Preliminary charging state apparatus, program and method

• US 6,744,234 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Takaaki, Kobayashi, Masaki, Odaohhara, Shigefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/227,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20030057922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128, 320/132, 320/DIG.18, 320/DIG.21, 324/426-433, 340/635, 340/636, 713/300, 713/340
• US Class Current: 320/100
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrical apparatus, program and method for a user to display a preliminary charging state in a battery. In one aspect, the present invention provides an electrical apparatus that is capable of receiving a battery for supplying electric power to a main unit by discharging after charging, comprising preliminary charge judging means for judging whether or not the battery is in a preliminary charging state that is a recovery from over-discharge, and display means for displaying an indication of preliminary charging if the preliminary charge judging means judges that the battery is in the preliminary charging state.

Claims

1. An electrical apparatus that is capable of accommodating a battery for supplying electric power to a main unit by discharging after charging, comprising:

a preliminary charge judging unit for judging whether or not said battery is in a preliminary charging state that is a recovery from over discharge; and

a display unit for displaying an indication of preliminary charging if said preliminary charge judging unit judges that said battery is in the preliminary charging state.

2. The electrical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said preliminary charge judging unit judges that said battery is in preliminary charging state if a predetermined communication with said battery is disabled after confirming that said battery is connected to said main unit.

3. The electrical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said preliminary charge judging unit judges that said battery is in the preliminary charging state on the basis of information from a CPU provided in said battery.

4. The electrical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit displays a remaining charging time including the time required for preliminary charge and the time required for quick recharge that occurs thereafter.

5. An electrical apparatus comprising:

a main unit that consumes an electric power; and

a battery for supplying the electric power to said main unit by discharging after charging,

wherein said main unit judges that said battery is in a preliminary charging state that is a recovery from over discharge if a predetermined communication with said battery is disabled after confirming that said battery is connected while being charged, and displays the judged result.

6. The electrical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said main unit measures a battery voltage of said battery, and judges that said battery is in preliminary charging state till said battery voltage reaches a specified voltage at which said battery can start quick charge.

7. A computer that is connectable to a battery for charging and discharging, in which electric power is supplied from said battery connected to a system main unit, wherein said system main unit comprises:

a battery connection confirmation terminal for confirming that said battery is connected;

a controller that judges that said battery is in a preliminary charging state that is a recovery from over discharge if a predetermined communication with said battery is disabled after acquiring the confirmation indicating that said battery is connected from said battery connection confirmation terminal; and

a display for displaying that said battery is in preliminary charging state if said controller judges that said battery is in the preliminary charging state.

8. The computer according to claim 7, wherein said system main unit further comprises a voltage measuring circuit for measuring a voltage of said battery, and said controller controls the preliminary charge to be made till said battery voltage reaches a specified voltage at which said battery can start quick charge with said voltage measuring circuit.

9. A computer in which electric power is supplied from a battery for charging and discharging to a system main unit, comprising:

a preliminary charge judging unit for judging whether or not said battery is in a preliminary charging state that is a recovery from over discharge; and

a display unit for displaying that said battery is in preliminary charging state if said preliminary charge judging means judges that said battery is in the preliminary charging state.

10. The computer according to claim 9, wherein said preliminary charge judging unit judges that said battery is in preliminary charging state, on the basis of the information acquired via a communication line from a CPU provided in said battery, if the remaining capacity of said battery is less than a predetermined amount and electric current flowing through said battery is in a predetermined range.

11. The computer according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined range is from 0A to 0.5A.

12. A preliminary charging state display method for use with an electrical apparatus that is connectable to a battery for discharging after charging, in which an electric power is supplied from said battery to a main unit, comprising the steps of:

judging whether or not said battery is in a preliminary charging state that is a recovery from over discharge; and

displaying an indication of the preliminary charging state if said battery is judged to be in the preliminary charging state.

13. The preliminary charging state display method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying said indication of the preliminary charging state to be distinguishable from quick charge that is the normal charging for said battery.

14. The preliminary charging state display method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying expressly that said battery is in the preliminary charging state on a display provided in said electrical apparatus.

15. The preliminary charging state display method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying the remaining charging time by adding the charging time required for said preliminary charge to the charging time required by quick charge that is normal charge in said battery.

16. A utility program being executed on a computer connectable to a battery for discharging after charging, in which electric power is supplied from said battery to a main unit, comprising:

a function of acquiring the information indicating that said battery is in preliminary charging that is a recovery from over discharge; and

a function of displaying that said battery is in preliminary charging state if the information indicating that said battery is in preliminary charging is acquired.

17. The utility program according to claim 16, further comprising a function of displaying the remaining charging time by including the charging time required for the preliminary charge in the charging time required by the normal charge of said battery.