ELECTRIC POWER CHARGE AND DISCHARGE SYSTEM

• US 20110140655A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: KIMURA, Akihiro, NAGATSUKA, Shuhei
• Granted Patent: US 8,054,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electric power charge and discharge system for an electronic device having a battery, by which the electronic device can be used for a long period of time. In a wireless communication device including a wireless driving portion including a first battery and a wireless charging portion including a second battery, the first battery is charged by electric power from a fixed power supply and the second battery is charged by using electromagnetic waves existing in an external space. Further, the first battery and the second battery are discharged alternately, and during a period in which the first battery is discharged, the second battery is charged.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a battery;

a wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the battery; and

a connector electrically connectable to the battery,

wherein the battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector in a first state and by second electric power from the wireless charge controlling circuit in a second state.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna electrically connected to the wireless charge controlling circuit.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the wireless charge controlling circuit is configured to transform an electromagnetic wave received by the antenna into voltage being capable of charging the battery.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless charge controlling circuit comprises a rectifier circuit, a constant voltage circuit, a booster circuit, and a diode.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a battery;

a charge switching circuit operationally connected to the battery;

a wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit,

wherein the charge switching circuit is configured to select an electrical connection of the battery to either the wireless charge controlling circuit or the connector, and

wherein the battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector in a first state and by second electric power from the wireless charge controlling circuit in a second state.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising an antenna electrically connected to the wireless charge controlling circuit.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the charge switching circuit is configured to transform an electromagnetic wave received by the antenna into voltage being capable of charging the battery.

10. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the wireless charge controlling circuit comprises a rectifier circuit, a constant voltage circuit, a booster circuit, and a diode.

11. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

12. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a battery;

a charge switching circuit operationally connected to the battery;

a wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit;

a connector electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit;

an internal circuit; and

an antenna electrically connected to the internal circuit,

wherein the charge switching circuit is configured to select an electrical connection of the battery to either the wireless charge controlling circuit or the connector, and

wherein the battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector in a first state and by second electric power from the wireless charge controlling circuit in a second state.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is configured to receive a wireless communication signal for operating the internal circuit.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the wireless charge controlling circuit is configured to transform an electromagnetic wave received by the antenna into voltage being capable of charging the battery.

16. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the wireless charge controlling circuit comprises a rectifier circuit, a constant voltage circuit, a booster circuit, and a diode.

17. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

18. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

19. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising a power supply switching circuit configured to select an electrical connection of the internal circuit to either the battery or the wireless charge controlling circuit.

20. A charging method for an electronic device, the charging method comprising the steps of:

charging a battery by first electric power from an external power supply source through a connector when the first electric power is supplied to the connector; and

charging the battery by second electric power received by a wireless method when the first electric power is not supplied to the connector.

21. The charging method for an electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the wireless method is receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space by an antenna.

22. The charging method for an electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

23. The charging method for an electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.