Sony Corporation

Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Toshio Koyama

Naoki Nagano

Masami Furuya

Hidero Mitsui

Yoshihiro Ono

Katsuhiko Ueno

Toyohiro Takahashi

Toshio Takeshita

Satoshi Yamamoto

Satoshi Kimura

Hisashi Aoki

Toshiaki Ueda

Yoshinari Higuchi

Yuji Murata

Takeshi Fuse

Hiroyuki Arakawa

Tomoyuki Kubotera

Kenichi Owa

Hiroshi Hiraki

Yoichi Tsusue

Kayano Hashimoto

Michiko Mochizuki

An electronic equipment having the function of displaying the battery residual quantity for displaying the usable residual time of a battery pack used as a power source of the electronic equipment. The equipment is designed to cope with different types or future version of the battery cell. The residual usable time of the battery can be known with improved display accuracy. The video camera carries a battery pack 1 outputting at least the information on the residual battery capacity, charging/discharging current detection information and the battery cell voltage detection information. The video camera includes a micro-computer having a communication circuit for receiving the above information from the battery pack , a calculation circuit for calculating the current residual battery capacity based on the information from the battery pack received by the communication circuit , and a display control circuit , and a display device fed with a display signal corresponding to the results of calculations by the calculation circuit of the micro-computer for displaying the residual battery capacity based on the display signal.

Electronic apparatus having the function of displaying the battery residual quantity and method for displaying the battery residual quantity

A battery pack securing mechanism for securing battery packs of varaying numbers of battery cells, a battery charger capable of charging the battery packs or an electronic equipment capable of using the battery packs. In a battery pack having the optional number of cells built therein, this terminal is provided in the same position as a terminal position wherein only one cell is accommodated within the battery pack. A charger and an electronic equipment using a pack have a pack securing section capable of securing battery a pack having at least two cells accommodating therein in parallel, and includes an engaging member for engaging at least one cell pack with the battery pack securing section and a connecting member connected to the positive and negative electrode terminals of the one cell pack and disposed at such a position that charging or discharging can be performed. Accordingly battery, packs accommodating different number of cells and of various arrangements and configurations can be used.

Battery pack, battery charger and an electronic device using a battery pack

There is disclosed a battery charging device for charging a battery pack having a battery cell, the battery pack being capable of storing an information for a maximum charging current and a maximum charging voltage of the battery cell and communicating the information with the battery charging device, which includes a communication means for receiving the information indicative of the maximum charging current and the information indicative of the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell which is transmitted from the battery pack, and a control means for controlling charging current and voltage upon charging so as not to exceed the maximum charging current and the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell. Further, in accordance with the present invention, there are disclosed a method for charging the battery pack, and the battery pack capable of being mounted to various electronic apparatuses.

Battery charge controlled as function of operating mode

In a battery pack, it is difficult that information on a contained battery of the battery pack, such as the accurate state of charge of the battery, is detected at an external equipment. A communication terminal which can communicate the state of charge of the contained battery to the external equipment is provided on the installation surface on which power supply terminals of the battery pack are provided or on the surface adjacent to the installation surface. This allows the corresponding electrodes or the like of the external equipment to be concentrated at one place, so that the space required to arrange the corresponding electrodes or the like is reduced, thus downsizing the equipment.

Battery pack

Battery charging device, method for charging battery pack and battery

A video camera is comprised of a camera unit having a signal processing circuit supplied with an imager signal from its imager device and which converts the imager signal to a digital video signal and a viewfinder having a decoder supplied with the digital video signal from the signal processing circuit of the camera unit through a bus and which decodes the digital video signal to provide a signal which is to be displayed on a display device as an image. Thus, the quality of image displayed on the display device can be improved comparatively and the arrangement of the video camera can be simplified.

VTR with digitally-interfaced camera unit and viewfinder

Battery charging device, method for charging battery pack by switching

There is disclosed a battery changing device for charging a battery pack having a battery cell, the battery pack being capable of storing an information for a maximum charging current and a maximum charging voltage of the battery cell and communicating the information with the battery charging device, which includes a communication means for receiving the information indicative of the maximum charging current and the information indicative of the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell which is transmitted from the battery pack, and a control means for controlling charging current and voltage upon charging so as not to exceed the maximum charging current and the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell. Further, in accordance with the present invention, there are disclosed a method for charging the battery pack, and the battery pack capable of being mounted to various electronic apparatuses.

Battery charging device method for charging battery pack and battery pack

A light condensing plate (13) is disposed on the side of a rear surface of an LCD (2). A light guiding plate (9) is disposed on the side of a rear surface of the light condensing plate (13). A back light (5) is disposed on the side of a rear surface of the light guiding plate (9). The light guiding plate (9) has a light diffusing surface (10) formed on its surface opposed to the light condensing plate (13) and a reflection surface (11) formed on its surface opposed to the back light (5). The light guiding plate (9) has a light condensing surface (12) formed on its upper end portion so as to be opposed to an external light admitting window (6) defined on a viewfinder barrel (1). A lid (8) for opening and closing the external light admitting window (6) is provided on the viewfinder barrel. (1)

Backlighting and color control arrangement for LCD type video camera

The user observes a liquid crystal display panel screen positioned within a lens barrel through a lens. An infrared LED that emits pulses of light and a phototransistor are positioned in an eyecup against which the user's eye is pressed. An ambient light detecting circuit provides a control signal showing whether or not the user's eye is pressed against the eyecup and a control signal showing the amount of ambient light on the basis of the output signal of the phototransistor. A control circuit controls the luminance of a backlight unit according to the control signals. When the user's eye is not pressed against the eyecup, the display luminance is reduced to zero and the display is turned off. The display luminance is enhanced only when the amount of ambient light is large. Thus, needless power consumption can be avoided, and the screen can be satisfactorily observed even if a large quantity of light enters into the ocular part where the ambient light is bright.

Electronic viewfinder having means for turning off a display device

An electronic equipment having a rechargeable battery in combination with a power source adapter. A rechargeable battery is detachably mounted in the electronic equipment. The power source adapter is adapted for supplying power to the electronic equipment from outside, and includes a first battery loading unit for loading a rechargeable battery, a charging voltage generating unit for generating a charging voltage for charging both the loaded rechargeable battery and the rechargeable battery mounted in the electronic equipment, a switching unit for switching between supplying the charging voltage to the charging unit and supplying the charging voltage to the electronic equipment, a detection unit for detecting completion of charging of the rechargeable battery loaded on the power source adapter, and a switching control unit for controlling the switching of the switching unit responsive to the output of the detection unit.

Charging battery system for video camera

When a light-transmitting recording medium mode has been selected, the speed of a head carriage 3 is slowed down from a normal print mode speed. Printing is controlled so as to match the moving speed of the head carriage 3 so that the print resolution remains unvaried, and such control signal is sent to a plurality of record heads 6 carried on the head carriage 3. A single line of recording is made on a light-transmitting recording medium by a single round of scanning, in which the plurality of record heads 6 jet respective color inks on the light-transmitting recording medium so that dots of desired colors can be superposed one upon the other substantially completely.

Ink jet recording apparatus operative to provide quality printing on

A dot judgment circuit judges whether there exists color information in dot-pattern-developed image data of pixels around a black pixel under attention. When not finding the existence of color information, the dot judgment circuit selects a head driver for driving a recording head for jetting a slow drying black pixel. When finding the existence of color information, the dot judgment circuit selects a head driver for a recording head for jetting a quick drying black ink or head drivers for recording heads for jetting quick drying Y, M and C inks.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Toshio Koyama