Electronic device, battery pack, power-supply controlling method for electronic device, program for controlling power supply for electronic device

• US 7,688,025 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yajima, Takayuki, Komaki, Keiichi, Fujimori, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US11/124,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/112, 320/122, 320/DIG.12, 320/DIG.18
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic device includes a battery-pack installing portion that holds a battery pack in a detachable manner; sensing means for sensing that a battery pack is installed in the battery-pack installing portion; detecting means for detecting data related with a state of the installed battery pack sensed by the sensing means; determining means for determining whether the battery pack has a fault based on the detected data; and first restricting means for restricting a recharging operation of the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault by the determining means.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a battery-pack installing portion that holds a battery pack in a detachable manner;

sensing means for sensing that a battery pack is installed in the battery-pack installing portion;

specification requesting means for requesting predetermined specification data from the installed battery pack;

detecting means for detecting predetermined specification data responsive to the request, related with a state of the installed battery pack sensed by the sensing means;

determining means for determining whether the battery pack has a fault by comparing the detected predetermined specification data to manufacturer data stored at the electronic device;

first restricting means for restricting a recharging operation of the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault based on the comparison at the determining means; and

a feature-data requesting means configured to request feature data from the installed battery pack if the battery pack is determined to not have the fault based on the comparison at the determining means,

wherein said manufacturer data includes predetermined specification data and predetermined feature data of the battery pack, the feature data indicating that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

second restricting means for restricting activation of the electronic device if a removal of the battery pack determined to have the fault is not sensed by the sensing means and when the electronic device is in a non-activated state or in a sleep mode.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising:

display means for displaying notice-image data that gives notice related with the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault by the determining means.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the notice-image data informs that the battery pack is unusable.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the notice-image data includes an advice for switching the electronic device to the sleep mode.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the notice-image data further includes a button for switching the electronic device to the sleep mode, and wherein the electronic device further comprises:

third restricting means for setting the electronic device to the sleep mode when the button is pressed.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the notice-image data is displayed on a pop-up window.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determining whether or not the predetermined specification data and the predetermined feature data are obtained.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said data related with the state of the installed battery pack further includes predetermined safety data of the battery pack.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines whether the battery pack is in at least in one of states where the battery pack is at an end of its battery life, where the battery pack has a connection failure, and where the battery pack has a control failure.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a battery-pack installing portion that holds a battery pack in a detachable manner;

sensing means for sensing that a battery pack is installed in the battery-pack installing portion;

specification requesting means for requesting manufacturer data from the installed battery pack;

detecting means for detecting predetermined specification data responsive to the request, related with a state of the installed battery pack sensed by the sending means

determining means for determining whether the battery pack has a fault by comparing the detected predetermined specification data to manufacturer data stored at the electronic device;

display means for displaying notice-image data that gives notice related with the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault based on the comparison at the determining means; and

a feature-data requesting means configured to request feature data from the installed battery pack if the battery pack is determined to not have the fault based on the comparison at the determining means,

wherein said manufacturer data includes predetermined specification data and predetermined feature data of the battery pack, the feature data indicating that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

12. A battery pack comprising:

a second battery that is capable of supplying an electronic device with power;

recording means for storing at least predetermined manufacturer specification data and predetermined manufacturer feature data of the secondary battery; and

data output means for outputting the predetermined manufacturer specification data when a first command is received from the electronic device, and outputting manufacturer feature data when a second command is received from the electronic device as a result of a comparison between the predetermined manufacturer specification data and manufacturer data stored at the electronic device, the predetermined manufacturer specification data, being used as a basis for determining whether the battery pack has a fault by the electronic device,

wherein said manufacturer data includes predetermined specification data and predetermined feature data of the battery pack, the feature data indicating that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

13. The battery pack according to claim 12, wherein the fault in the battery pack corresponds to at least one of the states where the battery pack is at an end of its battery life, where the battery pack has a connection failure, and where the battery pack has a control failure.

14. A power-supply controlling method for an electronic device comprising:

sensing that a battery pack is installed in a battery-pack installing portion holding the battery pack in a detachable manner;

requesting manufacturer data and predetermined feature data from the installed battery pack the predetermined feature data including a number of previous recharging operations;

detecting manufacturer data related responsive to the request with a state of the installed battery pack;

determining whether the battery pack has a fault by comparing the detected manufacturer data to manufacturer data stored at the electronic device;

restricting a recharging operation of the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault based on the comparison; and

requesting feature data from the installed battery pack if the battery pack is determined to not have the fault based on the comparison, wherein the feature data indicates that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

15. The power-supply controlling method according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying notice-image data that gives notice related with the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault by the determining means.

16. A computer-readable medium including computer program instructions that cause a computer to implement a method of controlling an electronic device, comprising:

sensing that a battery pack is installed in a battery-pack installing portion holding the battery pack in a detachable manner;

requesting manufacturer data and predetermined feature data from the installed battery pack the predetermined feature data including a number of previous recharging operations;

detecting manufacturer data related responsive to the request with a state of the installed battery pack;

determining whether the battery pack has a fault by comparing the detected manufacturer data to manufacturer data stored at the electronic device;

restricting a recharging operation of the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault based on the comparison; and

requesting feature data from the installed battery pack if the battery pack is determined to not have the fault based on the comparison, wherein the feature data indicates that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a battery-pack installing portion that holds a battery pack in a detachable manner;

a sensor sensing that a battery pack is installed in the battery-pack installing portion;

a requesting unit configured to request predetermined specification data from the installed battery pack;

a detector detecting predetermined specification data related responsive to the request with a state of the installed battery pack sensed by the sensor;

a determining unit determining whether the battery pack has a fault by comparing the detected predetermined specification data to manufacturer data stored at a memory of the electronic device;

a first restricting unit restricting a recharging operation of the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault based on the comparison at the determining unit; and

the requesting unit configured to request feature data from the installed battery pack if the battery pack is determined to not have the fault based on the comparison at the determining unit,

wherein said manufacturer data includes predetermined specification data and predetermined feature data of the battery pack, the feature data indicating that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a battery-pack installing portion that holds a battery pack in a detachable manner;

a sensor sensing that a battery pack is installed in the battery-pack installing portion;

a requesting unit configured to request predetermined specification data from the installed battery pack;

a detector detecting predetermined specification data related responsive to the request with a state of the installed battery pack sensed by the sensor;

a determining unit determining whether the battery pack has a fault by comparing the detected predetermined specification data to manufacturer data stored at a memory of the electronic device;

a display unit displaying notice-image data that gives notice related with the battery pack if the battery pack is determined to have the fault based on the comparison at the determining unit; and

the requesting unit configured to request feature data from the installed battery pack if the battery pack is determined to not have the fault based on the comparison at the determining unit,

wherein said manufacturer data includes predetermined specification data and predetermined feature data of the battery pack, the feature data indicating that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.

19. A battery pack comprising:

a secondary battery that is capable of supplying an electronic device with power;

a recording unit storing at least predetermined specification data and predetermined manufacturer feature data of the secondary battery; and

a data output unit outputting the predetermined specification manufacturer specification data when a first command is received from the electronic device, and outputting manufacturer feature data when a second command is received from the electronic device as a result of a comparison between the predetermined manufacturer specification data and manufacturer data stored at the electronic device, the predetermined manufacturer specification data, being used as a basis for determining whether the battery pack has a fault by the electronic device,

wherein said manufacturer data includes predetermined manufacturer specification data and predetermined feature data of the battery pack, the feature data indicating that the electronic device is to operate in a specified mode when the battery pack is installed.