Alarm circuit for residual capacity of battery in portable radio transmitting and receiving apparatus

• US 5,936,534 A
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yokota, Hidetsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/098,723
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636, 340/539, 324/426, 324/433, 324/435, 320/48
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing

Abstract

Voltage setting information designating a battery voltage for initiating alarming and alarm setting information designating a method for outputting the alarm are input from a keying section and variably stored in a memory. A computing section compares battery voltage information in a battery detected by a battery voltage detecting section with the voltage setting information and, when the voltage in the battery voltage information is lower than the voltage in the voltage setting information, outputs an alarm sound signal or a call incoming lamp signal based on the alarm setting information to give the alarm to a user by sounding the alarm using a sound source or by emitting light using a call incoming lamp. This construction enables the residual capacity of the battery, at which alarming is initiated, and a method for giving the alarm to be varied as desired by a user.

Claims

1. An alarm circuit for the residual capacity of a battery in a portable radio transmitting and receiving apparatus, comprising:

a memory for storing an alarm voltage of said battery, and a sound alarm generated through either a speaker or a receiver;

means for detecting a voltage of said battery to generate a detected voltage;

means for comparing said detected voltage with said alarm voltage to generate an alarm signal, when said detected voltage is lower than said alarm voltage to drive said speaker when said apparatus is in a waiting state and to drive said receiver when said apparatus is in a speaking state; and

means for controlling one of said speaker and receiver to be driven in accordance with said sound alarm selected when said alarm signal is generated.

2. The alarm circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein;

said memory stores said alarm voltage and said alarm in accordance with input operation from a key board unit.

9. The alarm circuit as defined in claim 1, further comprising a visual alarm, wherein the means for comparing alternatively generates the alarm signal for driving the visual alarm as controlled by the means for controlling.

10. The alarm circuit as defined in claim 9, wherein the visual alarm is a lamp used for indicating the receipt of a call.

3. An alarm circuit, for the residual capacity in a portable radio transmitting and receiving apparatus, which monitors the output voltage of a battery used as a power source of the portable radio transmitting and receiving apparatus and, upon detection of a signal informing that the voltage approaches the lowest usable voltage of the portable radio transmitting and receiving apparatus, gives a sound alarm generated through either a speaker or a receiver to a user,

wherein the alarm circuit comprises means, which registers voltage setting information for designating a battery voltage for initiating the alarming and registers alarm setting information for designating a method for outputting the alarm through said speaker when said apparatus is in a waiting state and through said receiver when said apparatus is in a speaking state, and, based on the user'"'"'s designation, can set, as desired, a margin time, defined as the time taken from the initiation of the alarming to the point of time when the portable radio transmitting and receiving apparatus becomes actually unusable.

4. The alarming circuit according to claim 3, which comprises:

memory means for storing the voltage setting information and alarm setting information; and

a keying section that permits the voltage setting information and the alarm setting information to be keyed by the user and be stored in the memory, and permits the voltage setting information and alarm setting information stored in the memory to be varied.

5. The alarming circuit according to claim 3, which further comprises:

a computing section that compares the voltage in the registered voltage setting information with the current battery voltage detected from the battery and, when the current battery voltage is lower than the preset voltage, outputs an alarm sound signal based on the alarm setting information to said speaker when said apparatus is in the waiting state or to said receiver when said apparatus is in the speakina state.

6. The alarming circuit according to claim 4, which further comprises:

a computing section that compares the voltage in the registered voltage setting information with the current battery voltage detected from the battery and, when the current battery voltage is lower than the preset voltage, outputs an alarm sound signal based on the alarm setting information to said speaker when said apparatus is in the waiting state or to said receiver when said apparatus is in the speaking state.

7. The alarm circuit according to claim 5, wherein the alarm setting information further comprises a call incoming lamp signal output to a call incoming lamp instead of the alarm sound signal to either of the speaker or receiver to light or flash the call incoming lamp.

8. The alarm circuit according to claim 6, wherein the alarm setting information further comprises a call incoming lamp signal output to a call incoming lamp instead of the alarm sound signal to either of the speaker or receiver to light or flash the call incoming lamp.