DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure relates to power adapters and more particularly, relates to a smart Alternating Current (AC) adapter provided with multiple charging ports and essential indicators.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The widespread use of electronic devices owes much to their portability, largely facilitated by rechargeable batteries. Such electronic devices, ranging from smartphones to laptops, have become essential tools in daily activities, seamlessly integrating work, communication, and entertainment. However, this convenience is accompanied by a reliance on power supply to such electronic devices. Thus, rechargeable batteries have become essential components of such electronic devices that require regular charging.
[0003] Such rechargeable batteries are generally recharged with a Direct Current (DC) current source when depleted. Therefore, power adapters are used to convert household Alternating Current (AC) power supply to DC power supply to supply power to the electronic device or to recharge the rechargeable batteries of such devices. Further, with the advancement in the electrical field, such adapters are also integrated into switch boards for efficient and convenient charging of the electronic devices. Such integrated adapters make a charging environment smarter and prevent a need to carry an external AC adapter device.
[0004] Figure 1 illustrates an AC adapter 100, in accordance with the state of the art. The AC adapter 100 is configured to convert the AC power supply to the DC power supply. Specifically, the AC adapter 100 converts electrical power from a standard AC power line/supply into a DC power suitable for charging electronic devices. Examples of such electronic devices include, but are not limited to, smartphones, tablets, laptops, speakers, and so forth.
[0005] The AC power supply may correspond to a voltage range from 100V to 240V, depending on a location of the AC adapter 100. The AC adapter 100 may employ various techniques such as, rectification, filtering, voltage regulation, and the like. The rectification may correspond to a process involving conversion of the connected AC power supply to the DC power supply. The filtering corresponds to a process of smoothing of pulsating DC power supply generated as an output of the rectification process. The voltage regulation may correspond to a process to ensure that the generated DC power supply remains within a specified and/or required voltage range. Similarly, the AC adapter 100 may employ any additional process/technique required to obtain the desired DC power supply for recharging the electronic devices.
[0006] The AC adapter 100 includes two Universal Serial Bus (USB) power ports 102, 104 corresponding to different types of configurations. The USB power ports 102, 104 are configured to support different types of electronic devices and corresponding power requirements. The USB power port 102 corresponds to a Type C port that features a small and reversible connector. The USB power port 102 supports easy plugging of a connector wire connected to the electronic device. The USB power port 102 may support modern electronic devices such as, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the like. The USB power port 102 may support high power delivery to enable fast charging of the connected electronic device. The USB power port 104 may correspond to a Type A port that has a rectangular shape and supports electronic devices such as, computers, laptops, gaming consoles, wall-chargers, and the like. The AC adapter 100 may also support other types of ports such as, micro-USB, mini-USB, Type-B, etc.
[0007] However, the AC adapter 100 does not include any indicator for notifying the user about the operational characteristics of the AC adapter 100. For instance, the AC adapter 100 fails to provide any notification about a charging mode, a power load condition, or a charging status of connected load devices. Thus, the AC adapter 100 lacks user-friendliness and ease of use. Moreover, the AC adapter 100 may only provide a specific power supply to the connected load devices and thus fails to meet the dynamic requirements of the different load devices.
[0008] Therefore, conventional adapters lack power adaptability in view of different electronic devices with different power requirements. Moreover, such conventional adapters lack essential indicators corresponding to their operation and associated parameters.
SUMMARY
[0009] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
[0010] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a smart Alternating Current (AC) adaptor is disclosed. The AC adaptor includes at least two universal serial bus (USB) charging ports configured to operate in at least one of a power-sharing mode or a maximum output mode. The AC adaptor further includes one or more indicators configured to indicate at least one of a charging status of one or more of the at least two USB charging ports, a load status of one or more of the at least two USB charging ports, or a battery percentage of one or more load devices connected to one or more of the at least two USB charging ports.
[0011] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
[0013] Figure 1 illustrates an Alternating Current (AC) adapter, in accordance with the state of the art;
[0014] Figure 2 illustrates a smart AC adapter, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0015] Figure 3 illustrates the smart AC adapter, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0016] Figure 4 illustrates a schematic architecture of the smart AC adapter, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0017] Figure 5 illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of the smart AC adapter, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0019] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
[0020] The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
[0021] The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.
[0022] More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”
[0023] Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . .” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”
[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skills in the art.
[0025] Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.
[0026] Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.
[0027] Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.
[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0029] Figure 2 illustrates a smart Alternating Current (AC) adapter 200, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the smart AC adapter 200 may be a standalone adapter, or an adapter integrated within an AC power-board. The smart AC adapter 200 may include at least two Universal Serial Bus (USB) charging ports, and one or more indicators. For simplicity, Figure 2 only shows two USB charging ports 202 and 204, and two indicators 201 and 203. However, it should be noted that any number of USB charging ports and indicators can be used based on specific requirements.
[0030] In an embodiment, the USB charging port 202 may correspond to a Type C port configured to support high and fast power delivery of one or more connected load devices. The USB charging port 204 may correspond to a Type A port also configured to support high and fast power delivery to the one or more connected load devices. In an embodiment, the one or more connected load devices may include, but is not limited to, smartphones, tablets, laptops, speakers, and so forth. In one embodiment, the USB charging port 202 may be configured to supply Direct Current (DC) power ranging from 45 watts to 65 watts, depending on the requirements of the one or more connected load devices. The USB charging port 204 may be configured to support DC power ranging from 18 watts to 45 watts, depending on the requirements of the one or more connected load devices. In an embodiment, the USB charging ports 202 and 204 may be configured to operate in different power modes. In an embodiment, the power mode may include a maximum output mode and a power-sharing mode. In one non-limiting embodiment, in the maximum output mode, the Type C USB charging port 202 may be configured to supply 65 watts of DC power supply, and the Type A USB charging port 204 may be configured to supply 45 watts of DC power supply. In an embodiment, in the power sharing mode, the Type C USB charging port 202 may be configured to supply 45 watts of DC power supply, and the Type A USB charging port 204 may be configured to supply 18 watts of DC power supply. In an embodiment, the USB charging ports 202 and 204 may be configured to simultaneously charge two connected load devices with different power requirements. Further, the USB charging ports 202 and 204 may also be configured to support fast charging of the one or more connected load devices.
[0031] In an embodiment, the USB charging ports 202 and 204 may be supplemented with two indicators 201 and 203, respectively. The indicators 201 and 203 may be suitably placed at any location of the smart AC adapter 200. In an embodiment, the indicators 201 and 203 may be placed adjacent to the USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively.
[0032] In an embodiment, each of the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to notify a user about different operational states of the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204. The indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to indicate status, operational mode, alerts, and other related information corresponding to the USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. Particularly, the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to indicate at least one of a charging status of one or more of the USB charging ports 201 and 203, or a load status of one or more of the USB charging ports 201 and 203. In an embodiment, the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to provide a rapid and intuitive feedback about the status and operation of the smart AC adapter 200 to the user.
[0033] In an embodiment, each of the indicators 201 and 203 may be a Light Emitting Diode (LED) indicator. In an embodiment, each of the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to emit visible light in various colours such as, red, green, yellow, or blue, to communicate different messages to the user. In an embodiment, the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to operate in different light emitting modes, i.e., blink, flash, continuous ON, or an OFF mode, to communicate the different operational modes and/or status of the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively.
[0034] In an embodiment, the indicators 201 and 203 may emit a red light indicating that either there is no load device connected to the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204, or the corresponding USB charging port is unable to charge the one or more connected load devices. Further, the indicators 201 and 203 may emit a green light to indicate that the one or more connected load devices to the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204 are fully charged. Moreover, the indicators 201 and 203 may emit a blue or a yellow light to indicate that the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204, are supplying power or recharging the one or more connected load devices.
[0035] In one embodiment, the indicators 201 and 203 may emit red light to indicate an overload condition and/or a slow charging mode. For instance, the maximum output DC power of the USB charging port 202 is 65W, however, the one or more connected load devices require 80W. In such a case, the USB charging port 202 may be in the overload condition and may not be able to provide sufficient DC power supply to the one or more connected load devices. Thus, the indicator 201 may be configured to emit the red light to notify the load status of the USB charging port 202 to the user as overloaded. The indicator 201 may also be configured to indicate that the one or more connected load devices are charging at a slow rate in view of the low output DC power of the USB charging port 202. Similarly, the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to emit the green light to indicate that the one or more connected load devices are within the power supply range of the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. In particular, the indicators 201 and 203 may be configured to emit the green light to indicate a fast charging of the one or more connected load devices.
[0036] The smart AC adapter 200 may also include a control circuit (not shown in Figure 2) configured to dynamically adjust output power supplies of the USB charging ports 202 and 204 based on power requirements of the one or more connected load devices. In an embodiment, the indicators 201 and 203 may be controlled via the control circuit connected with the USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. In one embodiment, the USB charging ports 202 and 204 and the corresponding indicators 201 and 203, respectively, may be controlled via a single control circuit. In an alternative embodiment, each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204 and the corresponding indicators 201 and 204, respectively, may be connected to individual control circuits configured to monitor and/or control the operation of the USB charging ports 202 and 204 and the corresponding indicators 201 and 204. The details of the control circuit and operation thereof are thoroughly explained in conjunction with Figure 4 and Figure 5 in the forthcoming paragraphs.
[0037] Figure 3 illustrates the smart AC adapter 200, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 3, the smart AC adapter 200 may include a pair of display indicators 301 and 303 corresponding to the USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. For simplicity, Figure 3 only shows two USB charging ports 202 and 204, and two display indicators 301 and 303. However, it should be noted that any number of USB charging ports and display indicators can be used based on specific requirements. In one embodiment, the display indicators 301 and 303 may be connected to and controlled via the control circuit.
[0038] In an embodiment, the pair of display indicators 301 and 303 may be configured to display a level of charge of the one or more connected load devices to the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204. In an embodiment, the smart AC adapter 200 may be configured to determine, for each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, the level of charge of the corresponding one or more connected load devices by monitoring a current drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices. In an embodiment, the level of charge of the corresponding one or more connected load devices may be indicated as a battery percentage via the display indicators 301 and 303. Examples of the display indicators 301 and 303 may include, but are not limited to, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), LED display, Digital Light Processing (DLP) display, and the like.
[0039] In an embodiment, the pair of display indicators 301 and 303 may be disposed above the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. However, embodiments intend to cover or otherwise cover, any suitable placement of the pair of display indicators 301 and 303 over the smart AC adapter 200. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the pair of display indicators 301 and 302 has been shown, however, embodiments also include having a single display indicator for both the USB charging ports 202 and 204.
[0040] In some embodiments, the pair of display indicators 301 and 303 may be configured to display other-related notifications such as, but not limited to, “Charging”, “Overload”, “Alert”, “Charged”, and so forth. The pair of display indicators 301 and 303 may be configured to display visual notification to indicate to the user about the charging mode and/or operating state of the smart AC adapter 200, and a charging status of the one or more load devices connected to the smart AC adapter 200.
[0041] In an embodiment, the pair of display indicators 301 and 303 may be configured to display the required information upon detecting a connection of the one or more load devices to the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. Therefore, the pair of display indicators 301 and 303 may allow the user to identify/check the battery percentage of the load device by connecting to any of the USB charging ports 202 and 204.
[0042] Figure 4 illustrates a schematic architecture of the smart AC adapter 200, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The smart AC adapter 200 may include a transformer circuit 402, a rectifier circuit 404, a filter circuit 406, a first power conversion circuit 408, a second power conversion circuit 410, and a control circuit 412.
[0043] In an embodiment, the transformer circuit 402 may be a step-down transformer circuit. The transformer circuit 402 may be configured to step-down the AC power supply from a primary side of the transformer circuit to a lower value on a secondary side of the transformer circuit 402. For instance, the transformer circuit 402 may be configured to step-down the AC power supply ranging from 100-220V AC on the primary side to 12V-65V AC on the secondary side. In an embodiment, the primary side of the transformer circuit 402 may be connected to a power grid to receive the required power supply. The secondary side of the transformer circuit 402 may be connected to the rectifier circuit 404.
[0044] In an embodiment, the rectifier circuit 404 may be configured to convert the stepped down AC power supply to the DC power supply. The rectifier circuit 404 may be configured to ensure a consistent flow of electrical power in a single direction. In an embodiment, the rectifier circuit 404 may include a set of diodes arranged in a specific configuration. In an embodiment, the output of rectifier circuit 404 may act as an input for the filter circuit 406.
[0045] In an embodiment, the filter circuit 406 may be configured to generate a stabilized DC output power supply from the DC power supply received from the rectifier circuit 404. In particular, the filter circuit 406 may be configured to smoothen the DC power supply generated from the rectifier circuit 404, reducing ripple and producing the stabilized DC output power supply. In an embodiment, the filter circuit 406 may employ one or more filtering components, such as capacitors, inductors, or resistors, arranged to smoothen the rectified power supply effectively.
[0046] In an embodiment, the first and second power conversion circuitries 408 and 410 may be configured to convert the filtered DC power supply to a desired voltage level as required for operation of the USB charging ports 202 and 204. In an embodiment, the first and second power conversion circuitries 408 and 410 may correspond to Switch-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) circuits. In an embodiment, the first power conversion circuit 408 may include an active clamp flyback controller configured to improve an efficiency and performance of the smart AC adapter 200. In an embodiment, the first power conversion circuit 408 may be configured to reduce spikes and ringing, thereby minimizing stress on other components of the smart AC adapter 200. In one embodiment, the active clamp flyback controller may include a passive snubber circuit configured to recover energy that may be radiated as heat. The active clamp flyback controller may be configured to provide a controlled path of energy dissipation during transient events to improve the transient response of the smart AC adapter 200. In an embodiment, the second power conversion circuitry 410 may include a Quasi-Resonant (QR) flyback controller configured to improve efficiency and reduce Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) emissions of the smart AC adapter 200. The QR flyback controller may employ a QR switching technique to achieve the desired objective. The QR flyback controller may be configured to reduce switching losses and minimize stress on the other components of the smart AC adapter 200.
[0047] In an embodiment, the control circuit 412 may be implemented using an Integrated Circuit (IC), for example, IP2738. The control circuit 412 may be operatively connected to the first and second power conversion circuits 408 and 410, and the USB charging ports 202 and 204. The control circuit 412 may be configured to control one or more operations of the active clamp flyback controller and the QR flyback controller. The control circuit 412 may also be configured to control and/or monitor the operation of the USB charging ports 202 and 204 and dynamically adjust output power supplies of the USB charging ports 202 and 204 based on power requirements of the one or more connected load devices. In one embodiment, the control circuit 410 may be configured to control the operations of the indicators 201 and 203, and the pair of display indicators 301 and 303. The IC implemented at the control circuit 410 may be developed using technologies such as allium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC), that support fast-charging applications. The IC may also be referred to as a protocol chip or a master control chip, configured to support the fast-charging standards. The control circuit is explained in greater detail in conjunction with Figure 5 in the forthcoming paragraphs.
[0048] Figure 5 illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of the smart AC adapter 200, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0049] The smart AC adapter 200 may include two SMPS circuits 502 and 504 configured to supply power to the USB charging ports 202 and 204 (as shown in Figures 2-4). In one embodiment, the SMPS circuits 502 and 504 may correspond to the first and the second power conversion circuitries 408 and 410, respectively. In an embodiment, the SMPS circuit 502 may be implemented with the active clamp flyback controller, and the SMPS circuit 504 may be implemented with the QR flyback controller. In one embodiment, the SMPS circuit 502 may be configured to generate a regulated power supply of 45 watts, and the SMPS circuit 504 may be configured to generate a regulated power supply of 20 watts.
[0050] In an embodiment, the SMPS circuits 502 and 504 may be controlled by a control circuit 506. The control circuit 506 may correspond to the control circuit 412 (as shown in Figure 4). In an embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be implemented with an intelligent USB Power Delivery (PD) IC. The control circuit 506 may be configured to control the voltage and current value of each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204. Referring to Figure 5, the control circuit 506 may be directly connected with the SMPS circuits 502 and 504, thereby enabling a high-performance power-sharing functionality with digitally controlled voltage feedback.
[0051] In an embodiment, the control circuit 506 may include a plurality of General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) pins to identify different charging statuses of the USB charging ports 202 and 204. In an embodiment, the plurality of GPIO pins may be connected to the indicators 201 and 203, and/or the display indicators 301 and 303. In an embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be configured to identify the charging status of the USB charging ports 202 and 204 using the plurality of GPIO pins, and operate the indicators 201 and 203 and/or the display indicators 301 and 303 to indicate the identified charging status. The identified charging status may include at least one of not charging, charging, and fully charged. For instance, the control circuit 506 may be configured to operate the indicators 201 and 203 to emit the red light when the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204 are in not charging mode. The control circuit 506 may be configured to operate the indicators 201 and 203 to emit the blue light when the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204 are in the charging mode. The control circuit 506 may be configured to operate the indicators 201 and 203 to emit the green light when the one or more load devices connected to the corresponding USB charging ports 202 and 204 are fully charged. The control circuit 506 may monitor current, and voltage drawn from the USB charging ports 202 and 204 to operate the corresponding indicators 201 and 203, and the display indicators 301 and 303, respectively.
[0052] In one embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be configured to identify a maximum output DC power supply by each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204. The control circuit 506 may also be configured to identify a DC power drawn by the one or more connected load devices to each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204. The control circuit 506 may further be configured to compare, for each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, the maximum output DC power supply with the DC power drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices. In one embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be configured to operate, for each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, the indicators 201 and 203 and/or the display indicators 301 and 303 to indicate the load status as overloaded when the DC power drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices exceeds the maximum output DC power supply. For instance, the control circuit 506 may be configured to operate the indicators 201 and 203 to emit the red light, when the corresponding one or more connected load devices draw more power as compared to the maximum output DC power supply of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. This may indicate that the USB charging port 202 or 204 is overloaded and is operating in a slow charging mode. In another embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be configured to operate, for each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, the indicators 201 and 203 and/or the display indicators 301 and 303 to indicate the load status as in limit when the DC power drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices is within the maximum output DC power supply. For instance, the control circuit 506 may be configured to operate the indicators 201 and 203 to emit the green light, when the corresponding one or more connected load devices draw power within the maximum output DC power supply of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, respectively. This may indicate that the load status of the USB charging port 202 or 204 is in limit and the USB charging port 202 or 204 is operating in a fast charging mode.
[0053] In one embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be configured to determine, for each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, the level of charge of the corresponding one or more connected load devices by monitoring a current drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices. The control circuit 506 may also be configured to operate, for each of the USB charging ports 202 and 204, the display indicators 301 and 303 to indicate the battery percentage of the corresponding one or more connected load devices based on the determined level of charge. In an embodiment, the control circuit 506 may be configured to operate the display indicators 301 and 303 to indicate a battery status of the one or more connected load devices. In particular, the control circuit 506 may configure the display indicators 301 and 303 to indicate a State of Charge (SOC) of the battery associated with the one or more connected load devices.
[0054] The embodiments illustrated above disclose two USB charging ports 202 and 204, however, embodiment intends to cover or otherwise covers any suitable number of USB charging ports integrated with the smart AC adapter (200).
[0055] The present disclosure provides information about the charging status of the user’s device connected to the smart AC adaptor. The present disclosure also provides information about the load status of the USB charging ports which in turn affects the charging speed. The present disclosure also provides information about the battery percentage associated with the user’s device connected to the smart AC adaptor, allowing the user to easily monitor the battery percentage just by connecting the device to the adaptor. Thus, the present disclosure provides a smart and adaptable power adapter configured to improve efficiency and ease of use for the user.
[0056] While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.
,CLAIMS:A smart alternating current (AC) adaptor (200), comprising:
at least two universal serial bus (USB) charging ports (202, 204) configured to operate in at least one of a power-sharing mode or a maximum output mode;
one or more indicators (201, 203, 301, 303) configured to indicate at least one of a charging status of one or more of the at least two USB charging ports, a load status of one or more of the at least two USB charging ports, or a battery percentage of one or more load devices connected to one or more of the at least two USB charging ports.

2. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204) in the power sharing mode, comprises:
a type-C charging port configured to supply 45 watts of direct current (DC) power supply; and
a type-A charging port configured to supply 18 watts of DC power supply.

3. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204) in the maximum output mode, comprises:
a type-C charging port configured to supply 65 watts of DC power supply; and
a type-A charging port configured to supply 45 watts of DC power supply.

4. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control circuit (412, 506) connected to the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204), wherein the control circuit (412, 506) is configured to:
dynamically adjust output power supplies of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204) based on power requirements of the one or more connected load devices; and
control operation of the one or more indicators (201, 203, 301, 303).

5. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control circuit (412, 506) comprises a plurality of General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) pins connected to the one or more indicators (201, 203, 301, 303).

6. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control circuit (412, 506) is further configured to:
identify the charging status of the one or more of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204) using the plurality of GPIO pins; and
operate the one or more indicators (201, 203, 301, 303) to indicate the identified charging status, wherein the identified charging status includes at least one of not charging, charging, and fully charged.

7. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control circuit (412, 506) is further configured to:
identify a maximum output DC power supply by each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204);
identify a DC power drawn by the one or more connected load devices to each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204);
compare, for each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204), the maximum output DC power supply with the DC power drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices; and
perform one of:
operate, for each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204), the one or more indicators (201, 203, 301, 303) to indicate the load status as overloaded when the DC power drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices exceeds the maximum output DC power supply; or
operate, for each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204), the one or more indicators (201, 203, 301, 303) to indicate the load status as in limit when the DC power drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices is within the maximum output DC power supply.

8. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control circuit (412, 506) is further configured to:
determine, for each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204), a level of charge of the corresponding one or more connected load devices by monitoring a current drawn by the corresponding one or more connected load devices; and
operate, for each of the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204), the one or more indicators (301, 303) to indicate the battery percentage of the corresponding one or more connected load devices based on the determined level of charge.

9. The smart AC adaptor (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two USB charging ports (202, 204) are configured to support fast charging of the one or more connected load devices.