Battery, camera and camera system

• US 20050117050A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Jiang, Hua
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/372
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera

Abstract

A battery takes in a charge current value or a discharge current value from a current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals. Then, based upon the current value, a power consumption quantity representing the extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval is calculated and a total power consumption quantity is determined by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity corresponding to each sampling interval. Based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval, a determination device determines as to whether or not the battery needs to be refreshed, and the determination results are transmitted to the camera. The camera informs the user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device judges that a refresh operation is necessary. The sampling interval may be set longer when the power to the camera is in an OFF state compared to when the power to the camera is in an ON state.

Claims

1. A battery loaded in a camera, comprising:

a current detection device;

an arithmetic operation device that receives one of a charge current value and a discharge current value from the current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals, calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon the current value and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval;

a determination device that determines as to whether the battery needs to be refreshed based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval; and

a communication device that transmits determination results by the determination device to the camera.

3. A battery according to claim 1, wherein:

the arithmetic operation device sets the sampling interval longer when power to the camera is in an OFF state compared to when the power to the camera is in an ON state.

2. A battery loaded in a camera, comprising:

a current detection device;

an arithmetic operation device that receives one of a charge current value and a discharge current value from the current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals, calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon the current value and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval; and

a communication device that transmits the calculated total power consumption quantity to the camera.

14. A battery according to claim 2, wherein:

the arithmetic operation device sets the sampling interval longer when power to the camera is in an OFF state compared to when the power to the camera is in an ON state.

4. A camera, comprising:

a determination device that determines as to whether a battery loaded therein needs to be refreshed by comparing a total battery power consumption quantity transmitted from the battery with a predetermined threshold value; and

an informing device that informs a user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device determines that a refresh operation is necessary.

5. A camera, comprising:

an arithmetic operation device that calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon a discharge current value transmitted from a battery loaded therein at predetermined sampling intervals and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding up the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval;

a determination device that determines as to whether the battery needs to be refreshed based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval; and

an informing device that informs a user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device determines that a refresh operation is necessary.

6. A camera according to claim 5, wherein:

the arithmetic operation device sets the sampling interval longer when power to the camera is in an OFF state compared to when the power to the camera is in an ON state.

7. A camera system constituted of a camera and a battery loaded in the camera, comprising:

a current detection device;

an arithmetic operation device that receives one of a charge current value and a discharge current value from the current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals, calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon the current value and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval;

a determination device that determines as to whether the battery needs to be refreshed based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval; and

an informing device that informs a user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device determines that a refresh operation is necessary.

8. A camera system according to claim 7, wherein:

the arithmetic operation device sets the sampling interval longer when power to the camera is in an OFF state compared to when the power to the camera is in an ON state.

9. A battery, comprising:

a current detection device;

an arithmetic operation device that receives one of a charge current value and a discharge current value from the current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals, calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon the current value and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval;

a determination device that determines as to whether the battery needs to be refreshed based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval; and

a communication device that transmits determination results by the determination device to the outside.

10. A battery, comprising:

a current detection device;

an arithmetic operation device that receives one of a charge current value and a discharge current value from the current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals, calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon the current value and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval; and

a communication device that transmits the calculated total power consumption quantity to outside.

11. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a determination device that determines as to whether a battery loaded therein needs to be refreshed by comparing a total battery power consumption quantity transmitted from the battery with a predetermined threshold value; and

an informing device that informs a user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device determines that a refresh operation is necessary.

12. A portable electronic device, comprising:

an arithmetic operation device that calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon a discharge current value transmitted from a battery loaded therein at predetermined sampling intervals and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding up the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval;

a determination device that determines as to whether the battery needs to be refreshed based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval; and

an informing device that informs a user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device determines that a refresh operation is necessary.

13. A system constituted of a portable electronic device and a battery loaded in the portable electronic device, comprising:

a current detection device;

an arithmetic operation device that receives one of a charge current value and a discharge current value from the current detection device at predetermined sampling intervals, calculates a power consumption quantity indicating an extent to which power has been consumed during a sampling interval based upon the current value and calculates a total power consumption quantity by sequentially adding the power consumption quantity consumed during each sampling interval;

a determination device that determines as to whether the battery needs to be refreshed based upon the total power consumption quantity calculated at each sampling interval; and

an informing device that informs a user that the battery needs to be refreshed if the determination device determines that a refresh operation is necessary.