Wireless power transfer method, apparatus and system

• US 10,135,498 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Yongcheol, Lee, Hyunbeom
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US14/897,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20160134334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a wireless power transmission method, a wireless power transmission apparatus, and a wireless charging system in a wireless power transmission field, and there is provided a communication method of a wireless power transmitter capable of the transmission of power in a wireless manner, and the communication method may include receiving communication information indicating whether or not a second communication mode is available using a first communication mode from a wireless power receiver, determining whether or not communication in a second communication mode is available using the communication information, notifying either one of the first communication mode and second communication mode to the wireless power receiver based on the determination result, and performing communication with the wireless power receiver using a communication mode notified to the wireless power receiver.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter capable of transmitting power, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power conversion unit configured to receive first information from a wireless power receiver over an existing communication interface defined in a first communication protocol, the first information including information about a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol, the existing communication interface being extended for the first information to cover an increased power application which supports the second communication protocol; and

a control unit configured to communicate over at least one of the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol with the wireless power receiver,

wherein the control unit is configured to establish the second communication protocol between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver based on the first information.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to communicate over the second communication protocol with the wireless power receiver if the first information includes the information about the second communication protocol, and

wherein the information about the second communication protocol includes an indication on availability of the second communication protocol.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is for performing in-band communication, and the second communication protocol is for performing out-of-band communication.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control unit sends frequency shift keying (FSK) signals to the wireless power receiver over the first communication protocol.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to perform notification to the wireless power receiver whether the second communication protocol is available, and

wherein the notification is performed over the first communication protocol.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

initialize a communication status such that the wireless power transmitter communicates over the second communication protocol, and

change the communication status to communicate over the first communication protocol when the wireless power receiver does not communicate over the second communication protocol within a predetermined period of time or continuously communicate over the first communication protocol.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 6, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit power to the wireless power receiver in a wireless manner when the communication status is initialized.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 7, wherein a currently set communication status is reinitialized when the wireless power is transmitted at a level less than a preset value during the transmission of wireless power.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to notify the second communication protocol to the wireless power receiver, and then receive information from the wireless power receiver that the second communication protocol is set.

10. The wireless power transmitter of claim 7, wherein communication is carried out in a third communication protocol different from the first communication protocol and second communication protocol when receiving information from the wireless power receiver that communication is not carried out in the first communication protocol and second communication protocol.

11. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises information on a power class of the wireless power receiver.

12. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises a communication protocol catalog containing at least one communication protocol,

wherein the control unit determines whether communication over each of the at least one communication protocol is available, and

wherein, when there are a plurality of communication protocols determined to be available, a communication status is initialized to communicate over any one of the plurality of communication protocols determined to be available.

13. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein the any one communication protocol is determined by a response received from the wireless power receiver.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein a priority of the plurality of communication protocols determined to be available is determined based on a preset condition.

15. A wireless power receiver capable of receiving power, the wireless power receiver comprising:

a wireless conversion unit configured to transmit first information to a wireless power transmitter over an existing communication interface defined in a first communication protocol, the first information including information about a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol, the existing communication interface being extended for the first information to cover an increased power application which supports the second communication protocol; and

a control unit configured to communicate over at least one of the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol with the wireless power transmitter,

wherein the control unit is configured to establish the second communication protocol between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver based on the first information.

16. The wireless power receiver of claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured to communicate over the second communication protocol with the wireless power transmitter if the first information includes the information about the second communication protocol, and

wherein the information about the second communication protocol includes an indication on availability of the second communication protocol.

17. The wireless power receiver of claim 15, wherein the first communication protocol is for performing in-band communication, and the second communication protocol is for performing out-of-band communication.

18. The wireless power receiver of claim 15, wherein the wireless conversion unit is further configured to receive notification from the wireless power transmitter whether the second communication protocol is available, and

wherein the notification is performed over the first communication protocol.

19. The wireless power receiver of claim 15, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

initialize a communication status such that the wireless power receiver communicates over the second communication protocol, and

change the communication status to communicate over the first communication protocol when the wireless power receiver does not communicate over the second communication protocol within a predetermined period of time or continuously communicate over the first communication protocol.

20. The wireless power receiver of claim 19, wherein the wireless conversion unit is further configured to receiver power from the wireless power transmitter in a wireless manner when the communication status is initialized.