Imaging device with USB PD-compliance detection based operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11265495-B2
Application number	US-201916766145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

An imaging device is an imaging device in and from which a battery can be fitted, the imaging device including a CMOS image sensor, a USB port, and a microcomputer. The CMOS image sensor images a subject. The USB port supplies power to the imaging device via a USB cable. The microcomputer detects whether or not the battery is fitted in the imaging device. The microcomputer enables an action of the CMOS image sensor by way of the power from the USB port when the battery is fitted in the imaging device. The microcomputer disables the action of the imaging unit that rely on the power from the USB port when the battery is not fitted in the imaging device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging device in and from which a battery can be fitted and removed, the imaging device comprising:
an imaging sensor configured to image a subject;
a power supply terminal configured to supply power to the imaging device via a USB cable; and
a controller configured to detect whether or not the battery has been fitted in the imaging device, the controller configured to:
detect whether or not an external device connected to the USB cable is a USB PD-compliant device; and in case the external device is a USB PD-compliant device,
(i) enable an action of the imaging sensor by means of the power from the power supply terminal when the battery is fitted in the imaging device, and
(ii) disable the action of the imaging sensor that rely on the power from the power supply terminal when the battery is not fitted in the imaging device, the disabling of the action of the imaging sensor including disabling imaging still images.

2. The imaging device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a remaining charge of the battery when the battery is fitted in the imaging device, and enable the action of the imaging sensor by means of the power from the power supply terminal only when the remaining charge of the battery is sufficient for the action of the imaging device.

3. The imaging device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to enable the action of the imaging sensor that rely on the power from the power supply terminal and prohibit charging of the battery when the external device connected to the USB cable is not a USB PD-compliant device and the battery is fitted in the imaging device.

4. The imaging device as recited in claim 1 , comprising a display unit configured to display information in accordance with a command of the controller, the display unit configured to display information indicating whether or not an external device connected to the USB cable is a USB PD-compliant device.

5. The imaging device as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to give a warning upon sensing that the battery is taken out when the action of the imaging sensor is being performed by means of the power from the power supply terminal.

6. The imaging device as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to enable the action of the imaging sensor by turning ON power source when the battery is fitted in the imaging device.

7. The imaging device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
(iii) enable the action of the imaging sensor and prohibit charging of the battery in case of a power switch of the image device being ON, when the external device connected to the USB cable is not a USB PD-compliant device and the battery is fitted in the imaging device; and
(iv) enable the action of the imaging sensor and allow charging of the battery in case of the power switch of the image device being ON, when the external device connected to the USB cable is a USB PD-compliant device and the battery is fitted in the imaging device.

8. An imaging device in and from which a battery can be fitted and removed, the imaging device comprising:
an imaging sensor configured to image a subject;
a power supply terminal configured to supply power to the imaging device via a USB cable; and
a controller configured to detect whether or not the battery has been fitted in the imaging device, the controller configured to:
(i) enable an action of the imaging sensor by means of the power from the power supply terminal when the battery is fitted in the imaging device, and
(ii) disable the action of the imaging sensor that rely on the power from the power supply terminal when the battery is not fitted in the imaging device, the disabling of the action of the imaging sensor including disabling imaging still images.

9. The imaging device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a remaining charge of the battery when the battery is fitted in the imaging device, and enable the action of the imaging sensor by means of the power from the power supply terminal only when the remaining charge of the battery is sufficient for the action of the imaging device.

10. The imaging device as recited in claim 8 , wherein
the controller is configured to give a warning upon sensing that the battery is taken out when the action of the imaging sensor is being performed by means of the power from the power supply terminal.

11. The imaging device as recited in claim 8 , wherein
the controller is configured to enable the action of the imaging sensor by turning ON power source when the battery is fitted in the imaging device.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hashimoto Shingo

Classifications

• H04N25/79

  Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors · CPC title

• H04N25/771

  comprising storage means other than floating diffusion · CPC title

• H04N25/76 Primary

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• H04N25/709

  Circuitry for control of the power supply · CPC title

• H04N25/42

  by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode · CPC title