Patent ID: 7065390

Claim:
An electronic apparatus comprising: a portable unit having a battery pack and charge terminals, the charge terminals are electrically coupled to the battery pack; and a base unit comprising: a voltage status control circuit for detecting and determining a voltage level of a power supply of the base unit, wherein the voltage status control circuit comprises a first means for preventing power from flowing from the power supply of the base unit to the portable unit that is disposed within the cradle when the voltage level of the power supply of the base unit is lower than the predetermined level, and a second means for disabling the first means when the voltage level of the power supply of the base unit is higher than the predetermined level so that the power can flow from the base unit to the portable unit; and a cradle disposed within the base unit, the cradle is configured to receive the portable unit and has electrical contacts positioned for electrical coupling with the charge terminals of the portable unit when the portable unit is disposed within the cradle, wherein the base unit operates using power received from the battery pack of the portable unit when the voltage level of the base unit power supply is below a predetermined level.