Electronic equipment and power management method for the electronic equipment, and power source unit

• US 7,863,855 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nomoto, Kazutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/611,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04604 Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04776 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Electronic equipment and power management method for the power equipment and a power source unit are provided. The present invention provides a guideline associated with control content required to use a fuel cell as a power source in various kinds of electronic equipment, and perform appropriate power management according to loads. A notebook personal computer includes a hybrid pack which has a battery serving as a secondary battery, a battery protection IC for controlling this battery, a fuel cell for causing a predetermine fuel and air to electrochemically react with each other so as to cause a power generating unit to generate power, and a fuel cell controller for controlling this fuel cell, and a computer body at least having a CPU for executing various processes and consuming power. In the hybrid pack, the battery protection IC and the fuel cell controller mutually transfer at least remaining battery power information indicative of the amount of power remaining in the battery and fuel cell status information indicative of a status of the fuel cell, to each other via a bus.

Claims

1. An electronic equipment comprising:

a body including a central control unit for executing an operating system, the body consuming power;

a power source connected to the body via a bus, the power source including a secondary battery and a fuel cell generating power by reacting a fuel and air;

a battery control means for controlling the secondary battery; and

a fuel cell control means for controlling the fuel cell;

wherein the battery control means or the fuel cell control means transfers a secondary battery power information indicative of an amount of power remaining in the secondary battery, or a fuel cell status information indicative of a status of the fuel cell to the central control unit via the bus.

2. A method of supplying power to an electronic equipment including a body inducing a central control unit for executing an operating system, the body consuming power, a power source connected to the body via a bus, the power source including a secondary battery and a fuel cell generating power by reacting a fuel and an air, a battery control means for controlling the secondary battery, and a fuel cell control means for controlling the fuel cell, the method comprising of the steps of:

receiving a secondary battery power information indicative of an amount of power remaining in the secondary battery;

receiving a fuel cell status information indicative of a status of the fuel cell to the central control unit;

transferring a secondary battery power information or a fuel cell status information to the central control unit via the bus.