A small electronic device capable of switching batteries by releasing a battery locking mechanism

Claim 2

An electronic device according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising second detecting means (314, 315, 316, 317) for detecting that each of said batteries (110A, 110B) has been taken out from the corresponding mounting portion (109A; 109B).

Claim 3

An electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that, when it is detected by said second detecting means (314, 315, 316, 317) that the battery (110A; 110B) connected to the power supply terminal has been taken out from the corresponding mounting portion (109A; 109B), said switch control means (312) switches from an on state to an off state the first switch (SW1; SW3) which corresponds to the battery (110A; 110B) connected to the power supply node (N1).

Claim 4

An electronic device according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising power supply voltage converting means (311), connected to the power supply node (N1), for converting a voltage at the power supply node (N1) into a power supply voltage of a specified value.

Claim 5

An electronic device according to claim 4, characterized in that said switching circuit (310) further comprises a plurality of reverse-flow preventing means (D1, D2), respectively connected between the first switches (SW1, SW3) and said supply voltage converting means (311), for preventing the current from flowing from said supply voltage converting means (311) to said batteries (110A, 110B).

Claim 6

An electronic device according to claim 5, characterized in that said switching circuit (310) further comprises a plurality of second switches (SW2, SW4) which are respectively connected in parallel to said plurality of reverse-flow preventing means (D1, D2).

Claim 7

An electronic device according to claim 6, characterized in that, when it is detected by said first detecting means (120A, 120B) that the locking means (120A; 120B) corresponding to the battery (110A; 110B) connected to the power supply node (N1) is released, said switch control means (312) sets to an off state the second switch (SW2; SW4) which corresponds to the battery (110A; 110B) connected to the power supply node (N1).

Claim 8

An electronic device according to claim 6, characterized by further comprising second detecting means (314, 315, 316, 317) for detecting that each of said batteries (110A, 110B) has been taken out from the corresponding mounting portion (109A; 109B).

Claim 9

An electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that, when it is detected by said second detecting means (314, 315, 316, 317) that the battery (110A; 110B) connected to the power supply node (N1) has been taken out from the corresponding mounting portion (109A; 109B), the switch control means (312) sets to an off state the first switch (SW1; SW3) which corresponds to the battery (110A; 110B) connected to the power supply node (N1), and sets to an on state the second switch (SW2; SW4) which corresponds to said one of the other batteries (110A; 110B).

Claim 10

An electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first detecting means (120A, 120B) includes an optical sensor having a photo diode (121) and a photo transistor (122).

Claim 11

An electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that said second detecting means (314, 325, 316, 317) includes voltage detecting means (314, 316) for detecting the voltage of each of said mounting portions (109A, 109B) and current detecting means (315, 317) for detecting a current of each of the mounting portions (109A, 109B).

Claim 12

An electronic device comprising: a main body (101) having a first and second mounting portions (109A, 109B) and first and second batteries (110A, 110B) which are respectively detachably mounted on said first and second mounting portions (109A, 109B); characterized by further comprising: first and second locking means (116A, 116B) for releasably locking the batteries (110A, 110B) on their corresponding mounting portions (109A, 109B); first detecting means (120A) for detecting that a locked condition of said first locking means (116A) is released; second detecting means (314, 315) for detecting that said first battery (110A) has been taken out from the corresponding mounting portion (109A); supply voltage converting means (311) for converting an inputted supply voltage into a power supply voltage of the specified value; first and second switches (SW1, SW3) for connecting said first and second batteries (110A, 110B) to said supply voltage converting means (311); and switch control means (312) turning on said first switch (SW1) and turning off said second switch (SW3) in the first mode, switching from an off sate to an on state said second switch (SW3) in response to a detection signal outputted from said first detecting means (110A) in the second mode, and switching from an on state to an off state said first switch (SW1) in response to a detection signal outputted from said second detecting means (314, 315) in the third mode.

Claim 13

An electronic device comprising: a main body (101) having first and second mounting portions (109A, 109B) and first and second batteries (110A, 110B) which are respectively detachably mounted on said plurality of mounting portions (109A, 109B); characterized by further comprising; first and second locking means (116A, 116B) for releasably locking the batteries (110A, 110B) on their corresponding mounting portions (109A, 109B); detecting means (120A, 120B) for detecting a release of locked condition of each of said locking means (116A, 116B); switching means (312) for switching a power source for said electric device from one of said first and second batteries (110A, 110B) to the other battery, when the detecting means (120A, 120B) detects that the locking means (116A; 116B) corresponding to said one of batteries (110A, 110B) is released.

Claim 14

A switching method of a battery to be used as the power source of a small electronic device, characterized by comprising the steps of: selecting one of a plurality of batteries (110A, 110B) which are respectively detachably mounted on a plurality of mounting portions (109A, 109B) of the small electronic device, and connecting the mounting portion corresponding to the selected battery (110A; 110B) to a pwoer supply node (N1). detecting that a locked condition of the locking device (116A; 116B) corresponding to the selected battery (110A; 110B) is released, and connecting the mounting portion corresponding to one of the other batteries (110A, 110B) which are not selected to the power supply node. (N1).

Claim 15

The method according to claim 14, characterized by further comprising the steps of: detecting that the selected battery (110A; 110B) has been taken out from the corresponding mounting portion (109A; 109B), and disconnecting the mounting portion (109A; 109B) corresponding to the selected battery (110A; 110B) from the power supply node (N1).