Abstract:
A portable solar power supply system and its applying device are disclosed. The power supply system includes a receiving unit, a control block and a storage unit. After the receiving unit receives a solar power, the control block is used for storing the solar power into the storage unit. If a user wants to use a portable information processing device or other portable products, the portable solar power supply system supplies electric power to the device or product and extends the working time without limitations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a power supply system, and more particularly to a solar power supply system that receives sunlight (or solar energy) and converts the solar energy into electric energy (or an electric power source), and the solar power supply system can be applied in various portable information processing devices or other portable products. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As science and technology advance, various new technological products make our life more convenient, but all kinds of natural resources are exhausted more quickly when our environments are developed continuously. To overcome fuel shortage (including petroleum and coal), energy crisis and environmental pollution, scientists, researchers and engineers need to find an effective way of exploring new energy sources to protect our environment. 
     Solar energy, a natural electromagnetic wave, complies with the aforementioned requirements and causes no chemical pollution (such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and dust), radiations or radioactive substances. Solar energy also has another feature of causing no thermal pollution at all, and providing an everlasting energy source with unlimited access. 
     In the past development process of applying the source of solar energy, the issue of uncollectible radiations was raised all the time. As science and technology advance, collectors (which are solar panels) are used to overcome the radiation issue. For the issue of intermittence of solar light source (due to the inconsistence between daytime and nighttime), a thermal energy storage or battery is adopted to overcome the intermittence issue, so that the application of solar energy becomes well-developed and extensively used. 
     Although the development of science and technology has brought us the solar energy, the present applications of solar energy are still not popular in the area of portable devices yet, and thus most portable devices still use a traditional power supply for their operation, and the power supply and recharge are definitely an issue, and thus it is an important subject for designers and manufacturers to develop an improved solar power supply system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a portable solar power supply system and its applying device to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. 
     It is a primary objective of the invention to combine a portable solar power supply system with various portable products and supports the required electric power of the portable products. The portable solar power supply system of the invention comprises a receiving unit, a control block and a storage unit. When the receiving unit receives a solar electric power, the control block is used for storing the solar electric power to the storage unit. When a user wants to use the portable information processing device or other portable products, the portable solar power supply system can be used for supplying the power required for the operation of the portable device and extending the working time of the portable device without limitations. 
     In the meantime, the present invention includes an input terminal of direct current power DC and different types of output interfaces of direct current power DC, such that it is also one of the objectives of the invention to alternately and flexibly use the solar electric power and the direct current power DC to further improve the convenience of the portable products. 
     The control block further comprises a charge controller, an overdischarge controller and a DC-DC converter, wherein the charge controller is used for controlling a charge of the storage unit by a direct current power DC, and the overdischarge controller is used for terminating a discharge of the storage unit to protect the storage unit if the direct current power DC is lower than a safe value, and the DC-DC converter stabilizes the direct current power DC at a specific value and outputs the direct current power DC to produce a voltage stabilization effect. 
     Embodiments and related drawings are used for a detailed description of the technical contents and characteristics of the present invention as follows: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a circuit structure of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic view of a receiving unit of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a schematic view of an output unit of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3C  is a schematic view of a control block of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a structure of a first application of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic view of a structure of a first application of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a structure of a second application of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is another schematic view of a structure of a second application of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is illustrated in details by the description of a preferred embodiment together with its related drawings as follows. 
     A portable solar power supply system of the invention includes various different structures that apply the portable solar power supply system. With reference to  FIG. 1  for a perspective view of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, designers can design the portable solar power supply system in a 3D stylish shape and having an external solar power receiving interface  111  and a DC power receiving interface  112 . These two receiving interfaces  111 ,  112  can receive a solar power or directly use an external direct current power DC for the operation of the portable solar power supply system  10 , and the portable solar power supply system  10  also installs a USB interface  121  and a DC power output interface  122 , and these two output interfaces  121 ,  122  are used for transmitting the direct current power DC to the portable solar power supply system  10 , and the display unit  13  is provided for displaying a working state (such as a charging, power supplying or low-power state) of the portable solar power supply system  10 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2  for a schematic view of a circuit structure of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, the portable solar power supply system  10  comprises a receiving unit  11 , an output unit  12 , a display unit  13 , a control block  14  and a storage unit  15 , wherein the receiving unit  11  is coupled to a solar panel for receiving a solar power, and the control block  14  is coupled to the receiving unit  11  for converting the solar power into a direct current power DC, and stabilizing the direct current power DC at a specific value (for a voltage stabilization effect), while charging the storage unit  15 , and thus the storage unit  15  must be a rechargeable battery used for storing the direct current power DC. If a user needs to have a power source, the direct current power DC will be transmitted to the portable solar power supply system  10 , and the display unit  13  is coupled to the control block  14  for displaying a working state (such as a charging, power supplying, or low-power state) of the portable solar power supply system  10 , and the output unit  12  is used for outputting the direct current power DC out from the portable solar power supply system  10 . 
     With reference for  FIG. 3A  for a schematic view of a receiving unit of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, the receiving unit  11  installed in the portable solar power supply system  10  further comprises a solar power receiving interface  111  and a DC power receiving interface  112 , and the solar power receiving interface  111  is coupled to the solar panel  20 , and the solar panel  20  can be a flexible solar panel. In addition to a specific elasticity, the flexible solar panel also features a light, thin and compact design for an easy connection to meet the requirements of a portable system. The DC power receiving interface  112  can be coupled directly and externally for supplying the external direct current power DC to different portable products or optionally charging the portable solar power supply system  10 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3B  for a schematic view of an output unit of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, the output unit  12  installed in the portable solar power supply system  10  can be designed as a data transmission interface with a power transmission function, and this interface can be one of the connecting interfaces such as a universal serial bus (USB) transmission interface and a Firewire transmission interface for connecting various different portable products  30 . In this preferred embodiment, the data transmission interface is a USB interface  121  and a DC power output interface  122 , wherein the USB interface  121  is coupled to an information processing system  31 , and the DC power output interface  122  is a general power transmission connector for connecting a general portable electric appliance  32 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3C  for a schematic view of a control block of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, the control block  14  of the invention comprises a charge controller  141 , an overdischarge controller  142  and a DC-DC converter  143 , wherein the charge controller  141  is used for controlling a charge of the storage unit  15  by the direct current power DC, and the overdischarge controller  142  is used for terminating a discharge of the storage unit  15  to protect the storage unit  15  if the direct current power DC is lower than a safe value, and the DC-DC converter  143  stabilizes the direct current power DC at a specific value and outputs the direct current power DC to produce a voltage stabilization effect. The control block  14  further comprises a filter for absorbing a surge and preventing the storage unit  15  from being damaged by the surge produced during the process of switching a power source. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4  for a schematic view of a structure of a first application of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, if a user connects the portable solar power supply system of the present invention with an information processing device  31 , the working power source of the information processing device  31  is supplied by the portable solar power supply system  10 , and the operation of the portable solar power supply system  10  includes the following steps. The solar panel  20  collects a solar light source, converts the solar light source into a solar power and transmits the solar power to the solar power receiving interface  111 . The portable solar power supply system  10  converts the solar power into a direct current power DC, and the USB interface  121  discharges the direct current power DC. After a port of the information processing device  31  is connected to the USB interface  121 , the portable solar power supply system  10  starts outputting an electric power source to the information processing device  31  and supplies electric power for the operation of the information processing device  31 , wherein the receiving unit  11  (including a solar power receiving interface  111  and a DC power receiving interface  112 ) of the portable solar power supply system  10  is a magnetic interface, that uses the principle of like poles attracting each other to attach a transmission connector of the solar panel  20  for an electric charge and overcome the shortcomings of a traditional plug/unplug interface that will be damaged easily after a long time of use. 
     Further, the solar panel  20  includes a fixing means such as a clamp or an adhesive means for fixing the solar panel  20  at an appropriate position (such as a user&#39;s cloth, a car or any other device) for receiving solar energy. The portable solar power supply system  10  also installs a manual heating device (such as the way of producing heat by shaking or rubbing manually) for users to perform a charging manually in a cloudy day without sufficient sunlight. 
     The solar panel  20  further includes a plurality of equidistant protruding dots disposed on a surface of the solar panel  20 , and the surface of each protruding dot is in an arc shape for collecting sunlight beams to expedite the charging process (by means of the focusing principle of a convex lens). 
     Since the present invention relates to a solar power supply system for receiving a solar energy and converting the solar energy into electric energy, and any heat loss incurs a low efficiency of the charging, therefore the solar panel  20  of the present invention can be wrapped with a layer of heat absorbing and insulating material, such as polylon, and the top of the power supply system is left open to prevent a quick heat dissipation. Alternately, the solar panel  20  can be installed in a closed space filled with carbon dioxide, such that a greenhouse effect (that absorbs heat easily, but discharges heat slowly) is produced by carbon dioxide to achieve the effect of reducing heat loss. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5  for another schematic view of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment, if a user connects the portable solar power supply system of the present invention with an electric appliance  32 , the portable solar power supply system  10  supplies the required working power source to the electric appliance  32 . If the level of electric power in the portable solar power supply system  10  is low and insufficient for the operation of the electric appliance  32 , then the portable solar power supply system  10  will transmit an external direct current power DC to the DC power receiving interface  112 , and discharge the direct current power DC (while charging the portable solar power supply system  10 ) through the DC power output interface  122 . After a port of the electric appliance  32  is connected to the DC power output interface  122 , the portable solar power supply system  10  will start outputting electric power to the electric appliance  32  for the operation of the electric appliance  32 . 
     In addition to the concept of a power bank, the portable solar power supply system of the invention can be installed directly in an information processing device  31 . With reference to  FIG. 6  for a schematic view of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar panel  20  is installed on a surface of the information processing device  31  for receiving a solar light source, and the portable solar power supply system  10  installed in the information processing device  31  similarly supplies a direct current power DC (or a working power source), and the remaining direct current power DC is stored into the portable solar power supply system  10 . Now, the rechargeable battery of the information processing device  31  is replaced by the portable solar power supply system  10 , and the portable solar power supply system  10  supplies a working power source for a functional mechanism  311  to achieve a normal operation and function of the information processing device  31 . Of course, the foregoing structure can be applied in any portable information processing device or electric appliance (such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a notebook computer, a handheld game player and various related portable devices, etc). 
     In addition to the foregoing preferred embodiments, the present invention further provides the following preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 7  for another schematic view of a structure of a second application of a portable solar power supply system in accordance with the present invention, if the portable solar power supply system of the invention is combined with a cloth  40  (which is a portable device), a warming effect is created. The portable solar power supply system  10  provides the working power source to achieve a warming effect, and the working power source of the cloth  40  in the heating mechanism  41  is provided by power supply system  10 . The solar panel  20  is installed on the surface of the cloth  40  for collecting a solar light source, converting the solar source into solar power, and transmitting the solar power to the portable solar power supply system  10  to produce a direct current power DC. Now, the direct current power DC is provided as a working power source of the heating mechanism  41  to charge the power supply system  10 . The power supply system  10  also installs an output unit, such that if a user is using a portable device that requires a working power source, the user can connect the power supply system  10  to supply a direct current power DC, and such use is very convenient. In the meantime, the cloth  40  can be kept warm. The portable device  40  using this structure includes but not limited to a jacket, a cloth, a pair of trousers, a vest, and various different types of portable products. 
     While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.