Battery residual-power checking apparatus

• US 6,134,391 A
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US09/335,921
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 396/277, 396/278, 396/279, 340/636, 320/106, 320/136, 324/435, 324/436, 324/426
• US Class Current: 396/277
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery residual-power checking apparatus including: a detecting device for detecting a type of battery accommodated in a camera a battery from a plurality of battery types prepared in advance; a load applying device for applying a load to the detected battery, a magnitude of the load being determined in advance in accordance with the type of the detected battery; a voltage measuring device for measuring an output voltage of the detected battery while the load applying device applies the load to the detected battery; and a battery residual-power determining device for determining the remaining power of the detected battery in accordance with the output voltage measured by the voltage measuring device and the type of the detected battery.

Claims

1. A battery residual-power checking apparatus comprising:

a detecting device for detecting a type of battery accommodated in a camera a battery from a plurality of battery types prepared in advance;

a load applying device for applying a load to said detected battery, a magnitude of said load being determined in advance in accordance with the type of said detected battery;

a voltage measuring device for measuring an output voltage of said detected battery while said load applying device applies said load to said detected battery; and

a battery residual-power determining device for determining the remaining power of said detected battery in accordance with said output voltage measured by said voltage measuring device and the type of said detected battery.

2. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if said battery residual-power determining device determines that said detected battery has run out of power, said load applying device intermittently applies a predetermined load which is set according to the type of battery detected, wherein if the battery level is determined as being empty before the predetermined maximum number times for the load to be applied is attained, the load being applied is stopped;

otherwise, the load is applied until the predetermined maximum number of times for the load to be applied is attained.

3. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said load applying device comprises:

a pulse generator for generating a first pulse which corresponds to a load applying time for applying said load to said detected battery by said load applying device and a second pulse which corresponds to a recovery time of said detected battery, wherein said load applying time and said recovery time are determined in advance in accordance with the type of said detected battery;

at least one load resistor;

a switching device for connecting said detected battery with said at least one load resistor in accordance with said first pulse, and for disconnecting said detected battery from said at least one load resistor in accordance with said second pulse, according to the type of said detected battery.

4. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voltage measuring device measures a terminal voltage of said at least one load resistor while said detected battery is connected with said at least one load resistor, and wherein said battery residual-power determining device determines said remaining power of said detected battery in accordance with said measured terminal voltage.

5. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if said battery residual-power determining device determines that said detected battery has run out of power, said pulse generator alternately generates said first pulse and said second pulse repeatedly for a predetermined number of times in accordance with the type of said detected battery, in order for the battery residual-power determining device to confirm whether the detected battery has run out of power.

6. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein durations of said first pulse and said second pulse are determined in accordance with the type of said detected battery.

7. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 1, said battery residual-power checking apparatus being incorporated in a camera having a photometering device;

wherein said camera comprises a switch which operates said photometering device when said switch is turned ON, and wherein said battery residual-power checking apparatus starts operating when said switch is turned ON.

8. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 1, said battery residual-power checking apparatus being incorporated in a camera, wherein said battery residual-power checking apparatus starts operating when a power switch of said camera is turned ON.

9. The battery residual-power checking apparatus according to claim 1, said battery residual-power checking apparatus being incorporated in a camera, wherein said battery residual-power checking apparatus starts operating when a release switch of said camera is half depressed.

10. A camera having a battery residual-power checking apparatus, wherein more than one type of battery being accommodated in said camera, said battery residual-power checking apparatus comprising:

a battery selecting device for detecting a type of battery accommodated in said camera;

a load applying device for alternately connecting and disconnecting said battery detected by said battery selecting device with at least one load resistor repeatedly by a predetermined number of times, which is determined in accordance with the type of said detected battery;

a voltage measuring device for measuring a terminal voltage of said at least one load resistor while said detected battery is connected with said at least one load resistor; and

a battery residual-power determining device for determining the remaining power of said detected battery in accordance with said terminal voltage and the type of said detected battery.

11. A camera having a battery residual-power checking apparatus, wherein a removable battery pack is provided according to the type of battery loaded into said camera, said battery residual-power checking apparatus comprising:

a selecting device which selects the type of battery which has been loaded into said battery pack in said camera;

a loading applying device for applying a load to a battery loaded into said battery pack according to a predetermined load set for said type of battery detected by the selecting device;

a voltage measuring device for measuring a terminal voltage of at least one load resistor while said detected battery is connected with said at least one load resistor; and

a battery residual-power determining device for determining the remaining power of said detected battery in accordance with said terminal voltage and said type of detected battery.