Power generator, portable device, power generation scheme identifying system, and power generation scheme identifying method

• US 9,515,482 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Kouki, Ishida, Masanori, Matsuoka, Hosei, Ninjouji, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Application Number:
  US13/823,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20130175882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 307/149
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• 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 7/35 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

Consciousness of environmental conservation is increasing nowadays, and there are power generators for a portable device and employing power generation schemes without a co₂ discharge, such as solar power generation and hand-crank power generation. When, however, power is supplied, information indicating that the power is obtained from clean energy without a CO₂ discharge is unknown at the portable-device side. When power is supplied from the power generator to the portable device, a power generation scheme identifier for identifying a power generation scheme is transmitted. The portable device identifies the power generation scheme identifier, and can recognize the power generation scheme of the connected power generator. A supplied power level is recognized based on a power level of the storage battery of the portable device at a time point of starting the power supply, and a power level of the storage battery at a time point of terminating the power supply. Since the power level in the storage battery is managed in this manner using the power generation scheme identifier, it becomes possible to determine whether or not the power generation scheme of the power in the storage battery is a clean scheme.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a storage battery configured to store a plurality of types of power comprising a first type of power generated by using a clean energy and supplied from a power generator, and a second type of power generated by using another energy other than the clean energy;

a power generation scheme identifier receiving unit configured to receive, from the power generator, a power generation scheme identifier for identifying a power generation scheme of the first type of power to be supplied; and

a presenting unit configured to present the plurality of types of power and the power generation scheme identified by the power generation scheme identifier received by the power generation scheme identifier receiving unit such that each of the plurality of types of power and the power generation scheme are presented in association with each other,

wherein the portable device is a mobile telephone, and

wherein the presenting unit is configured to present to a user of the mobile telephone, a first ratio of a first amount of the first type of power remaining in the storage battery with respect to a total amount of the storage battery, and a second ratio of a second amount of the second type of power remaining in the storage battery with respect to the total amount of the storage battery.

2. A power generation scheme identifying system comprising:

a power generator comprising;

a power generating unit configured to generate first type of power to be supplied to an external device, the first type of power being generated by using a clean energy; and

a power generation scheme identifier transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the external device, a power generation scheme identifier for identifying a power generation scheme of the first type of power generated by the power generating unit; and

a portable device comprising;

a storage battery configured to store a plurality of types of power comprising the first type of power generated by using the clean energy and supplied from the power generator, and a second type of power generated by using another energy other than the clean energy;

a power generation scheme identifier receiving unit configured to receive, from the power generator, the power generation scheme identifier for identifying the power generation scheme of the first type of power supplied from the power generator; and

a presenting unit configured to present the plurality of types of power and the power generation scheme identified by the power generation scheme identifier received by the power generation scheme identifier receiving unit such that each of the plurality of types of power and the power generation scheme are presented in association with each other,

wherein the portable device is a mobile telephone, and

wherein the presenting unit is configured to present to a user of the mobile telephone, a first ratio of a first amount of the first type of power remaining in the storage battery with respect to a total amount of the storage battery, and a second ratio of a second amount of the second type of power remaining in the storage battery with respect to the total amount of the storage battery.

3. A power generation scheme identifying method comprising:

generating, by a power generator, a first type of power to be supplied to an external device, the first type of power being generated using a clean energy;

storing a plurality of types of power in a storage battery of the external device, the plurality of types of power comprising the first type of power generated by using the clean energy and supplied from the power generator, and a second type of power generated by using another energy other than the clean energy;

transmitting, to the external device, a power generation scheme identifier for identifying a power generation scheme of the first type of power;

receiving, by the external device, the power generation scheme identifier for identifying the power generation scheme of the first type of power; and

presenting, on the external device, the plurality of types of power and the power generation scheme identified by the power generation scheme identifier, such that each of the plurality of types of power and the power generation scheme are presented in association with each other,

wherein the portable device is a mobile telephone, and

wherein in the presenting step, a first ratio of a first amount of the first type of power remaining in the storage battery with respect to a total power amount of the storage battery, and a second ratio of a second amount of the second type of power remaining in the storage battery with respect to the total power amount of the storage battery.