Battery powered electronic device and control method therefor
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a battery;
a plurality of load groups including a heavy load group that is comprised of a plurality of heavy load units driven by the battery and a light load group that is comprised of a plurality of light load units and that consumes less power than the heavy load group;
a first control unit configured to monitor the output voltage of the battery and to control the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, when the output voltage of the battery is at or above a first threshold voltage; and
a second control unit configured to monitor the output voltage of the battery and to control the supply of power from the battery to the light load group and to the first control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage;
wherein, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage, the first control unit (i) stops monitoring the output voltage of the battery, (ii) disables the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, the disabled power state of the heavy load group being maintained regardless of any future change in the output voltage of the power supply, and (iii) outputs an activation signal to activate the second control unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first control unit 110 and second control unit 120 are disposed to a portable data terminal 100 having a heavy load group 140 and light load group 150. The first control unit 110 detects the output voltage of a secondary battery 105 and controls power supply to the heavy load group 140 by switching a first switch S1. When the first control unit 110 stops power supply to the heavy load group 140, it outputs a low level control signal CC to the second control unit 120. The load of driving the second control unit 120 is designed to be smaller than the load of driving the first control unit 110. When the control signal CC is received, the second control unit 120 starts detecting the output voltage of the secondary battery 105, and stops power supply to the switch light load group 150 and first control unit 110 if the output voltage is detected to drop to a preset threshold voltage.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a battery;
a plurality of load groups including a heavy load group that is comprised of a plurality of heavy load units driven by the battery and a light load group that is comprised of a plurality of light load units and that consumes less power than the heavy load group;
a first control unit configured to monitor the output voltage of the battery and to control the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, when the output voltage of the battery is at or above a first threshold voltage; and
a second control unit configured to monitor the output voltage of the battery and to control the supply of power from the battery to the light load group and to the first control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage;
wherein, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage, the first control unit (i) stops monitoring the output voltage of the battery, (ii) disables the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, the disabled power state of the heavy load group being maintained regardless of any future change in the output voltage of the power supply, and (iii) outputs an activation signal to activate the second control unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
the heavy load group comprises a wireless communication unit; the first control unit comprises means for controlling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group so that it is intermittently driven by the battery, and means for terminating intermittent drive of the heavy load group when the battery output voltage drops below the first threshold voltage while the heavy load group is being driven by the battery; and
the second control unit comprises means for responding to change in the battery output voltage faster than the first control unit, and for interrupting power supply from the battery to the first control unit and for terminating intermittent drive of the heavy load group when the battery output voltage drops below a third threshold voltage while the heavy load group is being intermittently driven by the battery.
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4. An electronic device as described in claim 3, further comprising a third control unit configured to respond to change in the battery output voltage faster than the first control unit, and to prohibit the driving of the heavy load group by the battery when the battery output voltage, while the heavy load group is being driven by the battery, drops below a fourth threshold voltage that is lower than the first threshold voltage.
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5. An electronic device as described in claim 4, wherein
the light load group comprises a light load for communicating that it is either time to recharge or replace the battery; - and
the first control unit is configured to drive the communicating light load when the battery output voltage drops below the first threshold voltage while driving the load groups.
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6. An electronic device as described in claim 5, wherein the communicating light load comprises a display device for indicating that it is time to recharge the battery by displaying a text message or image.
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7. An electronic device as described in claim 6, wherein the communicating light load comprises an alarm device for indicating that it is time to recharge the battery by producing an alarm sound or vibration.
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8. An electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein
the heavy load group comprises a wireless communication function unit driven by the battery for establishing intermittent two-way wireless communication with an external device; - and
the electronic device further comprises detection means for detecting a condition of the battery; and
a fourth control unit configured to prohibit the driving of at least one of the load units other than the wireless communication function unit if wireless communication is occurring when the detection means detects that the battery condition has reached a specific condition.
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9. An electronic device as described in claim 8, wherein the detection means comprises a circuit for detecting the battery output voltage.
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10. An electronic device as described in claim 8, wherein the detection means comprises a circuit for detecting remaining battery capacity.
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11. An electronic device as described in claim 8, wherein the fourth control unit is configured to determine the load unit or combination of load units to be prohibited from being driven during wireless communication according to the detected battery condition.
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12. An electronic device as described in claim 8, wherein the electronic device is able to assume (i) a low power consumption mode for wireless communication of synchronization signals during a specific period for maintaining synchronization of a wireless communication network formed with the external device, or (ii) an active mode for actual wireless data communication with the external device;
wherein the fourth control unit is configured to prohibit the driving of at least one of the load units other than the wireless communication function unit when the electronic device is in the active mode and also during wireless communication of the synchronization signals in the low power consumption mode.
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13. An electronic device as described in claim 8, wherein wireless communication is carried out using Bluetooth technology.
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14. An electronic device as described in claim 8, wherein the at least one load unit prohibited from being driven during wireless communication includes one or more of the following function units:
- a buzzer communication function unit for driving a buzzer, a vibration communication function unit for driving a motor for a vibrator, a light-emitting communication function unit for driving an LED, and a display function unit for driving a liquid crystal display unit.
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15. A control method for an electronic device that includes a battery, a heavy load group, a light load group having lower power consumption than the heavy load group, a first control unit, and a second control unit, the control method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring the output voltage of the battery using the first control unit, only when the output voltage of the battery is at or above a first threshold voltage;
controlling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group using the first control unit, when the output voltage of the battery is at or above the first threshold voltage;
disabling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage, the disabled power state of the heavy load group being maintained regardless of any future change in the output voltage of the power supply;
outputting an activation signal from the first control unit to the second control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage; and
monitoring the output voltage of the battery using the second control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A program configured to run on a computer for controlling an electronic device, the program comprising instructions for:
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monitoring the output voltage of the battery using the first control unit, only when the output voltage of the battery is at or above a first threshold voltage;
controlling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group using the first control unit, when the output voltage of the battery is at or above the first threshold voltage;
disabling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage, the disabled power state of the heavy load group being maintained regardless of any future change in the output voltage of the power supply;
outputting an activation signal from the first control unit to the second control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage; and
monitoring the output voltage of the battery using the second control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program configured to run on a computer for controlling an electronic device, the program comprising instructions for:
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monitoring the output voltage of the battery using the first control unit, only when the output voltage of the battery is at or above a first threshold voltage;
controlling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group using the first control unit, when the output voltage of the battery is at or above the first threshold voltage;
disabling the supply of power from the battery to the heavy load group, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage, the disabled power state of the heavy load group being maintained regardless of any future change in the output voltage of the power supply;
outputting an activation signal from the first control unit to the second control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage; and
monitoring the output voltage of the battery using the second control unit, when the output voltage of the battery drops below the first threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification