Terminal device and charging control method

• US 8,933,659 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US13/047,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20110309787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• 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: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A terminal device including a solar battery panel; a panel temperature-detection unit configured to detect a temperature measured near the solar battery panel; a power generation-state determination unit configured to detect an illuminance measured near the solar battery panel; a battery temperature-detection unit configured to detect a temperature measured near a secondary battery charged through power generated through the solar battery panel; a control unit configured to estimate a change in the temperature detected through the battery temperature-detection unit based on the temperature detected through the panel temperature-detection unit and the illuminance obtained through the power generation-state determination unit, and determine a remaining time when the estimated temperature measured near the secondary battery reaches a temperature at which the charging of the secondary battery is stopped; and a notification unit configured to provide notification about the remaining time determined through the control unit.

Claims

1. A method, implemented on a terminal device having a solar battery panel and a secondary battery that is charged through power generated through the solar battery panel, comprising:

detecting a temperature measured adjacent to the solar battery panel;

detecting an illuminance measured adjacent to the solar battery panel;

detecting a temperature measured adjacent to the secondary battery;

estimating a change in the temperature measured adjacent to the secondary battery based on the temperature measured adjacent to the solar battery panel and the illuminance measured adjacent to the solar battery panel, and determining a remaining time until the estimated temperature measured adjacent to the secondary battery reaches a temperature at which the charging of the secondary battery is stopped by comparing the temperature measured adjacent to the solar battery panel and the illuminance measured adjacent to the solar battery panel with predetermined stored data values; and

providing a notification about the remaining time.

2. A computer readable storage medium that stores a program which, when executed by a terminal device having a solar battery panel and a secondary battery that is charged through power generated through the solar battery panel, causes the terminal device to perform a method comprising:

detecting a temperature measured adjacent to the solar battery panel;

detecting an illuminance measured adjacent to the solar battery panel;

detecting a temperature measured adjacent to the secondary battery;

estimating a change in the temperature measured adjacent to the secondary battery based on the temperature measured adjacent to the solar battery panel and the illuminance measured adjacent to the solar battery panel, and determining a remaining time until the estimated temperature measured adjacent to the secondary battery reaches a temperature at which the charging of the secondary battery is stopped by comparing the temperature measured adjacent to the solar battery panel and the illuminance measured adjacent to the solar battery panel with predetermined stored data values; and

providing a notification about the remaining time.