Power supply control device, electronic device, control method for power supply control device, and control program for power supply control device

Abstract

To provide a power supply controller, etc. which can operate an electronic circuit in shorter time after a user starts walking while suppressing power consumption of a battery.SOLUTION: A power supply controller comprises: a switch which switches on and off of feeding of first power to be supplied from a main power supply to an electronic circuit; power generation means of generating second power by using energy of walking of a user; step counting means of counting the number of steps of the user on the basis of fluctuation of the second power; and switch control means of controlling on and off of the switch on the basis of the number of steps.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power control device and the like.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, methods of acquiring user position information and biometric information using wearable devices worn by users have been studied. For example, the position information is used for monitoring to prevent the wandering of the elderly or the disappearance of children. Such wearable devices are worn and used by the user. Therefore, the capacity of the power source mounted on the wearable device is limited.

[0003] Therefore, in order to secure the power source of the wearable device, methods of using electric power generated by the energy of walking have been studied. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses, as an insole technology, one including a vibration power generation unit and a power storage unit that stores the electric power generated by the vibration power generation unit. This insole includes a position information acquisition unit, a storage unit, a transmission unit, a vibration power generation unit, a power storage unit, and a control unit. In the insole, the vibration power generation unit generates electricity by the vibration of walking and stores the generated electric power in the power storage unit. Then, the control unit controls the position information acquisition unit, the storage unit, and the transmission unit using the electric power of the power storage unit.

[0004] Also, related technologies are disclosed in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the insole does not contain a battery. Therefore, in the insole described in Patent Document 1, there was no need to conserve power by reducing battery consumption. However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the power generated by walking vibrations is small, and it takes a long time to accumulate enough power to drive electronic circuits such as the location information acquisition unit and the transmission unit. Therefore, there was a problem that it took a long time from when the user started walking until the electronic circuits started to operate.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a power control device, etc., that can operate an electronic circuit in a shorter time after the user starts walking, while suppressing the power consumption of the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the power control device of the present invention includes a switch that switches the power supply of a first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, a power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, a step counting means that counts the number of steps taken by the user based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power, and a switch control means that controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps.

[0009] Furthermore, the power control device control method of the present invention is a control method for a power control device that switches on and off the supply of first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit, wherein the power control device comprises a switch that switches on and off the supply of the first power supplied from the main power source to the electronic circuit, and a power generation means that generates second power using the energy of the user's walking, wherein the power control device counts the number of steps taken by the user based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power, and controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps.

[0010] Furthermore, the power control program of the present invention is a control program for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, wherein the power control device includes a switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power source to the electronic circuit on and off, and a power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user's walking, and causes the power control device to execute a process that counts the number of steps taken by the user based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power, and a process that controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The effect of the present invention is to provide a power control device, etc., that can operate electronic circuits in a shorter time after the user starts walking, while suppressing the power consumption of the battery. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing a power control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the details of the energy storage means of the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This graph shows an example of the rectified voltage waveform of the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This graph shows an example of pulses extracted by the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This graph shows another example of the rectified voltage waveform of the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This graph shows another example of pulses extracted by the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the energy storage means of the power control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 9]It is a flowchart showing the operation of turning on the switch of the power control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a schematic plan view showing an electronic device equipped with the power control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a block diagram showing the power control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the power control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a block diagram showing the power control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the power control device according to the third embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, although the embodiments described below have technically preferable limitations for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the invention is not limited below. The same components in each drawing are denoted by the same numbers, and the description may be omitted.

[0014] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a power control device 100 according to the first embodiment. The power control device 100 includes a switch 10, power generation means 20, power storage means 30, step count means 40, and switch control means 50.

[0015] The switch 10 switches between on and off of the power supply of the first power. The first power is supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91.

[0016] The power generation means 20 generates the second power by using the energy of the user's walking.

[0017] The power storage means 30 stores the second power generated by the power generation means 20.

[0018] The step counting means 40 counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the second power generated by the power generation means 20.

[0019] The switch control means 50 controls the on and off of the switch 10 based on the number of steps obtained from the step count means 40.

[0020] Next, the operation of the power control device 100 will be described. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the power control device 100 in the first embodiment. First, the power generation means 20 converts the energy generated by the user's walking into electricity and generates second electricity (S1). Next, the energy storage means 30 stores the second electricity (S2). Next, the step counting means 40 counts the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuations of the second electricity (S3). Next, the switch control means 50 controls the on / off state of the switch 10 based on the number of steps obtained from the step counting means 40 (S4).

[0021] Next, the details of each part will be described. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the details of the power storage means 30 of the power control device of the first embodiment. The switch 10 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off. The switch 10 is controlled by the switch control means 50. For example, an analog switch IC (Integrated Circuit) is used for the switch 10. The main power supply 90 can be a battery such as a button battery. In this case, the battery can be either a primary battery or a secondary battery. The electronic circuit 91 is, for example, a location information acquisition device, a sensor that acquires biological information, or a communication device that sends and receives data.

[0022] The power generation means 20 generates a second power using the energy of the user's walking. In this embodiment, "walking" includes running and stepping in place without user movement. Power is generated by the power generation means 20 in a pulsed manner according to the timing of the walking motion. When the user walks, a large force is generated between the sole of the foot and the insole of the shoe when the foot steps on the ground. To utilize this force, the power generation means 20 is placed, for example, in the insole or insert of the shoe. Preferably, the power generation means 20 is placed in the toe or heel area. This is so that the power generation means 20 can receive more energy generated by the walking motion. Examples of power generation means 20 include piezoelectric elements and power generation elements that convert mechanical energy into electricity by electromagnetic induction. These power generation means 20 basically generate little power per unit element. For this reason, it is good to connect multiple unit elements in series or parallel, or to increase the size of the unit elements.

[0023] The energy storage means 30 stores the second power generated by the power generation means 20. The energy storage means 30 also outputs power obtained by rectifying the second power into DC. Furthermore, the energy storage means 30 extracts a pulse signal corresponding to each step of walking based on fluctuations in the second power. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the details of the energy storage means 30. The energy storage means 30 includes a rectifier circuit 31, a capacitor 32, a regulator 33, and a pulse signal extraction circuit 34.

[0024] The rectifier circuit 31 rectifies the second power generated by the power generation means 20. The rectifier circuit 31 then generates a third power by rectifying the second power. If the power generation means 20 is a piezoelectric element, when pressure or vibration is applied to the piezoelectric element by walking, an AC electromotive force of several tens of volts is generated. To rectify this AC power, the rectifier circuit 31 is equipped with, for example, a bridge diode. The rectifier circuit 31 may be of the half-wave rectification or full-wave rectification type. However, full-wave rectification is more efficient for storing energy in the capacitor 32. In addition, to protect the circuit from surge voltage, the rectifier circuit 31 may be equipped with a protection circuit using a Zener diode or varistor.

[0025] Capacitor 32 stores the power rectified by the rectifier circuit 31. Capacitor 32 can be, for example, a ceramic capacitor, an electrolytic capacitor, or an electric double-layer capacitor.

[0026] The regulator 33 extracts power from the capacitor 32. The regulator 33 also adjusts the voltage of the extracted power to a predetermined voltage. The regulator 33 then supplies the rectified power to the switch 10, the step counting means 40, and the switch control means 50. For example, a switching regulator is used for the regulator 33.

[0027] The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts a pulse signal corresponding to the user's walking from the voltage of the third power rectified by the rectifier circuit 31. For example, by removing chatter from the power waveform and binarizing the waveform, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 can extract a pulse signal. It extracts a pulse signal corresponding to the number of steps. The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 then outputs the extracted pulse signal to the step counting means 40. When the power generation means 20 generates power through walking, minute and very fast voltage vibrations occur due to contact flapping, etc. Chattering refers to these vibrations. For example, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 can utilize a capacitor, a Schmitt trigger, an RS (Reset / Set) type flip-flop, etc.

[0028] Next, a specific example of pulse signal extraction will be described. Figure 4 is a graph showing an example of the rectified voltage waveform of the power control device of the first embodiment. Figure 4 shows the waveform of the voltage rectified by half-wave rectification. When the user steps, the power generation means 20 generates a voltage due to stepping and a reverse voltage due to the subsequent return. The voltage decreases as the foot is lifted. At this time, chattering occurs in the voltage waveform. Then, with the next step, the same voltage as before is generated.

[0029] If the rectifier circuit 31 is a half-wave rectifier circuit, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts a voltage peak above the first voltage in the voltage waveform shown in Figure 4 as one pulse. Figure 5 is a graph showing an example of extracted pulses from the power control device of the first embodiment. The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts one pulse signal corresponding to a user's step.

[0030] Next, we will explain the case where the rectifier circuit 31 is a full-wave rectifier circuit. Figure 6 is a graph showing an example of another voltage waveform after rectification in the power control device of the first embodiment. Figure 6 shows the waveform of the voltage rectified by full-wave rectification. In the power generation means 20, a voltage is generated by pressing the foot down, and a reverse voltage is generated by the subsequent return. The voltage decreases when the foot is lifted. Chattering also occurs at this time. Then, with the next press, the same voltage as before is generated.

[0031] If the rectifier circuit 31 is a full-wave rectifier circuit, both the voltage generated by the foot pressing down and the voltage generated by the foot returning are utilized. The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts a single pulse from the voltage peaks in the voltage waveform shown in Figure 6 that are greater than or equal to the first voltage. Therefore, from the voltage waveform in Figure 6, two pulse signals are extracted from the two voltage peaks corresponding to each step. Figure 7 is a graph showing another example of the extracted pulses from the power control device of the first embodiment. The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts two pulse signals corresponding to the user's step.

[0032] Next, the operation of the power storage means 30 will be described. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the power storage means 30 of the power control device 100 of the first embodiment. First, the rectifier circuit 31 rectifies the second power input from the power generation means 20 (S101). Next, the capacitor 32 stores the rectified power (S102). Next, the regulator 33 adjusts the voltage of the power received from the capacitor 32. Then, the regulator 33 supplies power to the switch 10, the step counting means 40, and the switch control means 50 (S103). Meanwhile, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 monitors the waveform of the power rectified by the rectifier circuit 31. Then, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts a pulse signal corresponding to the user's walking motion (S104). Next, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 outputs the extracted pulse signal to the step counting means 40 (S105).

[0033] The step counting means 40 counts steps based on the pulse signal input from the pulse signal extraction circuit 34. As described above, in the case of half-wave rectification, the step counting means 40 counts one pulse signal as one step, and in the case of full-wave rectification, the step counting means 40 counts one pulse signal as one step. In this way, the step counting means 40 can count the user's steps in an up-and-down manner.

[0034] Next, the operation of the power control device 100 to turn on the switch 10 will be described. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of turning on the switch of the power control device 100 in the first embodiment. First, the power generation means 20 generates a second power using the energy of the user's walking (S201). Next, the rectifier circuit 31 rectifies the second power and generates a third DC power (S202). Next, the capacitor 32 is charged by the third power (S203). Next, the regulator 33 extracts power from the capacitor 32. The regulator 33 then adjusts the voltage. The regulator 33 also supplies the voltage-adjusted power to the switch 10, the step counting means 40, and the switch control means 50 (S204). This power activates the switch 10, the step counting means 40, and the switch control means 50. Next, the pulse signal extraction circuit 34 extracts a pulse signal corresponding to the number of steps (S205). Next, the step counting means 40 receives a pulse signal and counts up the number of steps (S206). Here, the step count is denoted as i. As described above, the power control device 100 operates using the second power generated by walking. For this reason, in order for the power control device 100 to operate, power for operation must be stored in the capacitor 32. As the number of steps required to store this necessary power, the switch control means 50 sets a first threshold for the number of steps. Specifically, for example, the first threshold is set to "10 steps". Next, the switch control means 50 determines whether the step count i has reached the first threshold (S207). If the step count i is less than the first threshold (S207_No), the process returns to S206 and continues to count up the step count i. On the other hand, if the step count i reaches a first threshold (S207_Yes), the switch control means 50 controls the switch 10 to the ON state and connects the main power supply 90 and the electronic circuit 91 (S208).

[0035] Through the above operations, the power control device 100 detects the start of the user's walking. Upon this detection, the power control device 100 starts supplying the first power from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91. In this operation, before the user starts walking, the switch 10 is off and all parts of the power control device 100 are stopped. Therefore, power consumption before walking starts can be reduced to zero. On the other hand, once walking begins, the second power generated by walking starts the power control device 100. The power control device 100 is a device that only operates the switch 10. Therefore, the power control device 100 starts up with a small amount of power. As a result, the power control device 100 of this embodiment can operate the electronic circuit 91 in a shorter time compared to the method described in Patent Document 1, which uses generated power to power the electronic circuit. Also, when the user is not walking, the switch 10 is off, so the power consumption of the main power supply 90 (battery) is reduced.

[0036] Next, an example of a wearable device that incorporates a main power supply 90, an electronic circuit 91, and a power control device 100 will be described. Figure 10 is a schematic plan view showing an electronic device 1000 incorporating the power control device 100 of the first embodiment. In the example of the electronic device 1000 in Figure 10, a shoe insole 200 is used. A recess 210 is provided in the arch of the insole 200. The main power supply 90, the electronic circuit 91, and the power control device 100 are mounted in the recess 210. Power generation means 20 are positioned in the toe area and the heel area of ​​the insole 200. The power generation means 20 and the power control device 100 are connected by wiring 21. The wiring 21 is also housed in the recess 210. Although not shown, the insole 200 may be provided with a cover to cover its top surface.

[0037] The insole 200 is a sheet-like component with a foot shape that is placed on top of the insole of the shoe. The part of the insole 200 that deforms during walking is made of an elastic material such as rubber or silicone. This configuration allows the insole 200 to maintain flexibility to follow the deformation inside the shoe. The other parts of the insole 200 are made of a material that is more rigid than the elastic material mentioned above. This rigidity should be such that the structure contained in the insole 200 is not destroyed. Specifically, resin materials such as plastic, elastic materials such as hard rubber or silicone, organic materials such as polystyrene foam, fibrous materials made by compressing fibers such as paper or cloth, and deformation-resistant materials such as wood or metal can be used.

[0038] The power generation means 20 is located in the insole or insert of the shoe. This arrangement allows the strong force generated by the foot to be used for power generation. On the other hand, the parts of the power control device 100 other than the power generation means 20 do not need to be located in the insole. Therefore, the parts other than the power generation means 20 may be located in parts other than the insole of the shoe or in other accessories worn by the user.

[0039] The power control device 100 of the first embodiment has been described above.

[0040] The power control device 100 includes a switch 10, a power generation means 20, a step counting means 40, and a switch control means 50. The switch 10 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off. The power generation means 20 generates a second power using the energy of the user's walking. The step counting means 40 counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power. The switch control means 50 controls the on and off of the switch 10 based on the number of steps. In the above configuration, the power control device 100 only operates the switch 10 via the switch control means 50. Furthermore, the power generated by walking is only needed to operate the power control device 100. For this reason, the power control device 100 can start the electronic circuit 91 with less power and in a shorter time than the technology in Patent Document 1.

[0041] In another embodiment, the power control device 100 has a power storage means 30 for storing a second power. The power storage means 30 includes a rectifier circuit 31 and a pulse signal extraction circuit 34. The rectifier circuit 31 converts the AC voltage of the second power into a DC voltage. The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 monitors the DC voltage of the rectifier circuit. The pulse signal extraction circuit 34 then extracts a pulse signal corresponding to walking motion from the fluctuations in the DC voltage. With this configuration, the power control device 100 can detect the user's walking.

[0042] In another embodiment, the step counting means 40 counts steps based on a pulse signal. By utilizing the pulse signal, the power control device 100 can estimate the number of steps more accurately.

[0043] In another embodiment, the power storage means 30 includes a capacitor 32 and a regulator 33. The capacitor 32 stores the third power output from the rectifier circuit 31. The regulator 33 supplies the third power stored in the capacitor 32 to the switch 10, the step counting means 40, and the switch control means 50. Through this operation, the power control device 100 is started from a state of zero standby power using the second power generated by the user's walking.

[0044] In another embodiment, the switch control means 50 controls the switch 10 to turn on when the number of steps reaches a first threshold. In the power control device 100, the power generated by walking is only needed to operate the power control device 100. For this reason, the first threshold can be set to a small number of steps, for example, about 10 steps. As a result, compared to the technology in Patent Document 1, the power control device 100 can operate the electronic circuit 91 with fewer steps and in a shorter time.

[0045] Furthermore, the electronic device 1000 of this embodiment includes one of the above-mentioned power control devices 100, a main power supply 90, and an electronic circuit 91. In the electronic device 1000, the power control device 100 operates the electronic circuit in a shorter time after the user starts walking, while suppressing the power consumption of the battery. Therefore, the electronic device 1000 operates the electronic circuit in a shorter time after the user starts walking, while suppressing the power consumption of the battery.

[0046] In another embodiment, the power generation means 20 of the electronic device 1000 is attached to the shoes worn by the user. In this configuration, the large force exerted on the soles of the user's feet when walking is used to generate electricity. As a result, the power generation means 20 can generate electricity efficiently.

[0047] Furthermore, the control method for the power control device of this embodiment controls the power control device 100. The power control device 100 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off. Here, the power control device 100 has a switch 10, a power generation means 20, a step counting means 40, and a switch control means 50. The switch 10 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off. The power generation means 20 generates second power using the energy of the user's walking. The step counting means 40 counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power. The switch control means 50 controls the on and off of the switch 10 based on the number of steps. The control method for the power control device counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power. The control method for the power control device causes the power control device 100 to control the on and off of the switch 10. This control is performed based on the number of steps. In the above configuration, the switch control means 50 and the power control device 100 only operate the switch 10. Furthermore, the power generated by walking is only needed to operate the power control device 100. For this reason, the power control device 100 can start the electronic circuit 91 with less power and in a shorter time than the technology described in Patent Document 1.

[0048] Furthermore, the control program of this embodiment causes the power control device 100 to execute a process to control the power supply. In this process, the power control device 100 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off. The power control device 100 also includes a switch 10, a power generation means 20, a step counting means 40, and a switch control means 50. The switch 10 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off. The power generation means 20 generates a second power using the energy of the user's walking. The step counting means 40 counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power. The switch control means 50 controls the on and off of the switch 10 based on the number of steps. The control program of the power control device then causes the power control device 100 to execute a process that counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the voltage of the second power supply, and a process that controls the power control device 100 to turn the switch 10 on and off based on the number of steps. In the above configuration, the switch control means 50 only needs to cause the power control device 100 to operate the switch 10. Furthermore, the power generated by walking is only needed to operate the power control device 100. For this reason, the power control device 100 can start the electronic circuit 91 with less power and in a shorter time than the technology in Patent Document 1.

[0049] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment, the configuration and operation of the power control device 100, which turns on the switch 10 as a trigger when the user starts walking, were described. In this embodiment, the configuration and operation of the power control device 101, which has a function to turn off the switch 10 when it detects that the user has stopped walking, will be described.

[0050] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the power control device 101 of the second embodiment. In addition to the configuration of the power control device 100 of the first embodiment, the power control device 101 has a timer 51. In Figure 11, the timer 51 is connected to the step counting means 40 and the switch control means 50. The timer 51 also monitors the energization status of the power supply path between the main power supply 90 and the electronic circuit 91. Note that the configuration of the power control device 101 other than the timer 51 is the same as the configuration of the power control device 100 of the first embodiment, so its description is omitted.

[0051] Timer 51 measures the time t that switch 10 is ON. When a step count is input from the step counting means 40, the measured time t is reset. If no step count is input and time t reaches a second threshold, Timer 51 outputs an instruction to the switch control means 50 to turn off switch 10. Switch control means 50 receives this instruction and, in accordance with this instruction, controls switch 10 to turn off. In the above operation, when no step count is input, i.e., when the time during which the user is not walking reaches the second threshold, the switch is turned off and the power supply from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 is cut off. In other words, it detects that the user's walking has stopped and cuts off the power supply from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91. In this way, the power control device 101 activates the electronic circuit 91 when the user is walking and shuts down the electronic circuit 91 when the user is not walking. Timer 51 utilizes, for example, the timer clock function included in the microcontroller.

[0052] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the power control device 101 in the second embodiment. First, the switch 10 turns on the connection between the main power supply 90 and the electronic circuit 91 (S301). This turning operation is performed based on the step count i. Next, the timer 51 measures the time t that the switch 10 is on (S302). Next, the timer 51 determines whether the step count i has been input to the timer 51 (S303). If the step count i has been input (S303_Yes), the timer 51 resets the time t (S304), returns to S302, and restarts the measurement of time t. On the other hand, if the step count i has not been input (S303_No), it determines whether the time t has reached a second threshold (S305). If the time t is less than the second threshold (S305_No), the process returns to S302, and the timer 51 continues to measure the time t. On the other hand, if time t reaches a second threshold (S305_Yes), the timer 51 sends an instruction to the switch control means 50 to turn off the switch 10, and the switch control means 50 performs the control to turn off the switch 10.

[0053] Based on the above operations, the power control device 101 detects that the user has stopped walking and, using this as a trigger, stops supplying the first power from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91. It is possible.

[0054] The power control device 101 of this embodiment has been described above.

[0055] The power control device 101 of this embodiment has a timer 51 that measures the on-time during which the switch remains on. The timer 51 receives input of the number of steps output by the step counting means 40. When a step count is input, it resets the on-time. On the other hand, when the on-time reaches a second threshold, the timer 51 outputs an off-control signal to the switch control means 50. The off-control signal is a signal that instructs the switch 10 to be controlled to the off position. Through this operation, the power control device 100 detects that the user has stopped walking. When the user continues to stop walking, the power control device 100 controls the switch 10 to the off position. This operation reduces the power consumption of the main power supply 90 when the user is stopped. For this reason, the power control device 101 of this embodiment can save more power from the main power supply 90 than the technology of Patent Document 2. In the technology of Patent Document 2, the electronic circuit always operates when the power of the capacitor is above a predetermined amount. In the technology of Patent Document 2, the power of the main power supply continues to be consumed even when walking stops. As a result, the power consumption of the main power supply in the technology of Patent Document 2 is higher than that of the power control device 101 of this embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, if walking is detected while the switch 10 is ON, the electronic circuit 91 can maintain operation.

[0056] (Third embodiment) Figure 13 is a block diagram showing a power control device 300 according to the third embodiment. The power control device 300 includes a switch 310, a power generation means 320, a step counting means 330, and a switch control means 340. Here, the power control device 100 of the first embodiment and the power control device 101 of the second embodiment are specific examples of the power control device 300. Also, the switch 10 in the first and second embodiments is a specific example of the switch 310, the step counting means 40 is a specific example of the step counting means 330, and the switch control means 50 is a specific example of the switch control means 340.

[0057] Switch 310 switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply 90 to the electronic circuit 91 on and off.

[0058] The power generation means 320 generates a second power using the energy from the user's walking.

[0059] The step counting means 330 counts the user's steps based on fluctuations in the second power generated by the power generation means 320.

[0060] The switch control means 340 controls the on and off of the switch 10 based on the number of steps obtained from the step counting means 330.

[0061] Next, the operation of the power control device 300 will be described. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the power control device 300 in the third embodiment. First, the power generation means 320 converts the energy generated by the user's walking into electricity and generates second electricity (S401). Next, the step counting means 330 counts the user's steps (S402). The step counting means 330 counts the steps based on fluctuations in the second electricity. Next, the switch control means 340 controls the on / off state of the switch 310 based on the number of steps obtained from the step counting means 330 (S403).

[0062] As described above, the power control device 300 of the present invention activates the electronic circuit 91 when the user is walking. The power control device 300 also stops the operation of the electronic circuit 91 when walking stops. This control allows the power control device 300 to conserve power from the main power supply 90. In the above configuration, the switch control means 340 only needs to activate the switch 310 of the power control device 300. Furthermore, the power generated by walking is only needed to operate the power control device 300. For this reason, the power control device 300 can activate the electronic circuit 91 with less power and in a shorter time than the technology described in Patent Document 1.

[0063] The present invention also includes programs that cause a computer to execute the processing of the first to third embodiments described above, and recording media storing said programs. Examples of recording media include magnetic disks, magnetic tapes, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memory, and the like.

[0064] As explained above, in the power control device 300 of this embodiment, the power required to operate the electronic circuit 91 is only that needed to control the switch 310. Therefore, the power control device 300 of this embodiment can operate the electronic circuit 91 in a shorter time than the technology of Patent Document 1. In addition, the connection between the main power supply 90 and the electronic circuit 91 is turned off during the waiting time before walking begins. Therefore, the power control device 300 can reduce the power consumption of the main power supply 90. Furthermore, the power control device 300 turns on the connection between the main power supply 90 and the electronic circuit 91 as a trigger when walking begins. Therefore, the power control device 300 can save power from the main power supply 90 compared to the technology of Patent Document 2, in which the electronic circuit operates when the power of the operating capacitor exceeds a predetermined amount, regardless of the user's walking.

[0065] The first to third embodiments have been described above as exemplary examples of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. That is, the present invention can be applied in various forms that can be understood by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the present invention.

[0066] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following: (Note 1) A switch that turns on and off the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power source to the electronic circuit, A power generation method that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, Step counting means for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuation of the second power supply, A switch control means that controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps, A power control device characterized by having the following features. (Note 2) The device has a power storage means for storing the second power, The aforementioned energy storage means is A rectifier circuit that converts the AC voltage of the second power to a DC voltage, A pulse signal extraction circuit that monitors the DC voltage and extracts a pulse signal corresponding to walking motion from the fluctuations in the DC voltage, Having, The power control device according to Appendix 1, characterized in that it is a power control device. (Note 3) The aforementioned step counting means is The number of steps is counted based on the pulse signal. The power control device described in Appendix 2, characterized by the features described herein. (Note 4) The rectifier circuit described above, It is a half-wave rectifier circuit, The pulse signal extraction circuit extracts a voltage peak that is equal to or greater than the first voltage as one pulse. The step counting means Each pulse is counted as one step. The power control device according to Appendix 3, characterized in that it is a power control device. (Note 5) The rectifier circuit described above, It is a full-wave rectifier circuit. The pulse signal extraction circuit extracts a voltage peak that is equal to or greater than the first voltage as one pulse. The step counting means Two of the aforementioned pulses are counted as one step. The power control device according to Appendix 3, characterized in that it is a power control device. (Note 6) The aforementioned energy storage means is A capacitor for storing the third power output from the rectifier circuit, A regulator supplies the third power stored in the capacitor to the switch, the step counting means, and the switch control means. A power control device according to any one of the appendices 2 to 5, characterized by comprising: (Note 7) The aforementioned switch control means is The switch is controlled to turn on when the number of steps reaches a first threshold. A power control device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 4, characterized in that it is a power control device. (Note 8) The system includes a timer that measures the on-time during which the switch remains on. The aforementioned timer, The step counting means receives input of the number of steps output, and resets the ON time when the number of steps is input. When the on-time reaches a second threshold, an off-control signal is output to the switch control means, instructing it to turn off the switch. A power control device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 7, characterized in that it is a power control device. (Note 9) A power control device described in any one of the appendices 1 to 8, The main power supply and, The aforementioned electronic circuit, An electronic device characterized by having the following features. (Note 10) The aforementioned power generation means The shoes worn by the aforementioned user are attached to the shoes, The electronic device described in Appendix 9, characterized by the features described herein. (Note 11) A control method for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, The power supply control device is A switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply to the electronic circuit on and off, A power generation method that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, It has, The power supply control device is The user's steps are counted based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply. The on / off state of the switch is controlled based on the number of steps. A control method for a power supply control device characterized by the following: (Note 12) A control program for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power source supplied from the main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, The power supply control device is A switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply to the electronic circuit on and off, A power generation method that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, It has, A process for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply, A process that controls the on / off state of the switch based on the number of steps, A control program for a power control device, characterized by causing the power control device to execute the above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0067] 10 switches 20 Power generation means 30 Energy storage means 40 Step counting methods 50 Switch control means 51 timer 90 Main power supply 91 Electronic circuit 100, 101 Power control devices 1000 electronic equipment

Claims

1. A switch that turns on and off the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power source to the electronic circuit, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, A step counting means for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply, A switch control means that controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps, The system includes a timer that measures the on-time during which the switch remains on, The aforementioned timer, The step counting means receives input of the number of steps output, and resets the ON time when the number of steps is input. When the on-time reaches a second threshold, an off-control signal is output to the switch control means, instructing it to turn off the switch. A power control device characterized by the following features.

2. A switch that turns on and off the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power source to the electronic circuit, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, A step counting means for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply, A switch control means that controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps, The system includes a power storage means for storing the second power, The aforementioned energy storage means is A rectifier circuit that converts the AC voltage of the second power to a DC voltage, A pulse signal extraction circuit that monitors the DC voltage and extracts a pulse signal corresponding to walking motion from the fluctuations in the DC voltage, It has, The aforementioned energy storage means is A capacitor for storing the third power output from the rectifier circuit, A regulator supplies the third power stored in the capacitor to the switch, the step counting means, and the switch control means. Equipped with, A power control device characterized by the following features.

3. The aforementioned step counting means is The number of steps is counted based on the pulse signal. The power control device according to claim 2.

4. The system includes a timer that measures the on-time during which the switch remains on. The aforementioned timer, The step counting means receives input of the number of steps output, and resets the ON time when the number of steps is input. When the on-time reaches a second threshold, an off-control signal is output to the switch control means, instructing it to turn off the switch. The power control device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by the above.

5. The aforementioned switch control means is The switch is controlled to turn on when the number of steps reaches a first threshold. A power control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A switch that switches the power supply of a first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, A step counting means for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply, A switch control means that controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps, A power control device having, The main power supply and, The aforementioned electronic circuit, It has, The aforementioned power generation means The shoes worn by the aforementioned user are attached to the shoes, An electronic device characterized by the following features.

7. A control method for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, The power supply control device is A switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply to the electronic circuit on and off, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, It has, The power supply control device is The user's steps are counted based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply. Based on the number of steps, the on and off of the switch is controlled. The on-time during which the switch remains on is measured. In measuring the aforementioned on-time, if the number of steps is entered, the on-time is reset. In controlling the switch, when the on time reaches a second threshold, the switch is controlled to turn off. A control method for a power supply control device characterized by the following:

8. A control method for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power supplied from a main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, The power supply control device is A switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply to the electronic circuit on and off, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, The system includes a power storage means for storing the second power, The aforementioned energy storage means is A rectifier circuit that converts the AC voltage of the second power to a DC voltage, A pulse signal extraction circuit that monitors the DC voltage and extracts a pulse signal corresponding to walking motion from the fluctuations in the DC voltage, A capacitor for storing the third power output from the rectifier circuit, A regulator supplies the third power stored in the capacitor to the switch, the step counting means for counting the user's steps, and the switch control means for controlling the switch. It has, The power supply control device is The step counting means counts the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuation of the second power supply. The switch control means controls the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps. A control method for a power supply control device characterized by the following:

9. A control program for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power source supplied from the main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, The power supply control device is A switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply to the electronic circuit on and off, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, It has, A process for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuations of the second power supply, A process that controls the on / off state of the switch based on the number of steps, A process for measuring the on-time during which the switch remains on, The power control device is instructed to execute the above, In the process of measuring the ON time, if the counted number of steps is entered, the ON time is reset. In the process of controlling the switch, when the on time reaches a second threshold, the switch is controlled to be turned off. A control program for a power supply control device characterized by the following features.

10. A control program for a power control device that switches the power supply of a first power source supplied from the main power source to an electronic circuit on and off, The power supply control device is A switch that switches the power supply of the first power supplied from the main power supply to the electronic circuit on and off, A power generation means that generates a second power using the energy of the user walking, The system includes a power storage means for storing the second power, The aforementioned energy storage means is A rectifier circuit that converts the AC voltage of the second power to a DC voltage, A pulse signal extraction circuit that monitors the DC voltage and extracts a pulse signal corresponding to walking motion from the fluctuations in the DC voltage, A capacitor for storing the third power output from the rectifier circuit, A regulator supplies the third power stored in the capacitor to the switch, the step counting means for counting the user's steps, and the switch control means for controlling the switch. It has, The step counting means, which operates using the third power supplied from the regulator, includes a process for counting the user's steps based on the voltage fluctuation of the second power, The switch control means, which operates using the third power supplied from the regulator, includes a process for controlling the on and off of the switch based on the number of steps, A control program for a power control device, characterized by causing the power control device to execute the above.

Images