JP3762373B2 - Electronic device and battery charging control method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic device having a communication function that can be wirelessly connected to another device, and more particularly, to an electronic device driven by a rechargeable battery and a battery charging control method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, Bluetooth (R) has attracted attention as a wireless communication technology. Bluetooth (R) is a short-range wireless communication technology suitable for mobile devices with low cost and low power consumption. As an application, it is used to connect various mobile information devices owned by each individual user. Since the devices are wirelessly connected, various devices can be connected freely, easily, and easily compared to the conventional wired connection.
[0003]
As one of systems using wireless communication, a system is known in which music data is transmitted by radio signals from an electronic device such as a music player to other electronic devices such as headphones (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .) Many of the electronic devices used in this type of system have a built-in battery as a portable device and include a chargeable means.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-112383 A (page 5-6, FIG. 4)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, many electronic devices used in a system using wireless communication include a rechargeable battery. In this type of electronic device, in order to charge the battery safely, it is preferable to turn off the power and stop the operation of the device. This is because when the device is in operation, there is a possibility that the charging time will be longer due to the power consumption during that time, or that the operation may be malfunctioned due to the voltage drop. However, when the battery needs to be charged during wireless communication, the user first turns off the communication switch to end the communication and then turns off the power switch to turn off the device. Must be done and very annoying.
[0006]
Further, when the power of the device is turned on while the battery is being charged, if the battery is charged more than the start power supply at that time, the CPU starts. However, since a considerable amount of power is consumed at the time of start-up, even if the CPU is started by turning on the power, the voltage is immediately reduced, resulting in malfunction. Or, if there is a communication connection request from another device after startup, or if the communication connection switch of the device is operated, power is consumed considerably by starting the connection protocol, so the voltage drops immediately, Similarly, it becomes malfunctioning. Thus, it is desirable that the power supply is not turned on because the battery is very unstable during charging and may cause malfunction.
[0007]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic device and a battery charge control method capable of easily and stably performing a battery charging operation.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a rechargeable battery, a power cable for charging the battery, and a connection detection means for detecting a connection state of the power cable in an electronic device having a communication function that can be wirelessly connected to another device. And a communication determining means for determining whether or not the other device is wirelessly connected when the connection detection state of the power cable is detected by the connection detecting means, and the communication determining means to the other device. When it is determined that the wireless connection is established, the wireless communication apparatus is configured to include a control unit that controls to stop the operation of the device after disconnecting the wireless connection.
[0010]
According to such a configuration, the battery can be stably charged.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication system using an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state where two electronic devices 10 and 20 are connected to each other by wireless communication.
[0013]
The electronic device 10 is a device that can transmit content data such as music as a stream to the electronic device 20 by a wireless signal. Here, it is assumed that one electronic device 10 is realized by a portable audio player, and the other electronic device 20 is realized by a wireless headset. The headset 20 is a device equipped with headphones and a microphone, and functions as an output device for reproducing audio data such as music transmitted as a stream from the audio player 10 and inputs user voice data. Functions as an input device.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the audio player 10 includes a system control unit 31, a transmission data generation unit 32, a wireless communication device 33, an audio data storage unit 34, a status database 35, and a user interface 36.
[0015]
The system control unit 31 is a processor provided to control the operation of the audio player 10, and controls the transmission data generation unit 32, the wireless communication device 33, and the like. The transmission data generation unit 32 reads audio data to be reproduced such as music from the audio data storage unit 34, and generates a digital audio stream for transmission from the read audio data. This audio stream is sent to the wireless communication device 33 via the system control unit 31, and is sent to the headset 20 by a wireless signal.
[0016]
The wireless communication device 33 is a device that performs wireless communication with the headset 20, and performs wireless communication in a procedure that conforms to, for example, the Bluetooth (R) standard. The wireless communication device 33 is used to transmit audio data such as music as a stream to the headset 20 by a wireless signal.
[0017]
Bluetooth (R) is a standard for short-range wireless communication. For example, wireless communication of about 10 m is realized using a radio wave of 2.45 GHz ISM (Industrial Scientific Medical) band. In Bluetooth (R), a master-slave format is used in which wireless communication is performed between a master and one or more slaves wirelessly connected thereto. In communication between the audio player 10 and the headset 20, the audio player 10 functions as a master and the headset 20 functions as a slave.
[0018]
In Bluetooth (R), an Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) is defined as a profile for streaming playback of audio data such as music. The audio player 10 functions as a transmission source device (referred to as a source device in Bluetooth (R)) that transmits audio stream data, and the headset 20 is a transmission destination device (Bluetooth) that is a transmission destination of audio stream data. (R) is called a sink device).
[0019]
As illustrated, the wireless communication device 33 includes an RF unit 101, a digital data modulation unit 102, and a digital data demodulation unit 103. The digital data modulation unit 102 and the digital data demodulation unit 103 function as a baseband processing unit.
[0020]
The audio data storage unit 34 is a nonvolatile storage device for storing audio data, and includes, for example, a memory card, a hard disk drive, and the like. The audio data storage unit 34 can store a plurality of audio data such as music.
[0021]
The status database 35 is a database for storing status information regarding audio data whose transmission has been interrupted due to disconnection of the wireless connection between the audio player 10 and the headset 20. The status database 35 is constructed on the same nonvolatile storage device as the audio data storage unit 34 or on a different nonvolatile storage device. The status information stored in the status database 35 is used for automatically restarting the audio data transmission process interrupted by the disconnection of the wireless connection.
[0022]
In order to resume transmission of the interrupted audio data, the system control unit 31 includes a status data management unit 41 and a transmission resumption control unit 42. When the wireless connection between the audio player 10 and the headset 20 is disconnected during transmission of the audio data from the audio player 10 to the headset 20, the status data management unit 41 transmits the audio whose transmission is interrupted due to the disconnection. Status data regarding the data is stored in the status database 35. The transmission resumption control unit 42 suspends the transmission based on the status data stored in the status database 35 when the same headset 20 as the headset 20 in which the transmission of the audio data is interrupted by disconnection is wirelessly connected to the audio player 10. Resume transmission of the recorded audio data.
[0023]
The system control unit 31 further includes a retransmission control unit 43 in order to realize a retransmission correction method in which data in which an error is detected is retransmitted. The retransmission control unit 43 retransmits the same data as the data in which an error is detected by the headset 20 to the headset 20. This retransmission is a procedure executed in the audio data transmission process from the audio player 10 to the headset 20. The user interface 36 includes an operation switch that can be operated by the user, a display monitor, and the like.
[0024]
On the other hand, the headset 20 includes an output device that reproduces audio data transmitted from the audio player 10 by radio signals and generates a sound corresponding to the audio data, and an input device that inputs a user's voice. The
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 1, the headset 20 has a structure that can be worn on the user's head. As shown in the figure, the headset 20 includes a head arm 201, two pads 202 and 203 provided at both ends of the head arm 201, and a microphone unit 204 extending from one pad 202. The two pads 202 and 203 each have a built-in speaker, and the microphone unit 204 has a built-in microphone.
[0026]
In a state where the headset 20 is worn on the user's head, the two pads 202 and 203 cover the left and right ears of the user, respectively. On the outer surface of the pad 202, a power switch 21, a play button 22, a stop button 23, a forward button 24, a reverse button 25, and a communication switch 26 are provided.
[0027]
The power switch 21 is a switch for turning on or off the power of the headset 20. The playback button 22, stop button 23, forward button 24, and reverse button 25 are operation switches for controlling the audio playback operation of the audio player 10. A user operates the playback button 22, stop button 23, forward button 24, and reverse button 25 of the headset 20, or operates the user interface 36 of the audio player 10, thereby reproducing the audio of the audio player 10. The operation can be controlled. The communication switch 26 is a switch for instructing start or end of wireless communication with the audio player 10.
[0028]
The headset 20 includes a rechargeable battery 51 (see FIG. 2). A power connector 205 for connecting a power cable 53 (see FIG. 2) used for charging the battery 51 is provided on the outer surface of the pad 203.
[0029]
Normally, when the battery 51 needs to be charged during wireless communication, the user first operates the communication switch 26 to end the communication, and then operates the power switch 21 to turn off the headset 20. After that, a series of operations such as connecting the power cable 53 to the power connector 205 is required. In the present invention, these series of operations are unnecessary, and the user can charge the battery 51 only by connecting the power cable 53 to the power connector 205.
[0030]
FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the headset 20.
[0031]
In addition to the above-described operation switches 21 to 26, the headset 20 includes a rechargeable battery 51, a battery charging circuit 52, a CPU 54, a battery state detection unit 55, a power connector state detection unit 56, a switch state detection unit 57, a wireless connection. A communication device 58, a memory 59, an AD / DA conversion / amplifier circuit 60, a speaker 61, a microphone 62, and the like are provided.
[0032]
The battery 51 supplies power necessary for driving each device including the CPU 54. The battery charging circuit 52 is a circuit for charging the battery 51 in a state where the power cable 53 is connected to the power connector 205. The battery 51 has a structure that can be attached to and detached from the device body of the headset 20. When the battery 51 is removed, power is supplied from the power connector 203 to each device via the battery charging circuit 52. Is made.
[0033]
The battery state detection unit 55 detects the power supply capability and the attachment / detachment state of the battery 51. The power connector state detection unit 56 detects whether or not the power cable 53 is connected to the power connector 205. The switch state detection unit 57 detects the operation state of each of the operation switches 21 to 26, and is used particularly here when detecting the operation state (ON / OFF) of the power switch 21 and the communication switch 26.
[0034]
The CPU 54 is a processor provided for controlling the operation of the headset 20 and reads a program stored in the memory 59 to execute predetermined processing according to the procedure described in the program.
[0035]
Similar to the wireless communication device 33 of the audio player 10, the wireless communication device 58 includes an RF unit, a digital data modulation unit, and a digital data demodulation unit, and performs wireless communication according to a procedure compliant with the Bluetooth (R) standard. . That is, in the present embodiment, the audio player 10 and the headset 20 are Bluetooth (R) compatible devices, and can perform wireless communication with each other within a predetermined communication range.
[0036]
The wireless communication device 58 is used to receive audio data such as music transmitted from the audio player 10 by a wireless signal. The wireless communication device 58 is also used for processing for transmitting various playback control signals to the audio player 10 in response to operations of the playback button 22, stop button 23, forward button 24, and reverse button 25. Further, it is also used for processing for transmitting an audio signal input through the microphone 62 to other devices including the audio player 10. When an audio signal is transmitted to the audio player 10, audio reproduction operations such as “play”, “stop”, “forward”, and “reverse” are realized by the user's voice.
[0037]
The memory 59 stores data processed by the CPU 54 in addition to programs and the like. Audio data such as music from the audio player 10 is also received by the wireless communication device 58 and then temporarily buffered in the memory 59. In this case, since the received data is generally encoded, it is decoded by the CPU 54, and the decoded data is reproduced from the speaker 61 via the AD / DA conversion / amplifier circuit 60. The audio signal input from the microphone 62 is supplied to the CPU 54 via the AD / DA conversion / amplifier circuit 60, encoded there by a predetermined method, and then wirelessly transmitted by the wireless communication device 58. The speaker 61 is built in each of the pads 202 and 203 of the headset 20, and the microphone 62 is built in the microphone unit 204.
[0038]
In the headset 20 having such a configuration, for example, when the battery 51 needs to be charged during wireless communication, the state is detected by the battery state detection unit 55 as a state of insufficient power supply capability. The CPU 54 urges the user to charge through, for example, the speaker 61 by receiving a detection signal to that effect from the battery state detection unit 55.
[0039]
Here, when the user connects the power cable 53 to the power connector 205, the connection state is detected by the power connector state detection unit 56. The CPU 54 receives the detection signal from the power connector state detection unit 56, thereby performing the same communication disconnection process as instructed to end the communication by operating the communication switch 26, and by operating the power switch 21. The same operation stop process is performed as when the power-off instruction is given. As described above, since the state can be automatically switched to a state necessary for the charging operation of the battery 51 by simply connecting the power cable 53, the charging operation of the battery 51 can be performed easily and stably.
[0040]
Further, when the power switch 21 is pressed during battery charging, the CPU 54 is activated. At this time, a state where the power cable 53 is connected to the power connector 205 is detected by the power connector state detection unit 56, and a detection signal to that effect is given to the CPU 54. Upon receiving this detection signal, the CPU 54 switches to the off state. Thus, even when the power switch 21 is pressed during battery charging, the operation stop state can be maintained.
[0041]
Further, when the battery 51 is not attached, the state is detected by the battery state detection unit 55, and a detection signal to that effect is given to the CPU 54. Upon receiving this detection signal, the CPU 54 maintains the on state as it is. Thus, when the battery 51 is removed and the power cable 53 is used, the CPU 54 remains in the on state, and the function as the headset 20 can be used.
[0042]
Hereinafter, the operation of the headset 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0043]
(A) Operation During Charging of Battery 51 FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation during charging of the battery 51 in the headset 20.
[0044]
When the voltage of the battery 51 attached to the headset 20 drops below a predetermined value, the state is detected by the battery state detection unit 55, and a voice message such as “please charge the battery” is transmitted through the speaker 61. Is output. In accordance with this voice message, the user connects the power cable 53 to the power connector 205 provided on the headset 20 to charge the battery 51.
[0045]
Here, when the power cable 53 is connected to the power connector 205 (Yes in step A11), the connection state is detected electrically or mechanically by the power connector state detection unit 56. When the CPU 54 detects that the power cable 53 is connected through the power connector state detection unit 56, the CPU 54 determines that the charging operation for the battery 51 is started. Note that the charging operation of the battery 51 is executed regardless of the processing of the CPU 54.
[0046]
At that time, when the wireless communication device 58 provided in the headset 20 is communicating with the audio player 10 that is the communication partner (Yes in step A12), the CPU 54 is established with the audio player 10. A communication disconnection process for disconnecting the physical wireless connection (link) that is present is executed (step A13). At this time, for example, if audio data is being received from the audio player 10, it is preferable to wait for the end of reception of the audio data before disconnecting the link.
[0047]
After such communication disconnection processing, the CPU 54 is switched to the off state (step A14). The CPU 54 being switched to the off state means that the power of the headset 20 is turned off, that is, the operation of the headset 20 (except for the charging operation) is stopped.
[0048]
As described above, when charging of the battery 51 is required during wireless communication, an environment necessary for the charging operation of the battery 51 is prepared without requiring the user to disconnect communication or turn off the power. Thus, the charging operation can be performed stably.
[0049]
In step A13, if the wireless connection (link) is disconnected during communication with the audio player 10 and the audio data from the audio player 10 is interrupted halfway, the audio player 10 on the data transmission side is disconnected. The status database 35 stores status information about the audio data interrupted at that time (partner device ID, album ID, song ID, played time, etc.). Then, when the wireless connection is newly established, the transmission of the interrupted audio data is resumed based on the status information stored in the status database 35. Thereby, the user can resume the reproduction of the audio data without performing a special operation for resuming the audio reproduction.
[0050]
(B) Operation when the power switch 21 is pressed during battery charging FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation when the power switch 21 is pressed during battery charging in the headset 20.
[0051]
When the power switch 21 is turned on (step B11), the CPU 54 is activated and the headset 20 is in an operating state (step B12). At that time, the CPU 54 determines whether or not the power cable 53 is connected to the power connector 205 through the power connector state detector 56 (step B13).
[0052]
Here, when the power cable 53 is connected to the power connector 205 (Yes in Step B13), the CPU 54 next determines whether or not the battery 51 is attached to the headset 20 through the battery state detection unit 55 ( Step B14). The process of step B14 takes into consideration the situation in which the battery 51 is operating without power supply directly from the power cable 53.
[0053]
If the battery 51 is attached to the headset 20 (Yes in step B14), the CPU 54 determines that the power switch 21 is turned on while the battery 51 is being charged, and immediately shifts to the off state (step B15). . That is, the power-on state is immediately released and the power-off state is restored.
[0054]
On the other hand, even if the power switch 21 is turned on, if the power cable 53 is not connected at that time (No in Step B13), or if the battery 51 is not attached to the headset 20 (Step B14). Since the charging of the battery 51 is irrelevant, the CPU 54 maintains the on state as it is, and continuously executes normal processing (steps B16, B17...). The normal processing is, for example, when the communication switch 26 is turned on and wirelessly connected to the audio player 10 as the communication partner to start communication.
[0055]
Thus, when the power switch 21 is turned on, if the battery 51 is being charged, it is immediately switched to the off state. Thus, the problem of malfunction that occurs when the power switch 21 is turned on while the battery 51 is being charged can be avoided, and the charging operation of the battery 51 can be performed stably.
[0056]
The above embodiment has been described assuming a wireless communication system in which the audio player 10 and the headset 20 are wirelessly connected and audio data is transmitted from the audio player 10 to the headset 20, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention is not limited, and any system that performs wireless communication using an electronic device driven by a rechargeable battery is applicable.
[0057]
Also, the method used for wireless communication between devices is not limited to Bluetooth (R), and other wireless communication methods may be used.
[0058]
In short, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the column of the effect of the invention Can be obtained as an invention.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the battery can be easily and stably charged.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication system using an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a headset used in the wireless communication system.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when charging the battery in the headset.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation when a power switch is pressed during battery charging in the headset.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Audio player, 20 ... Headset, 21 ... Power switch, 26 ... Communication switch, 201 ... Head arm, 202, 203 ... Pad, 204 ... Microphone unit, 205 ... Power supply connector, 31 ... System control part, 32 ... Transmission Data generation unit 33 ... Wireless communication device 34 ... Audio data storage unit 35 ... Status database 51 ... Battery 52 ... Battery charging circuit 53 ... Power cable 54 ... CPU 55 ... Battery state detection unit 56 ... Power connector state detection unit, 57 ... switch state detection unit, 58 ... wireless communication device, 59 ... memory, 60 ... AD / DA conversion / amplifier circuit, 61 ... speaker, 62 ... microphone.

Claims (2)

In electronic devices with communication functions that can be wirelessly connected to other devices,
Rechargeable battery,
A power cable to charge this battery,
Connection detection means for detecting the connection state of the power cable;
Communication determining means for determining whether or not a wireless connection to the other device is made when the connection state of the power cable is detected by the connection detecting means;
Control means for controlling the stop of the operation of the device after disconnecting the wireless connection when it is determined by the communication determining means that the wireless device is wirelessly connected to the other device. Electronics. A charge control method for a rechargeable battery used in an electronic device having a communication function capable of wireless connection to another device,
Detect the connection status of the power cable for charging the battery,
When the connection state of the power cable is detected, determine whether or not the other device is wirelessly connected,
A battery charge control method characterized in that when it is determined that a wireless connection is made to the other device, the operation of the device is stopped after the wireless connection is disconnected.

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