
     
     
         11 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the switching circuitry is connected to the microcontroller via the boost device, and the plurality of MOSFETs are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         12 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller:
 generates the output signal to cause the switching circuitry to connect the power supply to the automobile battery when the automobile battery is properly connected and the detected power supply voltage is above a threshold; and   generates the output signal to cause the switching circuitry to disconnect the power supply from the automobile battery when i) the detected power supply voltage is below the threshold, or ii) the automobile battery is improperly connected.   
     
     
         13 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller causes the switching circuitry to disconnect the power supply from the automobile battery when the automobile battery has a higher voltage than the power supply. 
     
     
         14 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the output signal causes the switching circuitry to disconnect the power supply from the automobile battery to prevent recharging of the power supply by the automobile battery. 
     
     
         15 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the voltage regulator is a direct-current to direct-current (DC-DC) converter. 
     
     
         16 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the load detector prevents improper user operation of the jumpstarter device. 
     
     
         17 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the load detector detects a reversed polarity condition. 
     
     
         18 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the load detector is connected to a negative terminal of the plurality of MOSFETs. 
     
     
         19 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) controlled by the microcontroller. 
     
     
         20 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein a portion of the load detector is connected in parallel with the plurality of MOSFETs. 
     
     
         21 . The jumpstarter device of  claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller causes the device to enter a standby mode when a voltage of the power supply is less than 9V and allows operation when the voltage of the power supply is greater than 10V. 
     
     
         22 . A method for a device to charge an automobile battery comprising:
 detecting a voltage level of a power supply;   detecting a connection and a type of connection between the power supply and the automobile battery;   generating, by a microcontroller receiving power from the power supply, an output signal based on the voltage level of the power supply, the connection to the automobile battery and the type of connection of the automobile battery;   based on the output signal, selectively connecting the power supply to the automobile battery by activating a plurality of MOSFETs; and   based on the output signal, selectively disconnecting the power supply from the automobile battery to prevent damage caused by over-discharging of the power supply.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a boost device boosts the gate voltage of the plurality of MOSFETs. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the type of connection of the automobile battery is a correct polarity connection or an incorrect polarity connection.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the output signal:
 causes the plurality of MOSFETs to connect the power supply to the automobile battery when the type of connection is a correct polarity connection and the voltage level of the power supply is above a threshold; and   cause the plurality of MOSFETs to disconnect the power supply from the automobile battery when i) the level of the power supply is below the threshold, or ii) the type of connection is an incorrect polarity connection.   
     
     
         26 . A system for jumpstarting an automobile battery comprising:
 a power supply;   means for detecting a voltage level of the power supply;   means for detecting whether a connection with an automobile battery is a correct polarity connection or an incorrect polarity connection;   a microcontroller configured to generate an output signal based on the voltage level of the power supply and whether the connection with the automobile battery is a correct polarity connection or an incorrect polarity connection; and   means for selectively enabling current to flow from the power supply to the automobile battery based on the output signal; and   a boost device for boosting a voltage associated with the means for selectively enabling current to flow from the power supply to the automobile battery based on the output signal.