Electronic device and method of electronic device for determining power source device

• US 9,146,261 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RICOH Electronic Devices Co., Ltd. (Nisshinbo Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: RICOH Electronic Devices Co., Ltd. (Nisshinbo Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Funakoshi, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoai-An D
• Application Number:
  US14/018,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20140070791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 324/76.11, 324/522, 324/713, 324/98, 702/64, 702/57, 702/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/00 Arrangements for measuring currents or voltages or for indicating presence or sign thereof G01R5/00 takes precedence; for measuring bioelectric currents or voltages A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• 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 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery

Abstract

An electronic device includes a current source for applying current, a pull-up resistor or a pull-down resistor configured to be connected to one of a plurality of data terminals, a voltage level detection circuit configured to detect voltage values of the plurality of data terminals, and a connected device determination circuit configured to determine a type of a power source device based on the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals detected by the voltage level detection circuit.

Claims

1. An electronic device for being connected to a power source device and including a power terminal, a ground terminal and a plurality of data terminals, the electronic device comprising:

a current source for applying current,

a voltage level detection circuit configured to detect voltage values of the plurality of data terminals,

a resistor value detection circuit configured to detect a resistor value of a pull-up resistor or pull-down resistor configured to be connected to one of the plurality of data terminals in the power source device, and

a connected device determination circuit configured to determine a type of the power source device based on the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals detected by the voltage level detection circuit and the resistor value detected by the resistor value detection circuit.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connected device determination circuit determines whether the plurality of data terminals are driven or not based on the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals detected by the voltage level detection circuit, and determines the type of the power source device based on a result of the determination.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a switch configured to cause the current source for applying current, the pull-up resistor or the pull-down resistor to be connected to one of the plurality of data terminals, wherein the connected device determination circuit causes the switch to be ON to cause the voltage level detection circuit to detect the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals when any one of the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals is greater than a predefined voltage when the switch is caused to be OFF, and determines the type of the power source device based on the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals when the switch is caused to be OFF and the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals when the switch is caused to be ON.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connected device determination circuit

includes

registers in which the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals when the switch is caused to be OFF and the voltage values of the plurality of data terminals when the switch is caused to be ON are stored, and

a table in which resistor values of pull-up resisters or pull-down resistors that are connected to the plurality of data terminals in the power source device, the value being calculated from the voltage values stored in the registers, are associated with a power supply capability of the power source device, and

determines the power supply capability of the power source device by referring to the values stored in the registers and the table.

5. A method of an electronic device to be connected to a power source device, for determining a type of the power source device, the electronic device including a power terminal, a ground terminal, a plurality of data terminals, a current source for applying current, a pull-up resistor or a pull-down resistor that is connected to one of the plurality of data terminals, the method for determining the type of the power source device comprising:

detecting voltage values of the plurality of data terminals,

detecting a resistor value of the pull-up resistor or pull-down resistor that is connected to said one of the plurality of data terminals in the power source device, and

determining the type of the connected power source device based on the detected voltage values of the plurality of data terminals and the detected resistor value of the pull-up resistor or pull-down resistor.