JP2010035384A - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable information terminal capable of conducting an appropriate charging control that is suitable to charging environment. <P>SOLUTION: In the portable information terminal 1, a chargeable battery 3 is housed in a device body 2, and a connecting section 50, connecting a plurality of kinds of chargers having different configurations and applications is fitted to the device body 2. The portable information terminal 1 has a connection detecting means for detecting connection between the connecting section 50 and the charger, a discriminating means for discriminating the application of the charger subjected to connection detection and a charging control means for implementing charging control of the battery 3, and a charging control system is determined for every application of the charger. When the connection of the charger by the connection detecting means is detected, charging the battery 3 is controlled by the system corresponding to the application of the charger discriminated by the discriminating means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art Optical information readers such as bar code readers and settlement terminals provide portable information terminals with a built-in rechargeable battery. This type of portable information terminal has the advantage that it can be carried and used in various places. However, when it is not in use, it is necessary to charge the battery with a charger. At present, there are various types of such chargers. Is provided. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 are provided as technologies relating to charging of portable information terminals (particularly, technologies relating to chargers).
JP 2005-137034 A JP 2007-195296 A

  By the way, since the above-mentioned portable information terminals are used in various ways and used in various places and uses, there are many cases where the charging places are not uniform. For example, charging may be performed indoors, such as in an office or a factory, or in a vehicle such as a vehicle. However, there is a problem that the charging environment can vary greatly if the charging location is different. For example, there is a problem that the temperature inside a vehicle is likely to be higher than that in a general room, but conventionally, charging control is uniformly performed regardless of such a charging environment, and the control is not necessarily suitable for the charging environment. I couldn't say that.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a portable information terminal capable of performing appropriate charging control suitable for a charging environment.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a portable information terminal in which a rechargeable battery is accommodated in a device main body, and is provided in the device main body, and is charged in a plurality of types having different configurations and uses. Based on the configuration of each type of the charger, the connection detection unit detects the connection based on the connection unit configured to connect the charger, the connection detection unit detecting the connection between the connection unit and the charger. A determination means for determining the use of the charger, and a charge control means for performing charge control of the battery, wherein the charge control means has a charge control method defined for each use of the charger, When connection of the charger is detected by the connection detection unit, charge control of the battery is performed by a method corresponding to the use of the charger determined by the determination unit.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the portable information terminal according to the first aspect, the connection means connects an indoor charger having a predetermined configuration and an in-vehicle charger having a different configuration from the indoor charger. The charging control means is configured to determine a room charging method corresponding to the indoor charger, and to determine a vehicle charging method corresponding to the vehicle charger. If the battery charger is determined to be the indoor charger, the battery charging control is performed using the indoor charging method. If the battery charger is determined to be the vehicle charger, the battery is charged using the vehicle charging method. The charge control is performed.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the portable information terminal according to the second aspect, the charging control means supplies a charging current supplied to the battery when the in-vehicle charger is connected to the connecting means, A current amount is made smaller than the charging current supplied to the battery when an indoor charger is connected to the connecting means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the portable information terminal according to the second or third aspect, the portable information terminal includes a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the battery, and the charge control unit is detected by the temperature detection unit. When the temperature of the battery exceeds a threshold value, it is configured to cut off or suppress the charging of the battery, and further, the charging control means is configured so that the indoor charger is connected to the connecting means. The threshold value is set to a first value, and control is performed to set the threshold value to a second value lower than the first value when the on-vehicle charger is connected to the connection means. And

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the portable information terminal according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, a plurality of the determination means are formed in the on-vehicle charger and are formed in the indoor charger. A plurality of feature detection units for detecting a non-vehicle feature, and when the vehicle feature is detected by all of the plurality of feature detection units, it is determined that the vehicle charger is connected It is characterized by that.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the portable information terminal according to any one of the second to fifth aspects, the connecting means is formed in the in-vehicle charger and formed in the indoor charger. A fitting portion that fits with a fitting portion that does not fit, and when the apparatus main body is held by the on-vehicle charger, the fitting portion and the fitted portion are fitted to each other and the on-vehicle portion The determination unit includes a fitting detection unit that detects the fitting between the fitting unit and the mated unit, and the mating detection unit detects the engagement. It is determined that the in-vehicle charger is connected when a fitting between the joint portion and the engaging portion is detected.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the portable information terminal according to the sixth aspect, the connection means moves the fitting portion to the fitted portion side when the device main body is attached to the in-vehicle charger. A guide groove for guiding is provided, and the fitted portion is formed in the guide groove.

  An eighth aspect of the present invention is the portable information terminal according to the seventh aspect, wherein the guide groove is also used as a guide of a guide rib formed in the indoor charger, and the fitted portion Is characterized by being formed in a concave shape at a position deeper than the groove bottom of the guide groove.

  A ninth aspect of the present invention is the portable information terminal according to any one of the sixth to eighth aspects, wherein the on-vehicle charger is in a first state when connected to the connection means. The indoor charger is provided with a second identification terminal that is in a second state different from the first state when connected to the connection means, and the connection means is provided for the in-vehicle use. A connection terminal connected to the first identification terminal when the charger is connected and connected to the second identification terminal when the indoor charger is connected; and the determination means includes the fitting portion by the fitting detection portion. Based on the detection result of the fitting with the fitting portion and the state of the connection terminal, the use determination of the charger connected to the connection means, and the abnormal state of the connected charger It is characterized by performing discrimination.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, a charging control method is determined for each application of the charger, and charging control of the battery is performed by a method corresponding to the application of the charger in which connection is detected. If it does in this way, a charge control system can be changed for every use of a charger, and it will become possible to perform charge control suitable for each use. Therefore, more appropriate and efficient charge control is possible compared to a configuration using the same charge control method for all charger types.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, an indoor charger having a predetermined configuration and an in-vehicle charger having a different configuration from the indoor charger can be connected, and the indoor charger corresponding to the indoor charger is used. The in-vehicle charging method is determined corresponding to the in-vehicle charger. In this way, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the charging place is in the room or in the vehicle, and it is possible to change the charging method between the room and the vehicle in different environments. In addition, the charging control suitable for the room can be performed indoors, and the charging control suitable for the interior can be performed inside the car.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the charging current supplied to the battery when the in-vehicle charger is connected to the connecting means, the charging current supplied to the battery when the indoor charger is connected to the connecting means The amount of current is also reduced. When an on-vehicle charger is connected (that is, when charging in a car), the ambient temperature of the portable information terminal is likely to be higher than when charging indoors. If control is performed to reduce the amount of charge when the charger is connected, the rise in temperature of the battery, surrounding parts, or charger can be suppressed in a vehicle that is likely to become hot, effectively preventing problems associated with higher temperatures. Can be suppressed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the battery, and when the temperature of the battery detected by the temperature detecting means exceeds a threshold value, charging of the battery is interrupted or suppressed by the charge control means. is doing. If it does in this way, overheating of a battery can be detected appropriately and a battery can be protected effectively. Further, the threshold value is set to the first value when the indoor charger is connected to the connecting means, and the threshold value is lower than the first value when the in-vehicle charger is connected to the connecting means. Control to set the value to 2 is performed. In this way, the level of overheat protection when charging indoors can be set to an appropriate level. It becomes possible to effectively protect the surrounding parts or the charger.

  The invention according to claim 5 includes a plurality of feature detection units that detect a plurality of on-vehicle features that are formed on the on-vehicle charger and that are not formed on the indoor charger. When the in-vehicle feature is detected, it is determined that the in-vehicle charger is connected. Thus, if it is set as the structure which detects all the some vehicle-mounted characteristic parts, it will become possible to determine with high precision whether the vehicle-mounted charger is connected.

  The invention of claim 6 includes a fitted portion that is fitted to a fitting portion that is formed in the in-vehicle charger and is not formed in the indoor charger, and the apparatus main body is held by the in-vehicle charger. In this case, the fitting portion and the fitted portion are fitted and assembled to the in-vehicle charger. In this way, the portable information terminal can be stably assembled to the charger in a vehicle with relatively vibration, and can be easily attached and detached without being fitted in a room without vibration compared to the vehicle. Can do. Further, it is detected whether or not the in-vehicle charger is connected by using the fitting portion and the fitted portion, and in this way, a special for determining whether the in-vehicle charger or the indoor charger is used. It is not necessary to prepare a large number of separate configurations, and it is possible to appropriately determine whether the vehicle is mounted or used indoors by using the characteristic configuration for dealing with vibrations in the portable information terminal and the vehicle charger.

  The invention of claim 7 is provided with a guide groove for guiding the fitting portion to the fitted portion side when the apparatus main body is attached to the in-vehicle charger, and the fitted portion is formed in the guide groove. Has been. In this way, in the mounting operation for mounting the portable information terminal on the in-vehicle charger, the device main body is easily guided to an appropriate position of the in-vehicle charger, and the positioning and mounting operation of the device main body with respect to the in-vehicle charger is easy. To be able to do that.

  The invention according to claim 8 is configured such that the guide groove is also used as a guide of a guide rib formed in the indoor charger, and the fitted portion is recessed at a position deeper than the groove bottom of the guide groove. Is formed. In this way, the indoor charger can be positioned at an appropriate position by the guide groove, and the guide groove can be used both for positioning the indoor charger and guiding the fitting portion. .

  In the invention of claim 9, based on the detection result of the fitting by the fitting detector and the state of the connection terminal, the use determination of the charger connected to the connection means, and the abnormal state of the connected charger Discriminating. In this way, the usage of the connected charger can be more reliably determined, and the abnormal state of the charger can also be determined. Therefore, the usage of the connected charger and the abnormal state of the charger are further reflected. Appropriate charge control can be performed.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment in which a portable terminal of the present invention is embodied will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig.1 (a) is a side view which shows schematically the portable information terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, FIG.1 (b) shows the side surface on the opposite side to (a) partially. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of the in-vehicle charger for charging the portable information terminal of FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram conceptually showing the portable information terminal and the in-vehicle charger, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a state in which the portable information terminal is placed on the in-vehicle charger. FIG. 5A is a conceptual diagram conceptually showing the portable information terminal and the indoor charger, and FIG. 5B is a conceptual diagram of the indoor charger viewed from the insertion side of the portable information terminal. is there. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the portable information terminal is placed on the indoor charger.

First, the forms of the portable information terminal 1 and the charger will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the portable information terminal 1 is configured by housing a rechargeable battery 3 in an apparatus main body 2 and is configured as a portable electronic device that can be carried and used by a user. Examples of portable electronic devices include optical information readers such as bar code readers and two-dimensional code readers, or payment terminals that read IC cards and the like. A case where the present invention is applied to a reading device will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus main body 2 has an outer case formed by a case 4, and various electric components and other components that receive power supply from the battery 3 are accommodated in the case 4. In addition, a box-shaped storage portion (not shown) that stores the battery 3 is formed inside the apparatus main body 2, and the box-shaped storage portion is closed by a battery lid (not shown). .

  The battery 3 can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 2. When the battery 3 is mounted, the battery 3 is accommodated in the accommodating portion (not shown) and is held in the apparatus main body 2 by being closed by a battery lid. Yes. Further, the battery 3 can be removed to the outside by opening the battery lid and exposing the accommodating portion at the time of removal. The battery 3 is constituted by a known secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel hydride battery, or a nickel cadmium battery, and is charged by a charger (such as an in-vehicle charger 90 or an indoor charger 80) described later. It is possible.

  A connection portion 50 is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus main body 2. The connection unit 50 is a part connected to a plurality of types of chargers (in the present embodiment, the indoor charger 80 and the in-vehicle charger 90) having different configurations and uses, and is held by the plurality of types of chargers. And it functions as a connector electrically connected with these multiple types of chargers. For example, when the in-vehicle charger 90 is used for charging the portable information terminal 1, the connection unit 50 is held by the in-vehicle charger 90, and the connection unit 50 and the in-vehicle charger 90 are electrically connected in the held state. (See FIG. 4: described later). When the indoor charger 80 is used for charging the portable information terminal 1, the connecting portion 50 is held by the indoor charger 80, and the connecting portion 50 and the indoor charger 80 are electrically connected in the holding state. (See FIG. 6: described later). The connection unit 50 corresponds to an example of “connection means”.

  1 and 2, the connection unit 50 includes terminals T1, T2, and T3 that are connected to terminals of the indoor charger 80 and the in-vehicle charger 90, and the indoor charger 80 and It has engaging portions 51 and 52 that engage with the in-vehicle charger 90. The engaging portions 51 and 52 are constituted by guide grooves 53 and 54 formed in the side walls 2a and 2b of the apparatus main body 2 and holes 55 and 56 formed in the guide grooves 53 and 54, respectively. Yes. The guide grooves 53 and 54 have a groove shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the portable information terminal 1, and have a function of guiding a part of the in-vehicle charger 90 and the indoor charger 80.

  Examples of the on-vehicle charger that is connected to the connection unit 50 and charges the portable information terminal 1 include those shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The in-vehicle charger 90 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 includes a pair of engaged portions 91 and 92 that engage with a pair of engaging portions 51 and 52 formed in the apparatus main body 2, respectively. In such a holding state, the engaged portion 91 is engaged with the engaging portion 51, and the engaged portion 92 is engaged with the engaging portion 52. By this engagement, the relative movement of the portable information terminal 1 is restricted, and the portable information terminal 1 is prevented from being detached from the in-vehicle charger 90.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the engaged portion 91 formed in the in-vehicle charger 90 includes a bending portion 91 b that can be bent and deformed. The bent portion 91 b has a protruding portion 91 a formed in the vicinity of the end portion, and has a cantilever shape in which an end portion on the opposite side to the protruding portion 91 a is integrally connected to the wall portion 93. The engaged portion 92 is the same, and includes a bent portion 92b that can be bent and deformed. The bent portion 92 b has a protruding portion 92 a formed in the vicinity of the end portion, and has a cantilever shape in which an end portion on the opposite side to the protruding portion 92 a is integrally connected to the wall portion 93.

  Further, the engaged portion 91 and the engaged portion 92 are arranged to face each other. One protrusion 91 a protrudes toward the engaged portion 92, and the protrusion 91 a moves away from the engaged portion 92 in response to a bending deformation that tilts the bent portion 91 b away from the engaged portion 92. It is supposed to move. The other protrusion 92 a protrudes toward the engaged portion 91, and the protrusion 92 a moves from the engaged portion 91 in response to the bending deformation that tilts the bending portion 92 b away from the engaged portion 91. It moves to the side which goes away.

  The engaged portions 91 and 92 formed as described above are guided by the guide grooves 53 and 54 when the portable information terminal 1 is attached to and detached from the in-vehicle charger 90 and engaged with the engaging portions 51 and 52. It is like that. In addition, taper parts 91c and 92c which incline with respect to the insertion direction of the portable information terminal 1 are formed in the protrusions 91a and 92a constituting the engaged parts 91 and 92, and the portable information terminal 1 is mounted on a vehicle. When inserted into the charger 90, the tapered portions 91c and 92c of the protrusions 91a and 92a are pressed against the vicinity of the bottom portions 53a and 54a on one end side of the guide grooves 53 and 54. Since the connection portion 50 is configured such that the distance between the bottom 53a of the guide groove 53 and the bottom 54a of the guide groove 54 is slightly wider than the distance between the tips of the protrusions 91a and 92a in the natural state of FIG. As the portions 91a and 92a enter the guide grooves 53 and 54, the protrusions 91a and 92a are widened against the biasing of the bending portions 91b and 92b, and the interval between the protrusions 91a and 92a is the natural distance of FIG. It opens slightly compared to the state. When the portable information terminal 1 is further inserted in this state, the protrusions 91a and 92b move relative to each other in the guide grooves 53 and 54 and move to the other end side (the side where the holes 55 and 56 are formed). Will be.

Holes 55 and 56 are formed on the guide grooves 53 and 54 on the opposite side of the protrusions 91a and 92a from the entry start side, respectively. The hole portions 55 and 56 are formed in a concave shape in the guide grooves 53 and 54 at positions deeper than the bottom portions 53a and 54a until the projections 91a and 92a reach the positions of the hole portions 55 and 56. When inserted, the protrusions 91a and 92a are pushed into the holes 55 and 56, respectively, by the elastic return force of the bent portions 91b and 92b that have been spread as described above, and the protrusions 91a and 92a are respectively holes. 55 and 56 are fitted.
In the present embodiment, the protrusions 91a and 92a correspond to an example of a “fitting portion”, and the hole portions 55 and 56 correspond to an example of a “fitted portion”. Further, the protrusions 91 a and 92 a correspond to an example of “in-vehicle feature”, and a plurality of protrusions 91 a and 92 a are formed in the in-vehicle charger 90 and are not formed in the indoor charger 80.

  Further, as a different type of charger from the in-vehicle charger 90, for example, an indoor charger 80 as shown in FIG. 5 is used for charging. The indoor charger 80 shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) is used by placing the portable information terminal 1 as shown in FIG. 6, and when the portable information terminal 1 as shown in FIG. Front walls 85, 86, which have a pair of wall portions 83, 84 that face the two side walls 2 a, 2 b, and that face one side of the apparatus main body 2 (the surface side on which the liquid crystal display portion is provided) when mounted, It has a substantially box-like shape including a rear wall 87 that faces a surface opposite to the one surface when mounted, and a bottom wall 88 that supports one end of the apparatus main body 2 when mounted. The connection part 50 of the portable information terminal 1 is inserted into such a box-shaped indoor charger 80 so as to be fitted to the indoor charger 80, whereby the portable information terminal 1 is used for indoor use. It is held in the charger 80.

  The pair of walls 83 and 84 are formed with guide ribs 81 and 82 that fit into the guide grooves 53 and 54 when the portable information terminal 1 is held. The guide ribs 81 and 82 are configured to face each other and project in the facing direction, and both extend along the insertion direction of the portable information terminal 1.

  In the indoor charger 80 configured as described above, the guide ribs 81 and 82 enter from the respective one end sides of the guide grooves 53 and 54 when the portable information terminal 1 is inserted. The guide ribs 81 and 82 move in the guide grooves 53 and 54 while being guided by the guide grooves 53 and 54 until the portable information terminal 1 is completely placed on the indoor charger 80 as shown in FIG. When the portable information terminal 1 is completely placed on the indoor charger 80 as shown in FIG. 6, the guide ribs 81 and 82 and the guide grooves 53 and 54 are maintained in an engaged state.

  As described above, in the configuration according to the present embodiment, the guide grooves 53 and 54 are provided as guides for the in-vehicle charger 90 (specifically, guides for the protrusions 91a and 92a formed in the in-vehicle charger 90); It is configured to be used also as a guide for the indoor charger 80 (specifically, guides for the guide ribs 81 and 82 formed in the indoor charger 80).

Next, the electrical configuration of the portable information terminal 1 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electrical configuration of the portable information terminal according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a specific configuration of the charging circuit and the like. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram schematically illustrating an electrical connection configuration between the portable information terminal and the charger.

  As described above, the connection unit 50 of the portable information terminal 1 can be connected to the indoor charger 80 having a predetermined configuration and the in-vehicle charger 90 having a different configuration from the indoor charger 80. The battery charger 80 can be charged by either the indoor charger 80 or the in-vehicle charger 90.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the indoor charger 80 is used by being electrically connected to a commercial power supply 88, and has a configuration for receiving power supply from the commercial power supply 88, and the portable information terminal 1. When the is connected, charging current is supplied to the portable information terminal 1. The on-vehicle charger 90 is used by being electrically connected to a vehicle power source 99 (vehicle battery or the like). The on-vehicle charger 90 is configured to receive power from the vehicle power source 99. A charging current is supplied to the portable information terminal 1 when 1 is connected.

  On the other hand, the portable information terminal 1 is provided with a charging circuit 20 that charges the battery 3 by receiving power from the indoor charger 80 or the in-vehicle charger 90, and a control circuit 10 that controls the charging circuit 20. It has been. The charging circuit 20 and the control circuit 10 are configured as shown in FIG. 8, for example.

  The control circuit 10 is constituted by a CPU or the like and has an information processing function. The control circuit 10 includes a terminal P1 to which the charger identification signal 1 is input, and has a terminal P2 connected to the terminal T1 and a terminal P3 connected to the terminal T2. The charger identification signal 2 (described later) is input, and a voltage level signal indicating the voltage level of the terminal T2 is input to the terminal P3.

  Further, the control circuit 10 is provided with a control terminal P4 for controlling the switch S1, a control terminal P5 for controlling the switch S1, and a control terminal P6 for controlling the switch S3.

All of the switches S1, S2, and S3 are constituted by semiconductor switches (for example, transistors). The switch S1 is configured to be in an on state when an on signal (for example, an H level signal) is output from the terminal P5. The switch S3 is configured to be in an on state when an on signal (for example, an H level signal) is output from the terminal P6. The switch S3 is turned on when an on signal (for example, an H level signal) is output from the terminal P4, an on signal is output from the power on circuit 42, and a drive voltage is output from the power supply circuit 40. The switch S3 is configured to be turned off when an off signal is output from the terminal P4. The power-on circuit 42 is a circuit that outputs an on signal (for example, an H level signal) when the user performs a predetermined power-on operation.
Since it is configured in this manner, on / off of the switches S1, S2, and S3 can be controlled by controlling output signals from the terminals P5, P4, and P6, respectively.

  The charging circuit 20 includes a charging line 21 connected to the terminal T2, and charging current is supplied from a charger (the indoor charger 80 or the in-vehicle charger 90) via the charging line 21. It has become.

  The charging line 21 is branched into a first line 22 and a second line 23, and a switch S3 is connected to one of the first lines 22 via a diode D1. The first line 22 is configured such that a current flows from the connection point A1 side to the switch S3 side due to the presence of the diode D1. The first line 22 branches into a line 24 connected to the power supply circuit 40 and a line 25 connected to the switch S2, and the terminal T1 and the power supply circuit 40 are turned on when the switch S3 is turned on. When the switches S2 and S3 are both turned on, the terminal T1 and the battery 3 are in a conducting state.

  A second line 23 branched from the charging line 21 is connected to the charging control IC 41. This charge control IC is configured by a known charge control circuit, and is configured to be capable of constant current control for outputting a constant current and constant voltage control for outputting a constant voltage. Resistors R1 and R2 are connected in series to the output line 27 from the charging control IC, and both ends of the switch S1 are connected to both ends of the resistor R2. The switch S1 switches a resistance value between the charging control IC 41 and the connection point A2. When an ON signal is output from the terminal P5 and the switch S1 is turned on, both ends of the resistor R2 are short-circuited, and the switch S1 The resistance value between the charging control IC 41 and the connection point A2 is reduced by the resistance R2 as compared to when the is in the OFF state.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the portable information terminal 1 has a switch SW1 for detecting the fitting between the protrusion 91a and the hole 55 and a switch SW2 for detecting the fitting between the protrusion 92a and the hole 56. In the internal circuit shown in FIG. 8, a specific signal (L level signal) is input to the terminal P1 when both the switches SW1 and SW2 are turned on, and in other cases, the specific signal A signal (H level signal) different from that is input to the terminal P1.

  The switch SW1, for example, is configured as a button switch, and is provided at the bottom of the hole 55 as shown in FIG. 3, and when the projection 91a is inserted into the hole 55 as shown in FIG. Is configured to be turned on when pressed. The switch SW2 is the same, for example, configured as a button switch, and provided at the bottom of the hole 56 as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when the projection 92a is inserted into the hole 56, the button is pressed and turned on.

  These switches SW1 and SW2 are configured such that one end side is grounded and the other end side is input to the OR circuit 44 as shown in FIGS. Vcc is connected between the other end of the switch SW1 and the OR circuit 44 via a pull-up resistor R4, and Vcc is connected between the other end of the switch SW2 and the OR circuit 44 via a pull-up resistor R5. Is connected. Since it is configured in this manner, the OR circuit 44 outputs an L level signal only when both the switches SW1 and SW2 are in the on state, and when neither is in the on state or only one is in the on state. In some cases, an H level signal is output from the OR circuit 44. In the present embodiment, the signal input to the terminal P1 is “charger identification signal 1”, and the L level signal output from the OR circuit 44 when both the switches SW1 and SW2 are turned on, The H level signal output from the OR circuit 44 at other times corresponds to the “charger identification signal 1”.

  Further, the portable information terminal 1 is provided with three terminals T1, T2, and T3 as shown in FIG. 9, and these terminals T1, T2, and T3 are terminals T21, T22, T23 of the indoor charger 80 or The vehicle charger 90 is connected to terminals T31, T32, and T33. The terminal T1 is connected to the terminal P2 of the control circuit 10, and Vcc is connected to a connection line connecting the terminal T1 and the terminal P2 via a pull-up resistor R6. The terminal T1 is configured to be connected to the terminal T21 of the indoor charger 80 when the indoor charger 80 is connected. At the time of connection, the transistor Tr is controlled to be on, and the terminal P1 is connected to the terminal P2. An L level signal is input. Further, when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected, the terminal T1 and the terminal T31 are connected, and an H level signal is input to the terminal P2.

  The terminal T2 is connected to the plus-side output terminal T22 of the indoor charger 80 or the plus-side output terminal T32 of the in-vehicle charger 90. A power line 30 is connected to the terminal T2, and the power line 30 branches from the connection point A3 to the charging line 23 and the signal line 28, and the charging circuit 20 is connected to one charging line 23. The other signal line 28 is connected to the terminal P3 of the control circuit 10, and Vcc is connected between the connection point A3 and the terminal P3 via a diode D2. A predetermined position between the connection point A3 and the terminal P3 is grounded via the diode D3. In this configuration, an L level signal is input to the terminal P3 when the terminal T22 or the terminal T32 is not connected to the terminal T2, and an H level signal is input when the terminal T22 or the terminal T32 is connected.

  The terminal T3 is connected to the negative output terminal T23 of the indoor charger 80 or the negative output terminal T33 of the in-vehicle charger 90. A ground line 29 is connected to the terminal T3.

Next, charge control will be described.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the charging control process in the portable information terminal 1.
This charging control process is executed by the control circuit 10. When the charging control process is started, first, a process for determining whether or not the portable information terminal 1 is attached to the charger is performed ( S10). In the determination process of S10, the input state of the terminal P3 is confirmed. If the charging output signal (H level signal) is input to the terminal P3, it is determined that the terminal P3 is attached to the charger and the process proceeds to Yes. On the other hand, when the L level signal is input to the terminal P3, it is determined that the battery is not attached to the charger, and the process proceeds to No in S10.
In the present embodiment, the control circuit 10 corresponds to an example of “connection detection means” and functions to detect the connection between the connection unit 50 and the charger.

  When the process proceeds to Yes in S10, a first determination process is performed to determine whether or not the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected (S11). In the first determination process, it is determined whether or not the protrusions 91a and 92a unique to the in-vehicle charger 90 are inserted into the holes 55 and 56, respectively. Specifically, it is confirmed whether or not the charger identification signal 1 input to the terminal P1 indicates the in-vehicle charger 90. For example, when an L level signal is input to the terminal P1, the switches SW1 and SW2 are both on, and the protrusions 91a and 92a are fitted in the holes 55 and 56, respectively. Proceed to Yes in S11. On the other hand, when the H level signal is input to the terminal P2, since it cannot be determined that the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected, the process proceeds to No in S11.

  As described above, the vehicle charger 90 used in the present embodiment is formed with two protrusions 91a and 92a as "vehicle features" and "fitting portions". In the portable information terminal 1, no protrusion is formed, and the two switches SW <b> 1 and SW <b> 2 (the switches SW <b> 1 and SW <b> 2 correspond to examples of a “feature detection unit” and “fitting detection unit”). When 91a and 92a are detected, it is determined that the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected.

  When the process proceeds to Yes in S11, a second determination process for determining the in-vehicle charger 90 is performed (S12). In the second determination process, it is confirmed whether or not the charger identification signal 2 input to the terminal P2 indicates the in-vehicle charger 90. In the present embodiment, since the H level signal is input to the terminal P2 when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected, if the H level signal is input to the terminal P2, Yes in S12. Proceed to Conversely, when the charger identification signal 2 does not indicate the in-vehicle charger 90 (when an L level signal is input to the terminal P2), the process proceeds to No in S12.

  The case where the process proceeds to Yes in S12 is a case where both the charger identification signal 1 and the charger identification signal 2 indicate the connection of the on-vehicle charger 90. At this time, there is no contradiction in the signal state, and the on-vehicle It can be said that the charger 90 is properly connected and is operating properly. Therefore, in S13, the charging control process corresponding to the in-vehicle charger 90 is performed.

  In this embodiment, a charge control method is determined for each use of the charger. When the connection of the charger is detected in S10, the charge control of the battery 3 is performed by a method corresponding to the determined use of the charger. It is carried out. That is, the indoor charging method is determined corresponding to the indoor charger 80, and the in-vehicle charging method is determined corresponding to the in-vehicle charger 90. When it is determined that the charger 90 is connected, the charging control of the battery 3 is performed by an in-vehicle charging method. On the other hand, when it is determined that the indoor charger 80 is connected as in S17 described later, the charging control of the battery 3 is performed by the indoor charging method. FIG. 11 shows a correspondence relationship between the states of the charger identification signals 1 and 2 and the charge output signal and the states expected for the charger.

  FIG. 12 shows the correspondence between the connection state of the charger and the control of the switches S1 to S3. In the process of S13, charging is performed by the on-vehicle charging method assuming that the on-vehicle charger 90 is normally connected. In this method, the switch S1 is turned off, the switch S2 is turned on, and the switch S3 is turned on. Is controlled so as to be turned off. First, since the switch S1 is turned off in the charging circuit 20 shown in FIG. 8, the resistors R1 and R2 are interposed in series on the output line 27 from the charging control IC 41, and when the switch S1 is on ( The charging current of the output line 27 can be suppressed as compared with the case of the indoor charging method described later (for example, if the resistance values of the resistor R1 and the resistor R2 are the same, the charging current can be suppressed to about half). Further, since the switch S3 is in the off state and the switch S2 is in the on state, power is not supplied from the in-vehicle charger 90 to the power supply circuit 40 via the first line 22, and the power from the in-vehicle charger 90 is Is supplied to the power supply circuit 40 through a path passing through the charging control IC 41 and the output line 27. The charging current from the in-vehicle charger 90 is supplied to the battery 3 through a path that passes through the charging control IC 41 and the output line 27. In this case, a part of the charging current output from the charging control IC 41 excluding the part supplied to the power supply circuit 40 is supplied to the battery 3.

  On the other hand, when the H level signal is not input to the terminal P2 in S12 (that is, when the charger identification signal 1 is L level and the charger identification signal 2 is H level), the in-vehicle charger 90 is Although connected, it can be estimated that the charger identification signal 2 is not normal and the vehicle-mounted charger 90 is abnormal. In this case, charging is stopped (S14). In the process of S14, error information indicating that the in-vehicle charger 90 is not normal may be displayed on a liquid crystal display provided in the portable information terminal 1 or the like.

  Next, the case where it progresses to No in S11 is demonstrated. Even when the process proceeds to No in S11, a second determination process for determining the in-vehicle charger 90 is performed (S15). This process is also basically the same as S12, and it is confirmed whether or not the charger identification signal 2 input to the terminal P2 indicates the in-vehicle charger 90. As described above, since the H level signal is input to the terminal P2 when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected, if the H level signal is input to the terminal P2, Yes in S15. Proceed to On the contrary, when the charger identification signal 2 does not indicate the in-vehicle charger 90 (when the L level signal is input to the terminal P2), the process proceeds to No in S15.

  The case where the process proceeds to No in S15 is a case where both the charger identification signal 1 and the charger identification signal 2 indicate the connection of the indoor charger 80. At this time, there is no contradiction in the signal state, It can be said that the charger 80 is properly connected and is operating properly. Therefore, in S17, the charging control process corresponding to the indoor charger 80 is performed.

  In the process of S17, the indoor charger 80 is normally connected and charging is performed by the indoor charging system. In this system, the switch S1 is turned on as shown in FIG. Is controlled to be turned off and the switch S3 is turned on. In this case, since the switch S1 is turned on in the charging circuit 20 of FIG. 8, both ends of the resistor R2 are short-circuited in the output line 27 from the charging control IC 41, and only the resistor R1 is substantially interposed in the output line 27. It will be. In this case, the charging current of the output line 27 increases as compared to when the switch S1 is in the OFF state (in the above-described on-vehicle charging method). Therefore, the battery 3 is charged with a larger charging current. As described above, in this embodiment, the indoor charger 80 supplies the charging current supplied to the battery 3 when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected to the connection unit 50 by the control of the switch S1 by the control circuit 10. The amount of current is made smaller than the charging current supplied to the battery 3 when connected to the connection unit 50.

  In addition, since the switch S3 is in the on state and the switch S2 is in the off state, the power from the in-vehicle charger 90 is directly supplied to the power circuit 40 through the first line 22, and the power circuit 40 from the battery 3 is supplied. The power supply to is cut off.

  On the other hand, when the H level signal is input to the terminal P2 in S15 (that is, when the charger identification signal 1 is at the H level and the charger identification signal 2 is at the H level), the in-vehicle charger 90 is Although connected, the charger identification signal 1 is not normal, and it can be estimated that the fitting between the protrusions 91a and 92a of the in-vehicle charger 90 and the holes 55 and 56 is not normal (lock abnormal state). In this case, the charging is stopped (S16). In the process of S16, error information indicating that a lock abnormality has occurred in the in-vehicle charger 90 may be displayed on a liquid crystal display provided in the portable information terminal 1 or the like.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 12, when the portable information terminal 1 is operating (power ON state) and the charger is not connected, the switches S1 and S3 are turned off and the switch S2 is turned on. Control is performed, and power is supplied from the battery 3 to the power supply circuit 40. Further, when the portable information terminal 1 is in the power OFF state and the charger is not connected, all of the switches S1 to S3 are turned off.

  In the example of the present embodiment described above, the in-vehicle charger 90 is provided with the terminal T31 (first identification terminal) that is in the first state (H level state) when connected to the connection unit 50, and the indoor charger. 80, a terminal T31 (second identification terminal) that is in a second state (L level state) different from the first state when connected to the connection unit 50 is provided. A terminal T1 (connection terminal) that is connected to the terminal T31 (first identification terminal) when connected to the charger 90 and that is connected to the terminal T21 (second identification terminal) when connected to the indoor charger 80 is provided. . And the fitting detection result (namely, the detection result of fitting with projection part 91a, 92a (fitting part) and hole 55,56 (fitting part)) by switch SW1, SW2 (fitting detection part) , And the state of the terminal T1 (connection terminal) (that is, whether the terminal T1 is in the first state or the second state), the usage determination of the charger connected to the connection unit 50, and The abnormal state of the connected charger is determined.

In the present embodiment, the switches SW1, SW2, the OR circuit 44, and the control circuit 10 constitute a “discriminating means”. Based on the configuration of each type of charger, the usage of the charger whose connection is detected is determined. It works to discriminate.
The control circuit 10 corresponds to an example of “charging control means” and functions to control charging of the battery 3.

  Although omitted in the flowchart of FIG. 10, when the process proceeds to No in S10 (when the charge output signal of the terminal P3 is L level), the state can be estimated as shown in the lower part of FIG. For example, when the charger identification signals 1 and 2 are both at the H level and the L level signal is input to the terminal P3, it can be estimated that the charger is not connected. You may make it display on a liquid crystal display. When the charger identification signal 1 is at the H level and the charger identification signal 2 is at the L level, but the L level signal is input to the terminal P3, the indoor charger 80 is connected. Since the output can be estimated to be abnormal, information to that effect may be displayed on a liquid crystal display or the like. Further, when the charger identification signal 1 is L level and the charger identification signal 2 is H level, but the L level signal is inputted to the terminal P3, the output of the vehicle charger 90 connected thereto Since it can be estimated that no error has occurred, information to that effect may be displayed on a liquid crystal display or the like. In addition, when the charger identification signals 1 and 2 are both at the L level and the L level signal is input to the terminal P3, the status or output abnormality has occurred although the on-vehicle charger 90 is connected. Since it can be estimated, information to that effect may be displayed on a liquid crystal display or the like.

According to the configuration of the present embodiment, for example, the following effects can be obtained.
In the portable information terminal 1 according to the present embodiment, a charging control method is determined for each usage of the charger, and the charging control of the battery 3 is performed by a method corresponding to the usage of the charger whose connection is detected. If it does in this way, a charge control system can be changed for every use of a charger, and it will become possible to perform charge control suitable for each use. Therefore, more appropriate and efficient charge control is possible compared to a configuration using the same charge control method for all charger types.

  Further, the indoor charger 80 having a predetermined configuration and an in-vehicle charger 90 having a configuration different from that of the indoor charger 80 can be connected, and the indoor charger 80 can be connected to the indoor charger 80 corresponding to the indoor charger 80. A charging method is determined, and an in-vehicle charging method is determined corresponding to the in-vehicle charger 90. In this way, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the charging place is in the room or in the vehicle, and it is possible to change the charging method between the room and the vehicle in different environments. In addition, the charging control suitable for the room can be performed indoors, and the charging control suitable for the interior can be performed inside the car.

Further, the charging current supplied to the battery 3 when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected to the connection unit 50, and the charging current supplied to the battery 3 when the indoor charger 80 is connected to the connection unit 50. The amount of current is less than that.
When the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected (that is, when charged in the vehicle), the ambient temperature of the portable information terminal 1 is likely to be higher than when charged indoors, but as in the present invention. If control is performed to reduce the amount of charge when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected, the temperature rise of the battery, surrounding parts, or the charger can be suppressed in a vehicle that is likely to become hot, and problems associated with higher temperatures can be prevented. It can be effectively suppressed.
In addition, when charging with the in-vehicle charger 90, it is common to use supplementary charging as much as statistically used, and quick charging is often not necessary. Therefore, inconvenience does not easily occur even if the charging current is suppressed, and charging that is extremely suitable for an in-vehicle environment can be performed.

  On the contrary, when charging indoors, the temperature conditions are not so strict as compared with the in-vehicle environment, so there is a problem even if the charging current is increased when the indoor charger 80 is connected as in this embodiment. Therefore, rapid charging can be performed satisfactorily. In addition, since the power supply to the power supply circuit 40 and the charging current to the battery 3 are supplied through separate paths, a large amount of charging current can be supplied to the battery 3 and the charging time can be further shortened.

  In addition, the portable information terminal 1 according to the present embodiment includes switches SW1 and SW2 (features) that detect a plurality of protrusions (in-vehicle features) that are formed in the in-vehicle charger 90 and are not formed in the indoor charger 80. It is determined that the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected when a protrusion (in-vehicle feature) is detected by all of the plurality of feature detection units. Thus, if it is set as the structure which detects all the some vehicle-mounted characteristic parts, it will become possible to determine with high precision whether the vehicle-mounted charger 90 is connected.

  Moreover, it has the hole parts 55 and 56 (to-be-fitted part) which fit in the protrusion parts 91a and 92a (fitting part) which are formed in the vehicle-mounted charger 90 and are not formed in the indoor charger 80. When the apparatus main body 2 is held by the in-vehicle charger 90, the protrusions 91a and 92a are fitted into the holes 55 and 56, respectively, and assembled to the in-vehicle charger 90. In this way, the portable information terminal 1 can be stably assembled to the charger in a vehicle that is relatively vibrated, and the projections 91a and 92a are not fitted in a room that does not vibrate compared to the vehicle. Easy attachment / detachment can be achieved. Further, it is detected whether or not the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected using the protrusions 91a and 92a (fitting parts) and the holes 55 and 56 (fitting parts), and thus If this is the case, it is not necessary to prepare a large number of special configurations for determining whether the vehicle is mounted or indoor, and whether the vehicle is mounted using the characteristic configuration for dealing with vibration in the portable information terminal 1 and the vehicle charger 90. It will be possible to properly determine whether it is for indoor use.

  Further, when the apparatus main body 2 is mounted on the in-vehicle charger 90, guide grooves 53 and 54 for guiding the protrusions 91a and 92a (fitting portion) to the hole portions 55 and 56 side (fitted portion side) are provided. The hole portions 55 and 56 are formed in the guide grooves 53 and 54, respectively. If it does in this way, in mounting operation which mounts personal digital assistant 1 in in-vehicle charger 90, it will become easy to guide device main part 2 to the appropriate position of in-vehicle charger 90, and device main part 2 to in-vehicle charger 90 is easy to guide. Positioning and mounting operations can be easily performed.

  The guide grooves 53 and 54 are also used as guides for the guide ribs 81 and 82 formed in the indoor charger 80, and the holes 55 and 56 are further formed than the groove bottoms of the guide grooves 53 and 54. It is formed in a concave shape in the back position. In this way, the indoor charger 80 can be positioned at an appropriate position by the guide grooves 53 and 54. Further, the guide grooves 53 and 54 can be positioned by the positioning of the indoor charger 80 and the protrusion 91a, It can also be used as a guide for 92a.

  Further, the connection to the connection unit 50 is made based on the detection result of the fitting between the projections 91a, 92a and the holes 55, 56 by the switches SW1, SW2 (fitting detection unit) and the state of the terminal T1 (connection terminal). The use of the charger to be used is determined, and the abnormal state of the connected charger is determined. In this way, the usage of the connected charger can be more reliably determined, and the abnormal state of the charger can also be determined. Therefore, the usage of the connected charger and the abnormal state of the charger are further reflected. Appropriate charge control can be performed.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  In the said embodiment, although the vehicle-mounted charger and the indoor charger were illustrated as an example of multiple types of charger, as long as it is a charger from which an application differs, other combinations may be sufficient. For example, either or both of the above embodiments may be changed to a charger for another application (for example, for trains, aircraft, etc.), and a charging method corresponding to the application of each charger may be used.

  In the said embodiment, although protrusion part 91a, 92a was illustrated as an example of the vehicle-mounted characteristic part, a vehicle-mounted characteristic part is not restricted to this. For example, the in-vehicle charger may have the same configuration as the indoor charger 80 as shown in FIG. 5, and the indoor charger may have a configuration in which the guide rib is omitted from FIG. In this case, since the guide rib enters the guide grooves 53 and 54 only when the on-vehicle charger is placed, the switches SW1 and SW2 similar to those in the above embodiment are provided at the groove bottoms of the guide grooves 53 and 54. And the switch SW1 and SW2 may be configured to determine that the in-vehicle charger is connected when two guide ribs provided in the in-vehicle charger are detected.

Although not particularly mentioned in the above embodiment, for example, temperature detection means (for example, a thermistor) for detecting the temperature of the battery 3 is provided inside or around the battery 3 and is detected by the temperature detection means. When the temperature of the battery 3 exceeds a threshold value, control can also be performed so that charging of the battery 3 is interrupted or suppressed.
Specifically, for example, a temperature detection unit such as a thermistor is disposed inside or around the battery 3 so that a temperature signal from the temperature detection unit is input to the control circuit 10. Two threshold values (a first value and a second value lower than the first value) are prepared in advance (for example, stored in a memory not shown). In addition, a semiconductor switch (such as a transistor) that is controlled to be turned on / off by the control circuit 10 is prepared in a line through which a charging current flows, such as the output line 27 from the charging control IC 41.
With this configuration, the control circuit 10 sets the threshold value to the first value when the indoor charger 80 is connected to the connection unit 50, and the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected to the connection unit 50. A configuration is adopted in which control is performed to set the threshold value to a second value lower than the first value when connected.
In this way, when the indoor charger 80 is connected to the connection unit 50, the threshold value is set to the first value in the control circuit 10, and the temperature of the battery 3 detected by the temperature detecting means is the first value. When the value is reached, the semiconductor switch disposed in the output line 27 and the like is controlled to be in an OFF state, and the supply of the charging current is cut off. Further, when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected to the connection unit 50, the threshold value is set to a second value lower than the first value by the control circuit 10, and the battery 3 detected by the temperature detection means When the temperature reaches the second value, the semiconductor switch disposed in the output line 27 or the like is controlled to be turned off and the supply of the charging current is cut off.
If it does in this way, overheating of battery 3 can be detected appropriately, and battery 3 can be protected effectively. The threshold value is set to the first value when the indoor charger 80 is connected to the connection unit 50, and the threshold value is set to the first value when the in-vehicle charger 90 is connected to the connection unit 50. Since the control is performed to set the second value lower than that, the level of overheat protection when charging indoors can be set to an appropriate level. It is possible to effectively protect the battery 3, the surrounding parts, or the charger by raising the level of overheat protection from the room.

Fig.1 (a) is a side view which shows schematically the portable information terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, FIG.1 (b) shows the side surface on the opposite side to (a) partially. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of the in-vehicle charger for charging the portable information terminal of FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram conceptually showing the portable information terminal and the in-vehicle charger. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the portable information terminal is placed on the in-vehicle charger. FIG. 5A is a conceptual diagram conceptually showing the portable information terminal and the indoor charger, and FIG. 5B is a conceptual diagram of the indoor charger viewed from the insertion side of the portable information terminal. is there. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the portable information terminal is placed on the indoor charger. FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electrical configuration of the portable information terminal according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a specific configuration of the charging circuit and the like. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram schematically illustrating a connection configuration between the portable information terminal and the charger. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the charging control process in the portable information terminal according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the correspondence relationship between the states of the charger identification signals 1 and 2 and the charge output signal and the states expected for the charger. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the correspondence between each state of the portable information terminal and the control state of the switch.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Portable information terminal 2 ... Apparatus main body 4 ... Battery 10 ... Control circuit (Connection detection means, discrimination | determination means, charge control means)
50 .. connection part (connection means)
51, 52 ... engaging portion 53, 54 ... guide groove 55, 56 ... hole (fitting portion)
80 ... Indoor charger (charger)
81, 82 ... guide ribs 90 ... in-vehicle charger (charger)
91, 92 ... engaged portion 91a, 92a ... projection (fitting portion, in-vehicle feature)
T1 ... terminal (connection terminal)
T21 ... terminal (second identification terminal)
T31 ... terminal (first identification terminal)
SW1, SW2 ... detection switch (feature detection unit, fitting detection unit, discrimination means)

Claims (9)

A portable information terminal in which a rechargeable battery is accommodated in the apparatus body,
A connecting means provided in the apparatus main body, and configured to connect a plurality of types of chargers having different configurations and uses;
Connection detecting means for detecting connection between the connecting means and the charger;
Based on the configuration of each type of the charger, a determination unit that determines the use of the charger whose connection is detected by the connection detection unit;
Charging control means for controlling charging of the battery;
With
The charging control means has a charging control method defined for each use of the charger, and when the connection of the charger is detected by the connection detecting means, the use of the charger determined by the determining means A portable information terminal that performs charge control of the battery by a method corresponding to the above. The connecting means is connectable to an indoor charger having a predetermined configuration and an in-vehicle charger having a different configuration from the indoor charger.
The charging control means has an indoor charging method corresponding to the indoor charger, and an in-vehicle charging method corresponding to the in-vehicle charger. If the battery charger is determined to be a vehicle charger, the battery charging control is performed using the indoor charging method. If the battery charger is determined to be a vehicle charger, the battery charging control is performed using the vehicle charging method. The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal is performed.   The charging control means supplies a charging current to be supplied to the battery when the in-vehicle charger is connected to the connecting means, and supplies the charging current to the battery when the indoor charger is connected to the connecting means. The portable information terminal according to claim 2, wherein the amount of current is less than the charging current to be supplied. Temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the battery,
The charging control unit is configured to block or suppress charging of the battery when the temperature of the battery detected by the temperature detection unit exceeds a threshold value,
Furthermore, the charging control means sets the threshold value to the first value when the indoor charger is connected to the connecting means, and when the in-vehicle charger is connected to the connecting means. The portable information terminal according to claim 2 or 3, wherein control is performed to set the threshold value to a second value lower than the first value.   The determination unit includes a plurality of feature detection units that detect a plurality of on-vehicle features that are formed on the on-vehicle charger and that are not formed on the indoor charger. The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein when the in-vehicle feature is detected, it is determined that the in-vehicle charger is connected. The connecting means includes a fitted portion that is fitted to a fitting portion that is formed in the in-vehicle charger and is not formed in the indoor charger,
The apparatus body is configured to be assembled to the on-vehicle charger by fitting the fitting portion and the fitted portion when held by the on-vehicle charger,
The discriminating means includes a fitting detection unit that detects fitting between the fitting portion and the fitted portion, and the fitting detection portion causes the fitting portion and the engaging portion to be fitted. The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein when detected, the on-vehicle charger is determined to be connected.   The connecting means includes a guide groove that guides the fitting portion toward the fitted portion when the apparatus main body is attached to the on-vehicle charger, and the fitted portion is located in the guide groove. The portable information terminal according to claim 6, wherein the portable information terminal is formed. The guide groove is configured to serve as a guide for a guide rib formed in the indoor charger,
The portable information terminal according to claim 7, wherein the fitted portion is formed in a concave shape at a position deeper than a groove bottom of the guide groove. The on-vehicle charger includes a first identification terminal that is in a first state when connected to the connecting means, and the indoor charger is different from the first state when connected to the connecting means. Comprising a second identification terminal in a second state;
The connection means includes a connection terminal that is connected to the first identification terminal when the on-vehicle charger is connected, and is connected to the second identification terminal when the indoor charger is connected;
The determination means is based on a result of detection of the fitting between the fitting portion and the fitted portion by the fitting detection portion, and a state of the connection terminal of the charger connected to the connection means. The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the portable information terminal performs use determination and determination of an abnormal state of the charger connected thereto.

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