Pseudo battery pack, battery pack, electronic apparatus, and electronic apparatus system and method

• US 6,465,984 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Nobuo, Ozawa, Hidekiyo, Fukuoka, Kazuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/729,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/125, 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

An electronic apparatus system includes a battery pack housing batteries and a battery pack connection section connecting the battery pack to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack. A pseudo battery pack includes a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, wherein if the external power supply is used and the external power supply fails to supply the electric power, the pseudo battery pack is mounted on the battery pack connection section.

Claims

1. A system for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a battery pack housing batteries;

a pseudo battery pack comprising a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus; and

a battery pack connection section connecting to the electronic apparatus, one of the battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used without an external power supply, and the pseudo battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used with an external power supply to supply electric power during a momentary power cut off.

2. The system for an electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the pseudo battery pack comprises

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the power holding unit upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply, and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the power holding unit to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.

3. A system for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a battery pack housing batteries;

a pseudo battery pack comprising a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus; and

a battery pack connection section connecting to the electronic apparatus, one of the battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used without an external power supply, and the pseudo battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used with an external power supply to supply electric power if the external power supply delivers insufficient electric power to operate the electronic apparatus.

4. The system for an electronic apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the pseudo battery pack comprises

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the power holding unit upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the power holding unit to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.

5. A battery pack in an electronic apparatus comprising a battery pack connection section connecting the battery pack, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack, the battery pack comprising:

a battery; and

a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus when the external power supply is short in power supply.

6. An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a power holding unit charged with electric power from the external power supply to hold electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, when the external power supply fails to supply the electric power;

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the power holding unit upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the power holding unit to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.

7. An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a power holding unit charged with electric power from the external power supply to hold electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, when the external power supply is short in power supply;

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the power holding unit upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the power holding unit to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.

8. A pseudo battery pack for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a battery pack mounting section detachably mounting to the electronic apparatus, one of a battery pack housing batteries when the electronic apparatus is used without an external power supply, and the pseudo battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used with an external power supply,

wherein the pseudo battery pack comprises capacitors connected in parallel, and supplies electric power during a momentary power cut off.

9. The pseudo battery pack as recited in claim 8, wherein the pseudo battery pack comprises

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging capacitor upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in capacitor to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.

10. The pseudo battery pack as recited in claim 8, wherein the capacitors supply electric power stored in the capacitors to the electronic apparatus when supply of the electric power from the external power supply is stopped.

11. The pseudo battery pack as recited in claim 9, wherein the capacitors supply electric power stored in the capacitors to the electronic apparatus when supply of the electric power from the external power supply is stopped.

12. An electronic apparatus system, comprising:

a battery pack housing batteries;

a pseudo battery pack comprising capacitors connected in parallel; and

an electronic apparatus comprising a battery pack mounting section detachably mounting to the electronic apparatus, one of the battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used without an external power supply, and the pseudo battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used with an external power supply to supply electric power during a momentary power cut off.

13. An system, comprising:

an electronic apparatus;

a pseudo battery pack; and

a battery pack housing batteries detachably mounted to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack,

wherein the pseudo battery pack comprises capacitors connected in parallel, and the pseudo battery pack comprises substantially same configuration as the battery pack.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the pseudo battery pack comprises a charging path for preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the capacitor, upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply, and a power supplying path for supplying charged electric power stored in the capacitor to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being differnt the charging path.

15. An electronic apparatus system, comprising:

an electronic apparatus;

a battery pack housing batteries and being detachably mounted to the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is used without an external power supply; and

a pseudo battery pack comprising capacitors connected in parallel, the pseudo battery pack comprising substantially the same configuration as the battery pack, and being detachably mounted on the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is used with an external power supply to supply electric power during a momentary power cut off.

16. An electronic apparatus system, comprising:

a battery pack housing secondary batteries;

a pseudo battery pack comprising capacitors connected in parallel, the pseudo battery pack comprising substantially same configuration as the battery pack; and

an electronic apparatus detachably receiving one of the battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used without an external power supply, and the pseudo battery pack when the electronic apparatus is used with an external power supply to supply electric power during a momentary power cut off.

17. A system, comprising:

a battery pack housing batteries;

an electronic apparatus to which the battery pack is detachably mounted, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and

a capacitor in the battery pack connected in parallel with the housed batteries.

18. An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a capacitor charged with electric power from the external power supply and supplying a charged electric power to the electronic apparatus to operate during a predetermined time, when the external power supply fails to supply the electronic power;

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the capacitor upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the capacitor while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.

19. An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a capacitor charged with electric power from the external power supply and supplying a charged electric power to the electronic apparatus to operate during a predetermined time, when the external power supply is short in power supply;

a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the capacitor upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and

a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the capacitor while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.