ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20170269131A1
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: YOKOTA, Ryuhei, MUKAIYAMA, Toshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/007 Adapted for special tariff measuring G01R21/01, G01R21/02, G01R21/08, G01R21/10, G01R21/1278 and G01R21/1333 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/50 Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/00 Monitoring; Testing of line transmission systems H04B3/46; arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves H04B10/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a transformer connected to a power supply device, a super capacitor chargeable with an output of the transformer, a voltage converter connected to the transformer, a processor having a power supply terminal supplied with an output of the voltage converter, first and second photo-couplers connected to the power supply device, and a capacitor connected to a primary side of the second photo-coupler through a resistor. The primary side of the second photo-coupler is grounded via a pull-down resistor. The processor includes first and second terminals connected to the first and second photo-couplers and a third terminal supplied with a charging voltage of the super capacitor.

Claims

1. An electronic device connectable to an external power supply device and operated with a voltage from the external power supply device, the electronic device comprising:

a transformer supplied with the voltage from the external power supply device;

an electric double-layer capacitor charged with an output voltage of the transformer;

a voltage converter connected to an output of the transformer;

a processor comprising a power supply terminal supplied with an output voltage of the voltage converter;

first and second photo-couplers supplied with the voltage from the external power supply device; and

a capacitor connected to a primary side of the second photo-coupler through a resistor, wherein

the primary side of the second photo-coupler is grounded via a pull-down resistor in the external power supply device, and

the processor comprises first and second terminals supplied with outputs of the first and second photo-couplers and a third terminal supplied with a charging voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor, and configured to detect occurrence of power failure or detachment of the electronic device from the external power supply device in response to a combination of states of the first, second and third terminals.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to start determination of the occurrence of power failure in response to variation in level of the first terminal and to start determining whether the detachment is executed or not in response to variation in level of the second terminal.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein

the processor is configured to detect the occurrence of power failure or the detachment when the processor detects a state in which the level of the first terminal is a first level at a first number of times.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to start determining whether power is recovered from the power failure or not, or whether reattachment is executed or not in response to variation in level of the first terminal or power-on reset.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein

the processor is configured to detect a state in which the power is recovered from the power failure when the processor detects a state in which a level of the first terminal and a level of the third terminal are first levels at a first number of times, and

the processor is configured to detect the reattachment when the processor detects a state in which the level of the first terminal, a level of the second terminal and a level of the third terminal are second levels at second number of times.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the external power supply device comprises a power meter, and the processor comprises a communication unit which is configured to conduct communication with the power meter, another meter or a network, to transmit a power failure detection result or a detachment detection result to the network and to transmit received meter reading data to the network.

7. A method for an electronic device connectable to a power supply device and operated with a voltage from the power supply device,

the electronic device comprising:

a transformer supplied with the voltage from the power supply device;

an electric double-layer capacitor charged with an output voltage of the transformer;

a voltage converter connected to an output of the transformer;

a processor comprising a power supply terminal supplied with an output voltage of the voltage converter;

first and second photo-couplers supplied with the voltage from the power supply device; and

a capacitor connected to a primary side of the second photo-coupler through a resistor, wherein

the primary side of the second photo-coupler is grounded via a pull-down resistor in the power supply device, and

the processor comprises first and second terminals supplied with outputs of the first and second photo-couplers and a third terminal supplied with a charging voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor,

the method comprising;

detecting occurrence of a power failure or detachment of the electronic device from the power supply device in response to a combination of states of the first, second and third terminals.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

starting determination of occurrence of a power failure in response to variation in level of the first terminal; and

starting determining whether the detachment is executed or not in response to variation in level of the second terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

detecting the occurrence of power failure or the detachment when it is detected that the level of the first terminal is a first level at a first number of times.

10. The method of claim 7, comprising:

starting determining whether power is recovered from the power failure or not, or whether reattachment is executed or not in response to variation in level of the first terminal or power-on reset.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

detecting a state in which power is recovered from the power failure when it is detected that a level of the first terminal and a level of the third terminal are first levels at a first number of times, and

detecting the reattachment when it is detected that the level of the first terminal, a level of the second terminal and a level of the third terminal are second levels at a second number of times.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein

the power supply device comprises a power meter, and the processor comprises a communication unit which is configured to conduct communication with the power meter, another meter or a network, and

the processor is configured to receive meter reading data from the power meter or the other meter, to transmit the received meter reading data to the network, and to transmit a power failure detection result or a detachment detection result to the network.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a power supply device; and

a communication device attached to the power supply device, wherein

the power supply device comprises;

a first transceiver configured to communicate with the communication device;

a converter configured to output a DC voltage from a commercial power supply; and

a detection terminal connected to a ground of the commercial power supply via a pull-down resistor, the communication device comprises;

a second transceiver configured to communicate with the first transceiver;

a transformer supplied with an output of the converter;

an electric double-layer capacitor charged with an output voltage of the transformer;

a voltage converter configured to convert the output voltage of the transformer and to supply the voltage to the second transceiver;

first and second photo-couplers supplied with the output of the converter; and

a capacitor connected to a primary side of the second photo-coupler through a resistor, wherein

the second transceiver comprises first and second terminals supplied with outputs of the first and second photo-couplers, and a third terminal supplied with a charging voltage of the electric double-layer capacitor,

occurrence of a power failure or detachment of the electronic device from the power supply device is detected in response to a combination of states of the first, second and third terminals.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein

the processor is configured to start determination of occurrence of power failure in response to variation in level of the first terminal and to start determining whether the detachment is executed or not in response to variation in level of the second terminal.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein

when the processor detects a state in which the level of the first terminal is a first level at a first number of times, the processor is configured to detect the occurrence of power failure or the detachment.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein

the processor is configured to start determining whether power is recovered from the power failure in response to variation in level of the first terminal or power-on reset or not, or determining whether reattachment is executed or not.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein

the processor is configured to detect a state in which the power is recovered from the power failure when the processor detects a state in which the level of the first terminal and a level of the third terminal are first levels at a first number of times, and

the processor is configured to detect the reattachment when the processor detects a state in which the level of the first terminal, a level of the second terminal and a level of the third terminal are second levels at a second number of times.

18. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein

the power supply device is a power meter, and the processor is a communication unit which is configured to conduct communication with the power meter, the other meter or a network, to transmit a power failure detection result or a detachment detection result to the network and to transmit received meter reading data to the network.