System for providing charge between communication devices

• US 6,424,124 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coltera LLC
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Maemura, Kozo, Ichihara, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/749,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20010005126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/110, 320/108, 320/114, 320/115, 320/132, 320/149
• US Class Current: 320/149
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A charging system for portable equipment is provided which may be used in a system including an information terminal and portable equipment connected to the information terminal. The charging system includes a power supply output device provided with the information terminal and a first battery control device provided with the portable equipment. The power supply output device is capable of supplying electric power, which is supplied to the information terminal, to the portable equipment. The first battery control device receives electric power supplied from the power supply output device and performs a charging operation for a battery of the portable equipment.

Claims

1. A charging system for portable equipment used in a system including an information terminal and portable equipment connected to said information terminal, said portable equipment being operated by using electric power supplied from a battery and data being transmitted between said information terminal and said portable equipment via a communication unit, including:

a power supply output device provided inside said information terminal, said power supply output device being capable of supplying electric power, which is supplied to said information terminal, to said portable equipment; and

a first battery control device provided with said portable equipment, said first battery control device receives electric power supplied from said power supply output device and performs a charging operation for the battery of said portable equipment.

3. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 1, further including:

an identification device provided with said information terminal, said identification device identifies whether said information terminal is being operated in battery mode, wherein

said power supply output device supplies electric power to said portable equipment when said identification device identifies that said information terminal is not being operated in battery mode.

5. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 3, further including:

a second battery control device provided with said information terminal, said second battery control device detects the remaining charge of a second battery which supplies electric power to said information terminal, wherein

said power supply output device supplies electric power to said portable equipment when said identification device identifies that said information terminal is not being operated in battery mode or the remaining charge of the second battery detected by

said second battery control device is greater than a second allowable value, and

said power supply output device stops supplying electric power to said portable equipment when said identification device identifies that said information terminal is being operated in battery mode and the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than a second allowable value.

7. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 5, further including:

a display unit which displays a reduction in the remaining charge of the second battery when the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than the second allowable value and no electric power is being supplied from said information terminal.

9. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 5, further including:

an alarm unit which produces an alarm sound when the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than the second allowable value and no electric power is being supplied from said information terminal.

11. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 7, further including:

an alarm unit which produces an alarm sound when the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than the second allowable value and no electric power is being supplied from said information terminal.

13. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 1, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

15. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 3, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

17. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 5, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

18. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 7, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

19. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 9, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

20. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 11, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

2. A charging system for portable equipment used in a system including an information terminal and portable equipment connected to said information terminal, said portable equipment being operated by using electric power supplied from a battery and data being transmitted between said information terminal and said portable equipment via a communication unit, including:

a power supply output device provided with said information terminal, said power supply output device being capable of supplying electric power, which is supplied to said information terminal, to said portable equipment; and

a first battery control device provided with said portable equipment, said first battery control device receives electric power supplied from said power supply output device and performs a charging operation for the battery of said portable equipment, wherein

said first battery control device detects a remaining charge of the battery of said portable equipment; and

said power supply output device supplies electric power to said portable equipment when the remaining charge of the battery of said portable equipment detected by said first battery control device is equal to or less than a first allowable value.

4. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 2, further including:

an identification device provided with said information terminal, said identification device identifies whether said information terminal is being operated in battery mode, wherein

said power supply output device supplies electric power to said portable equipment when said identification device identifies that said information terminal is not being operated in battery mode.

6. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 4, further including:

a second battery control device provided with said information terminal, said second battery control device detects the remaining charge of a second battery which supplies electric power to said information terminal, wherein

said power supply output device supplies electric power to said portable equipment when said identification device identifies that said information terminal is not being operated in battery mode or the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is greater than a second allowable value, and

said power supply output device stops supplying electric power to said portable equipment when said identification device identifies that said information terminal is being operated in battery mode and the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than a second allowable value.

8. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 6, further including:

a display unit which displays a reduction in the remaining charge of the second battery when the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than the second allowable value and no electric power is being supplied from said information terminal.

10. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 6, further including:

an alarm unit which produces an alarm sound when the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than the second allowable value and no electric power is being supplied from said information terminal.

12. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 8, further including:

an alarm unit which produces an alarm sound when the remaining charge of the second battery detected by said second battery control device is equal to or less than the second allowable value and no electric power is being supplied from said information terminal.

14. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 2, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.

16. A charging system for portable equipment according to claim 4, further including:

a power transmission coil provided with said information terminal, electric power being supplied to said power transmission coil from said information terminal; and

a power receiving coil provided with said portable equipment, said power receiving coil is electromagnetically coupled with said power transmission coil and supplies an induced voltage to said portable equipment, wherein

said communication unit carries out data transmission between said information terminal and said portable equipment by means of radio communication or optical communication.