Power transmission apparatus

• US 10,079,620 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanabe, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, James
• Application Number:
  US15/255,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20170070264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A power transmission apparatus includes a wireless power transmission unit that performs a power transmission process, a wireless communication unit that performs a data transfer process, and a control unit that determines whether or not an external apparatus entered in a predetermined range is an apparatus which has left the predetermined range during the data transfer process, and controls the power transmission process and the data transfer process based on whether the external apparatus entered in the predetermined range is the apparatus which has left the predetermined range during the data transfer process.

Claims

1. A power transmission apparatus comprising:

a wireless power transmission circuit;

a first wireless communication circuit;

a second wireless communication circuit different from the first wireless communication circuit;

a first memory storing a program;

a second memory storing first identification information corresponding to a first electronic device which has left a predetermined range during a data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the first electronic device; and

a processor that executes a program stored in the first memory,

wherein the processor determines whether or not a second electronic device is in the predetermined range,

the processor causes the first wireless communication circuit to receive second identification information corresponding to the second electronic device, when the second electronic device is in the predetermined range,

the processor uses the first identification information and the second identification information to determine whether or not the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device,

the processor causes the wireless power transmission circuit to transmit power to the second electronic device, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device and the data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the first electronic device is completed or not in progress, and

the processor causes the wireless power transmission circuit to transmit power to the second electronic device, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is not the same device as the first electronic device and another data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the second electronic device is completed or not in progress.

2. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that notifies a user that the second electronic device is the same device as the first electronic device, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device.

3. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that notifies a user that the second electronic device is not the same device as the first electronic device, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is not the same device as the first electronic device.

4. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a device detection circuit that includes a sensor detecting the second electronic device being in the predetermined range.

5. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication circuit performs a close proximity wireless communication with the second electronic device.

6. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication circuit performs a wireless communication with the second electronic device, based on a near field communication (NFC) specification or a Bluetooth specification.

7. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication circuit performs a wireless communication with the second electronic device, based on a wireless local area network (LAN) specification or a long term evolution (LTE) specification.

8. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a matching circuit and an antenna,

wherein the wireless power transmission circuit transmits power to the second electronic device via the matching circuit and the antenna.

9. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission circuit transmits power to the second electronic device by magnetic coupling.

10. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission circuit transmits power to the second electronic device by electric field coupling.

11. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission circuit transmits power to the second electronic device by electromagnetic induction.

12. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic device includes an image capture apparatus.

13. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic device includes a phone or a camera.

14. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic device includes an apparatus that performs playback of audio data or image data.

15. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic device includes a vehicle.

16. A method comprising:

storing, in a memory, first identification information corresponding to a first electronic device which has left a predetermined range during a data transfer process performed by a second wireless communication circuit with the first electronic device, the second wireless communication circuit being different from a first wireless communication circuit;

determining whether or not a second electronic device is in the predetermined range;

causing the first wireless communication circuit to receive second identification information corresponding to the second electronic device, when the second electronic device is in the predetermined range;

using the first identification information and the second identification information to determine whether or not the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device;

causing a wireless power transmission circuit to transmit power to the second electronic, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device and the data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the first electronic device is completed or not in progress; and

causing the wireless power transmission circuit to transmit power to the second electronic, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is not the same device as the first electronic device and another data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the second electronic device is completed or not in progress.

17. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program causing a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory, first identification information corresponding to a first electronic device which has left a predetermined range during a data transfer process performed by a second wireless communication circuit with the first electronic device, the second wireless communication circuit being different from a first wireless communication circuit;

determining whether or not a second electronic device is in the predetermined range;

causing the first wireless communication circuit to receive second identification information corresponding to the second electronic device, when the second electronic device is in the predetermined range;

using the first identification information and the second identification information to determine whether or not the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device;

causing a wireless power transmission circuit to transmit power to the second electronic, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is the same device as the first electronic device and the data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the first electronic device is completed or not in progress; and

causing the wireless power transmission circuit to transmit power to the second electronic, when the second electronic device being in the predetermined range is not the same device as the first electronic device and another data transfer process performed by the second wireless communication circuit with the second electronic device is completed or not in progress.