Imaging apparatus and method of calculating usable time of imaging apparatus

• US 8,577,219 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakashima, Ryoichi, Tsuboi, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W B
• Application Number:
  US13/287,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20120155849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 396/277, 396/279
• US Class Current: 396/279
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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 imaging apparatus includes a usable time calculation unit which calculates a usable time of a battery device having a secondary battery, wherein the usable time calculation unit measures an average power level while a component is performed at a predetermined operation mode, wherein the power consumption of the component is unknown in advance before the component is initially connected, and when power is supplied for the second and subsequent times while the component is continuously connected, the usable time calculation unit calculates the usable time of the battery device using the average power level and a current integration value which is an integration value of current flowing during charging and discharging of the battery device.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

calculate a usable time of at least one battery device comprising a secondary battery,

measure an average power level while at least one component of the imaging apparatus performs at a predetermined operation mode, wherein the power consumption of the at least one component is unknown in advance before power is supplied and after the at least one component is initially connected to the imaging apparatus, and

calculate, when power is supplied for the second and subsequent times while the at least one component is continuously connected to the imaging apparatus, the usable time of the at least one battery device using the average power level and a current integration value, which is an integration value of current flowing.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one component comprises an interchangeable lens.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display component configured to display information comprising the usable time of the at least one battery device.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry receives the current integration value from the at least one battery device.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry receives information of a current value of the current flowing during charging and discharging of the at least one battery device from at least the secondary battery and calculates the current integration value.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one component performs at another operation mode, which is one of a plurality of operation modes and is different from the predetermined operation mode, the circuitry calculates the average power level at the another operation mode using the average power level obtained at the predetermined operation mode.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one component performs at a plurality of operation modes, the circuitry calculates the average power level using an average power level obtained at each of the operation modes of the plurality of operation modes and an operation time ratio of each of the operation modes.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry stores the measured average power level and when a difference between another average power level obtained by measurement thereafter and the stored average power level is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the circuitry determines that the at least one component is exchanged with another component.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises at least one microcontroller.

9. A method of calculating usable time of an imaging apparatus comprising:

calculating, using circuitry, a usable time of at least one battery device comprising a secondary battery;

measuring, using the circuitry, an average power level while at least one component of the imaging apparatus performs at a predetermined operation mode, wherein the power consumption of the at least one component is unknown in advance before power is supplied and after the at least one component is initially connected to the imaging apparatus; and

calculating, using the circuitry, when power is supplied for the second and subsequent times while the at least one component is continuously connected to the imaging apparatus, the usable time of the at least one battery device using the average power level and a current integration value, which is an integration value of current flowing.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the circuitry comprises at least one microcontroller.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the circuitry calculates the current integration value after receiving information of a current value of the current flowing during charging and discharging of the at least one battery device from at least the secondary battery.