JP2016054615A - Electronic apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus that prevents a malfunction and failure due to the use of an imitation battery for a battery attached to an external battery device.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus which has a configuration allowing operation by power of a battery and to which an external battery device can be attached includes: detection means that detects that the external battery device is attached; and communication means and interface means that perform communication with the battery. The apparatus has external battery device attachment notification means that, if the communication means cannot communicate with the battery even when the detection means detects the attachment of the external battery device, notifies a user via the user interface means that the external battery device should be securely attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device driven by a battery and a control method thereof.

  In recent years, malfunctions and failures of electronic devices caused by the use of counterfeit batteries have been reported. The counterfeit battery here means an illegal battery that is fake as if it is a genuine part of a manufacturer, and does not include so-called third party batteries. If the counterfeit battery is a genuine part, there may be a case where a protection device or a protection part that satisfies a certain quality standard incorporated therein is not incorporated. Therefore, malfunctions and failures may occur due to temperature rise.

  However, since such counterfeit batteries are sold on the market as if they were genuine parts, when a user purchases a battery, the manufacturer's genuine part battery and the counterfeit battery can be accurately identified. That is not easy. Therefore, there are many cases where a user who intends to purchase a battery of genuine parts accidentally purchases a counterfeit battery, and there are cases where the user uses it without realizing that it is a counterfeit battery. Therefore, it is desired to take measures to prevent malfunctions and failures of electronic devices caused by imitation batteries.

  In Patent Document 1, an authentication function for determining whether or not a battery mounted on a portable electronic device is a genuine product is used. When the battery is not a genuine product or a counterfeit product, a warning message is displayed. A method of restricting the use of is disclosed.

JP 2007-282471 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, the battery mounted on the electronic device main body is considered, but the battery mounted on the external battery device attached to the electronic device is not considered.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that prevents malfunction and failure due to the use of a counterfeit battery, not only for a battery attached to the electronic device body but also for a battery attached to an external battery device attached to the electronic device. It is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an electronic device having a configuration operable with battery power and capable of mounting an external battery device, and detecting that the external battery device is mounted. Means, a communication means for communicating with the battery, and a user interface means. If the communication means cannot communicate with the battery even if the detection means detects attachment with an external battery device, the user interface It is characterized by having an external battery device attachment notifying means for notifying the user to securely attach the external battery device through the means.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic device that prevents malfunction and failure due to the use of a counterfeit battery, not only for a battery mounted on the electronic device body but also for a battery mounted on an external battery device attached to the electronic device. be able to.

1 is an external view of a digital camera as an example of an imaging apparatus of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the digital camera 100 by this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure which judges the quality of a battery appropriately by this embodiment, and performs control regarding a battery according to the quality. It is an example of the message display which urges | wears with attaching an external battery apparatus firmly by this embodiment. It is an example of the message display which requests | requires that it is a battery communication error by this embodiment, and the recognition whether the mounted battery is a genuine article is input. It is an example of the message display which requests | requires according to this embodiment to input the message regarding a non-genuine product battery and whether to use the mounted battery. It is an example of the message display regarding a counterfeit battery by this embodiment.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an external view of a digital camera as an example of an imaging apparatus of the present invention. The display unit 28 is a display unit that displays images and various types of information. The shutter button 61 is an operation unit for issuing a shooting instruction. The mode dial 60 is an operation unit for switching various modes. The connector 112 is a connector between the connection cable and the digital camera 100. The operation unit 70 is an operation unit including operation members such as various switches, buttons, and a touch panel for receiving various operations from the user.

  The touch wheel 73 is a touch-operable operation member included in the operation unit 70. Reference numeral 72 denotes a power switch that switches between power on and power off. The recording medium 200 is a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium slot 201 is a slot for storing the recording medium 200. The recording medium 200 stored in the recording medium slot 201 can communicate with the digital camera 100. A lid 202 is a lid of the recording medium slot 201. The external battery device 300 is for storing a battery. When the external battery device 300 is connected to the digital camera 100, it supplies power to the digital camera 100.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the digital camera 100 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, a photographing lens 103 is a lens group including a zoom lens and a focus lens. The shutter 101 is a shutter having an aperture function. The imaging unit 22 is an imaging device configured with a CCD, a CMOS device, or the like that converts an optical image into an electrical signal. The A / D converter 23 converts an analog signal into a digital signal. The A / D converter 23 is used to convert an analog signal output from the imaging unit 22 into a digital signal. The barrier 102 covers the imaging system including the imaging lens 103 of the digital camera 100, thereby preventing the imaging system including the imaging lens 103, the shutter 101, and the imaging unit 22 from becoming dirty or damaged.

  The image processing unit 24 performs resizing processing such as predetermined pixel interpolation and reduction and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 23 or the data from the memory control unit 15. The image processing unit 24 performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and the system control unit 50 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the obtained calculation result. Thus, TTL (through the lens) AF processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing are performed. The image processing unit 24 further performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and also performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained calculation result. Output data from the A / D converter 23 is directly written into the memory 32 via the image processing unit 24 and the memory control unit 15 or via the memory control unit 15.

  The memory 32 stores image data obtained by the imaging unit 22 and converted into digital data by the A / D converter 23 and image data to be displayed on the display unit 28. The memory 32 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images, a moving image and sound for a predetermined time. The memory 32 also serves as an image display memory (video memory). The D / A converter 13 converts the image display data stored in the memory 32 into an analog signal and supplies the analog signal to the display unit 28. Thus, the display image data written in the memory 32 is displayed on the display unit 28 via the D / A converter 13.

  The display unit 28 performs display according to the analog signal from the D / A converter 13 on a display such as an LCD. A digital signal once A / D converted by the A / D converter 23 and stored in the memory 32 is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 13 and sequentially transferred to the display unit 28 for display as an electronic viewfinder. It functions and can display through images.

  The nonvolatile memory 56 is an electrically erasable / recordable memory, and for example, an EEPROM or the like is used. The nonvolatile memory 56 stores constants, programs, and the like for operating the system control unit 50. Here, the program is a program for executing various flowcharts described later in the present embodiment.

  The system control unit 50 controls the entire digital camera 100. By executing the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 56 described above, each process of the present embodiment to be described later is realized. A system memory 52 is a RAM. In the system memory 52, constants and variables for operation of the system control unit 50, programs read from the nonvolatile memory 56, and the like are expanded. The system control unit also performs display control by controlling the memory 32, the D / A converter 13, the display unit 28, and the like.

  The system timer 53 is a time measuring unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of a built-in clock.

  The mode switch 60, the first shutter switch 62, the second shutter switch 64, and the operation unit 70 are operation means for inputting various operation instructions to the system control unit 50.

  The mode switch 60 switches the operation mode of the system control unit 50 to any one of a still image recording mode, a moving image recording mode, a reproduction mode, and the like. Modes included in the still image recording mode include an auto shooting mode, an auto scene discrimination mode, a manual exposure mode, various scene modes for shooting settings for each shooting scene, a program AE mode, a custom mode, and the like. The mode changeover switch 60 can directly switch to any of these modes included in the still image shooting mode. Alternatively, after switching to the still image shooting mode once with the mode switch 60, the mode may be switched to one of these modes included in the still image shooting mode using another operation member. Similarly, the moving image shooting mode may include a plurality of modes.

  The first shutter switch 62 is turned on when the shutter button 61 provided in the digital camera 100 is being operated, so-called half-press (shooting preparation instruction), and generates a first shutter switch signal SW1. In response to the first shutter switch signal SW1, operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing are started.

  The second shutter switch 64 is turned ON when the operation of the shutter button 61 is completed, that is, when it is fully pressed (shooting instruction), and generates a second shutter switch signal SW2. In response to the second shutter switch signal SW2, the system control unit 50 starts a series of shooting processing operations from reading a signal from the imaging unit 22 to writing image data on the recording medium 200.

  Each operation member of the operation unit 70 is appropriately assigned a function for each scene by selecting and operating various function icons displayed on the display unit 28, and functions as various function buttons. Examples of the function buttons include an end button, a return button, an image advance button, a jump button, a narrowing button, and an attribute change button. For example, when a menu button is pressed, various setting menu screens are displayed on the display unit 28. The user can make various settings intuitively using the menu screen displayed on the display unit 28, and the four-way button and the SET button.

  The touch wheel 73 is an operation member that can be touch-operated included in the operation unit 70, and is used when a selection item is instructed together with a direction button. The touch wheel 73 is an operation member composed of a touch sensor, and the touch wheel 73 itself does not rotate, and detects a rotation operation of the user's finger on the touch wheel 73. When the touch wheel 73 is touched, an electrical pulse signal is generated according to the touch operation, and the system control unit 50 controls each part of the digital camera 100 based on the pulse signal. Based on this pulse signal, it is possible to determine the direction in which the touch wheel 73 is touched, the number of rotations, and the like. The touch wheel 73 may be any operation member that can detect a touch operation.

  The power control unit 80 includes a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit that switches a block to be energized, and the like, and detects whether or not a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level. Further, the power control unit 80 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection result and an instruction from the system control unit 50, and supplies a necessary voltage to each unit including the recording medium 200 for a necessary period.

  The power supply units (batteries) 30 and 301 include a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li battery, an AC adapter, or the like. The recording medium I / F 18 is an interface with the recording medium 200 such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 200 is a recording medium such as a memory card for recording a captured image, and includes a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like. The external battery device 300 is for storing a battery and communicates with the power control unit 80.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, an operation of appropriately determining the quality of the battery and executing control related to the battery according to the quality according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure for appropriately determining the quality of the battery and executing control related to the battery according to the quality in the present embodiment.

  In S <b> 301, the system control unit 50 confirms whether or not an external battery device is attached via the power supply control unit 80. If the external battery device is attached, the process proceeds to S302. If the external battery device is not attached, the process proceeds to S305.

  In S <b> 302, the system control unit 50 confirms whether or not battery communication with the external battery device can be normally performed via the power supply control unit 80. If the battery communication can be performed normally, the process proceeds to S312. If the battery communication cannot be performed normally, the process proceeds to S303.

  In S303, the system control unit 50 displays a message prompting the user to attach the external battery device firmly on the display unit 28. FIG. 4 is a display example of this message.

  In S <b> 304, the system control unit 50 confirms that the user has input that the external battery device is firmly attached via the operation unit 70.

  In S <b> 305, the system control unit 50 confirms whether battery communication with the external battery device or the electronic device main body can be normally performed via the power supply control unit 80. If the battery communication can be performed normally, the process proceeds to S312. If the battery communication cannot be performed normally, the process proceeds to S306.

  In S306, the system control unit 50 displays on the display unit 28 a message requesting to input a battery communication error and recognition of whether or not the installed battery is a genuine product. FIG. 5 is a display example of these messages.

  In step S <b> 307, the system control unit 50 confirms an input by the user regarding whether or not the battery is a genuine product via the operation unit 70. When the user inputs that the battery is recognized as a genuine product, the process proceeds to S309, and when the user inputs that the battery is recognized as not a genuine product, the process proceeds to S308.

  In S308, the system control unit 50 displays a message regarding the non-genuine battery and a message requesting to input whether or not to use the mounted battery on the display unit 28. FIG. 6 is a display example of these messages.

  In S309, the system control unit 50 displays a message regarding the counterfeit battery on the display unit 28. FIG. 7 is a display example of this message.

  In S <b> 310, the system control unit 50 confirms that the user has made an input meaning <Yes> via the operation unit 70.

  In S <b> 311, the system control unit 50 confirms an input by the user as to whether or not to use the attached battery via the operation unit 70. If the user inputs that the battery mounted is used, the process proceeds to S312. If the user inputs that the battery mounted is not used, the process proceeds to S313.

  In S312, the system control unit 50 continues the operation of the electronic device.

  In S313, the system control unit 50 stops the operation of the electrical device.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, not only the battery attached to the electronic device main body but also the battery attached to the external battery device attached to the electronic device is not affected by malfunction or failure due to the use of the counterfeit battery. It can be prevented in advance.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is also realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program code. It is a process to be executed. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

100 digital camera, 22 imaging unit, 23 A / D converter, 24 image processing unit,
28 display unit, 50 system control unit, 70 operation unit, 200 storage medium,
300 External battery device

Claims (2)

It has a configuration that can operate with battery power,
An electronic device to which an external battery device can be attached,
Detecting means (S301) for detecting that the external battery device is mounted;
Communication means for communicating with the battery (S302, S305);
User interface means (28);
With
Even if the detection means detects attachment with an external battery device,
If the communication means cannot communicate with the battery, via the user interface means,
External battery device attachment notifying means for notifying the user to attach the external battery device firmly (S301, S302, S303)
An electronic device characterized by having After notification by the external battery device attachment notification means,
If the communication means can communicate with the battery, the operation of the electronic device is continued (S305, S312),
If the communication means cannot communicate with the battery, the user is requested to input recognition about whether or not the battery is genuine through the user interface means (S305, S06),
When the user inputs that the battery is recognized as a genuine product, the operation of the electronic device is stopped (S307, S313),
When it is input that it is recognized that it is not a genuine part, the user is requested to input whether or not to use the battery via the user interface means (S307, S308), and the battery is used. The operation of the electronic device is continued when the effect is input (S311 and S312), and the operation of the electronic device is stopped when the effect of not using the battery is input (S311 and S313). The electronic device as described in.