Power supply control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10838382-B2
Application number	US-201916270380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A power supply control device includes: a power generator that converts energy into power; an environmental sensor that detects a state of an ambient environment; and a controller that controls an operation timing of a functional circuit that operates upon receipt of power supplied from the power generator based on the state of the ambient environment detected by the environmental sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power supply control device comprising:
a power generator that converts energy into power;
an environmental sensor that detects a state of an ambient environment; and
a controller that controls an operation timing of a functional circuit that operates upon receipt of power supplied from the power generator based on the state of the ambient environment detected by the environmental sensor,
wherein the power generator includes a solar cell, the environmental sensor includes an illuminance sensor, and the controller sets an operating interval of the functional circuit in a case where an illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor is lower than a threshold to be longer than an operating interval of the functional circuit in a case where an illuminance detected by the illumination sensor is higher than the threshold.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one timer that outputs a timing signal of a fixed period, wherein the controller operates the functional circuit at one of a plurality of mutually different intervals corresponding to a period of the timing signal selected based on the state of the ambient environment detected by the environmental sensor.

3. The power supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of timers that output timing signals at different periods, wherein the controller selects one of the timing signals output from each of the plurality of timers based on the state of the ambient environment detected by the environmental sensor, and operates the functional circuit at intervals corresponding to the period of the selected timing signal.

4. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where the functional circuit is operated at a first interval, the controller sets a state of the functional circuit at a time of non-operation to a standby state in which reactivation is not performed and power is consumed, and in a case where the functional circuit is operated at a second interval longer than the first interval, the controller sets the state of the functional circuit at the time of non-operation to a system off state in which reactivation is performed and power is not consumed.

5. The power supply control device according to claim 4 , wherein in the case where the functional circuit is operated at the second interval, the controller enters the system off state after setting the state of the functional circuit at the time of non-operation to the system off state, and reactivates the functional circuit after being reactivated based on a timing signal corresponding to the second interval.

6. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first switch provided on a power supply path configured to supply power to the functional circuit, wherein the controller controls an operation timing of the functional circuit by controlling on and off of the first switch.

7. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor includes at least one of an illuminance sensor and a temperature sensor.

8. The power supply control device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a capacitor coupled in parallel to the power generator;
a second switch provided on at least one of a pair of power supply lines to which a generated voltage output from the power generator is applied;
a first power supply monitor that controls the second switch based on a voltage generated in the pair of power supply lines;
a third switch provided on a branch line coupled to the pair of power supply lines; a second power supply monitor that controls the third switch based on a level of a voltage generated in the pair of power supply lines; and
a power storage, provided on the branch line, that is coupled to the power generator when the second switch and the third switch are both turned on,
wherein the controller is coupled to the power generator when the second switch is turned on, and coupled to the power storage when the third switch is turned on, the functional circuit is coupled to the power generator when the first switch and the second switch are both turned on, and coupled to the power storage when the first switch and the third switch are both turned on.

9. The power supply control device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first diode coupled in parallel to the second switch;
a fourth switch that is provided on one of the pair of power supply lines and is turned on and off based on the state of the ambient environment detected by the environmental sensor; and
a second diode coupled in parallel to the fourth switch so as to face in a direction reverse to a direction of the first diode.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Hiroyuki
• Nakamoto Hiroyuki

Classifications

• G05B19/042 Primary

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E10/56

  Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• G05B2219/2639

  Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low · CPC title

• H01H37/00

  Thermally-actuated switches · CPC title