Electronic instrument
First Claim
1. An electric instrument comprising:
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having a minimum operation voltage at or above which stable operation may be achieved and below which unstable operation may be achieved;
a control circuit for producing a control signal and having a minimum operation voltage at or above which stable operation may be achieved, the minimum operation voltage of the control circuit being lower than the minimum operation voltage of the main circuit; and
a power source for supplying a power source voltage to the main circuit and the control circuit;
wherein the control circuit receives the power source voltage and outputs the control signal for stopping operation of the main circuit when the operation voltage is at a level between the minimum operation voltage level of the control circuit and the minimum operation voltage level of the main circuit, and for outputting the control signal for enabling operation of the main circuit when the operation voltage reaches the minimum operation voltage level of the main circuit.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic instrument in which erroneous operation after power is applied thereto even in the case where a power source voltage is not quickly raised. Power is generated by a power source such as a thermoelectric conversion device and stored in a secondary battery or charge storage device through a optional boosting circuit. A control circuit and a main circuit are supplied with the power. However, the control circuit has a lower minimum operating voltage than the main circuit. Thus, with the increase in level of the power source voltage, the control circuit starts to operate before the main circuit and outputs a control signal to prevent the main circuit from operating in such a manner that a through current is prevented and the main circuit is prevented from drawing appreciable current from the power source circuit, which would prevent the voltage of the secondary battery or the charge storage device from increasing. When the power source voltage is increased to a voltage level at which the main circuit can operate in a stable manner, the control circuit enables operation of the main circuit.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electric instrument comprising:
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having a minimum operation voltage at or above which stable operation may be achieved and below which unstable operation may be achieved;
a control circuit for producing a control signal and having a minimum operation voltage at or above which stable operation may be achieved, the minimum operation voltage of the control circuit being lower than the minimum operation voltage of the main circuit; and
a power source for supplying a power source voltage to the main circuit and the control circuit;
wherein the control circuit receives the power source voltage and outputs the control signal for stopping operation of the main circuit when the operation voltage is at a level between the minimum operation voltage level of the control circuit and the minimum operation voltage level of the main circuit, and for outputting the control signal for enabling operation of the main circuit when the operation voltage reaches the minimum operation voltage level of the main circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having a minimum operation voltage at or above which stable operation may be achieved and below which unstable operation may be achieved;
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20. An electric instrument comprising:
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having a minimum operation voltage at which the main circuit can perform the function in a stable manner, the main circuit including a switching element having a large driving capability;
a power source for producing electric power;
a storage device for storing electric power output by the power source and supplying stored electric power to the main circuit; and
a control circuit for maintaining the switching element in an off state until the stored electric power reaches the minimum operation voltage of the main circuit to prevent a through current in the switching element from preventing the stored electric power from increasing in voltage level.
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having a minimum operation voltage at which the main circuit can perform the function in a stable manner, the main circuit including a switching element having a large driving capability;
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21. An electronic instrument comprising:
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having an electronic element serving as a current drain so that a power source voltage applied to the main circuit is not increased if the electronic element is turned on when the power source voltage is lower than a minimum operation voltage at which the main circuit performs the given function in a stable manner;
electric power generating means for generating electric power;
storage means for storing the electric power output by the electric power generating means and supplying stored power to the electronic element;
a control circuit for supplying the stored power to the electronic element only when a voltage of the stored power is higher than a first predetermined voltage which is higher than the minimum operation voltage of the electronic element, and for preventing the stored power from being supplied to the electronic element when a voltage of the stored power is lower than a second predetermined voltage which is lower than the first predetermined voltage and higher than the minimum operation voltage of the electronic element.
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having an electronic element serving as a current drain so that a power source voltage applied to the main circuit is not increased if the electronic element is turned on when the power source voltage is lower than a minimum operation voltage at which the main circuit performs the given function in a stable manner;
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22. An electronic instrument comprising:
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having an electronic element serving as a current drain so that a power source voltage applied to the main circuit is not increased if the electronic element is turned on when the power source voltage is lower than a minimum operation voltage at which the main circuit performs the given function in a stable manner;
electric power generating means for generating electric power;
storage means for storing the electric power output by the electric power generating means and for supplying a stored power to the electronic element;
a control circuit supplying the stored power to the electronic element during a predetermined time from the moment a voltage of the stored power reaches a predetermined voltage value which is higher than a minimum operation voltage of the electronic element, and, after the predetermined time, continuing to supply the stored power to the electronic element only if the voltage of the stored power is higher than the predetermined voltage.
- a main circuit for performing a given function and having an electronic element serving as a current drain so that a power source voltage applied to the main circuit is not increased if the electronic element is turned on when the power source voltage is lower than a minimum operation voltage at which the main circuit performs the given function in a stable manner;
Specification