MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL DRIVEN BY POWER RECEIVED FROM SECONDARY BATTERY, CHARGE MODE SWITCHING METHOD AND CHARGE MODE SWITCHING PROGRAM EXECUTED IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20070287509A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Yukihiro, Okamoto, Atsumi, Kasamaru, Yoichi, Izumi, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,055,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile phone includes an external power supply terminal receiving power from the external power supply, a secondary battery charging at least part of the received power and supplying the charged power to a load, a radio circuit receiving power from the secondary battery and allowing transmission power to be varied, and a control portion detecting the transmission power level of the radio circuit and switching to any of a plurality of charge modes having different time periods for charging the secondary battery, based on the detected transmission power level.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a power reception portion to externally receive power;

a charge portion to charge at least part of said received power and supply the charged power to a load;

a radio communication portion to receive power from said charge portion and allow transmission power to be varied;

a transmission power detection portion to detect transmission power of said radio communication portion; and

a control portion to switch to any one of a plurality of charge modes having different time periods to charge said charge portion, based on said detected transmission power.

2. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of charge modes include a charge-off mode in which charging is not performed, an intermittent charge mode in which a charge period and a non-charge period are repeated, and a continuous charge mode in which charging is continuously performed, and

said control portion includes a charge mode switching portion to switch to the charge-off mode, if said detected transmission power is a first level, to switch to the intermittent charge mode, if said detected transmission power is a second level at which transmission power is smaller than the first level, and to switch to the continuous charge mode, if said detected transmission power is a third level at which transmission power is smaller than said second level.

3. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein said charge mode switching portion includes a forcedly switching portion to switch to said continuous charge mode until a prescribed period has elapsed, when an output voltage of said charge portion becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value before said prescribed period elapses after said radio communication portion is enabled, in said charge-off mode or in said intermittent charge mode.

4. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein said charge mode switching portion includes a forcedly switching portion to switch to said continuous charge mode when an output voltage of said charge portion becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value, in said charge-off mode or in said intermittent charge mode, while said radio communication portion communicates with a predetermined contact.

5. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, further comprising a switching portion provided between said power reception portion and said charge portion to switch to one of an on state in which power is supplied from said power reception portion to said charge portion and an off state in which power is not supplied, wherein

said control portion further includes a switching control portion to switch said switching portion to the off state in said charge-off mode, to repeat a cycle including a first period in which said switching portion is switched to the on state and a second period in which said switching portion is switched to the off state in said intermittent charge mode, and to switch said switching portion to the on state in said continuous charge mode.

6. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein said charge mode switching portion includes a forcedly switching portion to switch to said continuous charge mode until a prescribed time has elapsed since said radio communication portion was enabled, if said detected transmission power is not said third level.

7. A charge mode switching method performed in a mobile communication terminal, said mobile communication terminal including

a power reception portion to externally receive power,

a charge portion to charge at least part of said received power and supply the charged power to a load, and

a radio communication portion to receive power from said charge portion and allow transmission power to be varied,

said charge mode switching method comprising the steps of:

detecting transmission power of said radio communication portion; and

switching to any one of a plurality of charge modes having different time periods for charging said charge portion, based on said detected transmission power.

8. The charge mode switching method according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of charge modes include a charge-off mode in which charging is not performed, an intermittent charge mode in which a charge period and a non-charge period are repeated, and a continuous charge mode in which charging is continuously performed,

said charge mode switching method further comprising the steps of:

switching to the charge-off mode, if said detected transmission power is a first level;

switching to the intermittent charge mode, if said detected transmission power is a second level at which transmission power is smaller than the first level; and

switching to the continuous charge mode, if said detected transmission power is a third level at which transmission power is smaller than said second level.

9. The charge mode switching method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of switching to said continuous charge mode until a prescribed period has elapsed, when an output voltage of said charge portion becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value before said prescribed period elapses after said radio communication portion is enabled, in said charge-off mode or in said intermittent charge mode.

10. The charge mode switching method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of switching to said continuous charge mode when an output voltage of said charge portion becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value, in said charge-off mode or in said intermittent charge mode, while said radio communication portion communicates with a predetermined contact.

11. The charge mode switching method according to claim 8, wherein said mobile communication terminal further includes a switching portion provided between said power reception portion and said charge portion to switch to one of an on state in which power is supplied from said power reception portion to said charge portion and an off state in which power is not supplied,

said charge mode switching method further comprising the steps of:

switching said switching portion to the off state in said charge-off mode;

repeating a cycle including a first period in which said switching portion is switched to the on state and a second period in which said switching portion is switched to the off state in said intermittent charge mode; and

switching said switching portion to the on state in said continuous charge mode.

12. The charge mode switching method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of switching to said continuous charge mode until a prescribed time has elapsed since said radio communication portion was enabled, if said detected transmission power is not said third level.

13. A charge mode switching program executed in a mobile communication terminal, said mobile communication terminal including

a power reception portion to externally receive power,

a charge portion to charge at least part of said received power and supply the charged power to a load,

a radio communication portion to receive power from said charge portion and allow transmission power to be varied, and

a control portion,

said charge mode switching program causing said control portion to perform the steps of:

detecting transmission power of said radio communication portion; and

switching to any of a plurality of charge modes having different time periods for charging said charge one portion, based on said detected transmission power.

14. The charge mode switching program according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of charge modes include a charge-off mode in which charging is not performed, an intermittent charge mode in which a charge period and a non-charge period are repeated, and a continuous charge mode in which charging is continuously performed,

said charge mode switching program further causing said control portion to perform the steps of:

switching to the charge-off mode, if said detected transmission power is a first level;

switching to the intermittent charge mode, if said detected transmission power is a second level at which transmission power is smaller than the first level; and

switching to the continuous charge mode, if said detected transmission power is a third level at which transmission power is smaller than said second level.

15. The charge mode switching program according to claim 14, further causing said control portion to perform the step of switching to said continuous charge mode until a prescribed period has elapsed, when an output voltage of said charge portion becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value before said prescribed period elapses after said radio communication portion is enabled, in said charge-off mode or in said intermittent charge mode.

16. The charge mode switching program according to claim 14, further causing said control portion to perform the step of switching to said continuous charge mode when an output voltage of said charge portion becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value, in said charge-off mode or in said intermittent charge mode, while said radio communication portion communicates with a predetermined contact.

17. The charge mode switching program according to claim 14, wherein said mobile communication terminal further includes a switching portion provided between said power reception portion and said charge portion to switch to one of an on state in which power is supplied from said power reception portion to said charge portion and an off state in which power is not supplied,

said charge mode switching program further causing said control portion to perform the steps of:

switching said switching portion to the off state in said charge-off mode;

repeating a cycle including a first period in which said switching portion is switched to the on state and a second period in which said switching portion is switched to the off state in said intermittent charge mode; and

switching said switching portion to the on state in said continuous charge mode.

18. The charge mode switching program according to claim 14, further causing said control portion to perform the step of switching to said continuous charge mode until a prescribed time has elapsed since said radio communication portion was enabled, if said detected transmission power is not said third level.