Power supplying adapter, electronic equipment, and signal transmission system

• US 6,169,341 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagai, Tamiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ballato, Josie
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIOS CUEVAS, ROBERTO JOSE
• Application Number:
  US09/260,042
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128, 320/135, 320/82, 307/75, 307/82, 307/125, 307/126, 307/130, 323/128, 323/135, 340/825.06, 340/310.01, 340/664
• US Class Current: 307/82
• 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: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004

Abstract

A power supplying adapter which is connected to an AC power source and generates a predetermined DC voltage is constructed by a power supplying unit in which a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power can be switched; a current detecting unit for detecting a current outputted from the power supplying unit; a signal receiving unit for receiving a signal transmitted from electronic equipment; and for control means for making the power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and making the signal receiving unit means operative when the current detected by the current detecting unit is equal to or smaller than a reference value. The electronic equipment is constructed by a signal transmitting unit for transmitting a signal to the power supplying adapter; a second control unit for controlling the signal transmitting unit; and a switching unit for switching a power source which is supplied from the power supplying adapter.

Claims

1. A power supplying adapter connectable to electronic equipment by two terminals, comprising:

a power supplying unit for switching between a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power;

current detecting means for detecting a current outputted from said power supplying unit;

signal receiving means for receiving a signal transmitted from said electronic equipment; and

control means for making said power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and for making said signal receiving means operative when said current detected by said current detecting means is less than or equal to a reference value.

2. The power supplying adapter according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said small power mode and said large power mode based on said signal received by said signal receiving means.

3. The power supplying adapter according to claim 1, further comprising signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to said electronic equipment,

wherein said signal receiving means receives the signal transmitted from said electronic equipment and determines whether said signal received by said signal receiving means is the signal transmitted from said electronic equipment.

5. The power supplying adapter according to claim 1 or 4, further comprising stopping means for stopping operation of said power supplying unit in said small power mode or said large power mode.

6. The power supplying adapter according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising high impedance power source means,

wherein said high impedance power source means and said power supplying unit are switched and operated, and

wherein, when said high impedance power source means operates, the signal is transmitted from said signal transmitting means.

4. A power supplying adapter connectable to electronic equipment by two terminals, comprising:

a power supplying unit for switching between a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power;

current detecting means for detecting a current outputted from said power supplying unit;

signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to said electronic equipment; and

control means for making said power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and for making said signal transmitting means operative when said current detected by said current detecting means is less than or equal to a reference value.

7. Electronic equipment connectable to a power supplying adapter by two terminals, comprising:

signal receiving means for receiving a mode signal transmitted from said power supplying adapter, said mode signal being indicative of a mode of said power supplying adapter;

switching means for disconnecting a power source supplied from said power supplying adapter; and

control means for controlling said switching means based on said mode signal received by said signal receiving means.

8. The electronic equipment according to claim 7, further comprising signal transmitting means which is controlled by said control means and transmits a signal to said power supplying adapter.

9. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein said signal receiving means receives the signal transmitted from said power supplying adapter and determines whether said signal received by said signal receiving means is the signal transmitted from said power supplying adapter.

10. A signal transmission system which has a power supplying adapter that is connected to an alternating current power source and generates a predetermined direct current power source voltage and in which said power supplying adapter and electronic equipment are connected by two terminals,

wherein said power supplying adapter comprises:

a power supplying unit for switching between a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power;

current detecting means for detecting a current outputted from said power supplying unit;

signal receiving means for receiving a signal transmitted from said electronic equipment; and

first control means for making said power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and for making said signal receiving means operative when said current detected by said current detecting means is less than or equal to a reference value,

and said electronic equipment comprises;

signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to said power supplying adapter;

second control means for controlling said signal transmitting means and for controlling an operation of said electronic equipment; and

switching means for disconnecting a power source which is supplied from said power supplying adapter.

11. The signal transmission system according to claim 10, wherein said first control means controls operation of said power supplying unit in said small power mode and said large power mode based on the signal received by said signal receiving means.

12. The signal transmission system according to claim 10, wherein said signal transmitting means is first signal transmitting means and said power supplying adapter further comprises second signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to said electronic equipment, and

wherein said signal receiving means is first signal receiving means and said electronic equipment further comprises second signal receiving means which is controlled by said second control means and which receives the signal transmitted from said power supplying adapter.

14. The signal transmission system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the operation controlled by said second control means is an ON/OFF operation of said switching means, wherein the second control means controls the ON/OFF operation based on the signal received by said signal receiving means of said electronic equipment.

15. The signal transmission system according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising high impedance power source means,

wherein said high impedance power source means and said power supplying unit are switched and operated, and

wherein, when said high impedance power source means operates, the signal is transmitted from said signal transmitting means of said power supplying adapter.

13. A signal transmission system which has a power supplying adapter that is connected to an alternating current power source and generates a predetermined direct current power source voltage, said power supplying adapter and electronic equipment being connected by two terminals,

wherein said power supplying adapter comprises:

a power supplying unit for switching between a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power;

current detecting means for detecting a current outputted from said power supplying unit;

signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to said electronic equipment; and

first control means for making said power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and for making said signal transmitting means operative when said current detected by said current detecting means is less than or equal to a reference value,

and said electronic equipment comprises;

signal receiving means for receiving a signal transmitted from said power supplying adapter;

second control means for controlling an operation of said electronic equipment based on said signal received by said signal receiving means; and

switching means for disconnecting a power source which is supplied from said power supplying adapter.