BATTERY-POWERED APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE APPARATUS, PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING THE PROGRAM

• US 20070046262A1
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: TOHYAMA, Kei
• Granted Patent: US 7,786,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage

Abstract

A battery-powered apparatus which makes it possible to perform battery check with accuracy irrespective of whether a battery is used as an internal battery or an external battery and make the end voltages of the internal battery and the external battery coincide with each other. It is determined whether the battery or an accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus, and a predetermined voltage threshold level is set based on the determination result. The voltage value of the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein is detected, and the detected voltage value and the voltage threshold level are compared with each other to decide whether or not it is possible to drive the apparatus.

Claims

1. A battery-powered apparatus configured in such a manner that a battery is directly attached to the apparatus and an accessory having the battery incorporated therein is attached to the apparatus, comprising:

a determining unit that determines whether the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus;

a setting unit that sets a predetermined voltage threshold level based on a result of the determination by said determining unit;

a detecting unit that detects a voltage value of the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein; and

a deciding unit that compares the voltage value detected by said detecting unit and the voltage threshold level set by said setting unit with each other to decide whether it is possible to drive the apparatus.

2. A battery-powered apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting unit sets the voltage threshold level in such a manner that a voltage threshold level for use in a case where the battery is directly attached to the apparatus is higher than a voltage threshold level for use in a case where the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus.

3. A battery-powered apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting unit sets the voltage threshold level based on a difference between a power supply impedance exhibited in a case where the battery is directly attached to the apparatus and a power supply impedance exhibited in a case where the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus.

4. A battery-powered apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage threshold level is set based on a minimum voltage with which it is possible to drive the apparatus.

5. A battery-powered apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage threshold level is set based on a discharge stop voltage of the battery.

6. A battery-powered apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery-powered apparatus comprises a camera.

7. A method of controlling a battery-powered apparatus configured in such a manner that a battery is directly attached to the apparatus and an accessory having the battery incorporated therein is attached to the apparatus, comprising:

a determining step of determining whether the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus;

a setting step of setting a predetermined voltage threshold level based on a result of the determination in said determining step;

a detecting step of detecting a voltage value of the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein; and

a deciding step of comparing the voltage value detected in said detecting step and the voltage threshold level set in said setting step with each other to decide whether it is possible to drive the apparatus.

8. A method of controlling a battery-powered apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in said setting step, the voltage threshold level is set in such a manner that a voltage threshold level for use in a case where the battery is directly attached to the apparatus is higher than a voltage threshold level for use in a case where the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus.

9. A method of controlling a battery-powered apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in said setting step, the voltage threshold level is set based on a difference between a power supply impedance exhibited in a case where the battery is directly attached to the apparatus and a power supply impedance exhibited in a case where the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus.

10. A method of controlling a battery-powered apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the voltage threshold level is set based on a minimum voltage with which it is possible to drive the apparatus.

11. A method of controlling a battery-powered apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the voltage threshold level is set based on a discharge stop voltage of the battery.

12. A battery-powered apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the battery-powered apparatus comprises a camera.

13. A program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a battery-powered apparatus configured in such a manner that a battery is directly attached to the apparatus and an accessory having the battery incorporated therein is attached to the apparatus, comprising:

a determining module for determining whether the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus;

a setting module for setting a predetermined voltage threshold level based on a result of the determination by said determining module;

a detecting module for detecting a voltage value of the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein; and

a deciding module for comparing the voltage value detected by said detecting module and the voltage threshold level set by said setting module with each other to decide whether it is possible to drive the apparatus.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program according to claim 13.