ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND CHARGING CONTROLLING METHOD

• US 20120200265A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukasawa, Toshinori, Irie, Katsunori
• Application Number:
  US13/369,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20120200265A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic device includes a plurality of connectors, each of which is configured to couple to a different external power supply unit, a battery, a memory configured to store information indicating which of the plurality of connectors may be used to charge the battery, a primary controller configured to select a connector from among connectors which are currently connecting with respective external power supply units based on the stored information, a secondary controller configured to select a connector from among connectors which are currently connecting with respective external power supply units, and a switching portion. The switching portion is configured to couple the battery to the connector selected by the secondary controller when the primary controller is deactivated and to couple the battery to the connector selected by the primary controller when the primary controller is activated.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a plurality of connectors, each of which is configured to couple to a different external power supply unit;

a battery;

a storing portion configured to store information indicating which of the plurality of connectors may be used to charge the battery;

a primary controller coupled to the storing portion and configured to select a connector from among connectors which are currently connecting with respective external power supply units based on the stored information;

a secondary controller configured to select a connector from among connectors which are currently connecting with respective external power supply units; and

a switching portion configured to;

couple the battery to the connector selected by the secondary controller when the primary controller is deactivated; and

couple the battery to the connector selected by the primary controller when the primary controller is activated.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16 wherein

the primary controller is configured to be activated by power supplied from the battery, and

the secondary controller is configured to be activated by power supplied from an external power supply unit to which the secondary controller is currently connected, and to be activated until sufficient charge to activate the primary controller is charged in the battery.

18. The electronic device according to claim 16 wherein

the plurality of connectors includes a bus connector configured to perform data communication with another electronic device and to receive power from the another electronic device,

the storing portion is configured to store information indicating whether the bus connector may be used to charge the battery during data communications, and

the primary controller is configured to control the switching portion to disconnect the bus connector from the battery when the information does not indicate the bus connector may be used to charge the battery during data communications.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18 wherein, when the bus connector is used for charging the battery under control of the primary controller, an amount of power to be supplied from the external power supply unit is determined by data communication performed through the bus connector.

20. The electronic device according to claim 18 wherein the bus connector comprises a USB connector.

21. The electronic device according to claim 17 wherein the primary controller consumes more power than the secondary controller.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a plurality of means for coupling to respective different external power supplies;

a battery;

means for storing information indicating which of the plurality of means for coupling may be used to charge the battery;

primary means for selecting a coupling means from among the plurality of means for coupling which are currently coupled to respective external power supplies based on the stored information;

secondary means for selecting a coupling means from among the plurality of means for coupling which are currently coupled to respective external power supplies; and

means for connecting the battery to;

the coupling means selected by the secondary means for selecting when the primary means for selecting is deactivated; and

the coupling means selected by the primary means for selecting when the primary means for selecting is activated.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22 wherein

the primary means for selecting is configured to be activated by power supplied from the battery, and

the secondary means for selecting is configured to be activated by power supplied from an external power supply to which the secondary means for selecting is connected, and to remain activated until sufficient charge to activate the primary means for selecting is charged in the battery.

24. The electronic device according to claim 22 wherein

the plurality of means for coupling includes means for performing data communication between the electronic device and another electronic device and for receiving power from the another electronic device,

the means for storing is configured to store information indicating whether the means for performing data communications may be used to charge the battery during data communications, and

the primary means for selecting is configured to control the means for connecting to disconnect the means for performing data communications from the battery when the information does not indicate the means for performing data communications may be used to charge the battery during data communications.

25. The electronic device according to claim 24 wherein, when the means for performing data communications is used for charging the battery under control of the primary means for selecting, an amount of power to be supplied from the another electronic device is determined by data communication performed through the means for performing data communications.

26. The electronic device according to claim 24 wherein the means for performing data communications comprises a USB connector.

27. The electronic device according to claim 23 wherein the primary means for selecting consumes more power than the secondary means for selecting.

28. An mobile terminal, comprising:

a display;

a plurality of connectors, each of which is configured to couple to a different external power supply;

a battery;

a memory configured to store information indicating which of the plurality of connectors are available to charge the battery;

a primary controller coupled to the memory and configured to identify connectors of the plurality of connectors which are connected with respective external power supplies and select one of the identified connectors based on the stored information;

a secondary controller configured to identify connectors of the plurality of connectors which are connected with respective external power supply units and select one of the identified connectors; and

a switching portion configured to;

couple the battery to the connector selected by the secondary controller when the primary controller is deactivated; and

couple the battery to the connector selected by the primary controller when the primary controller is activated.

29. The mobile terminal according to claim 28 wherein

the primary controller is configured to be activated by power supplied from the battery, and

the secondary controller is configured to be activated by power supplied from an external power supply unit to which the secondary controller is currently connected, and to remain activated until sufficient charge to activate the primary controller is charged in the battery.

30. The mobile terminal according to claim 28 wherein

the plurality of connectors includes a bus connector configured to perform data communication between the mobile terminal and another device and to receive power from the another device,

the memory is configured to store information indicating whether the bus connector may be used to charge the battery during data communications, and

the primary controller is configured to control the switching portion to disconnect the bus connector from the battery when the information does not indicate the bus connector may be used to charge the battery during data communications.

31. The mobile terminal according to claim 30 wherein, when the bus connector is configured to charge the battery under control of the primary controller, an amount of power to be supplied from the external power supply unit is determined by data communication performed through the bus connector.

32. The mobile terminal according to claim 30 wherein the bus connector comprises a USB connector.

33. The mobile terminal according to claim 29 wherein the primary controller consumes more power than the secondary controller.