IP telephone with power source circuit

• US 7,079,647 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Engineering Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Engineering Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomobe, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Briney, III, Walter F
• Application Number:
  US10/081,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20020118823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 379/399.07, 379/395.07, 379/473, 379/387.01, 379/395.01, 379/399.01, 379/413, 363/49, 323/298, 323/908
• US Class Current: 379/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/008 Using DC/DC converters DC/DC converters per se H02M3/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/908 Inrush current limiters

Abstract

An IP telephone has a power source circuit. A direct current from a network is used to charge an input capacitor via an input current limiting resistor. A resultantly charged voltage is inputted to and is converted by a DC/DC converter to produce an output voltage. In parallel with the input current limiting resistor, a limit removing unit including a switching transistor is arranged. The output voltage is delayed by a delay circuit to activate a driving transistor, which drives the switching transistor. The input voltage to the converter is monitored by an input voltage sensor. Therefore, the telephone power source circuit copes with a plurality of hubs of different power supplying specifications in an internet (IP) telephone network in which telephones are connected to a local-area network of the IEEE802.3 standard and the like.

Claims

1. An internet protocol (IP) telephone, comprising:

an input connector for receiving from a network a signal containing a digital component and a current component;

a separator for separating said current component from said digital component;

telephone circuitry for providing audio input and output;

a central processing unit (CPU) for controlling operations of said telephone circuitry to cause said telephone circuitry to provide said audio input and output; and

a power source circuit for receiving said current component from said separator, said power source circuit comprising;

an input current limiting resistor for limiting said current component;

a direct-current to direct-current (DC/DC) converter that is connected to said input current limiting resistor;

an input capacitor that is charged by said current component; and

limit removing means for removing the limitation imposed by said input current limiting resistor when said limit removing means is turned on;

wherein said CPU is configured to determine an amount of power being consumed by said CPU; and

wherein said CPU is configured to turn said limit removing means on or off based on the determined amount of power being consumed by the CPU.

2. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, said power source circuit further comprising an input voltage sensor circuit for monitoring an input voltage to said DC/DC converter, an output from said DC/DC converter being delayed according to a result of the monitoring by said input voltage sensor circuit.

3. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 2, wherein said input capacitor has a capacity of about 100 μ

F.

4. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 3, wherein said limit removing means is a switching transistor connected in parallel with said input current limiting resistor.

5. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 4, wherein said CPU determines control timing for turning said switching transistor on or off based on the determined amount of power being consumed by the CPU.

6. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 2, wherein said limit removing means is a switching transistor connected in parallel with said input current limiting resistor.

7. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 6, wherein said CPU determines control timing for turning said switching transistor on or off based on the determined amount of power being consumed by the CPU.

8. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input capacitor has a capacity of about 100 μ

F.

9. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 8, wherein said limit removing means is a switching transistor connected in parallel with said input current limiting resistor.

10. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 9, wherein said CPU determines control timing for turning said switching transistor on or off based on the determined amount of power being consumed by the CPU.

11. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said limit removing means is a switching transistor connected in parallel with said input current limiting resistor.

12. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 11, wherein said CPU determines control timing for turning said switching transistor on or off based on the determined amount of power being consumed by the CPU.

13. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input capacitor is charged by said current component through said input current limiting resistor upon power-up of said IP telephone.

14. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said telephone circuitry comprises:

a microphone for providing said audio input; and

a speaker for providing said audio output.

15. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said CPU is configured to control said telephone circuitry to achieve telephone calling and dialing operations.

16. The IP telephone in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter circuit for receiving said digital component of said signal from said separator;

wherein said CPU is configured to communicate with said network through said transmitter circuit.