Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Plural supply circuits or sources – Plural converters
Utility Patent
1999-03-02
2001-01-02
Ballato, Josie (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Plural supply circuits or sources
Plural converters
C307S075000, C307S125000, C320S135000, C340S315000
Utility Patent
active
06169341
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a power supplying adapter, electronic equipment, and a signal transmission system which can transmit a signal by connecting, particularly, a power supplying adapter and electronic equipment by two terminals of a (+) terminal and a (−) terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a secondary battery of electronic equipment, attention is paid to a lithium ion battery. The lithium ion battery has advantages such that a duration can be extended and there is hardly a memory effect as compared with the conventional secondary battery. In case of charging the lithium ion battery, by transmitting and receiving a signal between a power supplying adapter (hereinafter, referred to as an AC adapter) and a microcomputer of the electronic equipment, whether the AC adapter connected to the electronic equipment is an AC adapter with a correct correspondence relation with the electronic equipment or not is discriminated. This is because if a voltage or a current exceeding a rated voltage/current of the secondary battery, for example, 4.2V/0.5A is supplied, if the secondary battery is charged by 6V/1A, there is a fear such that the secondary battery is broken.
To prevent such a situation, therefore, as shown in
FIG. 1A
, an AC adapter
291
having an outlet that can be connected to a commercially available power source and a set
292
of electronic equipment needs to be connected by three terminals comprising a + terminal, a − terminal, and a signal terminal.
There are, however, problems such that the costs rise because one signal terminal is provided between the AC adapter
291
and set
292
besides the two terminals of the + terminal and the − terminal which are necessary for power supply and a size increases by adding a protecting circuit to prevent a heat from being generated from a charger and the charger from being broken. There is also a problem of an erroneous operation due to noises which are generated in the signal terminal.
In case of connecting the AC adapter
291
and set
292
by two terminals, there is a method of using a filter as shown in FIG.
1
B.
In case of using the filter, however, there are drawbacks such that the filter is expensive and is large and there are, consequently, problems such that noises or the like are generated, it is necessary to use a specific frequency, and the like.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a power supplying adapter, electronic equipment, and a signal transmission system, in which even if the AC adapter and the electronic equipment are connected by using two terminals of a + terminal and a − terminal, a communication can be performed.
According to the invention of one embodiment, there is provided a power supplying adapter which can be connected to electronic equipment by two terminals, comprising: a power supplying unit in which a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power can be switched; current detecting means for detecting a current which is outputted from the power supplying unit; signal receiving means for receiving a signal which is transmitted from the electronic equipment; and control means for making the power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and making the signal receiving means operative when the current detected by the current detecting means is equal to or smaller than a reference value.
According to the invention of another embodiment, there is provided a power supplying adapter which can be connected to electronic equipment by two terminals, comprising: a power supplying unit in which a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power can be switched; current detecting means for detecting a current which is outputted from the power supplying unit; signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to the electronic equipment; and control means for making the power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and making the signal transmitting means operative when the current detected by the current detecting means is equal to or smaller than a reference value.
According to the invention of another embodiment, there is provided electronic equipment which can be connected to a power supplying adapter by two terminals, comprising: signal receiving means for receiving a signal which is transmitted from the power supplying adapter; control means for controlling on the basis of the signal received by the signal receiving means; and switching means for disconnecting a power source which is supplied from the power supplying adapter.
According to the invention of another embodiment, there is provided electronic equipment which can be connected to a power supplying adapter by two terminals, comprising: signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to the power supplying adapter; control means for controlling the signal transmitting means; and switching means for disconnecting a power source which is supplied from the power supplying adapter.
According to the invention of another embodiment, there is provided a signal transmission system which has a power supplying adapter that is connected to an AC power source and generates a predetermined DC power source voltage and in which the power supplying adapter and electronic equipment are connected by two terminals, wherein
the power supplying adapter comprises: a power supplying unit in which a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power can be switched; current detecting means for detecting a current which is outputted from the power supplying unit; first signal receiving means for receiving a signal which is transmitted from the electronic equipment; and first control means for making the power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and making the first signal receiving means operative when the current detected by the current detecting means is equal to or smaller than a reference value, and
the electronic equipment comprises: second signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to the power supplying adapter; second control means for controlling the second signal transmitting means; and switching means for disconnecting a power source which is supplied from the power supplying adapter.
According to the invention of another embodiment, there is provided a signal transmission system which has a power supplying adapter that is connected to an AC power source and generates a predetermined DC power source voltage and in which the power supplying adapter and electronic equipment are connected by two terminals, wherein
the power supplying adapter comprises: a power supplying unit in which a small power mode to output a small electric power and a large power mode to output a large electric power can be switched; current detecting means for detecting a current which is outputted from the power supplying unit; first signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to the electronic equipment; and first control means for making the power supplying unit operative in the small power mode and making the first signal transmitting means operative when the current detected by the current detecting means is equal to or smaller than a reference value, and
the electronic equipment comprises: second signal receiving means for receiving a signal which is transmitted from the power supplying adapter; second control means for controlling on the basis of the signal received by the second signal receiving means; and switching means for disconnecting a power source which is supplied from the power supplying adapter.
As mentioned above, even when the AC adapter and the set are connected by the two terminals of the + terminal and the − terminal, the signal can be transmitted and received. By transmitting a signal indicative of a current mode of the AC adapter from the AC adapter, the set which receive
Ballato Josie
Maioli Jay H.
Roberto Rios
Sony Corporation
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