Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Battery or cell discharging – With charging
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2001-09-25
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Battery or cell discharging
With charging
C320S149000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06294895
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus and a power supply controlling method for use with a multi-function type electronic device that operates as a portable telephone, a GPS (Global Positioning System), and a music program reproducing player.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many types of portable information terminal units referred to as PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) units. As PDA units, cellular type portable telephone units, simple type portable telephone units (for example, PHS: Personal Handy phone System units), portable personal computers and electronic handy note books are known. When a portable telephone is connected to a portable personal computer, an electronic mail can be sent and received. As other examples of PDA units, GPS terminal units and portable music program reproducing players are known. A GPS terminal unit detects signals from satellites and displays the current position of the unit on its display. A portable music program reproducing unit downloads a music program to a record memory that is attachable thereto and detachable therefrom and reproduces the downloaded music program.
As such various types of PDA units are becoming common, there may be many situations of which the user should carry them at a time.
To solve such inconvenient situations, multi-function type PDA units have been proposed. For example, a multi-function type portable information terminal unit having a portable telephone function (a conventional cellular telephone function or a PHS function), a GPS function for locating the current position, and a music program reproducing function for reproducing a downloaded music program has been proposed. With such a multi-function type portable information terminal unit, the user can conveniently and easily use such functions.
However, such a multi-function type portable information terminal unit has only one battery that supplies an electric power to a plurality of functional portions. Thus, when the user uses one function of the unit, if the power of the battery is consumed, the user cannot use another function.
For example, after the user has enjoyed a music program with the player function of the multiple-function type portable information terminal unit that has the telephone function, the GPS function, and the player function, when the user wants to use the telephone function, if the battery has been exhausted, the user cannot use the telephone function because sufficient power cannot be supplied. Thus, unless the user always checks for the remaining battery capacity, he or she may not use his or her desired function.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a power supply apparatus and a power supply controlling method for use with an electronic device that allow battery capacities to be separately assigned to a plurality of functions of the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a power supply apparatus and a power supply controlling method for use with an electronic device that allow battery capacities to be assigned to a plurality of functions corresponding to the frequencies in use and their current consumption.
A first aspect of the present invention is a power supply apparatus for supplying a power of a battery to a plurality of functional blocks of an electronic device that operate therewith, comprising a battery capacity assigning means for assigning battery capacities to the plurality of functional blocks, and a battery capacity managing means for managing the battery capacities of the plurality of functional blocks that operate corresponding to the battery capacities assigned to the lurality of functional blocks.
A second aspect of the present invention is a power supply controlling method for supplying a power of a battery to a plurality of functional blocks of an electronic device that operate therewith, comprising the steps of (a) assigning battery capacities to the plurality of functional blocks, and (b) managing the battery capacities of the plurality of functional blocks that operate corresponding to the battery capacities assigned to the plurality of functional blocks.
According to the present invention, battery capacities can be freely assigned to a plurality of functions of the unit. In addition, since the battery capacities assigned to the individual functions are always supervised and a message corresponding to a remaining battery capacity is issued to the user, all the capacity of the battery can be more effectively and rationally used. When a battery capacity assigned to one function remains, it can be assigned to another function. Thus, all the capacity of the battery can be effectively used. In addition, since a battery capacity can be freely assigned to a function designated by the user, the operability of the unit is improved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5712795 (1998-01-01), Layman et al.
patent: 5825155 (1998-10-01), Ito et al.
patent: 5870685 (1999-02-01), Flynn
Maioli Jay H.
Sony Corporation
Tso Edward H.
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