# US 12,009,681 B2 · System comprising electronic device and battery charging device, and operation method therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,681 B2 - Document ID: US12009681B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/421,419 - Filed: 2020-01-21 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-21 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Heeseung Choi; Sungwoo Choi; Yongsuk Lee; Youngwoo Cho; Woojong Cho; Kuyoung Choi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009681B2 ## CPC - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries} - B25J 9/16: Program controls (total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, G05B19/418) - B60L 53/80: Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries - B25J 19/005: {using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source} - H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] - H02J 2105/44: Portable electronic devices - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An electronic device, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a housing; a drive unit for moving the housing; a battery mounting unit formed in the housing so as to enable the placement of batteries, the battery mounting unit comprising a first slot enabling the placement of a first battery, and a second slot enabling the placement of a second battery; a separator device, disposed on the battery mounting unit, for separating the first battery from the first slot or separating the second battery from the second slot; and a processor electrically connected to the drive unit and the separator device, wherein the processor may control the separator device so that same separates the second battery from the second slot when the first battery is placed in the first slot, and separates the first battery from the first slot when the second battery is placed in the second slot. In addition, other various embodiments are possible. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: a housing; a driving unit configured to move the housing; a battery mounting portion formed in the housing to have a battery disposed therein, the battery mounting portion comprising a first slot to have a first battery disposed therein and a second slot to have a second battery disposed therein; a separation device disposed in the battery mounting portion to separate the first battery from the first slot or to separate the second battery from the second slot; a processor electrically connected with the driving unit and the separation device; and a memory operatively connected with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when being executed, cause the processor to control the separation device to separate the second battery from the second slot when the first battery is disposed in the first slot, and to separate the first battery from the first slot when the second battery is disposed in the second slot, and wherein the separation device comprises a motor, and a lever connected with the motor, the lever comprising a first extension portion extended from a portion connected with the motor toward the first slot, and a second extension portion extended toward the second slot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the motor, wherein, when the motor is controlled to rotate the lever by a set angle in a first direction, the first battery is pressed by the first extension portion and is separated from the first slot, and wherein, when the motor is controlled to rotate the lever by the set angle in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, the second battery is pressed by the second extension portion and is separated from the second slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the motor to rotate the lever by the set angle in the first direction when an angle by which the lever is rotated in the first direction reaches a threshold value, and cause the processor to control the motor to rotate the lever by the set angle in the second direction when an angle by which the lever is rotated in the second direction reaches a threshold value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic device of claim 3, comprising a sensor configured to detect a rotation direction or a rotation angle of the lever, and electrically connected with the processor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises an encoder connected with the motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction that causes the processor to switch a power source of the electronic device between the first battery and the second battery while all of the first battery and the second battery are electrically connected with the electronic device, before the separation device is driven. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising: at least one terminal disposed in the first slot to be electrically connected with the first battery; at least one second terminal disposed in the second slot to be electrically connected with the second battery; a power management circuit comprising a third terminal to receive an external power, and a fourth terminal to receive a battery power; a first switch disposed between the at least one first terminal and the third terminal; a second switch disposed between the at least one first terminal and the fourth terminal; a third switch disposed between the at least one second terminal and the third terminal; and a fourth switch disposed between the at least one second terminal and the fourth terminal, wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch to switch a power source of the electronic device between the first battery and the second battery. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction that causes the processor to control the driving unit to move the electronic device to a second electronic device, based on map information stored in the memory included in the electronic device, in order to replace a battery when a remaining capacity of the first battery disposed in the first slot, or a remaining capacity of the second battery disposed in the second slot is less than or equal to a threshold value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction that causes the processor to control the driving unit to let the electronic device be aligned with the second electronic device and approach the second electronic device, based on data acquired from at least one sensor included in the electronic device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect light of a set frequency range. ### Claim 11 An operation method of an electronic device, the method comprising: moving to a second electronic device including a second battery when a remaining capacity of a first battery disposed on a side of a housing of the electronic device in a first slot opening in a first direction toward which a side of the housing faces is less than or equal to a threshold value; when it is detected that the second battery is electrically connected with the electronic device, changing a power source of the electronic device from the first battery to the second battery; and separating the first battery from the electronic device, and wherein separating the first battery from the electronic device comprises separating the first battery from the first slot in the first direction by rotating a lever disposed on the electronic device in respect to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising making the electronic device be aligned with the second electronic device and approach the second electronic device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein changing the power source of the electronic device from the first battery to the second battery comprises changing the power source of the electronic device from the first battery to the second battery while all of the first battery and the second battery are electrically connected with the electronic device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein separating the first battery from the electronic device comprises, when an angle by which the lever is rotated reaches a threshold value, separating the first battery from the electronic device by rotating the lever by a set angle. ### Claim 15 An electronic device comprising: a housing; a battery mounting portion formed in the housing to have a battery disposed therein, the battery mounting portion including a first slot to have a first battery disposed therein and a second slot to have a second battery disposed therein; a separation device disposed in the battery mounting portion to separate the first battery from the first slot or to separate the second battery from the second slot; a charging circuit configured to charge the first battery disposed in the first slot or the second battery disposed in the second slot by using an external power source; a processor electrically connected with the separation device and the charging circuit; and a memory operatively connected with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when being executed, cause the processor to control the separation device to separate the second battery from the second slot when the first battery is disposed in the first slot, and to separate the first battery from the first slot when the second battery is disposed in the second slot, and wherein the separation device comprises a motor, and a lever connected with the motor, the lever comprising a first extension portion extended from a portion connected with the motor toward the first slot, and a second extension portion extended toward the second slot. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the motor, wherein, when the motor is controlled to rotate the lever by a set angle in a first direction, the first battery is pressed by the first extension portion and is separated from the first slot, and wherein, when the motor is controlled to rotate the lever by the set angle in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, the second battery is pressed by the second extension portion and is separated from the second slot. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the processor to control the motor to rotate the lever by the set angle in the first direction when an angle by which the lever is rotated in the first direction reaches a threshold value, and cause the processor to control the motor to rotate the lever by the set angle in the second direction when an angle by which the lever is rotated in the second direction reaches a threshold value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electronic device of claim 17, comprising a sensor configured to detect a rotation direction or a rotation angle of the lever, and electrically connected with the processor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the sensor comprises an encoder connected with the motor.