Electronic apparatus including a battery chamber and method for controlling the display of battery information

• US 8,085,159 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Yoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/971,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.1, 340/636.11, 340/539.1, 340/686.1, 320/106, 320/110, 320/114, 320/115, 713/193
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic apparatus that enables a remaining battery capacity to be checked without requiring the battery to be loaded into the electronic apparatus. In this electronic apparatus, a battery lid closes a battery chamber that accommodates a battery. An opening/closing detection device detects opening/closing of the battery lid. An acquisition device acquires battery information of the battery when the opening/closing detection device detects that the battery lid opens. A storing device stores the battery information acquired by the acquisition device. A display device displays the battery information that is stored in the storing device, and displays the battery information of a battery that is not accommodated in the battery chamber.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus having a battery chamber that accommodates a battery;

comprising;

a first acquisition device adapted to acquire battery information of the battery that is accommodated in the battery chamber, wherein the first acquisition device acquires the battery information in a case where the battery is unloaded from the battery chamber, and the battery information includes a battery ID information;

a second acquisition device adapted to acquire battery information of the battery that is accommodated in the battery chamber, wherein the second acquisition device acquires the battery information in a case where the battery is loaded into the battery chamber, and the battery information includes a battery ID information;

a storing device adapted to store, for each battery ID information, the battery information acquired by each of the first acquisition device and second acquisition device; and

a display device adapted to display the battery information stored in the storing device for each battery ID information, wherein the display device displays the battery information of the battery that is not accommodated in the battery chamber based on the battery information acquired by the first acquisition device.

2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display device displays the battery information of the battery that is accommodated in said battery chamber and the battery information of a battery that is not accommodated in said battery chamber, in different display forms.

3. A method for controlling an electronic apparatus having a battery chamber that accommodates a battery;

comprising;

a first acquisition step of acquiring battery information of the battery that is accommodated in the battery chamber, wherein the first acquisition step acquires the battery information in a case where the battery is unloaded from the battery chamber, and the battery information includes a battery ID information;

a second acquisition step of acquiring battery information of the battery that is accommodated in the battery chamber, wherein the second acquisition step acquires the battery information in a case where the battery is loaded into the battery chamber, and the battery information includes a battery ID information;

a storing step of storing, for each battery ID information, the battery information acquired at each of the first acquisition step and second acquisition step; and

a display step of displaying the battery information stored at the storing step for each battery ID information, wherein the display step displays the battery information of the battery that is not accommodated in the battery chamber based on the battery information acquired by the first acquisition step.

4. A method for controlling an electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said display step displays the battery information of the battery that is accommodated in the battery chamber and the battery information of a battery that is not accommodated in said battery chamber in different display forms.