ELECTRONIC DEVICE, CONTROL DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20190157892A1
• Filed: 11/20/2018
• Published: 05/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: KURODA, HISASHI, TANABE, HIROKI
• Granted Patent: US 10,644,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• 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 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic device includes a charging power determining section and a control section. The charging power determining section determines a state of the charging power with respect to a remaining battery level, with reference to (i) information which indicates whether or not the remaining battery level of a rechargeable battery is lower than a first threshold and (ii) information which indicates whether or not the charging power, which is supplied from an external device to the rechargeable battery, is lower than a second threshold. The control section controls the electronic device to display a result of determination made by the charging power determining section.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a charging power determining section configured to determine a state of charging power with respect to a remaining battery level, with reference to (i) information which indicates whether or not the remaining battery level of a rechargeable battery is lower than a first threshold and (ii) information which indicates whether or not the charging power, which is supplied from an external device to the rechargeable battery, is lower than a second threshold; and

a control section configured to control the electronic device to display a result of determination made by the charging power determining section.

2. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the charging power determining section determines that the remaining battery level is inadequate and that the charging power is adequate, in a case where (i) the remaining battery level is lower than the first threshold and (ii) the charging power is equal to or higher than the second threshold; and

the charging power determining section determines that the remaining battery level and the charging power are inadequate, in a case where the remaining battery level is lower than the first threshold and the charging power is lower than the second threshold.

3. The electronic device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the second threshold is set by the control section so as to be lower (i) in a case where the remaining battery level is equal to or higher than a third threshold than (ii) in a case where the remaining battery level is lower than the third threshold, the third threshold being lower than the first threshold.

4. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to detect an internal temperature of the electronic device,

wherein the control section (i) refers to information which indicates whether or not the internal temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature threshold, (ii) determines, in a case where the internal temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature threshold, that the internal temperature is high, and (iii) reduces the charging power in a case where it is determined that the internal temperature is high.

5. The electronic device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the control section controls the electronic device to display a reduction in charging power made by the control section.

6. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the control section invokes a restriction on a processing speed of the electronic device, in a case where the remaining battery level is lower than a third threshold which is lower than the first threshold; and

the control section removes the restriction, in a case where the remaining battery level is equal to or higher than the third threshold or in a case where the remaining battery level is lower than the first threshold and the charging power is equal to or higher than the second threshold.

7. A control device for controlling an electronic device including a rechargeable battery, said control device comprising:

a charging power determining section configured to determine a state of charging power with respect to a remaining battery level, with reference to (i) information which indicates whether or not the remaining battery level of the rechargeable battery is lower than a first threshold and (ii) information which indicates whether or not the charging power, which is supplied from an external device to the rechargeable battery, is lower than a second threshold; and

a control section configured to control the electronic device to display a result of determination made by the charging power determining section.

8. A method of controlling an electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a state of charging power with respect to a remaining battery level, with reference to (i) information which indicates whether or not the remaining battery level of a rechargeable battery is lower than a first threshold and (ii) information which indicates whether or not the charging power, which is supplied from an external device to the rechargeable battery, is lower than a second threshold; and

(b) controlling the electronic device to display a result of determination made in the step (a).