Mobile Terminal and Functional Operation Control Method of the Same

• US 20100240419A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Horino, Yoshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes: a battery supplying electric power; a voltage detection portion which detects the voltage of the battery; a function activation control portion which activates a predetermined function at a preset time; and a warning portion which, in reference to a predicted battery voltage at the preset time calculated by subtracting a predicted value of reduced voltage based on a consumed current until the preset time from a detected voltage detected by the voltage detection portion, raises a waning if the predicted battery voltage is smaller than the minimum voltage that is necessary for activating the predetermined function by the function activation control portion.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a battery supplying electric power;

a voltage detection portion which detects a voltage of the battery;

a function activation control portion which activates a predetermined function at a preset time; and

a warning portion which, in reference to a predicted battery voltage at the preset time calculated by subtracting a predicted value of reduced voltage based on a consumed current until the preset time from a detected voltage detected by the voltage detection portion, raises a waning if the predicted battery voltage is smaller than a minimum voltage that is necessary for activating the predetermined function by the function activation control portion.

2. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the consumed current is necessary for detecting an elapsed time until the preset time.

3. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the warning indicates a necessity of charging.

4. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined function includes at least one of functions of ringing an alarm at the preset time, sending an e-mail at the preset time and downloading data at the preset time.

5. A mobile terminal comprising:

a battery supplying electric power;

a voltage detection portion which detects a voltage of the battery;

a function activation control portion which activates a predetermined function at a preset time; and

a function activation restriction portion which, in reference to a predicted battery voltage at the preset time calculated by subtracting a predicted value of reduced voltage based on a consumed current which is necessary for activating currently used functions until the preset time from a detected voltage detected by the voltage detection portion, if the predicted battery voltage is smaller than a minimum voltage that is necessary for activating the predetermined function by the function activation control portion, only a function of detecting an elapsed time until the preset time is activated while restricting activation of other functions until the preset time.

6. A mobile terminal according to claim 5, wherein the consumed current is an average value calculated based on usage state in the past.

7. A mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein said other functions include a communication function, a backlight function and a vibration function.

8. A mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein said currently used functions include at least one of a voice/sound recording or playing function, an image recording or playing function, a TV function and a game function.

9. A mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined function includes at least one of functions of ringing an alarm at the preset time, sending e-mail at the preset time and downloading data at the preset time.

10. A functional operation control method of a mobile terminal which activates a predetermined function at a preset time comprising:

a step of detecting a voltage of the battery;

a step of calculating a consumed current until the preset time;

a step of calculating a predicted value of reduced voltage based on the consumed current until the preset time;

a step of calculating a predicted battery voltage at the preset time by subtracting the predicted value of reduced voltage from the detected voltage; and

a step of raising a waning if the predicted battery voltage is smaller than a minimum voltage that is necessary for activating the predetermined function by the function activation control portion.

11. A functional operation control method of a mobile terminal which activates a predetermined function at a preset time comprising:

a step of detecting a voltage of the battery;

a step of calculating a consumed current until the preset time;

a step of calculating a predicted value of reduced voltage based on the consumed current until the preset time;

a step of calculating a predicted battery voltage at the preset time by subtracting the predicted value of reduced voltage from the detected voltage; and

a step of activating only a function of detecting an elapsed time until the preset time while restricting activation of other functions until the preset time if the predicted battery voltage is smaller than a minimum voltage that is necessary for activating the predetermined function by the function activation control portion.

12. A functional operation control method of a mobile terminal according to claim 11, wherein said other functions include a communication function, a backlight function and a vibration function.