System comprising electronic device and battery charging device, and operation method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12009681-B2
Application number	US-202017421419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2020
Priority date	Jan 21, 2019
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a housing; a drive unit for moving the housing; a battery mounting unit formed in the housing so as to enable the placement of batteries, the battery mounting unit comprising a first slot enabling the placement of a first battery, and a second slot enabling the placement of a second battery; a separator device, disposed on the battery mounting unit, for separating the first battery from the first slot or separating the second battery from the second slot; and a processor electrically connected to the drive unit and the separator device, wherein the processor may control the separator device so that same separates the second battery from the second slot when the first battery is placed in the first slot, and separates the first battery from the first slot when the second battery is placed in the second slot. In addition, other various embodiments are possible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a driving unit configured to move the housing;
a battery mounting portion formed in the housing to have a battery disposed therein, the battery mounting portion comprising a first slot to have a first battery disposed therein and a second slot to have a second battery disposed therein;
a separation device disposed in the battery mounting portion to separate the first battery from the first slot or to separate the second battery from the second slot;
a processor electrically connected with the driving unit and the separation device; and
a memory operatively connected with the processor,
wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when being executed, cause the processor to control the separation device to separate the second battery from the second slot when the first battery is disposed in the first slot, and to separate the first battery from the first slot when the second battery is disposed in the second slot, and
wherein the separation device comprises a motor, and a lever connected with the motor, the lever comprising a first extension portion extended from a portion connected with the motor toward the first slot, and a second extension portion extended toward the second slot.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the motor,
wherein, when the motor is controlled to rotate the lever by a set angle in a first direction, the first battery is pressed by the first extension portion and is separated from the first slot, and
wherein, when the motor is controlled to rotate the lever by the set angle in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, the second battery is pressed by the second extension portion and is separated from the second slot.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the motor to rotate the lever by the set angle in the first direction when an angle by which the lever is rotated in the first direction reaches a threshold value, and cause the processor to control the motor to rotate the lever by the set angle in the second direction when an angle by which the lever is rotated in the second direction reaches a threshold value.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , comprising a sensor configured to detect a rotation direction or a rotation angle of the lever, and electrically connected with the processor.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the sensor comprises an encoder connected with the motor.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction that causes the processor to switch a power source of the electronic device between the first battery and the second battery while all of the first battery and the second battery are electrically connected with the electronic device, before the separation device is driven.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
at least one terminal disposed in the first slot to be electrically connected with the first battery;
at least one second terminal disposed in the second slot to be electrically connected with the second battery;
a power management circuit comprising a third terminal to receive an external power, and a fourth terminal to receive a battery power;
a first switch disposed between the at least one first terminal and the third terminal;
a second switch disposed between the at least one first terminal and the fourth terminal;
a third switch disposed between the at least one second terminal and the third terminal; and
a fourth switch disposed between the at least one second terminal and the fourth terminal,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch to switch a power source of the electronic device between the first battery and the second battery.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction that causes the processor to control the driving unit to move the electronic device to a second electronic device, based on map information stored in the memory included in the electronic device, in order to replace a battery when a remaining capacity of the first battery disposed in the first slot, or a remaining capacity of the second battery disposed in the second slot is less than or equal to a threshold value.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction that causes the processor to control the driving unit to let the electronic device be aligned with the second electronic device and approach the second electronic device, based on data acquired from at least one sensor included in the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect light of a set frequency range.

11. An operation method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
moving to a second electronic device including a second battery when a remaining capacity of a first battery disposed on a side of a housing of the electronic device in a first slot opening in a first direction toward which a side of the housing faces is less than or equal to a threshold value;
when it is detected that the second battery is electrically connected with the electronic device, changing a power source of the electronic device from the first battery to the second battery; and
separating the first battery from the electronic device, and
wherein separating the first battery from the electronic device comprises separating the first battery from the first slot in the first direction by rotating a lever disposed on the electronic device in respect to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising making the electronic device be aligned with the second electronic device and approach the second electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein changing the power source of the electronic device from the first battery to the second battery comprises changing the power source of the electronic device from the first battery to the second battery while all of the first battery and the second battery are electrically connected with the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein separating the first battery from the electronic device comprises, when an angle by which the lever is rotated reaches a threshold value, separating the first battery from the electronic device by rotating the lever by a set angle.

15. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a battery mounting portion formed in the housing to have a battery disposed therein, the battery mounting portion including a first slot to have a first battery disposed therein and a second slot to have a second battery disposed therein;
a separation device disposed in the battery mounting portion to separate the first battery from the first slot or to separate the second battery from the second slot;
a charging circuit configured to charge the first battery disposed in the first slot or the second battery disposed in the second slot by using an external power source;
a processor electrically connected with the separation device and the charging circuit; and
a memory operatively connected with the processor,
wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when being executed, cause the processor to control the separation device to separate the second battery from the second slot when the first battery is disposed in the first

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Heeseung
• Choi Sungwoo
• Lee Yongsuk
• Cho Youngwoo
• Cho Woojong
• Choi Kuyoung

Classifications

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/751 Primary

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/50 Primary

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• B25J19/005

  using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source · CPC title