Charging/discharging apparatus and method, power supplying apparatus and method, power supplying system and method, program storing medium, and program

• US 7,411,373 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hideyuki, Tashiro, Kei, Takeshita, Toshio, Murata, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Bao Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muralidar; Richard V
• Application Number:
  US11/149,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20050225297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 320/150, 320/106, 320/124, 320/128, 320/134, 320/162, 320/164, 320152-153, 307/64, 307/66, 713/300
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00043 using switches, contacts or markings, e.g. optical, magnetic or barcode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In the present invention, a battery pack type discriminating or deciding concave portion (131) is formed at a position corresponding to a battery pack type deciding switch (214) of an SQ battery pack (1) and when the SQ battery pack (1) is set, the battery pack type deciding switch (214) is avoided to be pressed by a bottom (115) of the SQ battery pack (1) owing to the concave portion (131). In this way, as the switch (214) is avoided to be pressed, it is recognized that the set battery pack is an SQ battery pack (1) under charging. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to identify battery packs among different charging modes and charging can be performed in a proper charging mode.

Claims

1. A power supplying apparatus for supplying power to a charging/discharging apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus transmitted from said charging/discharging apparatus;

temperature measuring means for measuring an internal temperature;

power supplying mode changing means for changing power supplying modes of the power to be supplied to said charging/discharging apparatus based on said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus received by said receiving means or said temperature data measured by said temperature measuring means; and

ambient temperature measuring means controlled by a thermistor that obtains an ambient temperature of the power supplying apparatus and determines the ambient temperature within one of three ranges, the ranges including below a lower limit, above an upper limit, and between a lower limit and an upper limit; and

display means for displaying, when the ambient temperature drops below the lower limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is low, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a low temperature small current charging mode, and

for displaying, when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is high, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a high temperature small current charging mode,

wherein when the ambient temperature is determined to be below the lower limit, a microcomputer switches to a small current charging mode power source and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source,

wherein when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, a microcomputer switches to a small current charging mode power source and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source, and

wherein when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the lower limit and below the upper limit, a microcomputer switches to a charging mode which is quicker than a small current mode.

2. The power supplying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power supplying mode changing means changes the current mode to a power supplying mode which supplies power at a small current when said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus received by said receiving means are out of a set temperature range.

3. The power supplying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power supplying mode changing means stops the supply of power when the temperature data measured by said temperature measuring means is not within a set temperature range.

4. A power supplying method of a power supplying apparatus for supplying power to a charging/discharging apparatus, comprising:

a receiving step for receiving internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus transmitted from said charging/discharging apparatus;

a temperature measuring step for measuring an internal temperature;

a power supplying mode changing step for changing power supplying modes of the power to be supplied to said charging/discharging apparatus based on said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus received through the processing in said receiving step or the internal temperature data measured through the processing in said temperature measuring step;

ambient temperature measuring step controlled by a thermistor that obtains an ambient temperature of the power supplying apparatus and determines the ambient temperature within three ranges, the three ranges including below a lower limit, above an upper limit, and between a lower limit and an upper limit;

displaying, when the ambient temperature drops below the lower limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is low, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a low temperature small current charging mode;

displaying, when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is high, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a high temperature small current charging mode;

switching to a small current charging mode power source when the ambient temperature is determined to be below the lower limit and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source;

switching to a small current charging mode power source when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source; and

switching to a charging mode that is faster than the small current mode when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the lower limit and below the upper limit.

5. A power supplying system comprising:

a charging/discharging apparatus and a power supplying apparatus, wherein said charging/discharging apparatus comprising;

charging/discharging apparatus temperature measuring means for measuring an internal temperature of said charging/discharging apparatus;

transmitting means for transmitting the internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus measured by said charging/discharging apparatus temperature measuring means to said power supplying apparatus; and

said power supplying apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus transmitted from said charging/discharging apparatus;

power supplying apparatus temperature measuring means for measuring an internal temperature of said power supplying apparatus;

power supplying mode changing means for changing power supplying modes of the power to be supplied to said charging/discharging apparatus in accordance with said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus received by said receiving means or said internal temperature data of said power supplying apparatus measured by said power supplying apparatus temperature measuring means; and

ambient temperature measuring means controlled by a thermistor that obtains an ambient temperature of the power supplying apparatus and determines the ambient temperature within three ranges, the three ranges including below a lower limit, above an upper limit, and between a lower limit and an upper limit;

display means for displaying, when the ambient temperature drops below the lower limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is low, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a low temperature small current charging mode; and

for displaying, when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is high, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a high temperature small current charging mode,

wherein when the ambient temperature is determined to be below the lower limit, a microcomputer switches to a small current charging mode power source and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source,

wherein when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, a microcomputer switches to a small current charging mode power source and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source, and

wherein when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the lower limit and below the upper limit, a microcomputer switches to a charging mode which is quicker than a small current mode.

6. The power supplying system according to claim 5, wherein said power supplying mode changing means changes the present mode to a power supplying mode which supplies power at a reduced current when said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus received by said receiving means is not within a temperature range.

7. The power supplying system according to claim 5, wherein said power supplying mode changing means stops the supply of power when the temperature data measured by said power supplying apparatus temperature measuring means is not within a temperature range.

8. A power supplying method of a power supplying system comprising a charging/discharging apparatus and a power supplying apparatus, wherein the charging/discharging method of said charging/discharging apparatus comprises:

a charging/discharging apparatus temperature measuring step for measuring an internal temperature of said charging/discharging apparatus;

a transmitting step for transmitting said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus measured through the processing in the charging/discharging apparatus temperature measuring step to said power supplying apparatus; and

the power supplying method of said power supplying apparatus comprises;

a receiving step for receiving said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus transmitted from said charging/discharging apparatus;

a power supplying mode changing step for changing power supplying modes of the power to be supplied to said charging/discharging apparatus based on said internal temperature data of said charging/discharging apparatus received through the processing in said receiving step or said internal temperature data of said power supplying apparatus measured through the processing in said power supplying apparatus temperature measuring step;

ambient temperature measuring step controlled by a thermistor that obtains an ambient temperature of the power supplying apparatus and determines the ambient temperature within three ranges, the ranges being below a lower limit, above an upper limit, and between a lower limit and an upper limit;

displaying, when the ambient temperature drops below the lower limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is low, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a low temperature small current charging mode;

displaying, when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, an indication that there is a charging alert, an indication that the ambient temperature is high, and an indication that charging is currently performed in a high temperature small current charging mode;

switching to a small current charging mode power source when the ambient temperature is determined to be below the lower limit, and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source;

switching to a small current charging power source when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the upper limit, and said charging/discharging apparatus receives power from the small current charging mode power source; and

switching to a charging mode, which is quicker than a small current mode, when the ambient temperature is determined to be above the lower limit and below the upper limit.