Electronic apparatus, feed switch controlling method and feed switch setting method for electronic apparatus

• US 7,485,990 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Takashi, Hibi, Kenji, Kumagai, Hideo, Nakamura, Koji, Ninomiya, Ryoji, Ozeki, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Stephen W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallis; Michael Rutland
• Application Number:
  US10/788,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 307/65, 307/85, 307/150
• US Class Current: 307/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007188 the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The power supply controller serves to distribute electric power to each part of the electronic apparatus for operation, and the electric power can be fed from the AC power source, the fuel cell unit and the secondary battery unit. The power supply controller transmits the data signal indicating from which of the AC power source, the fuel cell unit and the secondary battery unit, the electricity is fed, to the CPU via the built-in register. The CPU displays the use status of the AC power source, the fuel cell unit and the secondary battery unit on the LCD via the display controller.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a main body;

a first battery unit having a fuel cell configured to supply power to the main body;

a second battery unit having a secondary battery configured to supply power to the main body;

a detecting unit configured to detect whether the main body is in a stable condition; and

a control unit configured to switch a source of the power from the first battery unit to the second battery unit, when the detecting unit detects that the main body is in an unstable condition for a predetermined period of time or more without interruption while the power is being supplied from the first battery unit.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is an acceleration sensor.

3. A method of supply switch control for an electronic apparatus including a first battery unit equipped with a fuel cell, a second battery unit equipped with a secondary battery, and being operable on power supplied from the first battery unit or the second battery unit, the method comprising:

detecting whether or not the electronic apparatus is placed in a stable condition; and

switching a source of the power from the first battery unit to the second battery unit, when it is detected that the electronic apparatus is in an unstable condition for a predetermined period of time or more without interruption while the power is being supplied from the first battery unit.