Apparatus

• US 20050200335A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yano, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US11/073,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus capable of operating with power from a small-sized external power source of which power-supply capacity is small. The apparatus switches among a first switch, a second switch and a third switch so as to use power from an AC adapter as the power for charging a battery and also as the power for operating the apparatus during charging of the battery from the AC adapter by way of a charging control section and during execution of an operation step except for a high power consumption step. The apparatus stops charging the battery to use the power of the battery as the power for operating the apparatus during execution of the high power consumption step.

Claims

1. An apparatus having a built-in battery to be charged with power from an external power source and receiving the power from the built-in battery to operate in a plurality of operation steps different in power consumption, the apparatus comprising:

a power consumption determination section that determines whether or not the operation step during operation of the apparatus is a high power consumption step consuming more power than predetermined power; and

a power supply route switching section that switches a power supply route, during charging of the battery from the external power source and during the operation of the apparatus, so as to use the power from the external power source as the power for charging the battery and also as the power for operating the apparatus during execution of the operation step except the high power consumption step, and so as to stop charging the battery to use the power of the battery as the power for operating the apparatus during execution of the high power consumption step.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply route switching section switches a power supply route so as to stop charging the battery to use the power of the battery as the power for operating the apparatus and also use external power as the power for operating the apparatus during the execution of the high power consumption step.