Electronic apparatus and supply power setting method for the apparatus

• US 20040207267A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Takashi, Kumagai, Hideo, Nakamura, Koji, Ninomiya, Ryoji, Ozeki, Akihiro, Hibi, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/150
• 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: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/40 Combination of fuel cells with other energy production systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

An electronic apparatus according to the invention can be powered by a fuel cell unit and secondary battery unit. Power supply management utility executed by a CPU displays the states of use of the fuel cell unit and secondary battery unit. If a predetermined operation is performed in response to the displayed states, using a pointing device, the power supply management utility permits various types of setting related to the use of the fuel cell unit and secondary battery unit to be performed.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main unit;

a first cell unit equipped with a fuel cell which can supply power to the main unit;

a second cell unit equipped with a secondary battery which can supply power to the main unit;

a setting unit configured to permit setting concerning supply of power from the first or second cell unit to the main unit; and

a display unit displaying a state of supply of power from the first or second cell unit to the main unit, set by the setting unit.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit displays, on the display unit, an image indicating the first and second cell units, and an image indicating the supply of power from the first or second cell unit.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit displays, on the display unit, information indicating which one of the first and second cell units is supplying power, and performs switching between the first and second cell units.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pointing device which can operating a mouse cursor displayed on the display unit, and wherein;

the setting unit displays, on the display unit, a first image indicating the first cell unit, a second image indicating the second cell unit, a third image indicating the main unit, a first power supply image indicating supply of power from the first cell unit to the main unit, and a second power supply image indicating supply of power from the second cell unit to the main unit; and

the setting unit starts the supply of power from the first or second cell unit to the main unit, when the pointing device is operated to cause the mouse cursor to select the first or second power supply image.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first cell unit can control an amount of output power of the fuel cell in stages; and

the setting unit can display the amount of output power of the first cell unit, and can change the amount of output power.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power input unit configured to receive power from outside,

and wherein;

the setting unit displays which one of the first cell unit and the power input unit is charging the secondary battery of the second cell unit, and determines which one of the first cell unit and the power input unit should charge the secondary battery.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first cell unit has a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery; and

the setting unit displays whether or not the secondary battery of the first cell unit is charged by the fuel cell, and starts and stops charge of the secondary battery of the first cell unit.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit displays whether or not the fuel cell is operating, and starts and stops power generation of the fuel cell.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the setting unit displays a time required for the fuel cell to reach a state in which the fuel cell can supply power to the main unit, when the fuel cell is instructed to generate power.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first cell unit has a power input unit configured to input power from an outside; and

the setting unit displays whether or not the power input unit inputs power, and an amount of the input power, and executes setting related to supply of power from the power input unit.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a pointing device which can operating a mouse cursor displayed on the display unit, and wherein;

the setting unit can display, on the display unit, a first image indicating the first cell unit, and a second image indicating the second cell unit; and

the setting unit displays a setup window for executing various types of setting related to the first and second cell units, when one of the first and second images is selected by the mouse cursor operated by the pointing device.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first cell unit has a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery; and

the setting unit executes setting as to whether or not power is to be supplied from the fuel cell and the secondary battery of the first cell unit to the main unit, if power consumed by the main unit is higher than maximum power generated by the fuel cell.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first cell unit has an auxiliary mechanism used to supply fuel to the fuel cell, and a repeatedly chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery; and

the setting unit performs setting as to which one of the secondary battery of the first cell unit and the second cell unit should supply power to the auxiliary mechanism during activation of the fuel cell.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a pointing device which can operate a mouse cursor displayed on the display unit, and wherein;

the setting unit can display, on the display unit, a first image indicating the first cell unit, and a second image indicating the second cell unit; and

power is supplied from the secondary battery of the first cell unit to the auxiliary mechanism when the first image is selected by the mouse cursor operated by the pointing device, and power is supplied from the second cell unit to the auxiliary mechanism when the second image is selected by the mouse cursor.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the setting unit displays, on the display unit, information indicating a current state of use of the first or second cell unit indicated by the first or second image, when the first or second image is selected by the mouse cursor operated by the pointing device.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information indicating the current state of use includes a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel cell.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information indicating the current state of use includes a period of time, in which the main unit is operable, left after power is supplied to the main unit from the first or second cell unit.

18. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the setting unit determines a position of the first or second image on a basis of states of use of the first and second cell units.

19. A computer comprising:

a computer main unit;

a first cell unit equipped with a fuel cell which can supply power to the computer main unit;

a second cell unit equipped with a secondary battery which can supply power to the computer main unit;

a power input unit configured to input power from an outside to the computer main unit;

a display unit displaying a first image indicating the first cell unit, a second image indicating the second cell unit, and a third image indicating the power input unit;

a pointing device which can operate a mouse cursor displayed on the display unit; and

a control unit configured to supply power to the computer main unit from one of the first and second cell units when one of the first, second and third images is selected by the mouse cursor operated by the pointing device, the one of the first and second cell units corresponding to the selected one of the first to third images.

20. A power supply setting method for an electronic apparatus having a first cell unit equipped with a fuel cell and a second cell unit equipped with a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery, and being operated by power from the first or second cell unit, the method comprising:

displaying respective current states of use of the first and second cell units on a display of the electronic apparatus when a first operation is performed; and

permitting, on the display, a second operation to be performed for various types of setting related to use of the first and second cell units.