Communication terminal and method of controlling heat generation thereof

• US 20060001405A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Takao
• Granted Patent: US 7,622,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

The future intra-terminal temperature is estimated on the basis of present intra-terminal temperature and a present service state of the terminal. In addition, the charging of the battery unit is controlled on the basis of the estimated future intra-terminal temperature.

Claims

1. A communication terminal which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

intra-terminal temperature estimation means which estimates future intra-terminal temperature on the basis of present intra-terminal temperature, and a present service state of the terminal; and

charge control means which controls charging of the battery unit on the basis of the future intra-terminal temperature estimated by the intra-terminal temperature estimation means.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the service state of the terminal includes states relating to at least one of a terminal using function, and a consumption current within the terminal.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the intra-terminal temperature estimation means estimates intra-terminal temperature after a predetermined setup time after starting charging, or after a terminal using function is changed.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the intra-terminal temperature estimation means repeatedly estimates intra-terminal temperature after the predetermined setup time whenever the predetermined setup time elapses after estimating the intra-terminal temperature after the predetermined setup time.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

memory means which stores one or more setup times corresponding to each of one or more predetermined functions, wherein, if the terminal is using at least one of the one or more predetermined functions, the intra-terminal temperature estimation means determines an estimated time on the basis of a setup time which corresponds to the one or more predetermined function, which the terminal is using, and is stored in the memory means, and estimates intra-terminal temperature after the estimated time after starting charging, or after the terminal using function is changed.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the charge control means controls charging of the battery unit lest the future intra-terminal temperature should become unusual by the charging and a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

functional limitation means of limiting some or all of a function which is used now lest a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

temperature information storage means of storing intra-terminal temperature information during past charging, wherein the intra-terminal temperature estimation means estimates future intra-terminal temperature on the basis of the present intra-terminal temperature, the present service state of the terminal, and the intra-terminal temperature information stored in the temperature information storage means.

9. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

temperature information storage means of storing intra-terminal temperature information during past charging, wherein the intra-terminal temperature estimation means obtains a change of estimated temperature to charging time according to a service state of the terminal on the basis of the intra-terminal temperature information stored in the temperature information storage means, and estimates the future intra-terminal temperature on the basis of the present intra-terminal temperature and the obtained change of estimated temperature to charging time according to the service state of the terminal.

10. A communication terminal which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising charge control means which, if the terminal is using at least one of predetermined functions during charging, changes a value of reduction of charging current during the charging on the basis of the predetermined functions which the terminal is using.

11. The communication terminal according to claim 10, further comprising a memory means for storing offset values each of which corresponds to each of the predetermined functions, wherein, if the terminal is using at least one of the predetermined functions during charging, the charge control means obtains an offset value which corresponds to the predetermined function which the terminal is using, and changes a value of reduction of charging current during the charging on the basis of the obtained offset value.

12. A method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

a step of estimating future intra-terminal temperature on the basis of present intra-terminal temperature, and a present service state of the terminal; and

a step of controlling charging of the battery unit on the basis of the future intra-terminal temperature estimated.

13. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 12, wherein a service state of the terminal includes states relating to at least one of a terminal using function and a consumption current within the terminal.

18. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 12, wherein the step of controlling charging comprises a step of controlling charging lest the future intra-terminal temperature should become unusual by the charging and a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

19. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 12, further comprising:

a step of limiting some or all of a function which is used now lest a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

20. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 12, wherein the step of estimating future intra-terminal temperature comprises a step of estimating future intra-terminal temperature on the basis of the present intra-terminal temperature, the present service state of the terminal, and intra-terminal temperature information stored in the terminal.

21. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 12, wherein the step of estimating future intra-terminal temperature comprises a step of obtaining a change of estimated temperature to charging time according to a service state of the terminal on the basis of the intra-terminal temperature information stored in the terminal, and estimating the future intra-terminal temperature on the basis of the present intra-terminal temperature and the obtained change of estimated temperature to charging time according to the service state of the terminal.

14. A method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

a first-step of estimating intra-terminal temperature after a predetermined setup time after starting charging on the basis of current intra-terminal temperature and a current service state of the terminal, and

a second step of controlling charging of the battery unit on the basis of the intra-terminal temperature after the predetermined setup time estimated.

15. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 14, further comprising:

a step of checking whether a terminal using function is changed, and

a step of estimating intra-terminal temperature after the predetermined setup time after the terminal using function is changed if the terminal using function is changed after the second step.

16. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 14, further comprising:

a step of repeatedly estimating intra-terminal temperature after the predetermined setup time whenever the predetermined setup time elapses after estimating the intra-terminal temperature after the predetermined setup time.

17. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 14, further comprising:

a step of, if the terminal is using at least one of predetermined functions, determining an estimated time on the basis of a setup time which corresponds to the predetermined function which the terminal is using, and estimating intra-terminal temperature after the estimated time after starting charging, or after the terminal using function is changed.

22. A method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

a step of, if the terminal is using at least one of predetermined functions during charging, changing a value of reduction of charging current during the charging on the basis of the predetermined function which the terminal is using.

23. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication terminal according to claim 22, wherein the step of changing a value of reduction of charging current comprises a step of, if the terminal is using at least one of the predetermined functions during charging, obtaining an offset value which corresponds to the predetermined function which the terminal is using, and changing a value of reduction of charging current during the charging on the basis of the obtained offset value.