Power supply apparatus for supplying power from a plurality of batteries to a plurality of loads, and electronic appliance using the power supply apparatus

Claim 2

A power supply means comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a remaining capacity of each of said batteries, and by measuring a load current for each of said power supply means.

Claim 3

A power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of secondary batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply means; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said batteries; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current for each of said batteries; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating the remaining capacity of each of said batteries from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with each of said battery remaining capacity and each of said load states.

Claim 4

A power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of secondary batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply means; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said batteries; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current for each of said batteries; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating the remaining capacity of each of said batteries from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with each of said battery remaining capacity and each of said load states.

Claim 5

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said power supply means includes a DC--DC convertor for converting an input voltage to a constant voltage.

Claim 6

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises a plurality of backflow prevention diodes connected between said external power supply input means and each of said power supply means.

Claim 7

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises a plurality of switch means connected between each of said batteries and said charging circuit.

Claim 8

A power supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner as to sequentially charge, one by one, said batteries when each of said batteries is charged by said charging circuit.

Claim 9

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that one of said power supply means is connected to one of said batteries.

Claim 10

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that a plurality of said power supply means are connected to one of said batteries.

Claim 11

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that said batteries having greater remaining capacity are connected to said power supply means having greater loads.

Claim 12

A power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that said batteries having smaller remaining capacity are connected to said power supply means having greater loads.

Claim 13

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of said batteries, and measuring a load current for each of said power supply means.

Claim 14

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of said batteries, and measuring a load current for each of said power supply means.

Claim 15

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of secondary batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply portions; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said batteries; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current for each of said batteries; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of each of said batteries from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with each of said battery remaining capacity and each of said load states.

Claim 16

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of secondary batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply portions; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said batteries; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current for each of said batteries; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of each of said batteries from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with each of said battery remaining capacity and each of said load states.

Claim 17

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, wherein said power supply means includes a DC--DC convertor for converting an input voltage to a constant voltage.

Claim 18

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, which further comprises a plurality of backflow prevention diodes connected between said external power supply input means and each of said power supply means.

Claim 19

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, which further comprises a plurality of switch means connected between each of said batteries and said charging circuit.

Claim 20

An electronic appliance according to claim 15, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner as to sequentially charge said batteries one by one when each of said batteries is charged by said charging circuit.

Claim 21

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that one of said power supply means is connected to one of said batteries.

Claim 22

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that a plurality of said power supply means are connected to one of said batteries.

Claim 23

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that said batteries having greater remaining capacity are connected to said power supply means having greater loads.

Claim 24

An electronic appliance according to claim 12, wherein said control means controls said switch means in such a manner that said batteries having smaller remaining capacity are connected to said power supply means having greater loads.

Claim 25

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said discharging current measurement means.

Claim 26

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said discharging current measurement means.

Claim 27

An electric appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus further comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply circuits for connecting to a plurality of loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said discharging current measurement means.

Claim 28

An electric appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus further comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply circuits for connecting to a plurality of loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said discharging current measurement means.

Claim 29

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents through the battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of batteries connected to each of said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring the remaining capacity of the batteries, and by measuring a load current for each of said power supply means.

Claim 30

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents through the battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of batteries connected to each of said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring the remaining capacity of the batteries, and by measuring a load current for each of said power supply means.

Claim 31

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of connection means for connecting to a corresponding plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said plurality of power supply means; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said plurality of battery connection means; discharging current measuring means for measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measuring means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measuring means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of the batteries connected to each of the plurality of battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measuring means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of said switch means in accordance with the remaining capacity of the batteries in each of said load states.

Claim 32

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of connection means for connecting to a corresponding plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said plurality of power supply means; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said plurality of battery connection means; discharging current measuring means for measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measuring means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measuring means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of the batteries connected to each of the plurality of battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measuring means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of said switch means in accordance with the remaining capacity of the batteries in each of said load states.

Claim 33

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents through said plurality of battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of batteries connected to said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of the batteries.

Claim 34

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; discharging current measurement means for measuring discharging currents through said plurality of battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of batteries connected to said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of the batteries.

Claim 35

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply portions; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said battery connection means; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of batteries connected to said battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with the calculated remaining capacity and each of the load states.

Claim 36

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply portions; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said battery connection means; discharging current measurement means for measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of batteries connected to said battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said discharging current measurement means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with the calculated remaining capacity and each of the load states.

Claim 37

A power supply means comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a remaining capacity of each of said batteries, and by measuring a load power for each of said power supply means.

Claim 38

A power supply means comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a remaining capacity of each of said batteries, and by measuring a load power for each of said power supply means.

Claim 39

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of said batteries, and measuring a load power for each of said power supply means.

Claim 40

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said batteries to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring discharging currents of a plurality of said batteries; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of each of said batteries and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of said batteries, and measuring a load power for each of said power supply means.

Claim 41

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means.

Claim 42

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means.

Claim 43

An electric appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus further comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply circuits for connecting to a plurality of loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means.

Claim 44

An electric appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus further comprising: a plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply circuits for connecting to a plurality of loads; a plurality of switch circuits for connecting each of the batteries to each of the power supply circuits; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring a discharging current of each of said batteries; and a controller for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch circuits in accordance with a remaining capacity of each of said batteries measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means.

Claim 45

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring discharging currents through the battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of batteries connected to each of said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring the remaining capacity of the batteries, and by measuring a load power for each of said power supply means.

Claim 46

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring discharging currents through the battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of said switch means in accordance with a remaining capacity of batteries connected to each of said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring the remaining capacity of the batteries, and by measuring a load power for each of said power supply means.

Claim 47

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of connection means for connecting to a corresponding plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said plurality of power supply means; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said plurality of battery connection means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measuring means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measuring means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of the batteries connected to each of the plurality of battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means and the charging current measured by said charging current measuring means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of said switch means in accordance with the remaining capacity of the batteries in each of said load states.

Claim 48

A power supply apparatus, comprising: a plurality of connection means for connecting to a corresponding plurality of batteries; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said plurality of power supply means; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said plurality of battery connection means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measuring means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measuring means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of the batteries connected to each of the plurality of battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means and the charging current measured by said charging current measuring means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of said switch means in accordance with the remaining capacity of the batteries in each of said load states.

Claim 49

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries for measuring discharging currents through said plurality of battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of batteries connected to said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of the batteries.

Claim 50

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said plurality of battery connection means to each of said power supply means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries for measuring discharging currents through said plurality of battery connection means; and control means for controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of switch means in accordance with a residual quantity of batteries connected to said battery connection means and with a load state by measuring a residual quantity of each of the batteries.

Claim 51

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply portions; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said battery connection means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries for measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of batteries connected to said battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with the calculated remaining capacity and each of the load states.

Claim 52

An electronic appliance equipped with a power supply apparatus, said power supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of battery connection means; a plurality of power supply means for connecting to loads; a plurality of switch means for connecting each of said battery connection means to each of said power supply means; external power supply input means for connecting an external DC power supply to each of said power supply portions; a charging circuit connected between said external power supply input means and each of said battery connection means; remaining battery capacity measure means based upon consumed power of the respective batteries for measuring a discharging current through each of said battery connection means; charging current measurement means for measuring a charging current through each of said battery connection means; load current measurement means for measuring a load current for each of said power supply means as a load state of said power supply means; and control means for calculating a remaining capacity of batteries connected to said battery connection means from the discharging current measured by said remaining battery capacity measure means and the charging current measured by said charging current measurement means, and for controlling opening and closing operations of each of said switch means in accordance with the calculated remaining capacity and each of the load states.