ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, CONTROL PROGRAM, AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20160351365A1
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: HATTORI, MASASHI, SHIMURA, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 10,026,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/00 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/08 responsive to excess current responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/087 for dc applications
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/243 for DC systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/083 responsive to the entry or leakage of a liquid into an electrical appliance moisture alarm G08B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/02 responsive to excess current current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025

Abstract

Electronic equipment, includes: a power reception unit that receives electric power supplied from another electronic equipment to be connected; a proximity detection unit that detects proximity of the other electronic equipment; a detection unit that applies prescribed voltage to the power reception unit and detects an adhesion state of a conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit, when proximity of the other electronic equipment is detected; and a control unit that limits electric power supply through the power reception unit in accordance with the adhesion state of the conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment, comprising:

a power reception unit that receives electric power supplied from another electronic equipment to be connected;

a proximity detection unit that detects proximity of the other electronic equipment;

a detection unit that applies prescribed voltage to the power reception unit and detects an adhesion state of a conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit, when proximity of the other electronic equipment is detected; and

a control unit that limits electric power supply through the power reception unit in accordance with the adhesion state of the conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit.

2. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit disconnects electric power supply through the power reception unit, when adhesion of the conductive foreign substance is detected in the power reception unit.

3. The electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the power reception unit includes:

a power terminal that receives supply of drive power of the electronic equipment; and

a signal terminal that performs signal transfer to and from the other electronic equipment, and wherein

the control unit connects a path of supplying drive power from the power terminal to the electronic equipment and connects a path of signal transfer to and from the other electronic equipment through the signal terminal, when adhesion of the conductive foreign substance is not detected in the power reception unit.

4. The electronic equipment according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit includes:

a path of applying prescribed voltage to the power terminal, a path of supplying drive power to the electronic equipment, the drive power being supplied from the power terminal; and

a path of putting the power terminal in a disengaged state, and

when adhesion of the conductive foreign substance is detected in the power reception unit, the control unit switches the path to the power terminal from the path of applying prescribed voltage to the path of putting the power terminal in the disengaged state, and when adhesion of the conductive foreign substance is not detected in the power reception unit, the control unit switches the path to the power terminal from the path of applying prescribed voltage to the path of supplying drive power to the electronic equipment.

5. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a control program executable by a computer, the computer including a power reception unit that receives electric power supplied from another electronic equipment to be connected and a proximity detection unit that detects proximity of the other electronic equipment, wherein

the program instructs the computer to execute:

applying prescribed voltage to the power reception unit and detecting an adhesion state of a conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit, when proximity of the other electronic equipment is detected; and

limiting electric power supply through the power reception unit in accordance with the adhesion state of the conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit.

6. A control method executed by a computer, the computer including a power reception unit that receives electric power supplied from another electronic equipment to be connected and a proximity detection unit that detects proximity of the other electronic equipment, wherein

the control method comprises:

applying, by a processor, prescribed voltage to the power reception unit and detecting, by the processor, an adhesion state of a conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit, when proximity of the other electronic equipment is detected; and

limiting, by the processor, electric power supply through the power reception unit in accordance with the adhesion state of the conductive foreign substance in the power reception unit.