Power supply device, power supply method and electronic equipment

• US 6,304,064 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawai, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/407,694
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/135, 307/150
• US Class Current: 320/135
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power supply device that is able to be used even when power is supplied to electronic circuits using secondary batteries of nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-hydrogen batteries or the like whose recharging capacities are lowered, wherein original performance of the secondary battery can be maintained. A power supply circuit according to the present invention includes a connector which is electrically connected to a secondary battery which is a storage, a voltage step-up circuit that steps up an output voltage from the secondary battery, and a power supply line for supplying the stepped-up output voltage to an electronic circuit.

Claims

1. A power supply device that supplies power to an electronic circuit from a storage means with decreased recharging capacity, comprising:

a voltage step-up means that steps up an output voltage from said storage means so that the minimum operating voltage can be supplied to the electronic circuit when the lower-limit voltage is output from the storage means, thereby allowing the storage means to be discharged nearly completely; and

a supply means that supplies said stepped-up output voltage to said electronic circuit.

2. The power supply device recited in claim 1, wherein a the recharging capacity of said storage means is decreased due to a memory effect.

3. The power supply device recited in claim 1, wherein said storage means is a nickel-based secondary battery.

4. The power supply device recited in claim 1, wherein said electronic circuit has a fixed minimum operable voltage required for operation.

5. The power supply device recited in claim 1, further comprising a connection means whereby said storage means is removable, and said voltage step-up means steps up said output voltage provided as an output via said connection means.

6. Electronic equipment comprising:

a voltage step-up means that steps up an output voltage from a storage means with decreased recharging capacity, wherein the minimum operating voltage can be supplied to the electronic circuit when the lower-limit voltage is output from the storage means, thereby allowing the storage means to be discharged nearly completely; and

an electronic circuit that is operated by said stepped-up output voltage.

7. The electronic equipment recited in claim 6, wherein a recharging capacity of said storage means is decreased due to the memory effect.

8. The electronic equipment recited in claim 6, wherein said storage means is a nickel-based secondary battery.

9. The electronic equipment recited in claim 6, wherein said electronic circuit has a fixed minimum operable voltage required for operation.

10. The electronic equipment recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a connection means whereby said storage means is removable, and wherein said voltage step-up means steps up said output voltage provided as an output via said connection means.

11. A power supply circuit comprising:

at least one storage battery that has a memory effect; and

a voltage step-up circuit that steps up an output voltage from said storage battery and supplies power to an electronic circuit, wherein the minimum operating voltage can be supplied to the electronic circuit when the lower-limit voltage is output from the storage means, thereby allowing the storage means to be discharged nearly completely.

12. The power supply circuit recited in claim 11, wherein said storage means is a nickel-based storage battery.

13. A power supply circuit comprising:

at least one storage battery that has a memory effect; and

a plurality of voltage step-up circuits that step up an output voltage from said storage battery and supply power to an electronic circuit, wherein at least one of said voltage step-up circuits can supply the minimum operating voltage to the electronic circuit when the lower-limit voltage is output from the storage means, thereby allowing the storage means to be discharged nearly completely.