ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND CAPACITOR CAPACITANCE DETECTION METHOD APPLIED TO THE SAME

• US 20150280481A1
• Filed: 06/10/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsushita, Hiroki, Katou, Takehiko, Kawashima, Osamu, Ikeda, Erika
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24 by varying capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/26 Measuring inductance or capacitance; Measuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance method; Measuring loss factor; Measuring dielectric constants ; Measuring impedance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a capacitor, a power supply device, a discharger and a capacitance detector. The capacitor is used as a backup power supply. The power supply device charges the capacitor. The discharger discharges the capacitor. The capacitance detector maintains a terminal voltage of the capacitor at a given level for a predetermined time, by controlling an operating time of the power supply device. The capacitance detector allows the discharger to start the discharge the predetermined time later. The capacitance detector detects a capacitance of the capacitor based on a transient response characteristic of the discharge.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a memory configured to store data;

a capacitor configured to store electrical energy;

a first circuit configured to supply the electrical energy to the capacitor; and

a second circuit configured to

charge the electrical energy of the capacitor for a first time range from a first time to a second time while the first circuit supplies the electrical energy to the capacitor, and

discharge the electrical energy of the capacitor for a second time range from the second time to a third time while the first circuit supplies the electrical energy to the capacitor.

2. An electronic device comprising:

a memory configured to store data;

a capacitor configured to store electrical energy;

a first circuit configured to supply the electrical energy to the capacitor; and

a second circuit configured to

saturate the capacitor with the electrical energy by maintaining a terminal voltage of the capacitor for a first time range from a first time to a second time,

discharge the electrical energy of the capacitor for a second time range from the second time to a third time while the first circuit supplies the electrical energy to the capacitor, and

increase the terminal voltage after the third time.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the second circuit comprises a discharge controller configured to detect the third time, before the first time, when the terminal voltage reaches a second voltage or higher, the second voltage being lower than a first voltage associated with the power supplier.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the discharge controller is further configured to stop the discharge effected by the second circuit when the terminal voltage reaches a third voltage or lower, the third voltage being lower than the second voltage.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the second circuit is configured to calculate the capacitance of the capacitor further based on a second time range from starting the discharge to end of the discharge.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising an intermittent charge controller configured to intermittently charge the capacitor, wherein the second circuit is further configured to inhibit operation of the intermittent charge controller at least during a third time range from the third time to the second time.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the intermittent charge controller is further configured to stop intermittent charge control by detecting that the terminal voltage has reached a first threshold voltage or higher and to start the intermediate charge control by detecting that the terminal voltage has reached a second threshold voltage or lower, the second threshold voltage being lower than the first threshold voltage.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

a first voltage detector configured to detect that the terminal voltage is the second voltage or higher; and

a second voltage detector configured to detect that the terminal voltage is the third voltage or lower,

wherein the second circuit is further configured to detect a fourth time range from the third time, when the first voltage detector detects that the terminal voltage is the second voltage or higher, to at least the second time, and to stop the discharge when the second voltage detector detects that the terminal voltage is the third voltage or lower.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the second threshold voltage is equal to the third voltage;

the intermittent charge controller comprises a Schmitt trigger configured to detect that the terminal voltage is the third voltage or lower; and

the Schmitt trigger comprises the second voltage detector.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first threshold voltage is equal to the first voltage.