JPH0646538A - Radio communication unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a radio communication unit which can be operated continuously for a long time by actuating the radio communication unit selectively through a solar cell or a battery and a built-in capacitor. CONSTITUTION:Upon turn ON of a power switch SW, power is fed from a capacitor C to terminal VB of a CPUA. The CPUA subjects the voltage of a solar cell (SB) B2 applied on an analog terminal P2 to A/D conversion and feeds power from the SBB2 or a battery B1, depending on the voltage value thus A/D converted, through a battery selection terminal P3. If the voltage value of the SBB2 is higher than a predetermined level V1, the SBB2 is selected as a power supply for the PCUA. When a predetermined value V2 is exceeded, power supply for the CPUA is switched to the battery B1. When the voltage value of the battery B1 drops eventually below V1, the battery B1 is selected as a power supply for the CPUA. When the voltage value of the SBB2 exceeds a predetermined level V2, power supply for the CPUA is switched to SBB2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless communication device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a wireless communication device, a storage battery such as a nickel-hydrogen storage battery or a nickel-cadmium storage battery has been used as a battery serving as its power source. When the capacity of the storage battery becomes low, it is charged before it is used or the battery is replaced.

[0003]

However, in the battery of the above-mentioned conventional storage battery only, the storage battery that can be used as the battery is limited to the storage battery currently manufactured. Further, it is conceivable to develop a new battery, but since the development time is long, it is feared that the battery is the best storage battery when the development is completed. Therefore, the continuous usable time of the wireless communication device depends only on the power consumption thereof, and there is a problem that communication cannot be performed at all when the storage battery reaches the end of its life.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an excellent wireless communication device in which the continuous usable time does not depend on only the storage battery.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a solar cell, a storage battery, and a selection control means which is started by a built-in capacitor and selects either the solar cell or the storage battery. It is a structure having.

[0006]

With this configuration, when the power is turned on, the power is supplied from the capacitor to detect the voltage value of the solar cell, and thereby, which of the solar cell and the storage battery is to be used next as the power source is determined. After that, the voltage of the solar cell is measured at regular intervals, and if the power source of the block is currently being supplied from the solar cell, the power source is switched to the storage battery and the operation is continued when the capacity becomes a certain value or less. On the contrary, if the storage battery is currently used as a power source, when the voltage value exceeds a certain value, the power source is switched to the solar cell to continue the operation.

By the above operation, it is possible to provide an excellent terminal device which enables continuous use of the wireless communication device for a longer time without depending on only the storage battery.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) and a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”).
It is called "LCD". FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of a wireless communication device provided with FIG.

In FIG. 1, A is a CPU, B1 is a storage battery, B2 is a solar cell, VB is a power port of CPUA, and P is P.
Reference numeral 1 is an analog terminal connected to the storage battery B1, P2 is an analog terminal connected to the solar battery B2, P3 is a battery selection terminal, SW1 is a power switch of the wireless communication terminal device, and C is a power supply to the CPUA at startup. The condenser, SW2, is a changeover switch for switching the power supply to the CPUA.

The operation around the power supply of the wireless communication device configured as described above will be described. First, when the power switch SW of the terminal is turned on, the terminal V of the CPUA
Power is supplied to B from the capacitor C. Next, CPU
A uses an analog terminal P2 connected to the solar cell B2 to A / D-convert the voltage value of the solar cell B2 and read the value. Further, according to the voltage value, either the solar battery B2 or the storage battery B1 is selected as a power source to be supplied to the CPUA itself by a selection signal issued from the battery selection terminal P3.

If the voltage value of the solar cell B2 is a certain value V1 or more, the solar cell B2 is selected as the power source to be supplied to the CPU A through the battery selection terminal P3. After that, the voltage value of the solar cell B2 is measured at regular intervals. When the voltage value of the solar cell B2 measured at regular time intervals becomes a certain value V2 or less, the battery selection terminal P3 switches the power supply to the CPUA to the storage battery B1.

After that, if the voltage value of the storage battery B1 is less than a certain value V1, CP is set by the battery selection terminal P3.
The storage battery B1 is selected as the power source to be supplied to the UA. After that, the voltage value of the solar cell B2 is measured again at regular intervals. When the voltage value of the solar cell B2 measured at a constant time exceeds a certain value V2, the power supply to the CPUA is switched to the solar cell B2 by the battery selection terminal P3.

While the wireless communication device is operating, the capacitor C is charged, but when the power switch SW is turned off before charging, the power is turned off after the charging is completed.

[0014]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention can realize an excellent wireless communication device capable of continuous use for a longer time by using a storage battery and a solar cell in combination as a battery. Is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram around a power supply of a wireless communication device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A CPU B1 Storage battery B2 Solar battery C Capacitor VB CPUA power port P1 Analog terminal connected to storage battery B1 P2 Analog terminal connected to solar battery B2 P3 Battery selection terminal SW1 Wireless communication device power switch SW2 Power supply switching Changeover switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A wireless communication device comprising a solar cell, a storage battery, and a selection control unit that is activated by a built-in capacitor and selects either the solar cell or the storage battery. 2. The selection control means selects one of the solar cell and the storage battery after measuring the voltage value of the solar cell when activated.
The wireless communication device described. 3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor is charged to a voltage sufficient to activate the selection control means before activation.