MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CHARGING THEREOF

• US 20110151943A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jingao Solar Company Limited (JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Gi Won
• Granted Patent: US 9,172,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

For a mobile terminal and a method for controlling charging thereof, when the remaining power amount of a power supply, including first and second power sources, is less than a minimum power consumption amount required for a call, power is charged using the second power source. The remaining power amount resulting from the charging is compared with a power consumption amount corresponding to a callable time, and information that is associated with the callable time corresponding to a result of the comparison is outputted.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a power supply including first and second power sources;

a controller which determines whether charging of the power supply can be performed using only the second power source when a remaining power amount of the power supply is less than a minimum power consumption amount required for a call, controls charging of power to the power supply using the second power source when it is determined that the charging can be performed using only the second power source, and compares the remaining power amount resulting from the charging of power with a power consumption amount corresponding to a callable time; and

an output unit which outputs information that is associated with the callable time corresponding to a result of the comparison as callable time associated information, under control of the controller.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second power source comprises a solar cell.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time comprises a power consumption amount required for at least one of a call for a certain time, a certain number of call times and a phonebook search for a certain time.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller calculates a charging time required for the remaining power amount to reach the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time using a charging speed of the second power source, and

the output unit outputs the calculated charging time as the callable time associated information under the control of the controller.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs callable state notification information as the callable time associated information under the control of the controller when the comparison result indicates that the remaining power amount is greater than or equal to the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the output unit displays a telephone number list comprising at least one telephone number as the callable time associated information under the control of the controller when the comparison result indicates that the remaining power amount is greater than or equal to the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller activates only modules of the mobile terminal that are related to a basic operation of the mobile terminal until the remaining power amount reaches a certain reference, and

the certain reference comprises the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication unit, which, under the control of the controller, transmits a call signal to a specific party when the comparison result indicates that the remaining power amount is greater than or equal to the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller holds a call connection for a call signal when the call signal is received before the remaining power amount reaches the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the output unit to stop the output of the callable time associated information after a lapse of a certain time.

11. A method for controlling charging of a mobile terminal including first and second power sources, the method comprising:

determining whether a remaining power amount of the mobile terminal is less than a minimum power consumption amount required for a call;

determining whether the charging can be performed using only the second power source, when the remaining power amount is less than the minimum power consumption amount;

charging power to the mobile terminal using the second power source when it is determined that the charging can be performed using only the second power source;

comparing the remaining power amount resulting from the charging with a power consumption amount corresponding to a callable time; and

outputting information that is associated with the callable time corresponding to a result of the comparison as callable time associated information.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second power source comprises a solar cell.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising calculating a charging time required for the remaining power amount to reach the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time using a charging speed of the second power source,

wherein the step of outputting comprises outputting the calculated charging time as the callable time associated information.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of outputting comprises outputting callable state notification information as the callable time associated information when the comparison result indicates that the remaining power amount is greater than or equal to the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of outputting comprises displaying a telephone number list comprising at least one telephone number as the callable time associated information when the comparison result indicates that the remaining power amount is greater than or equal to the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a call signal before the remaining power amount reaches the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time; and

rejecting a call connection for the received call signal.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising transmitting a call signal to a specific party when the comparison result indicates that the remaining power amount is greater than or equal to the power consumption amount corresponding to the callable time.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a power supply which includes at least one power source;

a controller which determines whether charging of the power supply can be performed to a certain reference that is less than a full charging of the power supply using the at least one power source when a remaining power amount of the power supply is less than a minimum power consumption amount of at least one function of the mobile terminal, controls charging of power to the power supply to the certain amount using the at least one power source when it is determined that the charging can be performed using the at least one power source, and compares the remaining power amount resulting from the charging of power with a power consumption amount corresponding to the minimum power consumption amount; and

an output unit which outputs information that is associated with the minimum power consumption amount corresponding to a result of the comparison as callable time associated information, under control of the controller.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 18, wherein the at least one power source comprises a solar cell.

20. The mobile terminal according to claim 18, wherein the controller further determines whether the charging of the power supply to certain amount can be performed within a certain time.