PORTABLE DEVICE AND IMAGE RECORDING DEVICE

• US 20120212057A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: OKUMA, Takafumi
• Application Number:
  US13/369,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212057A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/48
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007184 in response to battery voltage gradient

Abstract

A portable device operated by a rechargeable battery includes a connecting unit that connects the portable device and a power supply that supplies a driving current and a charging current; a detection unit that detects a battery voltage of the rechargeable battery; and a charging control unit that controls starting and stopping of charging of the rechargeable battery. When the battery voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the charging control unit causes the power supply to stop supplying the charging current until the battery voltage becomes less than the predetermined threshold value. When the battery voltage is less than the predetermined threshold value, the charging control unit causes the power supply to start supplying the charging current until the rechargeable battery is fully charged.

Claims

1. A portable device operated by a rechargeable battery, the portable device comprising:

a connecting unit configured to connect the portable device and a power supply that supplies a driving current for driving the portable device and a charging current for charging the rechargeable battery;

a detection unit configured to detect a battery voltage of the rechargeable battery; and

a charging control unit configured to control starting and stopping of charging of the rechargeable battery,

wherein, when the battery voltage is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the charging control unit causes the power supply to stop supplying the charging current to the rechargeable battery until the battery voltage becomes less than the predetermined threshold value, and

wherein, when the battery voltage is less than the predetermined threshold value, the charging control unit causes the power supply to start supplying the charging current to the rechargeable battery until the rechargeable battery is fully charged.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation determination unit configured to determine whether the portable device is operated during charging of the rechargeable battery,

wherein, when the operation determination unit determines that the portable device is operated during charging, the charging control unit causes the charging current to be reduced and the driving current to be increased.

3. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit configured to control an operation of the portable device,

wherein the control unit restricts execution of an operation when an operating current of the operation is greater than the driving current.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit configured to control an operation of the portable device,

wherein, when an operation is executed such that an operating current of the operation is greater than the driving current, the control unit causes the rechargeable battery to supply the driving current.

5. The portable device according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined threshold value is less than an intermediate voltage value between a lower limit value of the battery voltage for operating the portable device and a value of the battery voltage when the rechargeable battery is fully charged, and

wherein the predetermined threshold value is set to a value greater than the lower limit value of the battery voltage.

6. The portable device according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined threshold value is set to a lower limit value of the battery voltage for operating the portable device.

7. The portable device according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting unit has a function to communicate with an external device connected to the portable device.

8. The portable device according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting unit conforms to a USB standard.

9. An image recording device operated by a rechargeable battery, the image recording device comprising:

a connecting unit configured to connect the image recording device and a power supply that supplies a driving current for driving the image recording device and a charging current for charging the rechargeable battery;

a detection unit configured to detect a battery voltage of the rechargeable battery; and

a charging control unit configured to control starting and stopping of charging of the rechargeable battery,

wherein, when the battery voltage is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the charging control unit causes the power supply to stop supplying the charging current to the rechargeable battery until the battery voltage becomes less than the predetermined threshold value, and

wherein, when the battery voltage is less than the predetermined threshold value, the charging control unit causes the power supply to start supplying the charging current to the rechargeable battery until the rechargeable battery is fully charged.