Battery-powered apparatus, method of controlling the apparatus, program for implementing the method, and storage medium storing the program

• US 7,863,864 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tohyama, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US12/843,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 162 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128, 320/165, 320/106, 320/134, 320/135, 320/136, 320/137, 320/148, 320/149, 320/161, 320/132, 320/164
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage

Abstract

A battery-powered apparatus which makes it possible to perform battery check with accuracy irrespective of whether a battery is used as an internal battery or an external battery and make the end voltages of the internal battery and the external battery coincide with each other. It is determined whether the battery or an accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus, and a predetermined voltage threshold level is set based on the determination result. The voltage value of the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein is detected, and the detected voltage value and the voltage threshold level are compared with each other to decide whether or not it is possible to drive the apparatus.

Claims

1. A battery-powered apparatus comprising:

a first connection unit to which a battery pack or an accessory is attached, the accessory having a second connection unit to which the battery pack is attached;

a deciding unit adapted to decide a remaining battery level of the battery pack according to whether or not depending on a voltage input from the first connection unit is lower than a predetermined voltage threshold level; and

a setting unit adapted to set the voltage threshold level to a first voltage threshold level in a case where the battery pack is directly connected to the first connection unit and the battery pack supplies a power to the apparatus, and set the voltage threshold level to a second voltage threshold level lower than the first voltage threshold level in a case where the accessory is connected to the first connection unit and the battery pack supplies a power to the apparatus through the accessory.

2. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said setting unit sets the second voltage threshold level in a case where the accessory is connected to the first connection unit and the battery pack supplies a power to the apparatus through the accessory based on an impedance of an electric pathway from the second connection unit to the first connection unit.

3. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first threshold level is set based on a minimum voltage at which the battery pack is possible to drive the apparatus or a discharge stop voltage of the battery pack.

4. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a voltage-detecting unit adapted to detect the voltage depending on the voltage input from the first connection unit, wherein the deciding unit decides a remaining battery level of the battery pack in accordance whether or not a voltage detected by the voltage-detecting unit, depending on the voltage input from the first connection unit is lower than the predetermined voltage threshold level.

5. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connection-detecting unit adapted to detect whether the battery pack is directly connected to the first connection unit and supplies a power to the apparatus, or the accessory is connected to the first connection unit and supplies a power to the apparatus therethrough, wherein the setting unit sets the voltage threshold level based on a result of the detection by the connection-detecting unit.

6. A battery-powered apparatus comprising:

a first connection unit to which a battery pack or an accessory is attached, the accessory having a second connection unit to which the battery pack is attached;

a deciding unit adapted to decide a remaining battery level of the battery pack in accordance whether or not depending on a voltage input from the first connection unit is lower than a predetermined voltage threshold level;

a setting unit adapted to set a voltage threshold level; and

a controller adapted to control the setting unit to set the voltage threshold level to a first voltage threshold level in a case where the battery pack is directly connected to the first connection unit and the battery pack supplies a power to the apparatus, and set the voltage threshold level to a second voltage threshold level being than the first voltage threshold level, in a case where the accessory is connected to the first connection unit and the battery pack supplies a power to the apparatus through the accessory.

7. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller controls the setting unit to set the second voltage threshold level in a case where the accessory is connected to the first connection unit and the battery pack supplies a power to the apparatus through the accessory based on an impedance of an electric pathway from the second connection unit to the first connection unit.

8. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first threshold level is set based on a minimum voltage at which the battery pack is possible to drive the apparatus or a discharge stop voltage of the battery pack.

9. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a voltage-detecting unit adapted to detect the voltage depending on the voltage input from the first connection unit, wherein the deciding unit decides a remaining battery level of the battery pack in accordance whether or not a voltage detected by the voltage-detecting unit, depending on the voltage input from the first connection unit is lower than the predetermined voltage threshold level.

10. A battery-powered apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a connection-detecting unit adapted to detect whether the battery pack is directly connected to the first connection unit and supplies a power to the apparatus, or the accessory is connected to the first connection unit and supplies a power to the apparatus therethrough, wherein the setting unit sets the voltage threshold level based on a result of the detection by the connection-detecting unit.