ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20130015913A1
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: HORIKAWA, Seiichiro, Kasami, Hideo, Akita, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 9,158,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/538
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In an embodiment, an electronic apparatus is mounted with a card unit including first and second devices driven with different driving voltages. The electronic apparatus includes: first and second voltage generating units, first and second control units. The first voltage generating unit generates a first driving voltage for driving the first device and a second driving voltage for driving the second device using electric power from the battery. The second voltage generating unit generates the first driving voltage and second driving voltage using electric power transmitted from the external device. The first control unit controls the first selection unit such that any one of the first driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit and the first driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit is selected depending on the electric power supply capability of the battery.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus where a card unit including first and second devices driven with different driving voltages are mounted, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a radio communication unit configured to perform radio communication with an external device and to receive electric power from the external device;

a battery;

a first voltage generating unit configured to generate

a first driving voltage for driving the first device and

a second driving voltage for driving the second device

using electric power from the battery;

a second voltage generating unit configured to generate the first driving voltage and second driving voltage using electric power from the external device;

a first selection unit configured to select any one of the first driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit and the first driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit;

a second selection unit configured to select any one of the second driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit and the second driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit;

a first control unit configured to control the first selection unit such that any one of the first driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit and the first driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit is selected depending on the electric power supply capability of the battery; and

a second control unit configured to control the second selection unit such that any one of the second driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit and the second driving voltage generated by second voltage generating unit is selected depending on the electric power supply capability of the battery.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first control unit controls the first selection unit

such that the first driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit is selected when the electric power supply capability of the battery exceeds a first threshold, and

such that the first driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit is selected when the electric power supply capability of the battery is equal to or lower than the first threshold.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second control unit controls the second selection unit

such that the second driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit is selected when the electric power supply capability of the battery exceeds the second threshold, and

such that the second driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit is selected when the electric power supply capability of the battery is equal to or lower than the second threshold.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first device is an authentication unit configured to perform authentication processing, and

the second device is a memory configured to store data.

5. An electronic apparatus where a unit including a device driven by a predetermined driving voltage is mounted, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a radio communication unit configured to perform radio communication with an external device and to receive electric power from the external device;

a battery;

a first voltage generating unit configured to generate the driving voltage using electric power from the battery;

a second power voltage generating unit configured to generate the driving voltage using electric power from the external device;

a selection unit configured to select any one of the driving voltage generated by the first power voltage generating unit and the driving voltage generated by the second power voltage generating unit; and

a control unit configured to control the selection unit such that any one of the driving voltage generated by the first voltage and the driving voltage generated by the second voltage is selected depending on an electric power supply capability of the battery.