Power-supply apparatus and its mounting-completion indication method

• US 5,870,025 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hinohara, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANNAVA, ASHOK K
• Application Number:
  US08/891,980
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636, 340/635, 340/309.15, 429/90, 320/48, 324/426, 324/427, 324/435
• US Class Current: 340/636.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• 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 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

A battery pack and a device, each including a CPU, communicate with each other. When the battery pack is mounted to the device, the CPU of the device reads a voltage V, output from dry cells built in the battery pack, from a positive terminal. The CPU sends a ready signal, and compares the read dry-cell voltage V, and a dry-cell voltage included in dry-cell state information sent from the CPU of the battery pack, in response to the sent ready signal. When the voltages match, the CPU of the device outputs an LEDON signal corresponding to the remaining capacitance of the dry cells. The CPU of the battery pack turns on some of the LEDs, the number of which corresponds to the received LEDON signal for three seconds, to indicate to the user the remaining capacitance of the dry cells. This reports the user the remaining capacitance as well as an indication of the completion of mounting.

Claims

1. A power-supply apparatus, comprising:

a body incorporating at least one dry cell, said body capable of being mounted to a charging device; and

a display means for automatically displaying the remaining capacity of said at least dry cell for a predetermined time after said body has been mounted to the charging device, said predetermined time interval being less than an entire time the body is mounted to the charging device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising instruction means for instructing the display of the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell, wherein said display means displays the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell for the predetermined time interval based on an instruction from said instructing means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means comprises a plurality of LEDs and displays the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell by lighting one or more of the LEDs.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising calculating means for determining the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a resistor connected to said at least one dry cell, wherein said calculating means determines the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell based on the direction of electric current flowing through said resistor.

6. A power-supply system comprising:

a charging device comprising;

first communication means for receiving dry-cell state information from a body of a power-supply apparatus when said body is mounted to said charging device; and

problem determination means for determining whether said body is defective or not defective according to the communicated dry-cell state information before charging begins; and

said power-supply apparatus comprising;

said body incorporating at least one dry cell;

second communication means for receiving a signal indicating that said body is not defective from said problem determination means of said charging device; and

display means for displaying the determination using the received signal.

7. A power-supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said display means displays said determination result for a predetermined time interval.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said power-supply apparatus further comprises instruction means for instructing the display of the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell, wherein said display means displays the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell for a predetermined time interval based on an instruction from said instructing means.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein said display means of said power-supply apparatus comprises a plurality of LEDs and displays the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell by lighting one or more of the LEDs.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein said power-supply apparatus further comprises calculating means for determining the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said power-supply apparatus further comprises a resistor connected to said at least one dry cell, wherein said calculating means determines the remaining capacity of said at least one dry cell based on the direction of electric current flowing through said resistor.

12. A mounting-completion indication method, for a power-supply apparatus having at least one dry cell in its body and mounting the body to a charging device, comprising the step of:

displaying automatically the remaining capacity of the at least dry cell for a predetermined time after the body has been mounted to the charging device, where the predetermined time interval is less than an entire time the body is mounted to the charging device.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of instructing the display of the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell, where in said displaying step, the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell is displayed for the predetermined time interval based on an instruction of said instructing step.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the power-supply apparatus comprises a plurality of LEDs, and the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell is displayed by lighting one or more LEDs of the plurality of LEDs.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of determining the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the power-supply apparatus further comprises a resistor connected to the at least one dry cell, and in said determining step the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell is determined based on the direction of electric current flowing through the resistor.

16. A mounting-completion indication method, for a power-supply system including a charging device and a power supply apparatus having at least one dry cell, comprising the steps of:

a first step, wherein a body of the power supply apparatus communicates dry-cell state information to the charging device when the body is mounted to the charging device;

a second step, wherein the charging device determines whether the body is defective or not defective according to the dry-cell state information communicated in the first step before charging begins;

a third step, wherein the power supply apparatus receives a signal indicating that the body is not defective; and

a fourth step, wherein the body displays the determination result using the received signal.

17. A mounting-completion indication method according to claim 16, further comprising a fifth step, wherein the body stops displaying the determination result after a predetermined time interval.

19. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of instructing the display of the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell, where in said displaying step, the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell is displayed for a predetermined time interval based on an instruction of said instructing step.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein the power-supply apparatus comprises a plurality of LEDs, and the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell is displayed by lighting one or more LEDs of the plurality of LEDs.

21. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of determining the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the power-supply apparatus further comprises a resistor connected to the at least one dry cell, and in said determining step the remaining capacity of the at least one dry cell is determined based on the direction of electric current flowing through the resistor.