Electric power supplier, method for controlling supplying of electric power, and information processing device

• US 20010040410A1
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Akiba, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,611,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

An electric power supplier includes an alternating/direct current conversion circuit, a first path, a second path, a switch circuit, and a current detection circuit. The alternating/direct current conversion circuit converts an alternating voltage to a direct voltage. One end of the first path is connected to a first load. One end of the second path is connected to the first path, and the other end thereof is connected to a second load. The first and second paths supply output voltage of the alternating/direct current conversion circuit to the first and second loads. The current detection circuit detects a value of the output current flowing through a node between the first and second paths, and controls the switch circuit, formed in the second path, to electrically connect or disconnect the node to/from the second load, based on a detected current value.

Claims

1. An electric power supplier comprising:

an alternating/direct-current conversion circuit which converts an alternating voltage into a direct voltage, and outputs a converted voltage;

a first path, one end of which is connected to said alternating/direct-current conversion circuit, and other end of which is connected to a first load, said first path supplying output voltage of said alternating/direct-current conversion circuit to said first load;

a second path, one end of which is connected to said first path, and other end of which is connected to a second load, said second path supplying output voltage of said alternating/direct-current conversion circuit to said second load;

a switch circuit which is formed in said second path; and

a current detection circuit which detects a value of a current flowing a portion of said first path between said alternating/direct current conversion circuit and a node between said first path and said second path, and controls said switch circuit to electrically connect or disconnect the node to or from said second load, based on a detected current value.

2. The electric power supplier according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said current detection circuit controls said switch circuit to electrically connect or disconnect the node to or from said second load, based on a difference between the detected current value and a predetermined current value, so that the detected current value becomes lower than the predetermined current value.

3. The electric power supplier according to

claim 2

, wherein:

said current detection circuit controls said switch circuit to electrically connect or disconnect the node to or from said second load, in accordance with at least one of the difference between the detected value and the predetermined current value, an integrated result of the difference, and a differentiated result of the difference.

4. The electric power supplier according to

claim 1

, wherein said current detection circuit controls said switch circuit to electrically disconnect the node from said second load, in a case where the detected value of the current is equal to or larger than a reference value which is an output current value of said alternating/direct-current conversion circuit being overloaded, and to electrically connect the node to said second load, in a case where the detected value of the current is lower than the reference value.

5. The electric power supplier according to

claim 4

, wherein said current detection circuit includes a passive element which is formed in a portion of said first path located between said alternating/direct-current conversion circuit and the node, and detects a value of a current flowing through said passive element, and compares a detected value of the current with the reference value.

6. The electric power supplier according to

claim 5

, wherein said current detection circuit includes a current control circuit which:

generates a control signal for controlling an operation of said switch circuit, based on a voltage generated across the passive element; and

supplies said switch circuit with a generated control signal; and

wherein said switch circuit electrically connects or disconnects the node to or from said second load, in accordance with the control signal.

7. The electric power supplier according to

claim 5

, wherein said passive element comprises a fuse.

8. The electric power supplier according to

claim 5

, wherein said passive element comprises a coil included in a noise filter.

9. The electric power supplier according to

claim 6

, wherein:

a signal represents whether said second load is possible to electrically be disconnected from the node; and

said current control circuit generates the control signal for controlling an operation of said switch circuit, in a case where a current flowing through said passive element is equal to or larger than the reference value and the signal sent from said second load represents that said second load is possible to electrically be disconnected from the node.

10. The electric power supplier according to

claim 6

, wherein said first load comprises a voltage-value conversion circuit which converts a voltage having a value of said alternating/direct-current conversion circuit into voltages having a plurality of values, and outputs the plurality of voltage.

11. The electric power supplier according to

claim 10

, wherein said voltage-value conversion circuit is connected to an information processing unit including a microprocessor and a memory.

12. The electric power supplier according to

claim 10

, wherein said second load comprises a battery circuit including a secondary battery;

and

said battery circuit detects whether the secondary battery is fully charged with electricity, and sends a detection signal which represents detection results to said current control circuit; and

said current control circuit generates the control signal for electrically disconnecting the node from said second load, in a case where the current flowing through said passive element is equal to or larger than the reference value and the detection signal represents that the secondary battery is fully charged.

21. An information processing device comprising:

said electric power supplier according to

claim 1

; and

an information processing unit which is connected to said electric power supplier and driven by a voltage, applied thereto and sent from said electric power supplier; and

wherein said information processing unit includes

a memory which stores information,

an operational input section which inputs an instruction,

an input/output control section which performs inputting and outputting processing,

a display section which displays information, and

a processor which supervises a state of said operational input section through said input/output control section, reads out information from said memory and/or an external memory, executes processing based on read information, and controls said display section to display information corresponding to executed processing.

13. A method for controlling supplying of electric power, comprising:

sending electric power to a first load from a power circuit via a first path;

sending electric power to a second load from said power circuit via a second path connected to the first path;

detecting a value of the electric power sent from said power circuit to the first and second loads; and

electrically connecting and disconnecting a node between the first and second paths to or from the second load, based on a detected value of the electric power.

14. The method according to

claim 13

, wherein said electrically connecting and disconnecting includes:

electrically connecting and disconnecting the node to or from the second load, so that the detected value of the power becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined value, based on a difference between the detected value and a predetermined value of the power.

15. The method according to

claim 13

, wherein said electrically connecting and disconnecting includes:

electrically connecting or disconnecting the node to or from the second load, in accordance with at least one of the difference between the detected value of the power and the predetermined value of the power, an integrated result of the difference, and a differentiated result of the difference.

16. The method according to

claim 13

, wherein said electrically connecting and disconnecting includes:

electrically disconnecting the node from the second load, in a case where the detected value of the electric power is equal to or higher than a reference value which is output power of said power circuit being overloaded; and

electrically connecting the node to the second load, in a case where the detected value of the electric power is lower than the reference value.

17. The method according to

claim 16

, wherein said detecting includes:

detecting a value of output power of said power circuit, based on a value of a current flowing through a passive element which is formed in a portion of the first path between said power circuit and the node; and

comparing a detected value with the reference value.

18. The method according to

claim 17

, wherein said detecting includes:

generating a control signal for controlling an operation of a switch circuit which is formed in the second path;

sending the control signal to the switch circuit; and

wherein

said electrically connecting and disconnecting includes connecting and disconnecting the node to or from the second load by controlling the switch circuit, in accordance with the control signal.

19. The method according to

claim 17

, wherein said passive element comprises a fuse, or a coil included in a noise filter.

20. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein said sending the control signal includes:

accepting a permitting signal, for permitting the second load to electrically be disconnected from the node; and

generating the control signal for controlling an operation of said switching circuit, in a case where the detected value of the power is equal to or higher than the reference value and the permitting signal sent from the second load represents that the second load is possible to electrically be disconnected from the node.