MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110074337A1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yoshikazu Adachi
• Original Assignee: Yoshikazu Adachi
• Inventors: ADACHI, Yoshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 8,841,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device comprises at least one solar cell, and voltage-detection means operable to detect an output voltage of the at least one solar cell to obtain a detected output voltage. The electronic device also comprises control means operable to detect an operation of the at least one solar cell based on the detected output voltage, and to perform a predefined control depending on the operation.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

at least one solar cell;

a first voltage-detection module operable to detect the output voltage to obtain a detected output voltage; and

a control module operable to;

detect an operation of the at least one solar cell based on the detected output voltage; and

perform a predefined control based on the operation.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control module detects the operation and performs the predefined control, if a change in the output voltage exceeds a first threshold.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment module operable to amplify the output voltage.

4. The mobile electronic device of claim 3, wherein the adjustment module amplifies the output voltage to a first predefined value to obtain an adjusted voltage, and the control module performs the predefined control if the adjusted voltage exceeds a first threshold, such that likelihood of false detection is reduced.

5. The mobile electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control module is further operable to control the adjustment module such the output voltage is amplified to a first predefined value, if a change in the output voltage is less than a second predefined value.

6. The mobile electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control module is further operable to control the adjustment module such that the output voltage is amplified to a predefined value, if an amount of light detected by a photosensor is less than a third predefined value.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control module is further operable to change a first threshold based on an amount of amplification of the output voltage.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a photosensor; and

a second voltage-detection module operable to detect a photosensor output voltage of the photosensor.

9. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, wherein the control module detects the operation and performs the predefined control, if a difference between the output voltage and the photosensor output voltage is greater than a second threshold.

10. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a case, wherein the at least one solar cell and the photosensor are placed in the case such that their respective portions exposed to an outside are coplanar.

11. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a case; and

a display screen, wherein

the at least one solar cell is transparent such that the display screen is viewable from outside the case through the at least one solar cell.

12. A method for operating a mobile electronic device comprising:

monitoring an output voltage of at least one solar cell;

detecting the output voltage;

detecting an operation of the at least one solar cell based on the output voltage; and

performing a predefined control based on the operation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting the operation of the at least one solar cell, if a change in the output voltage exceeds a first threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising changing the first threshold based on an amount of amplification of the output voltage.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting an operation of a plurality of solar cells and performing a predefined control based on the operation, if a change in an output voltage of some of the solar cells SC out of the plurality of solar cells exceeds the first threshold.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising adjusting output voltage of the at least one solar cell, if the output voltage is less than the second predefined value.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising amplifying the output voltage to a predefined value, if an amount of light detected by a photosensor is less than a third predefined value.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a photosensor output voltage of a photosensor; and

performing a predefined control depending on the operation, if a difference between the output voltage and the photosensor output voltage is greater than a third threshold.

19. A mobile electronic device comprising:

at least one solar cell;

voltage detection means operable to detect an output voltage of the at least one solar cell to obtain a detected output voltage; and

control means operable to;

detect an operation of the at least one solar cell based on the detected output voltage; and

perform a predefined control in response to detecting the operation.

20. The mobile electronic device of claim 19, wherein the at least one solar cell is operable to charge an electronic component and function as an input device.