Patent Publication Number: US-2007097564-A1

Title: Electronic apparatus

Description:
The present application is based on and claims priority of Japanese patent application No. 2005-312502 filed on Oct. 27, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus which supplies power from a built-in standby power supply section when a power supply from outside stops, and more particularly, to a recording apparatus provided with an inner clock and a timer programming function which protects timer programmed contents by supplying power from a standby power supply section when the power supply from outside is stopped due to a power failure or coming-off of a power supply plug or the like.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In recent years, there is a growing demand for energy saving and while the development of electronic apparatuses with low power consumption and small standby electric power is underway, users often use a table tap with a switch to stop the power supply to the electronic apparatus to avoid consumption of standby electric power. Therefore, there is a growing danger that even when timer programming is set, the power supply to the electronic apparatus may be stopped and timer programming may not be executed.  
      Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-41806 (patent document 1) discloses a technology of supplying power from a built-in standby power supply section when a power supply from outside stops. According to this technology, a clock and timer programming data inside the electronic apparatus can be protected, and therefore even when, for example, the switch of a table tap is turned off by mistake and the power supply from outside is stopped, if the switch of the table tap is immediately turned on, the timer programming from that time on is executed without any problem.  
      An electronic apparatus equipped with a timer programming function such as a recording apparatus is generally designed to be placed in a standby state when power is turned off by operating a power button so as to supply power to parts necessary to control the electronic apparatus itself from a power supply section and parts storing data whose resetting in the event of loss would be troublesome. Moreover, even when a power supply stops due to a power failure or the like and power can no longer be supplied from the power supply section, power is supplied from a built-in standby power supply section to parts necessary to control the electronic apparatus itself and parts storing data whose resetting in the event of loss would be troublesome. For example, in a recording apparatus such as a video cassette recorder, while power is supplied from a built-in standby power supply section to sections with low power consumption such as a control section (including a clock section which counts a date and time and a memory section which stores channel information and timer programmed contents), power is not supplied to sections with high power consumption such as a main device section (section which performs main operations such as recording and reproducing and includes a drive device such as a motor in the apparatus). Therefore, the technology described in patent document 1 has a problem that even when timer programming is set, the user may misunderstand that timer programming has not been done and the time set by the timer programming may be past with the outside power supply being stopped and the timer programming may not be executed.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been implemented in view of the above described problem and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus which prevents, when timer programming is set, continuation of a state in which a power supply from outside is stopped.  
      The electronic apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an electronic apparatus comprising a main device section which performs main operations of the electronic apparatus, a power supply section which changes a power supply from outside the electronic apparatus to a power supply used inside the electronic apparatus and supplies the power to inside the electronic apparatus, a standby power supply section which performs charging using the power supplied from the power supply section when power is supplied to the power supply section from outside the electronic apparatus and supplies power, when power is no longer supplied from outside the electronic apparatus, to parts inside the electronic apparatus requiring power and a control section which controls the main device section, the power supply section and the standby power supply section, the control section comprising a function for timer programming of operations of the main device section, the control section changing, when stoppage of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, a source of the power supply to the control section from the power supply section to the standby power supply section and changing, when resumption of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, the source of the power supply to the control section from the standby power supply section to the power supply section, wherein an alarm section which outputs an alarm is provided, and when the control section detects stoppage of the power supply to the power supply section and timer programming for operating the main device section is set, the control section starts a power supply from the standby power supply section to the alarm section, causes the alarm section to start alarming, or causes, when the resumption of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, the alarm section to stop alarming and stops the power supply from the standby power supply section to the alarm section.  
      According to the electronic apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, if timer programming has been set when the outside power supply is stopped, it is possible to reduce the possibility that timer programming may not be executed by outputting an alarm to call the user&#39;s attention and preventing continuation of a state in which the power supply from outside is stopped.  
      The electronic apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is an electronic apparatus comprising a main device section which performs main operations of the electronic apparatus, a power supply section which changes a power supply from outside the electronic apparatus to a power supply used inside the electronic apparatus and supplies the power to inside the electronic apparatus, a standby power supply section which performs charging using the power supplied from the power supply section when power is supplied to the power supply section from outside the electronic apparatus and supplies power, when power is no longer supplied from outside the electronic apparatus, to parts inside the electronic apparatus requiring power and a control section which controls the main device section, the power supply section and the standby power supply section, the control section comprising a function for timer programming of operations of the main device section, the control section changing, when stoppage of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, a source of the power supply to the control section from the power supply section to the standby power supply section and changing, when resumption of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, the source of the power supply to the control section from the standby power supply section to the power supply section, wherein an alarm section which outputs an alarm is provided, and when the control section detects stoppage of the power supply to the power supply section and timer programming for operating the main device section is set after the time of the detection until a predetermined time elapses, the control section starts a power supply from the standby power supply section to the alarm section, causes the alarm section to start alarming, or causes, when the resumption of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, the alarm section to stop alarming and stops the power supply from the standby power supply section to the alarm section.  
      According to the electronic apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, if timer programming has been set when the power supply from outside is stopped, it is possible to reduce the possibility that timer programming may not be executed by outputting an alarm to call the user&#39;s attention and preventing continuation of a state in which the outside power supply is stopped. Moreover, when there is a time equal to or longer than a predetermined time A until the timer programmed time, it is possible to reduce the frequency of occurrence of alarms by preventing alarms from being output (more specifically, when, for example, a state in which power is not turned ON never continues for 1 week or more (that is, power is turned ON again within at least 1 week), if 1 week is set as the predetermined time A, no alarm is output if timer programming is set to be effective after 1 week or later, but it is expected that power will be turned ON again within 1 week, and therefore there is no problem in practical use).  
      The electronic apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the electronic apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the control section comprises a function for measuring an elapsed time, causes, when the power supply to the power supply section is not resumed even after the lapse of a predetermined time from the time at which stoppage of the power supply to the power supply section is detected, the alarm section to stop alarming, and stops the power supply from the standby power supply section to the alarm section.  
      According to the electronic apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, an alarm is output for the predetermined time C at the longest, and therefore it is possible to prevent an alarm from being output continuously for all time.  
      According to the present invention, if timer programming has been set when the power supply from outside is stopped, it is possible to provide an electronic apparatus which reduces the possibility that timer programming may not be executed by outputting an alarm to call the user&#39;s attention and preventing continuation of a state in which the power supply from outside is stopped. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates the configuration of an embodiment;  
       FIG. 2  shows a flow chart illustrating operations of the embodiment; and  
       FIG. 3  shows the configuration of a conventional electronic apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the attached drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiment is nothing more than a specific example of the present invention and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.  
       FIG. 1  shows the configuration of an electronic apparatus  20  of this embodiment. This electronic apparatus  20  is provided with a power supply section  21 , a standby power supply section  22 , a main device section  23 , an operation input section  25 , a remote control reception section  26 , an alarm section  28 , a control section  29 , SW 1  ( 30 ), SW 2  ( 31 ), SW 3  ( 32 ).  
      When a power supply plug  11  is connected to a receptacle  10 , power is supplied to the power supply section  21  inside the electronic apparatus  20 . The power supply section  21  converts the outside power to a waveform (direct current) and a voltage to be used inside and supplies it to the respective sections. When power is supplied to the power supply section  21 , the standby power supply section  22  is charged. The main device section  23  is the section which performs main operations of this electronic apparatus  20 . The operation input section  25  transmits operation information on buttons (power key or the like) provided for this electronic apparatus  20  to the control section  29 . The remote control reception section  26  receives information transmitted from a remote control transmitter  27  and transmits it to the control section  29 . The alarm section  28  outputs an alarm to the user. The control section  29  is made up of a microcontroller, controls the whole electronic apparatus  20  and includes a clock section which counts a date and time and a memory section which stores timer programming information.  
      The SW 1  ( 30 ) is the switch which turns ON/OFF power from the power supply section  21  to the main device section  23  and is set to ON in a normal condition, but the control section  29  turns OFF this switch in a standby state and when stoppage of an outside power supply to the power supply section  21  is detected. The SW 2  ( 31 ) is the switch which switches whether the source of power supply to the control section  29  should be the power supply section  21  or the standby power supply section  22  and the power supply section  21  is selected in a normal condition, but when stoppage of the outside power supply to the power supply section  21  is detected, the control section  29  selects the standby power supply section  22 . The SW 3  ( 32 ) is the switch which turns ON/OFF the power supply to the alarm section  28  and is set to OFF in a normal condition, but when an alarm is output, the control section  29  turns ON this switch.  
      Operations of the electronic apparatus in such a configuration will be explained using the flow chart shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      The electronic apparatus  20  is normally in a standby state in step S 210 . In next step S 220 , the control section  29  judges whether or not stoppage of the power supply from outside to the power supply section  21  is detected and moves to step S 230  when stoppage is detected or moves to step S 220  otherwise.  
      In step S 230 , the control section  29  operates the SW 2  ( 31 ) to switch the source of the power supply to the control section  29  from the power supply section  21  to the standby power supply section  22  and moves to step S 240 . In step S 240 , the control section  29  judges whether or not timer programming is set and moves to step S 250  when timer programming is set or moves to step S 310  otherwise.  
      In step S 250 , the control section  29  judges whether or not there is timer programming within a “predetermined time A”, and moves to step S 260  when there is timer programming or moves to step S 310  otherwise.  
      In step S 260 , the control section  29  turns ON the SW 3  ( 32 ) to cause the standby power supply section  22  to supply power to the alarm section  28 , and in next step S 270 , the control section  29  causes the alarm section  28  to start alarming and moves to step S 280 .  
      In step S 280 , the control section  29  judges whether or not a “predetermined time C” has passed after the outside power supply is stopped and moves to step S 290  when the predetermined time C has passed or moves to step S 410  otherwise.  
      In step S 290 , the control section  29  causes the alarm section  28  to stop alarming, and in next step S 300 , the control section  29  turns OFF the SW 3  ( 32 ) and stops the power supply to the alarm section  28  from the standby power supply section  22  and moves to step S 310 .  
      In step S 310 , the control section  29  judges whether or not a “predetermined time B” has passed after stoppage of the power supply from outside is detected and moves to step S 320  when the passage of the “predetermined time B” is detected, or moves to step S 390  otherwise.  
      In step S 320 , the control section  29  operates the SW 2  ( 31 ) to switch the source of the power supply to the control section  29  from the standby power supply section  22  to the power supply section  21 , and in next step S 330 , the power supply to the control section  29  is stopped, the operation of the control section stops and the control section  29  moves to step S 340 .  
      In step S 340 , when the power supply from outside is resumed, the control section  29  moves to step S 350  or moves to step S 340  otherwise.  
      In step S 350 , the control section  29  resumes operation and in next step S 360 , the electronic apparatus  20  is placed in a standby state and the control section  29  moves to step S 370 .  
      In step S 370 , the control section  29  judges whether or not the “power key” of the operation input section  25  or the remote control transmitter  27  has been pressed and moves to step S 380  when the power key has been pressed or moves to step S 370  otherwise.  
      In step S 380 , the control section  29  turns ON the power of the electronic apparatus  20 , displays a time setting screen, and then moves to the “end.” 
      In step S 390 , the control section  29  judges whether or not the resumption of the power supply from outside is detected and the control section  29  moves to step S 400  when the resumption of the power supply is detected or moves to step S 390  otherwise.  
      In step S 400 , the control section  29  operates the SW 2  ( 31 ) to switch the source of the power supply to the control section  29  from the standby power supply section  22  to the power supply section  21  and moves to step S 210 .  
      In step S 410  the control section  29  judges whether or not the resumption of the power supply from outside is detected and the control section  29  moves to step S 420  when the resumption of the power supply is detected or moves to step S 410  otherwise.  
      In step S 420 , the control section  29  causes the alarm section  28  to stop alarming, and in next step S 430 , the control section  29  turns OFF the SW 3  ( 32 ) to stop the power supply to the alarm section  28  from the standby power supply section  22  and moves to step S 440 .  
      In step S 440 , the control section  29  operates the SW 2  ( 31 ) to switch the source of the power supply to the control section  29  from the standby power supply section  22  to the power supply section  21 , and in next step S 450 , the electronic apparatus  20  is placed in a standby state and the control section  29  moves to step S 460 .  
      In step S 460 , the control section  29  judges whether or not the “power key” of the operation input section  25  or the remote control transmitter  27  has been pressed and the control section  29  moves to step S 470  when the “power key” has been pressed or moves to step S 460  otherwise.  
      In step S 470 , the control section  29  turns ON the power of the electronic apparatus  20 , displays a timer programming list and then moves to the “end.” 
      In this way, if timer programming has been set when the outside power supply is stopped, an alarm is output to call the user&#39;s attention to prevent continuation of a state in which the outside power supply is stopped and it is thereby possible to provide an electronic apparatus which reduces the possibility that timer programming may not be executed.  
      Here, as the predetermined time A, 12 hours to 1 week or preferably 24 hours is used (even if the power supply is stopped, the power supply is considered to resume within 24 hours). As the predetermined time B, 10 minutes to 60 minutes or preferably 30 minutes is used (this is because the longer the time during which the power from the standby power supply section can be supplied, the better, but the amount of charge of the standby power supply section needs to be increased accordingly and this will result in an increase of cost, and the time during which the power from the standby power supply section can be supplied is generally often set to approximately 30 minutes). As the predetermined time C, 1 minute to 10 minutes or preferably 5 minutes is used (as the time for outputting an alarm, approximately 5 minutes is enough to call the user&#39;s attention).  
      As the method of alarming at the alarm section  28 , it is possible to cause a light-emitting diode mounted in the main unit of the electronic apparatus  20  to blink or change a color or cause the display of the display section of the electronic apparatus  20  to blink or cause this display section to display an alarming message or output a sound (voice, music, buzzer, ringing sound or the like) or cause the electronic apparatus  20  itself to vibrate.