Electronic device and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587113-B2
Application number	US-201715686322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 5, 2016
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device receives external power from an external device when connected to the external device via a cable. The electronic device detects the power supply capability of the external device, determines whether the cable is a predetermined type of cable, and sets a current value limit for the external power based on the detected power supply capability of the external device and on the result of determining whether the cable is the predetermined type of cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device that receives power from an external device when connected to the external device via a cable, the electronic device comprising:
an interface circuit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal that is different from the first terminal and the second terminal and through which the power is received from the external device, the interface circuit configured to connect to the cable;
a detection circuit configured to detect a power supply capability of the external device using the first terminal;
a determination circuit configured to determine whether the cable is a predetermined type of cable using the second terminal; and
a setting circuit configured to set a limited current value based on the power supply capability of the external device detected by the detection circuit and a determination result obtained by the determination circuit, the limited current value being an upper limit of a current value of the power.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the power supply capability of the external device is a supply current value indicating an upper limit value of current that is suppliable from the external device, and
the setting circuit sets the supply current value as the limited current value when the cable is the predetermined type of cable.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein
The determination circuit determines whether the cable is the predetermined type of cable when the supply current value is larger than a predetermined value, and
the predetermined type of cable is capable of supplying the power of the supply current value larger than the predetermined value from the external device to the electronic device.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined type of cable is an electronically marked cable.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
The detection circuit detects the power supply capability of the external device based on at least one of voltage and current of the first terminal, and
the determination circuit determines whether the cable is the predetermined type of cable based on at least one of voltage and current of the second terminal.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
The detection circuit detects the power supply capability of the external device based on voltage or current of the first terminal in a state in which the first terminal has been pulled down via a predetermined resistance value.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
The determination circuit determines whether the cable is the predetermined type of cable based on voltage or current of the second terminal in a state in which the second terminal has been pulled up via a predetermined resistance value.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the determination circuit determines whether the cable is the predetermined type of cable based on voltage or current of the second terminal obtained in a state in which the first terminal and the second terminal have been short-circuited.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detection circuit detects the power supply capability of the external device based on voltage or current of one of the first terminal and the second terminal in a first connection state in which both of the first terminal and the second terminal have been pulled down, and
the determination circuit determines whether the cable is the predetermined type of cable based on voltage or current of one of the first terminal and the second terminal in a second connection state in which the first terminal and the second terminal have been short-circuited.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , further comprising
a changeover unit that switches between the first connection state and the second connection state.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a memory unit that stores therein information indicating that setting of a predetermined current value as the limited current value has been decided on based on the power supply capability of the external device detected by the detection circuit and on the determination result obtained by the determination circuit, wherein
when connected to the cable, the interface circuit of the electronic device suspends supply of external power when the changeover unit has switched to the second connection state,
after the supply of the external power has been suspended, the memory unit maintains a state in which the information is stored therein for at least a predetermined period, and
the setting circuit is activated when the supply of the external power is restarted upon return to the first connection state, and sets the predetermined current value as the limited current value when the information is stored in the memory unit.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory unit that stores therein information indicating that setting of a predetermined current value as the limited current value has been decided on based on the power supply capability of the external device detected by the detection circuit and on the determination result obtained by the determination circuit, wherein
the setting circuit sets the predetermined current value as the limited current value when the information is stored in the memory unit.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein
the memory unit deletes the information when connection between the cable and the interface circuit is cut off.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a power reception circuit that receives the power from the external device, wherein
the power reception circuit receives the power from the external device with a current lower than or equal to the limited current value set by the setting circuit.

15. A method of controlling an electronic device that includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal that is different from the first terminal and the second terminal and through which power is received from an external device, and an interface circuit connectable to a cable that receives the power when connected to the external device via the cable, the method comprising:
detecting a power supply capability of the external device using the first terminal;
determining whether the cable is a predetermined type of cable using the second terminal; and
setting a limited current value of the power based on the detected power supply capability of the external device and on a determination result obtained in the determining.

16. An electronic device that receives power from an external device when connected to the external device via a cable, the electronic device comprising:
an interface circuit that is connectable to the cable and composed of
a first terminal for obtaining a power supply capability of the external device,
a second terminal for determining a type of the cable, and
a third terminal for receiving the power; and
a control circuit for controlling the power, wherein

the control circuit
determines, via the first terminal, whether the power supply capability of the external device is a predetermined power supply capability upon establishment of connection between the interface circuit and the external device via the cable,
pulls up the second terminal when the power supply capability of the external device is the predetermined power supply capability, and
starts receiving the power with a predetermined current value corresp

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Morii Takashi

Classifications

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• G06F1/28

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title

• H02H9/02 Primary

  responsive to excess current {(current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025)} · CPC title

• G01R31/42

  AC power supplies · CPC title

• G06F1/263

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title