Electric power charge and discharge system

• US 7,898,215 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Akihiro, Nagatsuka, Shuhei
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/893,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 153 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/107, 320/108, 320/112, 320/114, 320/116, 320/138, 320/132, 320/149
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electric power charge and discharge system for an electronic device having a battery, by which the electronic device can be used for a long period of time. In a wireless communication device including a wireless driving portion including a first battery and a wireless charging portion including a second battery, the first battery is charged by electric power from a fixed power supply and the second battery is charged by using electromagnetic waves existing in an external space. Further, the first battery and the second battery are discharged alternately, and during a period in which the first battery is discharged, the second battery is charged.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a battery;

a charge switching circuit;

an antenna electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit,

wherein the charge switching circuit is configured to select an electrical connection of the battery to either one of the antenna or the connector;

wherein the battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector in a first state and by second electric power from the antenna in a second state, and

wherein the second electric power from the antenna is generated by receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space.

2. A device comprising:

a battery;

a charge switching circuit;

an antenna electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the battery through the charge switching circuit,

wherein the battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by second electric power from the antenna when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector, and

wherein the second electric power from the antenna is generated by receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the antenna and to the battery.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

6. A wireless communication device comprising:

an internal circuit;

a first battery;

an antenna electrically connectable to the first battery and to the internal circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the first battery and to the internal circuit,

wherein the first battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by second electric power from the antenna when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector,

wherein the internal circuit is configured to be operated by the first electric power from the external power supply source when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by third electric power from the first battery when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector, and

wherein the second electric power from the antenna is generated by receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, further comprising wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the antenna and to the first battery.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, further comprising a second battery electrically connectable to the connector and to the internal circuit.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the first battery is a lithium ion battery.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the first battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

11. A wireless communication device comprising:

an internal circuit;

a first battery;

a charge switching circuit;

a power supply switching circuit;

an antenna electrically connectable to the first battery through the charge switching circuit and to the internal circuit through the power supply switching circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the first battery through the charge switching circuit and to the internal circuit through the power supply switching circuit,

wherein the charge switching circuit is configured to be operated so that the first battery is charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by second electric power from the antenna when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector,

wherein the power supply switching circuit is configured to be operated so that the internal circuit is operated by the first electric power from the external power supply source when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by third electric power from the first battery when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector, and

wherein the second electric power from the antenna is generated by receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, further comprising wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the antenna and to the first battery.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, further comprising a second battery electrically connectable to the connector and to the internal circuit.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, wherein the first battery is a lithium ion battery.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, wherein the first battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

16. A wireless communication device comprising:

an internal circuit;

a first battery;

a first antenna electrically connectable to the internal circuit;

a second antenna electrically connectable to the first battery and to the internal circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the first battery and to the internal circuit,

wherein the first battery is configured to be charged by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by second electric power from the second antenna when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector,

wherein the internal circuit is configured to be operated by the first electric power from the external power supply source when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by third electric power from the first battery when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector,

wherein the second electric power from the second antenna is generated by receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space, and

wherein the first antenna is configured to receive a wireless communication signal for operating the internal circuit.

17. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, further comprising wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the first antenna and to the first battery.

18. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a second battery electrically connectable to the connector and to the internal circuit.

19. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, wherein the first battery is a lithium ion battery.

20. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, wherein the first battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

21. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a charge switching circuit electrically connectable to the connector and to the first battery.

22. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a power supply switching circuit electrically connectable to the first battery and to the internal circuit.

23. A wireless communication device comprising:

an internal circuit;

a wireless charging portion;

an antenna included in the wireless charging portion and electrically connectable to the internal circuit; and

a connector electrically connectable to the wireless charging portion and to the internal circuit,

wherein the wireless charging portion is configured to charge a battery by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by second electric power from the antenna when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector,

wherein the internal circuit is configured to be operated by the first electric power from the external power supply source when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector and by third electric power from the battery when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector, and

wherein the second electric power from the antenna is generated by receiving an external electromagnetic wave in an external space.

24. The wireless communication device according to claim 23, further comprising wireless charge controlling circuit electrically connectable to the antenna and to the battery.

25. The wireless communication device according to claim 23, further comprising a charge switching circuit electrically connectable to the connector and to the battery.

26. The wireless communication device according to claim 23, further comprising a power supply switching circuit electrically connectable to the battery and to the internal circuit.

27. A driving method for a device, wherein the device comprising a battery, an antenna electrically connectable to the battery, and a connector electrically connectable to the battery, the driving method comprising the steps of:

charging the battery by first electric power from an external power supply source through the connector when the first electric power from the external power supply source is supplied to the connector;

charging the battery by second electric power from the antenna when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector.

28. The driving method for a device according to claim 27, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

29. The driving method for a device according to claim 27, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

30. A driving method for a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device comprising an internal circuit, a battery, an antenna electrically connectable to the battery and the internal circuit, and a connector electrically connectable to the battery and the internal circuit, the driving method comprising the steps of:

when first electric power from an external power supply source is supplied to the connector;

operating the internal circuit by the first electric power from the external power supply source through the connector; and

charging the battery by the first electric power from the external power supply source through the connector;

when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector;

charging the battery by second electric power from the antenna; and

operating the internal circuit by third electric power from the battery.

31. The driving method for a wireless communication device according to claim 30, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

32. The driving method for a wireless communication device according to claim 30, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

33. A driving method for a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device comprising an internal circuit, a battery, a charge switching circuit, a power supply switching circuit, an antenna electrically connectable to the battery and the internal circuit, and a connector electrically connectable to the battery and the internal circuit, the driving method comprising the steps of:

when first electric power from an external power supply source is supplied to the connector;

operating the internal circuit by the first electric power from the external power supply source through the connector; and

charging the battery by the first electric power from the external power supply source through the connector;

when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector;

operating the charge switching circuit so that the battery is charged by second electric power from the antenna;

charging the battery by the second electric power from the antenna;

operating the power supply switching circuit so that the internal circuit is operated by third electric power from the battery; and

operating the internal circuit by the third electric power from the battery.

34. The driving method for a wireless communication device according to claim 33, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

35. The driving method for a wireless communication device according to claim 33, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

36. A driving method for a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device comprising an internal circuit, a battery, a first antenna electrically connectable to the internal circuit, a second antenna electrically connectable to the battery and to the internal circuit and a connector electrically connectable to the battery and the internal circuit, the driving method comprising the steps of:

when first electric power from an external power supply source is supplied to the connector;

operating the internal circuit by the first electric power from the external power supply source through the connector and in accordance with a wireless communication signal received by the first antenna; and

charging the battery by the first electric power from the external power supply source through the connector;

when the first electric power from the external power supply source is not supplied to the connector;

charging the battery by second electric power from the second antenna; and

operating the internal circuit by third electric power from the battery and in accordance with the wireless communication signal received by the first antenna.

37. The driving method for a wireless communication device according to claim 36, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

38. The driving method for a wireless communication device according to claim 36, wherein the battery is a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.