Electric charging apparatus, electronic apparatus and electric charging control method

• US 7,449,861 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Horigome, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton; Gary L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US10/758,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/114, 320/115, 101/345
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery charging apparatus, which is attachable/removable to/from an ink jet printer, and which electrically charges a secondary battery to supply electric power to the ink jet printer. The battery charging apparatus has a connector to supply the electric power from the battery to the ink jet printer, a power source voltage detection unit to determine an electric charging condition for electrically charging the battery, a serial communication unit to receive a battery charging control signal from the ink jet printer, and a microcomputer to control electric charging of the battery in correspondence with the received charging control signal and the electric charging condition.

Claims

1. An electric charging apparatus for charging a secondary battery which is held in the apparatus and is attachable to a printer, the printer being driven by electric power from the secondary battery while the electric charging apparatus is attached to the printer, comprising:

a communication unit configured to periodically receive an electric charging control signal from the printer to which the electric charging apparatus is attached;

determination means for determining an electric charging condition for electrically charging the secondary battery and determining whether or not the electric charging control signal is received from the printer for a predetermined time period and for determining whether or not the electric charging control signal indicates permission of electric charging of the secondary battery; and

control means for controlling to start electric charging of the secondary battery based on the electric charging condition determined by said determination means, in a case that said determination means determines either (i) the electric charging control signal indicates permission of electric charging of the secondary battery, or (ii) the electric charging control signal is not received from the printer for a predetermined time period.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input terminal configured to input an electric power from a commercial power source; and

power source relay means for supplying the electric power supplied via said input terminal to the printer, and relay-outputting the electric power for the electric charging of the secondary battery.

4. An electric charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination means determines whether or not the secondary battery is in an abnormal state.

5. An electric charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric charging control signal includes data designating whether or not to suspend electric charging of the secondary battery and data designating to enable a transition to a shut off state of the electric charging apparatus.

6. An electric charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric charging control signal indicates permission of electric charging of the secondary battery when the printer is in a standby mode.

3. An electric charging control method in an electric charging apparatus for charging a secondary battery which is held in the apparatus and is attachable to a printer main body, the printer being driven by electric power from the secondary battery while the electric charging unit is attached to the printer, said method comprising:

a supply step of supplying the electric power from the secondary battery to the printer to which the electric charging unit is attached;

a reception step of periodically receiving an electric charging control signal for the secondary battery from the printer, in correspondence with a state of the printer;

a determination step of determining an electric charging condition for electrically charging the secondary battery and determining whether or not the electric charging control signal is received from the printer for a predetermined time period and for determining whether or not the electric charging control signal indicates permission of electric charging of the secondary battery; and

a control step of controlling to start electric charging of the secondary battery based on the electric charging condition determined in said determination step, in a case that it is determined in said determining step either (i) the electric charging control signal indicates permission of electric charging of the secondary battery, or (ii) the electric charging control signal is not received from the printer for a predetermined time period.