Wireless power transmitter, wireless power receiver, and control methods thereof

• US 10,090,697 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Hyuk-Choon, Kim, Nam-Yun, Jung, Hee-Won, Jung, Soo-Yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Sun
• Application Number:
  US15/643,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20170310124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• 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 50/80 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

A wireless power transmitter configured to transmit a wireless power to a wireless power receiver and a method for controlling the wireless power transmitted from the wireless power transmitter are provided. The method includes applying a detection power for detecting a change in a load impedance of the wireless power transmitter caused by a placement of the wireless power receiver, detecting the change in the load impedance of the wireless power transmitter, receiving a first signal from the wireless power receiver, determining whether a reception intensity of the first signal is greater than a threshold, and transmitting a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on detecting the change in the load impedance and determining whether the reception intensity of the first signal is greater than the threshold.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a wireless power transmitter, the method comprising:

applying a detection power for detecting a change in a load impedance of the wireless power transmitter;

detecting the change caused by a placement of a wireless power receiver;

receiving, from the wireless power receiver, a first signal searching for the wireless power transmitter within a preset time after detecting the change, wherein the first signal includes a bit field for a load impedance detection;

determining whether the detected change corresponds to the bit field of the first signal;

determining whether a reception intensity of the first signal is greater than a threshold; and

based on a detection of the change and based on a determination that the detected change corresponds to the hit field of the first signal and the reception intensity of the first signal is greater than the threshold, transmitting, to the wireless power receiver, a second signal to form a communication connection with the wireless power receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal is arranged such that the wireless power receiver performs a joining operation for joining a wireless power network corresponding to the wireless power transmitter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the reception intensity of the first signal is greater than a threshold comprises:

identifying a minimum reception intensity;

setting a determination range based on the minimum reception intensity; and

determining whether the reception intensity of the first signal is within the determination range.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifying a minimum reception intensity comprises:

identifying the minimum reception intensity from among first signals received from a plurality of wireless power receivers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the reception intensity of the first signal being not greater than the threshold, determining that the wireless power transmitter forms a cross-connection with the wireless power receiver.

6. A wireless power transmitter for transmitting power to a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a resonator;

a controller configured to control a power supply to apply a detection power for detecting a change in a load impedance of the wireless power transmitter to the resonator, and detect the change caused by a placement of the wireless power receiver; and

a wireless communication unit configured to receive a first signal searching for the wireless power transmitter within a preset time after detecting the change, wherein the first signal includes a bit field for a load impedance detection,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine whether the detected change corresponds to the bit field of the first signal,

determine whether a reception intensity of the first signal is greater than a threshold, and

based on a detection of the change and based on a determination that the detected change corresponds to the bit field of the first signal and the reception intensity of the first signal is greater than the threshold, transmit, to the wireless power receiver, a second signal to form a communication connection with the wireless power receiver by using the wireless communication unit.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 6, wherein, the second signal is arranged such that the wireless power receiver performs a joining operation for joining a wireless power network corresponding to the wireless power transmitter.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the wireless power transmitter forms a cross-connection with the wireless power receiver, based on the reception intensity of the first signal being not greater than the threshold.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify a minimum reception intensity;

set a determination range based on the minimum reception intensity; and

determine whether the reception intensity of the first signal is within the determination range.

10. The wireless power transmitter of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify the minimum reception intensity from among first signals received from a plurality of wireless power receivers.