Sony ERA-301P2 User Manual [en, de, fr]

AIBO Energy Station Core

Operation Instructions

ERA-301P2

4-657-257-11(1)

English

English

Français

Français

Deutsch

Deutsch

© 2001 Sony Corporation

For Customers in the U.S.A. and Canada

Safety Information

Owner’s Record

The model number and serial number are located on the bottom of the station
core. Record the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to the model
and serial number whenever you call upon your Sony AIBO Customer Link.
Model No. ERA-301P2
Serial No. ___________

For the Sony AIBO Customer Link, call 1-800-427-2988 in the U.S. or contact
via email at [e-mail]

Warning

• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.

• To avoid electrical shock, do not open the enclosure. Refer servicing to
qualified personnel only. (Contact the AIBO Customer Link on page 6.)

• Periodically examine the AC adapter for conditions that may result in the
risk of fire, electrical shock, or injury to persons (such as damage to the
cords, blades, housing) and in the event of such conditions, the AC adapter
should not be used until properly repaired or replaced.

• Not intended for children under 8.

• ERA-301P2 Energy Station Core is only for use with the AIBO ERS-3××
Series System and should be powered only by the ERA-201P1 AC Adapter
to charge the ERS-3×× Series Aibo Robot. (Refer to the operating
instructions supplied with the AC Adapter.)

• Vérifiez périodiquement si l’adaptateur secteur ne présente pas des
conditions susceptibles de provoquer un incendie, des décharges électriques
ou des blessures aux personnes (comme des dommages aux câbles, aux
lames ou au boîtier) et, en présence de telles conditions, l’adaptateur secteur
ne peut plus être utilisé avant sa réparation ou son remplacement.

• Cet appareil n’est pas destiné aux enfants de moins de 8 ans.

2

• La station d’alimentation centrale ERA-301P2 ne peut être utilisée qu’avec
le système AIBO en série ERS-3×× et doit être alimentée uniquement par
l’adaptateur secteur ERA-201P1 afin de recharger le robot AIBO de série
ERS-3××. (Consultez les instructions de fonctionnement fournies avec
l’adaptateur secteur.)

Regulatory Information

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in
this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.
The shielded interface cable recommended in this manual must be used with
this equipment in order to comply with the limits for a digital device pursuant
to Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC Rules.

En

3

For Customers in Europe and
Australia

Safety Information

WARNING

• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.

• To avoid electrical shock, do not open the enclosure. Refer servicing to
qualified personnel only. (Contact the AIBO Customer Link on page 6.)

• Periodically examine the AC adapter for conditions that may result in the
risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons (such as damage to the cords,
blades, housing) and in the event of such conditions, the AC adapter should
not be used until properly repaired or replaced.

• Not intended for children under 8 when this unit is used with AIBO.

• Caution! Only allow children at least 8 years old to use the Energy Station
Core.
Explain that the Energy Station Core is not a toy and must not be played
with. Give sufficient instruction so that the child is able to use the Energy
Station Core in a safe way.

• See also your AIBO’s Operating Instructions.

4

Regulatory Information

This product has been tested and found to conform to the following Safety
Standards.

EMC Directive 89/336/EEC
EMI EN55022/98, EN55014/93 + A1/97+A2/99, EN50081-1/92
EMS : EN55024/98, EN55014-2/97, EN50082-1/97

The Energy Station Core has been tested all together as a system and found to
conform to the following Safety Standards.

EN60335-1/94 + A11/95 + A12/98 + A14/98
EN60335-2-29/96

CE (EMC) Marking Conformity Remarks

a)

This equipment complies with EN55022 Class B digital for use in the following areas :
residential, business, and light-industrial.

b) This product conforms with the following European Directive: 89/336/EEC (EMC

directive)

5

Customer Support

How can you contact the AIBO Customer Link?
In the United States and Canada:

1-800-427-2988 (U.S.A.)
Email address: [e-mail]

In Europe:

English line: [phone]
German line: [phone]
French line: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

In Australia:

[phone] (toll free within Australia)
Email address: [e-mail]

In Hong Kong:

[phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

In Singapore:

[phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

©2001 Sony Corporation. Reproduction in whole or in part without written
permission is prohibited. All rights reserved.

6

“OPEN-R” is the standard interface for the entertainment robot
system that Sony is actively promoting. This interface expands
the capability of the entertainment robot through a flexible
combination of hardware and interchangeable software to suit
various applications. AIBO ERS-3×× Series and Energy Station
Core ERA-301P2 conform to the OPEN-R version 1.1.1.

• “AIBO” and the AIBO logo, “OPEN-R,” and the OPEN-R logo are
registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.

• “Memory Stick,” “
Corporation.

• All other systems and product names are trademarks of their respective
holders. In this manual, “” and “” are omitted.

http://www.aibo.com/

,” and “ ” are trademarks of Sony

7

8910

Table of Contents

Features of the Energy Station Core .............................................. 12

Index to parts and controls .............................................................13

Attaching the Energy Station Core to the Stand ............................ 15

Charging AIBO’s internal battery pack .......................................... 17

Checking AIBO’s settings ..............................................................21

Making various settings ................................................................. 23

Setting the date and time ......................................................... 24

Setting the time zone ............................................................... 26

Setting the volume level .......................................................... 27

On handling the Energy Station Core ............................................ 28

On cleaning .............................................................................. 28

Limited warranty ............................................................................ 29

Service procedure ........................................................................... 32

Troubleshooting ............................................................................. 33

Specifications .................................................................................35

Time zone table ..............................................................................36

11

Features of the Energy Station Core

The Energy Station Core ERA-301P2 (referred to as the “station core”
hereafter) is an AIBO ERS-3×× series-dedicated charging station core. The
station core is used attached to the stand supplied with AIBO. (The set thus
constituted by the station core and the stand is referred to as the “station”
hereafter.)

The station provides the following functions:

• Charges AIBO’s internal battery pack whenever you place AIBO on the
station.

• Provides a display panel that allows you to make various AIBO settings
without removing AIBO’s extremities.

• Provides a backlight for the display panel that allows the battery charging
level or the current time to be viewed under dark conditions.

• ERA-301P2 Energy Station Core is only for use with the AIBO ERS-3××
Series System and should be powered only by the ERA-201P1 AC Adapter
to charge the ERS-3×× Series Aibo Robot. (Refer to the operating
instructions supplied with the AC Adapter.)

Station core

Station

Stand

12

Index to parts and controls

Top/rear

Display panel

13

1 Charging terminals

Charge AIBO’s internal battery pack
whenever AIBO is placed on the
station. Makes contact with terminals
on AIBO’s stomach.

2 SET/CANCEL button

Press to put the station core into
setting mode to make or cancel a
setting. Press again to return to
normal mode.

3 MODE/NEXT button

Press to change the indication in the
display panel. In setting mode,
pressing this button changes the
setting item.

5 LIGHT/+ (plus) button

In normal mode, press to turn on the
backlight.
In setting mode, each press of the
button increases the value to a next
greater one. Holding down the button
increases the value continuously.

6 AC Adapter terminal (on the

rear of the station core)

Connect the AC adapter supplied
with the AIBO or an optional AC
adapter to this terminal.

7 Placement detection switch

Detects when AIBO is placed on the
station.

4 DISPLAY/– (minus) button

When the date or time indication is
displayed, pressing this button
changes the display format.
In setting mode, each press of the
button decreases the value to a next
smaller one. Holding down the
button decreases the value
continuously.

14

8 Fixing screw (supplied)

Used to fix the station core to the
stand (supplied with the AIBO).

9 Date / time / time zone / volume

level indication

q; Battery indicator

Indicates the charging level of
AIBO’s internal battery pack.

Attaching the Energy Station Core to the Stand

You can attach the station core to the stand supplied with AIBO as follows.

For ERS-3×× Series

1

Remove the decoration plate from the stand.

Decoration plate

Note

To place the decoration plate back into the stand, match the projections on the plate
with the grooves and push the plate into the stand.

15

2

Place the station core on the stand. Firmly grasp the set of station
core and stand as illustrated, and turn it upside down. Fasten
together the station core and the stand with the fixing screw.

Fixing screw

Notes

• The surfaces of the station core and stand are very smooth. Be careful not to
drop them while handling.

• Do not tighten the fixing screw to an excessive degree.

3

Connect the AC adapter (supplied with AIBO) to the station core,
and pass the cord as illustrated.

16

Charging AIBO’s internal battery pack

You can charge AIBO’s internal battery pack by placing AIBO on top of the
station after opening the charging terminal shutter on the cover of AIBO. It is
recommended that you recharge the battery pack at room temperature (10° C
to 30° C (50° F to 86° F)).

Note

Battery charging starts automatically when AIBO is put into a particular mode or state
on top of the station. This particular mode or state differs with the model of AIBO and
the AIBO-ware used.

1

Connect the AC adapter to a wall outlet.

17

2

After putting AIBO into pause mode (by pressing the pause button
to turn off the back light) or putting it into charging posture, open
the charging terminal shutter on the cover.

3

Place AIBO on top of the station.

The time indication appears in the display panel of the station core.

18

Notes

• You do not need to use the supplied AC adapter conversion plug.

• For details on AIBO’s charging posture, refer to the User’s Guide for the
respective AIBO-ware.

• The AIBO charging posture may not be displayed by certain AIBO-ware.

• When AIBO is not on top of the station, no information is displayed in the
display panel.
If in that state you attempt to display information, the LCD display flashes for
several seconds to indicate that AIBO is not on the station.

• If the battery pack is not set in AIBO, the battery indicator does not appear.

While charging is taking place

The handle of the pump indication in the display panel moves up and down.
The battery indicator indicates the charging level.

The handle moves up
and down.

Pump

Hose

Battery indicator

19

Charging level

Nearly empty Half full Almost full Full

Note

If the pump hose stays unlit, it indicates that charging is not taking place.

When AIBO’s battery is fully charged

The handle of the pump indication in the display panel stops moving, and the
whole length of the hose becomes lit.

Note

If all the charging level bars flash simultaneously, it means the battery pack is not
charging properly. If this occurs, check that the battery pack is inserted correctly. If the
flashing continues, the battery pack may be defective. Stop charging the battery pack
immediately and contact the AIBO Customer Link.

20

Checking AIBO’s settings

While AIBO is on top of the station, use the MODE/NEXT button to check its
settings.

MODE/

NEXT

DISPLAY/–LIGHT/

+

To change the information display

Press the MODE/NEXT button. Each press of the button changes the display
as follows.

date t time t time zone t volume level

To change the date and time display formats

With the date or time indication being displayed, press the DISPLAY/– button.
Each press of the button changes the display format as follows.

• Date: “YYMMDD” (year, month, day) t “MMDDYY” t “DDMMYY”

• Time: 12-hour clock t 24-hour clock

21

Notes

• The date and time formats return to their default settings when the station core is
disconnected from the wall outlet. Set the formats again when you connect the
station to a wall outlet again.

• The default setting for the date format is “year, month, day”. The default setting for
the time format is 12-hour clock.

To turn on the display panel backlight

Press the LIGHT/+ button. The backlight stays on for about 60 seconds when
AIBO is on the station, and for about four seconds when not.

22

Making various settings

When AIBO is on top of the station, you can set various items, such as the
clock and volume level.

SET/

MODE/

CANCEL

Notes

• To cancel the setting operation before finished, press the SET/CANCEL button. The
display returns to the state before starting the setting operation.

• When AIBO is not on the station, you cannot change the settings. If you attempt to
change the settings, the LCD display will flash for several seconds to indicate that
AIBO is not on the station.

DISPLAY/–LIGHT/

NEXT

+

23

Setting the date and time

Note that the following description assumes that the date display format is
“YYMMDD” (year, month, day).

1

Press the MODE/NEXT button repeatedly until the date and time
indication appears.

2

Press the SET/CANCEL button.

The year indication starts to flash.

3

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to set the year. Then
press the MODE/NEXT button.

The month indication starts to flash.

4

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to set the month. Then
press the MODE/NEXT button.

The day indication starts to flash.

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5

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to set the day. Then
press the MODE/NEXT button.

The hour indication starts to flash.

6

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to set the hour. Then
press the MODE/NEXT button.

The minute indication starts to flash.

7

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to set the minute. Then
press the MODE/NEXT button.

The setting is entered and the date and time indication resumes.

25

Setting the time zone

By setting the time zone, you specify the difference in hours from the time at
the current location and the UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) time. The
difference is expressed as a whole number from –12 to +12. For example, the
time zone for Japan is +9. For details on the time zones of the world, see
“Time zone table” on pages 36 and 37.

1

Press the MODE/NEXT button repeatedly until the time zone
indication appears.

2

Press the SET/CANCEL button.

The time zone indication starts to flash.

3

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to change the time zone.
Then press the MODE/NEXT button.

The setting is entered and the time zone indication resumes.

26

Note

The time zone function does not support daylight savings.

Setting the volume level

1

Press the MODE/NEXT button repeatedly until the volume level
indication appears.

2

Press the SET/CANCEL button.

The current volume level setting starts to flash.

3

Use the DISPLAY/– or LIGHT/+ buttons to change the volume
level. Then press the MODE/NEXT button.

The setting is entered and the volume level indication resumes. The volume
level can be set to four levels. If you select “0,” AIBO’s musical tone is
muted.

27

On handling the Energy Station Core

• While AIBO is on top of the station, do not place any object near it that
might interfere with its movements.

• Do not touch the charging terminal directly with your hand. Doing so may
soil the terminal and cause poor contact.

• Do not press down hard on the station core with your hand or elbow.

• Do not drop or shake the station core as this may damage it.

• Do not leave the station core in very hot places, such as a car parked in the
sun, as this may deform or damage it.

• Do not allow the station core to get wet.

• For details on the battery pack or the AC adapter supplied with AIBO, refer
to the operating instructions supplied with AIBO.

On cleaning

• Clean the station core with a dry, soft cloth.

• Do not use volatile solvents that may damage the station core’s surface
finish.

• If you are using a chemical dustcloth or the like, follow the instructions for
its usage.

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For the customers in the U.S.A.

Limited warranty

SONY ELECTRONICS INC. (“SONY”) warrants this Product and its accessories
against defects in material or workmanship as follows:

1. PRODUCTS: For a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase, SONY will, at
its option, either repair or replace the defective parts and/or the Product (i.e., Energy
Station) with new or rebuilt replacements. After this one (1) year period, you must pay
all parts and labor charges.

2. ACCESSORIES: For a period of thirty (30) days from the date of purchase, SONY
will, at its option, either repair or replace defective parts and/or accessories (i.e., AC
adapter and battery pack) with new or rebuilt replacements. After this thirty (30) day
period, you must pay all parts and labor charges.

3. REPAIRS: For a period equal to the longer of (a) the remainder of the original
limited warranty period on the original Product or accessory, or (b) for 90 days after the
date of repair/replacement of Products or for 30 days after the date of repair/
replacement of accessories, SONY will repair or replace defective parts, accessories
and/or Products used in the repair or replacement of Products or accessories under this
Limited Warranty with new or rebuilt replacements.

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