Information processing apparatus, program, and information processing system

• US 8,299,752 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FeliCa Networks, Inc
• Original Assignee: FeliCa Networks, Inc
• Inventors: Sekita, Suguru, Kawata, Shogo, Sekiya, Shuichi, Oowada, Kazuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/814,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20100320962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 320/109, 320/32, 320/149
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an antenna having a variable Q value, the antenna being used for performing communication with an external apparatus in a noncontact manner by using a carrier of a predetermined frequency and charging a battery in a noncontact manner by using the carrier, an obtaining unit configured to obtain information about charging of the battery, a determining unit configured to determine whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the information obtained by the obtaining unit, and a setting unit configured to selectively set the Q value of the antenna to a first value or a second value in accordance with a determination result generated by the determining unit, the second value being larger than the first value.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an antenna having a variable Q value, the antenna being used for performing communication with an external apparatus in a noncontact manner by using a carrier of a predetermined frequency and charging a battery in a noncontact manner by using the carrier;

an obtaining unit configured to obtain information about charging of the battery;

a determining unit configured to determine whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the information obtained by the obtaining unit; and

a setting unit configured to selectively set the Q value of the antenna to a first value or a second value in accordance with a determination result generated by the determining unit, the second value being larger than the first value.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the battery is included in the information processing apparatus,

wherein the obtaining unit includes

a charging authentication information obtaining unit configured to obtain charging authentication information transmitted from the external apparatus, the charging authentication information serving as information about charging of the battery, and

a remaining power information obtaining unit configured to obtain remaining power information of the battery when the charging authentication information obtaining unit obtains the charging authentication information or during charging of the battery, the remaining power information serving as information about charging of the battery,

wherein the determining unit determines whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the remaining power information obtained by the remaining power information obtaining unit, and

wherein the setting unit sets the Q value of the antenna to the second value when the determining unit determines that charging of the battery is to be performed and sets the Q value of the antenna to the first value when the determining unit determines that charging of the battery is not to be performed.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a response signal transmitting unit configured to transmit a response signal for responding to the charging authentication information to the external apparatus when the determining unit determines that charging of the battery is to be performed in a case where charging of the battery is not being performed; and

a charging continuation information transmitting unit configured to intermittently transmit charging continuation information to the external apparatus when the determining unit determines that charging of the battery is to be performed during charging of the battery.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the charging continuation information transmitting unit transmits the charging continuation information at a decreased data transmission rate.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna includes

a resonance circuit having a coil that has a predetermined inductance and a capacitor that has a predetermined electrostatic capacity, and

a Q value changing circuit configured to selectively enable a load for changing the Q value or change a resistance value of the load.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna includes

a resonance circuit having a first coil that has a predetermined inductance and a capacitor that has a predetermined electrostatic capacity, and

a circuit that is placed near the resonance circuit, that is selectively enabled to change the Q value, that is electrically insulated from the resonance circuit, and that has a second coil.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the setting unit sets the Q value of the antenna from the first value to the second value when the battery is exhausted to turn off the information processing apparatus.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the setting unit sets the Q value of the antenna from the second value to the first value when a remaining power of the battery is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold after the battery is exhausted to turn off the information processing apparatus.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage detecting unit configured to detect a voltage input to the antenna;

a resistor one end of which is connected to a ground; and

a connection control unit configured to control connection between the antenna and the other end of the resistor on the basis of a detection result generated by the voltage detecting unit.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the connection control unit connects the antenna to the other end of the resistor when a voltage input to the antenna is equal to or higher than a predetermined first threshold in a case where the Q value of the antenna is set to the first value.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the connection control unit disconnects the antenna from the other end of the resistor when a voltage input to the antenna is lower than a predetermined second threshold.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the battery is included in the external apparatus,

wherein the obtaining unit includes

a response signal obtaining unit configured to obtain a response signal that is transmitted from the external apparatus, that is a response to charging authentication information transmitted to the external apparatus, and that serves as information about charging of the battery, and

a charging continuation information obtaining unit configured to obtain charging continuation information that is intermittently transmitted from the external apparatus during charging of the battery and that serves as information about charging of the battery,

wherein the determining unit determines whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the response signal obtained by the response signal obtaining unit or the charging continuation information obtained by the charging continuation information obtaining unit, and

wherein the setting unit sets the Q value of the antenna to the second value when the determining unit determines that charging of the battery is to be performed and sets the Q value of the antenna to the first value when the determining unit determines that charging of the battery is not to be performed.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a power transmitting unit configured to transmit power for charging the battery to the external apparatus; and

a power transmission stop unit configured to stop transmission of the power by the power transmitting unit when the charging continuation information obtaining unit stops obtaining the charging continuation information that is intermittently obtained.

14. A program causing a computer to execute:

obtaining information about charging of a battery via an antenna having a variable Q value and/or internally, the antenna being used for performing communication with an external apparatus in a noncontact manner by using a carrier of a predetermined frequency and charging the battery in a noncontact manner by using the carrier;

determining whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the obtained information about charging of the battery; and

selectively setting the Q value of the antenna to a first value or a second value in accordance with a result of the determining, the second value being larger than the first value.

15. An information processing system comprising:

an information processing apparatus; and

a charging apparatus,

the information processing apparatus including

a battery,

a first antenna having a variable Q value, the first antenna being used for performing communication with the charging apparatus in a noncontact manner by using a carrier of a predetermined frequency and charging the battery in a noncontact manner by using the carrier,

a first obtaining unit configured to obtain first information about charging of the battery,

a first determining unit configured to determine whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the first information obtained by the first obtaining unit, and

a first setting unit configured to selectively set the Q value of the first antenna to a first value or a second value in accordance with a determination result generated by the first determining unit, the second value being larger than the first value,

the charging apparatus including

a second antenna having a variable Q value, the second antenna being used for performing communication with the information processing apparatus in a noncontact manner by using the carrier and charging the battery in a noncontact manner by using the carrier,

a second obtaining unit configured to obtain second information about charging of the battery,

a second determining unit configured to determine whether charging of the battery is to be performed or not on the basis of the second information obtained by the second obtaining unit, and

a second setting unit configured to selectively set the Q value of the second antenna to a third value or a fourth value in accordance with a determination result generated by the second determining unit, the fourth value being larger than the third value.