JP2010258680A - Portable terminal, portable terminal system, and method and program for warning battery remaining capacity - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To more correctly warn a decrease in a battery remaining capacity without damaging user's convenience. <P>SOLUTION: A measuring part 30 constituting a portable terminal 1 integrates output current from a battery 2, and measures an electric capacity 101 remaining in the battery 2 by using the integrated value. A control part 40 makes a warning part 10 warn a decrease in the electric capacity 101 when the electric capacity 101 is equal to or less than a threshold predetermined in accordance with one active function part among a plurality of functions 20_1 to 20_n for executing functions different from one another. When the battery is a secondary battery that is chargeable, the measuring part 30 measures the electric capacity 101 by using the integrated value of the output current and an integrated value of input current to the battery. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable terminal, a portable terminal system, and a battery remaining amount warning method and program, and more particularly to a technique for warning a user using a portable terminal of a decrease in remaining battery level.

  A portable terminal such as a cellular phone generally has a function of operating with a battery as a power source and displaying the remaining amount of the battery. For example, Patent Document 1 indicates that both the basic function and the additional function can be used when the output voltage of the battery exceeds a predetermined threshold, and that only the basic function can be used in other cases. A mobile terminal to be displayed is described.

  The portable terminal also has a function to warn that the subsequent operation cannot be continued when the output voltage of the battery decreases, and to prompt the user to replace or charge the battery.

  However, the above warning function has a problem that user convenience is low. This is because the timing at which a warning should be generated differs depending on the operating state of the mobile terminal.

  More specifically, taking a mobile phone as an example, power consumption differs greatly between a standby state in which no user operation is performed and a communication state in which data communication or the like is performed. For example, if the mobile phone generates a warning when the remaining battery level is “1%”, the user can use the mobile phone for about several minutes from the time of the warning if the user is in a standby state. The mobile phone can only be used for a very short time. In the latter case, since the remaining battery level can be “0%” during the occurrence of the warning, there is no room for the user to perform a data saving operation or the like prior to battery replacement or charging.

  In order to avoid this, if the mobile phone generates a warning when the remaining battery level is “10%”, for example, the user can use the mobile phone for about several minutes from the time of the warning even in the communication state. It becomes like this. However, in the standby state, a warning is generated even though sufficient usable time remains, and the battery power utilization efficiency is significantly reduced.

  A portable terminal that addresses the above problem is described in Patent Document 2, for example. The portable terminal described in Patent Document 2 generates a warning when the output voltage of the battery is equal to or less than a threshold value determined according to the power consumption of the own terminal, and thus the own terminal operates according to the warning generation timing. It is to keep a certain time before it becomes impossible.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-307689 JP-A-8-221160

  However, the above-described Patent Document 2 has a problem that the detection accuracy of the remaining battery charge is low. This is because the remaining battery level is controlled by the output voltage. In other words, the output voltage of the battery (so-called external appearance voltage) depends on the internal resistance and the current consumption that varies depending on the function being operated, and is not equivalent to the remaining battery level. Unsuitable.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a portable terminal, a portable terminal system, a battery remaining amount warning method, and a program capable of more accurately warning a decrease in the remaining amount of the battery without impairing the convenience of the user. With the goal.

  In order to achieve the above object, a mobile terminal according to an aspect of the present invention includes a warning unit that generates a warning, a plurality of functional units that perform different functions using a battery as a power source, and at least from the battery. When the output current is integrated, the measurement means for measuring the electric capacity remaining in the battery using the integrated value, and the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one functional means in operation, Control means for causing the warning means to warn of a decrease in the electric capacity.

  In addition, the mobile terminal system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a battery cell and a measurement unit that integrates at least output current from the battery cell and measures the electric capacity remaining in the battery cell using the integrated value. A warning means for generating a warning, a plurality of functional means for executing different functions from the battery as a power source, and a predetermined threshold corresponding to one functional means in which the electric capacity is operating In the following cases, the mobile terminal includes a control unit that causes the warning unit to warn of a decrease in the electric capacity.

  The battery remaining amount warning method according to one aspect of the present invention provides a battery remaining amount warning method in a portable terminal that executes a plurality of different functions using a battery as a power source. In this battery remaining amount warning method, at least the output current from the battery is integrated, the electric capacity remaining in the battery is measured using the integrated value, and the electric capacity corresponds to one function being executed. When it is below a predetermined threshold value, a warning is given to the decrease in the electric capacity.

  The battery remaining amount warning program according to one aspect of the present invention integrates at least output current from the battery into a portable terminal that executes a plurality of functions different from each other using the battery as a power source, and uses the accumulated value. A process of measuring the electric capacity remaining in the battery and a process of warning the decrease in the electric capacity when the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one function being executed are executed.

  Furthermore, the battery remaining amount warning program according to another aspect of the present invention uses at least an integrated value of the output current of the battery from the battery to a portable terminal that executes a plurality of different functions using the battery as a power source. The process of acquiring the electric capacity remaining in the battery measured in the above, and the process of warning the decrease in the electric capacity when the electric capacity is not more than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one function being executed And execute.

  In the present invention, the remaining battery level is accurately measured using the integrated value of the output current. For this reason, it is possible to warn the lowering of the remaining battery level with higher accuracy than in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2. In addition, the threshold value used for determining the remaining battery level is dynamically changed for each function in operation, and thus a warning is generated at a timing suitable for each function. For this reason, it is possible to ensure user convenience and to effectively use battery power.

It is the block diagram which showed the schematic structural example of the portable terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the specific structural example of the portable terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed the structural example of the threshold value table used for the portable terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the flowchart figure which showed the operation example of the portable terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed the warning example of the battery remaining low in the portable terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the structural example of the portable terminal system which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a portable terminal according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. A second embodiment of the portable terminal system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted as necessary for the sake of clarity.

[Embodiment 1]
The mobile terminal 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 operates using the battery 2 as a power source. The portable terminal 1 includes a warning unit 10 that generates a warning, n functional units 20_1 to 20_n (hereinafter, may be collectively referred to as reference numeral 20) that execute different functions, and an electric capacity remaining in the battery 2. The measurement unit 30 measures 101, and the control unit 40 determines whether the remaining amount of the battery 2 is low based on the electric capacity 101 and generates a warning by the control of the warning unit 10.

  Among these, when the battery 2 is a primary battery that can only be discharged, the measurement unit 30 integrates the output current from the battery 2 and measures the electric capacity 101 using the integrated value. Further, when the battery 2 is a rechargeable secondary battery, the measuring unit 30 uses the integrated value of the output current from the battery 2 and the integrated value of the input current to the battery 2 as the electric capacity 101. taking measurement.

  Moreover, the control part 40 makes the warning part 10 warn about the fall of the electrical capacity 101, when the electrical capacity 101 acquired from the measurement part 30 is below the threshold value predetermined corresponding to the function part in operation. The control unit 40 also controls the operation of the function unit 20 (operation start, stop, switching, etc.).

  Thereby, the portable terminal 1 can warn with sufficient accuracy that the remaining battery level is low. Further, the mobile terminal 1 can generate a warning at a timing suitable for the function being executed.

  Hereinafter, taking a case where the battery 2 is a rechargeable secondary battery as an example, a specific configuration example and an operation example of the mobile terminal 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the portable terminal 1 includes a power management unit 50, a display 60, a speaker 70, a microphone 80, and an operation unit 90 such as a keypad in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. ing. In addition, the mobile terminal 1 includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) function unit 20_1, a wireless communication function unit 20_2, and a TV function unit 20_3 as the function unit 20.

  Among these, the power management unit 50 charges the battery 2 with power supplied from a commercial power source (not shown) or the like via an AC (Alternating Current) adapter 3 via the measurement unit 30. Further, the power management unit 50 applies the voltage supplied from the battery 2 via the measurement unit 30 to each of the function units 20_1 to 20_3, the control unit 40, the display 60, the speaker 70, the microphone 80, and the operation unit 90. Convert to the operating voltage.

  The display 60 and the speaker 70 are also used as the warning unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 in addition to reproducing (displaying and ringing) data and sound during normal operation in the mobile terminal 1.

  Further, the GPS function unit 20_1 receives a positioning radio signal from a GPS satellite (not shown). The wireless communication function unit 20_2 performs wireless communication with a base station (not shown). The TV function unit 20_3 receives a one-segment broadcasting signal from a broadcasting station (not shown).

  The control unit 40 includes a processor 41 and a memory 42 used as a work area for the processor 41. In accordance with a program (not shown) stored in the memory 42, the processor 41 obtains the electric capacity 101 from the measurement unit 30, determines whether the remaining battery 2 is low based on the electric capacity 101, and the warning unit 10 In addition to the warning generation process by control, the control process for the function units 20_1 to 20_3, the control process for the display 60 and the speaker 60 during the normal operation, and the control process for the microphone 80 and the operation unit 90 are executed.

  Further, the processor 41 refers to the threshold value table 421 stored in the memory 42 in the above determination process. In this threshold value table 421, as shown in FIG. 3, each function 102 executed using the function units 20_1 to 20_3, and an electric capacity threshold value set for each function 102 to warn of a decrease in the remaining battery level ( (Hereinafter referred to as a remaining battery level warning threshold value) 103 is stored in association with each other. Here, the remaining battery level warning threshold 103 is determined in advance according to the amount of current consumed by each function 102. Note that the “standby function” shown in the figure is various functions that are executed in a state where none of the function units 20_1 to 20_3 operates (for example, display on the display 60 such as an operation menu, an address book, and time).

  In operation, the measurement unit 30 shown in FIG. 2 uses the integrated value of the output current from the battery 2 and the integrated value of the input current to the battery 2 for the electric capacity 101 at a predetermined time interval (for example, 10 seconds). Measure at intervals. For example, when the discharge capacity of the battery 2 is “1000 mAh” and the integrated value of the output current and the integrated value of the input current at a certain time are “500 mAh” and “100 mAh”, respectively, the measuring unit 30 is The electric capacity 101 is measured as “600 mAh” (remaining 60%).

  In parallel with this, the processor 41 in the control unit 40 periodically executes the processing shown in FIG. First, the processor 41 confirms the active function 102 being executed, and reads the remaining battery level warning threshold 103 corresponding to the function 102 from the threshold table 421 (step S1). Further, the processor 41 acquires the electric capacity 101 from the measurement unit 30 (step S2).

  Then, the processor 41 compares the electric capacity 101 with the battery remaining amount warning threshold 103 (step S3). As a result, when the electric capacity 101 ≦ the remaining battery level warning threshold 103 is established, the processor 41 causes the warning unit 10 to warn of a decrease in the electric capacity 101, thereby causing a user (not shown) who uses the portable terminal 1 to It prompts replacement or charging of the battery 2. Note that the processor 41 ends the process when the electric capacity 101> the remaining battery level warning threshold 103 is satisfied in step S3.

  Taking the case where the display 60 is used for the warning as an example, the processor 41 displays a warning text as shown in FIG. Note that the processor 41 may sound a predetermined warning sound using the speaker 70.

  Although not shown, when two or more functions can be executed in parallel, it is preferable to store different priorities for each function 102 in the threshold table 421 in advance. In this case, the processor 41 compares the battery capacity warning threshold 103 corresponding to the function with the highest priority among the functions being executed in parallel with the electric capacity 101.

[Embodiment 2]
A portable terminal system 4 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 6 includes a battery 2a and a portable terminal 1a that operates using the battery 2a as a power source. Among these, unlike the mobile terminal 1 shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 1 a includes only a warning unit 10, a function unit 20, and a control unit 40. Further, the battery 2a includes a battery cell 200 and the measurement unit 30 shown in FIG. When the battery cell 200 is a rechargeable secondary battery, the measurement unit 30 integrates the electric capacity 101 remaining in the battery cell 200 with the output current from the battery cell 200 as in the first embodiment. Measurement is performed using the value and the integrated value of the input current to the battery cell 200. The mobile terminal 1a is provided with the power management unit 50 shown in FIG.

  Also in this case, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition, the processing for measuring the electric capacity and other processing are distributed and executed, so that the processing load on the mobile terminal can be reduced.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is apparent that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the description of the scope of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a Portable terminal 2, 2a Battery 3 AC adapter 4 Portable terminal system 10 Warning part 20, 20_1-20_n Function part 30 Measurement part 40 Control part 41 Processor 42 Memory 50 Power supply management part 60 Display 70 Speaker 80 Microphone 90 Operation part 101 Electric capacity 102 Function 103 Battery level warning threshold 421 Threshold table

Claims (11)

A warning means for generating a warning;
A plurality of functional means for executing different functions from a battery as a power source;
Measuring means for integrating at least the output current from the battery and measuring the electric capacity remaining in the battery using the integrated value;
When the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one functional means in operation, control means for causing the warning means to warn of a decrease in the electric capacity;
Mobile terminal equipped with. In claim 1,
The battery is a rechargeable secondary battery,
The portable terminal characterized in that the measuring means measures the electric capacity using an integrated value of the output current and an integrated value of an input current to the battery. In claim 1 or 2,
When two or more functional units operate in parallel, the control unit compares the electric capacity with a threshold value corresponding to the functional unit having the highest priority given in advance among the functional units in parallel operation. A mobile terminal characterized by A battery comprising: a battery cell; and a measurement unit that integrates at least an output current from the battery cell and measures an electric capacity remaining in the battery cell using the integrated value;
When a warning means for generating a warning, a plurality of functional means for executing different functions using the battery as a power source, and the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one functional means in operation, A portable terminal including control means for causing the warning means to warn of a decrease in the electric capacity;
Mobile terminal system equipped with. In claim 4,
The battery cell is a rechargeable secondary battery,
The portable terminal system, wherein the measuring means measures the electric capacity using an integrated value of the output current and an integrated value of an input current to the battery cell. In claim 4 or 5,
When two or more functional units operate in parallel, the control unit compares the electric capacity with a threshold value corresponding to the functional unit having the highest priority given in advance among the functional units in parallel operation. A mobile terminal system characterized by A battery remaining amount warning method in a portable terminal that executes a plurality of different functions using a battery as a power source,
Accumulate at least the output current from the battery, measure the electric capacity remaining in the battery using the accumulated value,
A battery remaining amount warning method that warns of a decrease in the electric capacity when the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one function being executed. In claim 7,
When the battery is a rechargeable secondary battery, the electric capacity is measured using the integrated value of the output current and the integrated value of the input current to the battery. . In claim 7 or 8,
When executing two or more functions in parallel, the threshold value corresponding to the function having the highest priority given in advance among the functions being executed in parallel is compared with the electric capacity at the time of the warning. Battery remaining warning method. For mobile terminals that use a battery as a power source to perform different functions,
A process of integrating at least the output current from the battery and measuring the electric capacity remaining in the battery using the integrated value;
When the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one function being executed, a process of warning the decrease in the electric capacity;
Battery warning program for running. For mobile terminals that use a battery as a power source to perform different functions,
A process of obtaining an electric capacity remaining in the battery, measured from at least the integrated value of the output current of the battery, from the battery;
When the electric capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold corresponding to one function being executed, a process of warning the decrease in the electric capacity;
Battery warning program for running.

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