Power transmitting device, power receiving device, power supply system, and power supply method

• US 10,020,689 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nakano, Daiju, Ohba, Nobuyuki, Takano, Kohji
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Xuan
• Application Number:
  US15/682,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20170353059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0878 Sensors; antennas; probes; detectors wave guide measuring sections G01R1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/07955 Monitoring or measuring power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Provided are a power transmitting device, a power receiving device, a power supply system, and a power supply method able to supply electric power by emitting electromagnetic waves. A power transmitting device comprises: a calculating unit for calculating the maximum value for the emitted output of electromagnetic waves meeting exposure standards on the basis of a response delay time measured by the communication link between the power transmitting device and a power receiving device; a power transmitting unit for transmitting power via a power supply link with the power receiving device at an output not exceeding the maximum value; an anomaly detecting unit for detecting an anomaly in the power supply link on the basis of communication with the power receiving device via the communication link; and an output control unit for controlling the output on the basis of the detection of an anomaly in the power supply link.

Claims

1. A power supply system including a power transmitting device able to transmit power by emitting electromagnetic waves, and a power receiving device able to receive power supplied by the power transmitting device, the power supply system comprising:

a calculating unit for calculating the maximum value for the emitted output of electromagnetic waves meeting exposure standards on the basis of a response delay time measured by a wireless communication link between the power transmitting device and the power receiving device, wherein each of the power transmitting device and the power receiving device is capable of transmitting data through the wireless communication link;

a power transmitting unit in the power transmitting device for transmitting power via a power supply link with the power receiving device at an output not exceeding the maximum value, wherein the emission, by the power transmitting device, of electromagnetic waves is laser emission, and wherein the power receiving device includes a photoelectric conversion element and receives a laser beam emitted by the laser power transmitting device via the photoelectric conversion element;

an anomaly detecting unit for detecting anomalies in the power supply link on the basis of communication with the power receiving device via the communication link, wherein the anomaly detecting unit also detects any anomaly in the wireless communication link;

an output control unit in the power transmitting device for limiting the output on the basis of the detection of an anomaly in the power supply link, wherein the output control unit limits the output in response to an occurrence of the anomaly in at least either the wireless communication link or the power supply link;

a first antenna attached to the power receiving device; and

a second antenna attached to the power transmitting device, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to establish wireless data communication via the wireless communication link.