Battery charging control terminal and temperature control terminal

• US 7,622,896 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US11/172,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20060001405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 320/149, 320/150, 320/153, 320/134, 320/160, 455/405
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

The future intra-terminal temperature is estimated on the basis of present intra-terminal temperature and a present service state of the terminal. In addition, the charging of the battery unit is controlled on the basis of the estimated future intra-terminal temperature.

Claims

1. A communication device which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

intra-device temperature estimation means which estimates future intra-device temperature on the basis of present intra-device temperature and a present service state of the communication device; and

charge control means which controls charging of the battery unit on the basis of the future intra-device temperature estimated by the intra-device temperature estimation means;

wherein said present service state of the communication device is determined from at least a detected voltage and a consumption current.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the service state of the device includes states relating to at least one of a device using function, and a consumption current within the device.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the intra-device temperature estimation means estimates intra-device temperature after a predetermined setup time after starting charging, or after a device using function is changed.

4. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the intra-device temperature estimation means repeatedly estimates intra-device temperature after the predetermined setup time whenever the predetermined setup time elapses after estimating the intra-device temperature after the predetermined setup time elapses.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

memory means which stores one or more setup times corresponding to each of one or more predetermined functions, wherein, if the device is using at least one of the one or more predetermined functions, the intra-device temperature estimation means determines an estimated time on the basis of a setup time which corresponds to the one or more predetermined function, which the device is using, and is stored in the memory means, and estimates intra-device temperature after the estimated time after starting charging, or after the device using function is changed.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the charge control means controls charging of the battery unit lest the future intra-device temperature should become unusual by the charging and a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

functional limitation means of limiting some or all of a function which is used now lest a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

temperature information storage means of storing intra-device temperature information during past charging, wherein the intra-device temperature estimation means estimates future intra-device temperature on the basis of the present intra-device temperature, the present service state of the device and the intra-device temperature information stored in the temperature information storage means.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

temperature information storage means of storing intra-device temperature information during past charging, wherein the intra-device temperature estimation means obtains a change of estimated temperature to charging time according to a service state of the device on the basis of the intra-device temperature information stored in the temperature information storage means, and estimates the future intra-device temperature on the basis of the present intra-device temperature and the obtained change of estimated temperature to charging time according to the service state of the device.

10. A method of controlling heat generation of a communication device which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

estimating future intra-device temperature on the basis of present intra-device temperature and a present service state of the communication device; and

controlling charging of the battery unit on the basis of the future intra-device temperature estimated;

wherein the present service state of the communication device is determined from at least a detected voltage and a consumption current.

11. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 10, wherein a service state of the device includes states relating to at least one of a device using function, and a consumption current within the device.

12. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 10, wherein the step of controlling charging comprises controlling charging lest the future intra-device temperature should become unusual by the charging and a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

13. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 10, further comprising:

limiting some or all of a function which is used now lest a charge current to the battery unit should become a present consumption current or less.

14. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 10, wherein estimating future intra-device temperature comprises estimating future intra-device temperature on the basis of the present intra-device temperature, the present service state of the device, and intra-device temperature information stored in the device.

15. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 10, wherein estimating future intra-device temperature comprises obtaining a change of estimated temperature to charging time according to a service state of the device on the basis of the intra-device temperature information stored in the device, and estimating the future intra-device temperature on the basis of the present intra-device temperature and the obtained change of estimated temperature to charging time according to the service state of the device.

16. A method of controlling heat generation of a communication device which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

estimating intra-device temperature after a predetermined setup time after starting charging on the basis of current intra-device temperature and a current service state of the communication device, and

controlling charging of the battery unit on the basis of the intra-device temperature after the predetermined setup time estimated

wherein said current service state of the communication device is determined from at least a detected voltage and a consumption current.

17. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 16, further comprising:

checking whether a device using function is changed, and estimating intra-device temperature after the predetermined setup time after the device using function is changed if the device using function is changed after the second step.

18. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 16, further comprising:

repeatedly estimating intra-device temperature after the predetermined setup time whenever the predetermined setup time elapses after estimating the intra-device temperature after the predetermined setup time.

19. The method of controlling heat generation of a communication device according to claim 16, further comprising:

if the device is using at least one of predetermined functions, determining an estimated time on the basis of a setup time which corresponds to the predetermined function which the device is using, and estimating intra-device temperature after the estimated time after starting charging, or after the device using function is changed.

20. A communication device which operates by a power supply from a battery unit charged by a battery charger, comprising:

a temperature monitor operable to estimate future intra-device temperature on the basis of present intra-device temperature and a present service state of the communication device; and

a charge controller operable to control charging of the battery unit on the basis of the future intra-device temperature estimated by the temperature monitor;

wherein said present service state of the communication device is determined from at least a detected voltage and a consumption current.