Battery system for camera

• US 5,164,761 A
• Filed: 02/10/1992
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Isono, Kenji, Goto, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOH, JAE
• Application Number:
  US07/833,494
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 354/468, 354/484
• US Class Current: 396/279
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/007 Details of energy supply or management
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• 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 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

There are disclosed a secondary battery detachably mountable on a camera body, a camera body on which such secondary battery is mountable, and a battery system including such secondary battery and such camera body. A system includes a battery pack equipped with a circuit for calculating the charge/discharge amount of the battery and a device for displaying the remaining capacity of the battery obtained from the calculation, the display device being so positioned as to be observable from the rear side of the camera. In another embodiment, a primary battery pack or a secondary battery pack is selectively mounted to the camera body, and a display device on the camera body indicates the remaining capacity of either pack mounted on the camera. In still another embodiment, the calculation of charge/discharge amount is made more precisely, by controlling the timing of calculation according to the on/off timing of loads in the camera such as motors. In another embodiment, the camera body is equipped with a circuit for calculating the charge/discharge amount of battery while the battery pack is provided with a memory for storing its remaining capacity, and information is exchanged between the calculating circuit and the memory. In this manner the remaining capacity can be exactly detected and displayed even when the battery pack is changed.

Claims

1. A battery system for use in a camera, comprising:

a camera body; and

a battery pack to be detachably mounted to the camera body;

the battery pack including;

a reusable secondary battery;

calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery; and

output means for releasing a signal indicating the remaining capacity of said secondary battery, obtained by said calculation; and

the camera body including;

means for receiving said signal, indicating the remaining capacity, from said output means; and

means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity.

2. A camera body to which detachably mountable is a battery pack including a reusable secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery, and output means for releasing a signal, indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation, the camera body comprising:

means for receiving the signal, indicating the remaining capacity, from said output means; and

means for displaying the remaining capacity of battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity.

3. A battery system for use in a camera, comprising:

a camera body;

first battery means including a reusable secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery and output means for releasing a signal indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery obtained from the result of said calculation; and

second battery means including a non-reusable primary battery;

the first battery means and the second battery means being selectively mountable to the camera body;

the camera body including;

means for identifying the kind of mounted battery means;

check means for checking the remaining capacity of the primary battery of said second battery means and releasing a signal indicating the remaining capacity of said primary battery;

means for receiving said signal, indicating the remaining capacity of said secondary battery, from said output means; and

display means for displaying the remaining capacity of said primary or secondary battery;

wherein said display means is adapted to display the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity thereof, when the first battery means is mounted to said camera body, or the remaining capacity of the primary battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity thereof, when the second battery means is mounted to said camera body.

4. A battery pack to be detachably mounted to a camera body, comprising:

a reusable secondary battery;

means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery; and

display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation;

wherein the display of said display means being observable from the rear side of the camera body when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body.

5. A battery pack according to claim 4, further comprising:

first control means for manually controlling the function of said display means; and

second control means for causing said display means to function in relation to the connecting operation of said battery pack to a camera body or a charger.

6. A camera body to which first battery means including a reusable secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said battery, and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery obtained from the result of said calculation, and second battery means including a non-reusable primary battery are selectively mountable, the camera body comprising:

second display means adapted to said second battery means and capable of checking and displaying the remaining capacity of said primary battery;

detection means for detecting that said first battery means is mounted to the camera body; and

control means for controlling said second display means in response to the output of said detection means.

7. A battery system for use in a camera, comprising:

a camera body; and

a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery and information memory means;

the camera body including;

communication means for communicating with said information memory means;

calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery; and

displaying means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation;

wherein information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and stored in said information memory means is transmitted to said calculation means through said communication means when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body, and information, indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained in said calculation means is transmitted to said information memory means through said communication means.

8. A battery system according to claim 7, wherein said camera body further includes means for detecting the mounting and detaching of the battery pack to and from the camera body and respectively releasing first and second timing signals in response to said detections, wherein, in response to said first timing signal, the information stored in said information memory means and indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery is transmitted to said calculation means, and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained in said calculation means is transmitted to and memorized in said information memory means.

9. A battery system for use in a camera, comprising:

a camera body; and

a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery and information memory means;

the camera body including;

communication means for communicating with said information memory means;

calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery;

displaying means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation; and

clock means;

wherein, when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and the time data, both stored in said information memory means, are transmitted through said communication means to said calculation means, which calculates the amount of spontaneous discharge of the secondary battery from said time data and the current time indicated by said clock means, and determines the remaining capacity of the secondary battery from said spontaneous discharge amount and said amount of charge and discharge; and

the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained in said calculation means, and the time data are transmitted through said communication means and stored in said information memory means.

10. A battery system for use in a camera, comprising:

a camera body;

a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery chargeable with a charger, and information memory means; and

a battery charger including first communication means for communicating with said information memory means, and first calculation means for calculating amount of charging of the secondary battery;

the camera body including;

second communication means for communicating with said information memory means;

second calculation means for calculating the amount of discharge of said secondary battery; and

display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained by said calculation means;

wherein, when the charger is connected to the battery pack, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and stored in said information memory means is transmitted through said first communication means to said first calculation means, and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery after charging, obtained from said first calculation means is transmitted to and stored in said information memory means; and

when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and stored in said information memory means is transmitted through said second communication means to said second calculation means, and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained by said second calculation means is transmitted by said second calculation means is transmitted to and stored in said information memory means.

11. A battery system for use in a camera, comprising:

a camera body;

a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery chargeable with a charger, clock means and information memory means; and

a battery charger including first communication means for communicating with said information memory means and first calculation means for calculating the amount of charging of the secondary battery;

the camera body including;

second communication means for communicating with said information memory means;

second calculation means for calculating the amount of discharge of said secondary battery; and

display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained by said calculation means;

wherein, when the charger is connected to the battery pack, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and time data, both stored in said information memory means, are transmitted through said first communication means to said first calculation means, which calculates the amount of spontaneous discharge of the secondary battery based on the time data and determines the remaining capacity of the secondary battery based on said spontaneous discharge amount and said amount of discharge, and the remaining capacity of the secondary battery obtained in said second calculation means is transmitted to and stored in said information memory means.

12. A camera system comprising:

a camera body; and

a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body, including a reusable secondary battery, measurement means for measuring the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery based on the result of measurement by said measurement means, and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of said secondary battery;

the camera body including;

load means for consuming the current supplied from said secondary battery;

control means for effecting on-off control of said load means; and

signal generating means for generating a timing signal indicating the control timing of said control means;

wherein the function timing of said measurement means and said calculation means is controlled according to said timing signal.

13. A camera system according to claim 12, wherein said timing signal controls the start timing of measurement of the amount of the charge and discharge by said measurement means.

14. A camera system according to claim 12, wherein said timing signal controls the timing from start to end of measurement of the amount of charge and discharge by said measurement means.