Wireless power transfer method and apparatus and method of detecting resonant frequency used in wireless power transfer

• US 10,088,508 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp
• Inventors: Ku, Hyun Chul, Seong, Jae Yong, Kang, Won Shil, Lim, Jong Gyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US14/942,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20160164303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/005 Circuits for comparing several input signals and for indicating the result of this comparison, e.g. equal, different, greater, smaller (comparing phase or frequency of 2 mutually independent oscillations in demodulators)
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a wireless power transfer apparatus, a method for wireless power transfer and a method of detecting a resonant frequency used in a wireless power charging system or a wireless power transfer. The wireless power transfer apparatus includes a plurality of transmission coils, each of which transmits power to a receiver coil through magnetic resonance; a signal generator transmitting signals having different resonant frequencies to the plurality of transmission coils, the signal generator being connected to the plurality of transmission coils; and a feedback unit transferring information on amounts of powers which are respectively output by the plurality of transmission coils to the signal generator.

Claims

1. A wireless power transfer apparatus comprises:

a plurality of transmission coils, each of which transmits power to a receiver coil through magnetic resonance;

a signal generator transmitting signals having different resonant frequencies to the plurality of transmission coils, the signal generator being connected to the plurality of transmission coils; and

a feedback unit transferring information on amounts of powers which are respectively output by the plurality of transmission coils to the signal generator,

wherein each Q factor of the plurality of transmission coils is greater than a O factor of the receiver coil.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal generator transmits a small signal to the each of the plurality of transmission coils before a frequency used for a maximum power transfer is set as a resonant frequency based on the information on amounts of powers, the small signal having a small amount of power in contrast with a normal-state power transfer of each of the plurality of transmission coils.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmission coils are connected in parallel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein coupling coefficients between respective transmission coils and the receiver coil are greater than coupling coefficients among the respective transmission coils.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of the transmission coils transfer power in two resonant frequencies to the receiver coil.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal generator further comprises:

a detector detecting a resonant frequency used for a maximum power transfer by each of the transmission coils on the basis of currents sensed by the feedback unit,

a frequency changer changing a frequency of each of the transmission coils to the resonant frequency used for the maximum power, and

an oscillator transmitting small signals having frequencies of which are changed to the plurality of the transmission coils before a frequency of the oscillator is changed to the resonant frequency of the maximum power, and transmitting large signals having a changed resonant frequency to each of the plurality of transmission coils after the frequency of the oscillator is changed to the resonant frequency of the maximum power.

7. A method for wireless power transfer, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal having a specific frequency to a plurality of transmission coils, the transmission coils transmitting powers to a receiver coil through magnetic resonance;

detecting amounts of powers which are respectively output by the plurality of transmission coils in response to the signal;

detecting a resonant frequency used for a maximum power transfer by each of the plurality of transmission coils on the basis of the detected amounts of powers;

changing a frequency of each of the transmission coils to the resonant frequency used for the maximum power; and

transmitting power having a changed resonant frequency to each of the plurality of transmission coils,

wherein the resonant frequency is a frequency that reduces interference between the plurality of transmission coils.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the sending a signal transfers a small signal to the plurality of transmission coils while changing a frequency of the small signal, the small signal having a small amount of power in contrast with an amount of power in a normal-state power transfer of each of the plurality of transmission coils.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein each of Q factors of the plurality of transmission coils is greater than a Q factor of the receiver coil.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of transmission coils are connected in parallel.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein coupling coefficients between respective transmission coils and the receiver coil are greater than coupling coefficients among the respective transmission coils.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of transmission coils are coupled to the receiver coil in over-coupling.

13. A method of detecting a resonant frequency used in a wireless power transfer, the method comprising:

transmitting a small signal having a specific frequency to a plurality of transmission coils, the small signal having a small amount of power in contrast with an amount of power in a normal-state power transfer of each of the plurality of transmission coils;

detecting amounts of powers which are respectively output by the plurality of transmission coils in response to the small signal; and

detecting a resonant frequency used for a maximum power transfer of each of the plurality of transmission coils on the basis of the detected amounts of powers,

wherein the resonant frequency is a frequency that reduces interference between the plurality of transmission coils.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the small signal is transmitted to the plurality of transmission coils while changing a frequency of the small signal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the small amount of power of the small signal is a half of or less than an amount of power used for a normal-state power transfer between one of the transmission coils and the receiver coil during a predetermined time.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein each of Q factors of the plurality of transmission coils is greater than a Q factor of the receiver coil.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein coupling coefficients between respective transmission coils and the receiver coil are greater than coupling coefficients among the respective transmission coils.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the detecting a resonant frequency detects two resonant frequencies used for a maximum power transfer of the plurality of the transmission coils.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the coupling coefficients between each of the plurality of the transmission coils and the receiver coil are 0.5 or more, respectively.