Imaging Device USB PD Power Control During Battery Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imaging devices connected to USB PD-compliant devices face issues with power supply interruption when the USB cable is pulled out, potentially leading to data loss or firmware faults due to insufficient battery power.

Innovation Solution

An imaging device with a USB PD-compliant power management system that detects battery presence and adjusts power supply accordingly, ensuring continuous operation by switching to external power when the battery is removed during critical functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the camera is connected to a USB PD-compliant device for power supply, then the camera can be driven by external power, but when the USB cable is pulled out, the power supply is cut off and driving of the camera is stopped

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supplyVSAvoidcontinuous operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of battery presence before USB cable removal. When a battery is detected to be fitted, the system prepares to maintain power supply by preventing USB power cutoff, thereby ensuring continuous operation during critical functions like image recording and firmware updates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors battery presence status and provides feedback to the power management control. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust power supply behavior dynamically - when battery is present, USB power cutoff is prevented; when battery is removed, normal USB power disconnection is allowed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the USB cable is pulled out while battery is not fitted, then power supply is interrupted, but this may unintentionally stop camera functions and cause data loss or firmware faults

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUSB cable removalVSAvoiddata integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Before allowing USB cable removal, the system performs a preliminary check to detect whether a battery is fitted. If a battery is detected, the system takes preliminary action to maintain power supply by preventing USB power cutoff, thereby protecting against data loss and firmware faults that would occur during critical operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3901697B1Imaging device
Publication Date: 2025.10.01 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3901697B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3901697B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3901697B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An imaging device 1 is an imaging device in and from which a battery 20 can be fitted, comprising a USB port 16 and a body controller 30. The USB port 16 can be connected to an external device via a USB cable and supply power to the imaging device 1 from the external device. The body controller 30 detects whether or not the battery 20 has been removed from the imaging device 1 while the power is being supplied from the external device to the imaging device 1 in a case where the external device is a USB PD-compliant device, and according to the detection, the controller cuts off the power supply from the external device.