JP2017120948A - Battery residual amount calculation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery residual amount calculation system capable of accurately detecting the residual amount of a battery even when GPS is operating under a sleeping state of the main body thereof.SOLUTION: In a battery having a residual amount detection (FuelGauge) function used for a camera body having a GPS unit in which a current consumption value varies due to an external factor, a battery controller 206 executes a residual amount calculation for integration by a coulomb counter 207 in a Full mode in which the GPS unit constantly performs positioning and in a Trickle mode in which Full and Standby where the operation is stopped are repeated when the camera enters a sleep mode while the GPS unit is allowed to operate. In a Hibernate mode as a saving mode where the GPS unit memorizes only the position of a satellite, the battery controller 206 turns off the coulomb counter 207 and calculates the residual amount from a preset current value and a counted time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery having a function of measuring a remaining capacity by current integration.

  In recent years, the remaining battery capacity (usable capacity) is self-calculated by a current integration function, and the remaining capacity information is communicated to the electronic device that is the power supply destination (hereinafter referred to as FG (FuelGauge) function). Batteries having the following are used. By providing the remaining amount information from the remaining amount detection system on the battery side to the electronic device side, the remaining amount information can be accurately predicted in the electronic device. For example, by using a battery with an FG function in the imaging apparatus, the prediction accuracy of the remaining operation allowable amount such as the remaining number of times of imaging and the remaining imaging time can be increased, and user convenience can be improved.

  This current integration function is difficult to perform integration below a predetermined current value. In addition, when the power consumption is low, the accuracy of the current integration function is low. Therefore, there is no problem when the electronic device performs a normal operation, but the amount of current consumed when entering the sleep mode or the like is not measured or has a large error. For this reason, an error occurs between the actual remaining battery level and the remaining battery level recognized by the battery with the FG function.

  As a method for solving this problem, Patent Document 1 calculates the product of the time in the sleep state and a predetermined current value set in advance, and calculates the current consumption when the current is not supplied. A method is disclosed.

JP 2009-206839 A

  However, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, for example, in a device whose current consumption value changes due to an external factor, such as a device equipped with a GPS unit whose current consumption value changes depending on the reception state of a radio wave transmitted from a GPS satellite, There was a problem that accurate current integration could not be performed during sleep.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery remaining amount calculation system that can accurately detect the remaining amount of the battery even when the GPS is operating when the main body is in the sleep state.

In order to achieve the above object, a battery remaining amount calculation system according to the present invention includes:
A camera body having a GPS control unit, a positioning unit, a GPS unit having a GPS antenna, and having a camera control unit for controlling the GPS control unit and the entire device, and a discharge current for detecting a battery discharge current A GPS unit is operable in a battery with a fuel gauge (hereinafter referred to as FG) function having a battery control unit having a detection means and having a current control means (Coulomb counter) for integrating the discharge current and a time measuring means for measuring time. In full mode where the GPS unit always performs positioning when the camera enters sleep mode and trickle mode in which the full and standby operations are stopped repeatedly, the battery control unit performs integration using the coulomb counter. In energy saving mode where the quantity is calculated and the GPS unit remembers only the position of the satellite That when the Hibernate mode, the battery control unit and performing the remaining amount calculated by the time measured and the current value set in advance OFF the coulomb counter.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a battery remaining amount calculation system capable of accurately detecting the remaining amount of a battery even when the GPS is operating when the main body is in a sleep state in a device equipped with a GPS unit, for example. be able to.

The block diagram which shows the structure in the Example of this invention The figure which showed the process of the calculation system by the Example of this invention with the table | surface Flowchart in the embodiment of the present invention

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The camera control unit 101 is a CPU, for example, and controls the operation of each block included in the digital camera 100. The camera control unit 101 reads out an operation program of each block of the digital camera 100 stored in, for example, the FROM 102, develops the program in the DRAM 103, and executes it, thereby causing each block to perform an operation.

  The FROM 102 is, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory, and in addition to the operation program for each block of the digital camera 100, parameters necessary for the operation of each block and information such as GUI display to be displayed on the image display unit 110 to be described later. Remember. Parameters necessary for the operation of each block include, for example, information on resolution (number of pixels) of a captured image, information on connection settings with the GPS unit 300 described later, and the like.

  The DRAM 103 is a rewritable volatile memory, for example, and is used as a temporary data storage location in the course of processing in each block. The operation input unit 104 manages input to a user input interface such as an unknown release switch or a power switch provided in the digital camera 100. For example, when the release switch is operated by the user, the operation input unit 104 detects an input to the release switch and transmits information indicating that an imaging start request has been made to the camera control unit 101.

  The optical system 105 is a lens group including, for example, an imaging lens, a focusing lens, a diaphragm, and the like, and forms a subject image on an imaging element included in the imaging unit 106 described later.

  Further, the camera control unit 101 drives the optical system 105 based on detection results of a photometry unit and a focus detection unit (not shown) to perform an AE / AF operation.

  The imaging unit 106 is an imaging device such as a CCD or a CMOS sensor, for example, photoelectrically converts a subject image formed on the imaging device by the optical system 105, and outputs an analog image signal to the A / D conversion unit 107.

  The A / D converter 107 applies A / D conversion to the input analog image signal to obtain digital image data.

  The image processing unit 108 performs various signal correction processing, image processing, and compression processing on the digital image data converted by the A / D conversion unit 107 in accordance with image processing setting information stored in the camera FROM 102. Apply to obtain image data for recording.

  The recording medium 109 is, for example, a built-in memory included in the digital camera 100, a recording medium that is detachably connected such as a memory card or an HDD, and the like, and records image data for recording.

  The image display unit 110 is a display device such as a small LCD, for example, and functions as an electronic viewfinder by sequentially displaying the digital image data output from the A / D conversion unit 107 (live view display). The image display unit 110 can also display image data recorded on the recording medium 109, for example.

  The power supply from the battery unit to the camera is performed by the power supply terminals 201b and 201c. The contact terminal 201a is a signal contact for transmitting and receiving signals necessary for control from the battery unit to the camera.

  When the battery unit is attached to the camera body, power is supplied to the power supply circuit 111 of the camera body from the power supply terminals 201b and 201c, and predetermined power is supplied into the camera by the power supply circuit 111. At the same time, the battery control unit 206 and the camera control unit 101 are connected via the contact terminal 201a.

  The battery unit 200 includes battery cells 202a and 202b, a current detection resistor 203, a current detection unit 204, a voltage detection unit 205, a battery control unit 206, and a temperature detection unit 207.

  The battery cells 202a and 202b are connected in series, and the current detection resistor 203 is connected between the battery cell 202b and the power supply terminal 201c. The current detection resistor 203 may be configured to be connected between the positive electrode of the battery cell 202a and the power supply terminal 201b.

  The current detection unit 204 detects the current charged and discharged by the battery cells 202 a and 202 b by the current detection resistor 203, and the output is supplied to the A / D conversion terminal of the battery control unit 206.

  The battery control unit 206 includes a current integration unit 207 that performs current measurement and current integration from the current detection unit 204, a time measurement unit 208 that measures time, and a storage of charge capacity when the battery cells 202a and 202b are fully charged. And a microcomputer that performs processing such as communication with the camera control unit 101.

  The voltage detection unit 205 detects the voltage of the battery cells 202a and 202b, and the output is supplied to the A / D conversion terminal of the battery control unit 206. The temperature detection unit 209 detects the temperature in the battery cells 202 a and 202 b or the battery pack 200, and the output is transmitted to the battery control unit 206.

  In addition, although the battery has a configuration with two batteries 202a and 202b, it may have a configuration with more or less batteries. Further, the current detection unit 204, the voltage detection unit 205, and the like may be built in the battery control unit 206. The current integration method can be configured by existing techniques such as a method using a coulomb counter, a method in which current is A / D converted at a predetermined interval, and calculated by the battery control unit 206.

  The GPS control unit 301 is a CPU, for example, and controls the operation of each block included in the GPS unit 300. The GPS control unit 301 reads out an operation program of each block of the GPS unit 300 stored in the FROM 102, for example, and develops and executes it in the DRAM 103, thereby causing each block to perform an operation.

  The GPS antenna 303 is an antenna that receives radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites, receives radio waves transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites, and transmits them to the positioning unit 302.

  The positioning unit 302 processes radio waves transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites received from the GPS antenna 303, and measures the position of the GPS unit 300 itself. Specifically, the positioning unit 302 uses the radio wave information received from the GPS antenna 303 to perform calculation for conversion into a positioning information format such as the NMEA format. The positioning unit 302 performs a positioning operation at a constant cycle such as an interval of 1 second after the GPS unit 300 is powered on by a power switch (not shown). The positioning unit 302 transmits the positioning information obtained by converting into the positioning information format to the GPS control unit 301, and the GPS control unit 301 transmits to the camera control unit 101. Depending on the state of the GPS antenna 303, the position of the GPS unit 300, the state of the GPS satellite, etc., the GPS antenna 303 cannot always capture radio waves from a certain number of GPS satellites, or cannot receive in a good state. I have a case.

  The GPS control unit 301 constantly monitors the reception state of the GPS antenna 303 and transmits the reception state to the camera control unit 101 and the battery control unit 206.

  FIG. 2 is a table showing the processing of the remaining amount calculation system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the camera state A and the sleep-time hibernate mode, the current consumption is, for example, several hundred uA, which is initially set as a fixed value of the GPS device. The remaining amount is calculated using this value as the fixed current value (1).

  When camera state B and Sleep / Full / Hibernate are repeated, the current consumption is a fixed value of 10 mA to 50 mA, for example, which is a value that can be detected by the current detection unit 204. The remaining amount is calculated with this value as the fixed current value (2).

  When the radio wave condition is good in the camera state C and the trickle mode during sleep, the current value is a fixed value that can be calculated by the DUTY of the trickle mode set by the camera, and is, for example, about 5 mA to 10 mA. This value can be accumulated by the coulomb counter, but the accuracy is low when the coulomb counter has a low current value. Therefore, it is more accurate to calculate with a fixed current value than to integrate with a coulomb counter. The camera control unit 101 transmits DUTY to the battery control unit 201, and the battery control unit 201 calculates a current value from the DUTY. The remaining amount is calculated with this value as the fixed current value (3).

  When current accumulation cannot be performed in the camera mode D and the trickle mode during sleep, the current value is, for example, about 1 mA to 5 mA, and this value is a fixed value that can be calculated by the DUTY in the trickle mode set by the camera. The camera control unit 101 transmits DUTY to the battery control unit 201, and the battery control unit 201 calculates a current value from the DUTY. The remaining amount is calculated with this value as the fixed current value (4).

  In the camera mode E and the sleep full mode, the battery calculates the remaining amount using a coulomb counter.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In S101, the camera starts from entering the sleep mode.

  In S102, the battery turns on the coulomb counter.

  In S103, the battery determines whether the GPS is set to Full / Trickle mode or Hibernate. If it is set to Full / Trickle, the process proceeds to S201. If it is set to Hibernate, the process proceeds to S104. In S104, the battery turns off the coulomb counter.

  In S105, the remaining amount is calculated based on the fixed current value (1) and the time measured by the time measuring unit 208.

  In step S201, the GPS control unit 301 determines whether positioning is possible for a predetermined time. If possible, the process proceeds to step S301.

  In S202, the camera enters a full / hibernate repeat mode.

  In S203, the current detection unit 204 detects the average current, sets this current value as a fixed current value (2), and turns off the coulomb counter in S204.

  In S205, the remaining amount is calculated based on the fixed current value (2) and the time measured by the time measuring unit 208.

  In S301, the battery determines that GPS is in the Full or Trickle mode by communicating with the camera control unit 201. If Full, the process proceeds to S501. If Trickle, the process proceeds to S302.

  In S302, the GPS control unit 301 determines whether the radio wave condition is good. If good, the process proceeds to S303, and if bad, the process proceeds to S401. In S303 where the GPS radio wave condition is good in the trickle mode, the battery receives the DUTY information from the camera, calculates the current value currently consumed from the DUTY in S304, and sets it as the fixed current value (3).

  In S305, the battery turns off the coulomb counter.

  In S306, the remaining amount is calculated based on the fixed current value (3) and the time measured by the time measuring unit 208.

  In S401, it is determined whether the battery can accumulate current. If possible, the process proceeds to S501, and if not possible, the process proceeds to S402. In S402 where current cannot be accumulated in the trickle mode, the battery receives DUTY information from the camera, calculates a current value currently consumed from DUTY in S403, and sets it as a fixed current value (4).

  In S404, the battery turns off the coulomb counter.

  In S405, the remaining amount is calculated based on the fixed current value (4) and the time measured by the time measuring unit 208.

  In S501, when the current can be integrated in the full mode or the trickle mode in which the GPS always measures, the battery calculates the remaining amount using the coulomb counter.

  After the remaining amount is calculated in S105, S205, S306, S405, and S501, the process proceeds to S106. If the camera continues to sleep in S106, the process returns to S101. If not, the camera enters the operation mode in S107.

  According to the above embodiment, for example, in a device equipped with a GPS unit, the battery with the FG function and the battery that can accurately detect the remaining amount of the battery even when the GPS is operating when the main body is in the sleep state. A remaining amount calculation system can be provided.

100 camera body, 101 camera control unit, battery with 200 FG function,
203 discharge current detection means, 206 battery control unit,
207 current integrating means coulomb counter, 208 time counting means,
301 GPS control unit, 302 GPS positioning unit, 303 GPS antenna

Claims (5)

A camera body including a GPS control unit, a positioning unit, a GPS unit including a GPS antenna, and a camera control unit that controls the GPS control unit and the entire device;
Having discharge current detection means for detecting the discharge current of the battery;
In a battery having a battery control unit including a coulomb counter that integrates the discharge current and a time measuring unit that measures time, the GPS unit always performs positioning when the camera enters a sleep mode in a state where the GPS unit is operable. In full mode to perform and trickle mode to repeat full and standby to stop operation, the battery control unit calculates the remaining amount to be integrated by the coulomb counter, and the GPS unit remembers only the position of the satellite In the Hibernate mode, the battery control unit \ turns off the coulomb counter and calculates the remaining amount based on the preset current value and the measured time. When the GPS unit cannot be positioned for a certain period of time, when the camera repeats the full mode and the hibernate mode for a predetermined time and the GPS unit is in a usable state, the GPS unit cannot be positioned for a certain period of time. 2. The battery control unit according to claim 1, wherein when a full mode and a hibernate mode are repeated, the battery control unit turns off the coulomb counter and calculates a remaining amount based on a preset current value and a measured time. Battery level calculation system. When the GPS unit is set to trickle mode and the camera enters sleep mode, if the GPS antenna reception is good, the battery control unit turns off the coulomb counter and sets the current value and time measured in advance. The remaining battery level calculation system according to claim 1, wherein the remaining battery level is calculated. When the GPS unit is set to trickle mode and the camera enters sleep mode, if the battery control unit cannot integrate the current for a predetermined time or if the measured current is less than the predetermined value, the battery control unit sets the coulomb counter. The remaining battery level calculation system according to claim 1, wherein the remaining battery level calculation is performed based on a current value set in advance after being turned off and a measured time. When the camera enters sleep mode with an external device whose current consumption varies depending on the operating state, the battery control unit must be set to a coulomb counter when the external device consumes more power than the specified value. The battery control unit calculates the remaining amount based on the preset current value and the time measured by turning off the coulomb counter when the external device is in a mode that consumes less than the specified value. The remaining battery level calculation system characterized by performing.