Wireless power feeding system, method of controlling the same, program, and storage medium

• US 10,211,675 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hada, Manabu, Akazawa, Minoru, Kitajima, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dinh T
• Application Number:
  US14/910,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20160197488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A method of determining a power transmission device to be set as a master device such that wasteful communication is not caused. In a wireless power feeding system, a power transmission device that transmits electric power to a power reception device forms a group with other power transmission devices. The power transmission device performs communication with the power reception device or the other power transmission devices using a wireless transmission section and a wireless reception section, and exchanges information with the other power transmission devices. The power transmission device receives a setting for determining a power transmission device to be set as a master device out of the self device and the other power transmission devices, with which information has been exchanged. If the received setting is for setting the self device as the master device, the self device is set as the master device.

Claims

1. A wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device and at least one other power transmission device that transmit electric power form a group in cooperation with each other,

wherein the power transmission device comprises:

a power transmission unit configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device;

a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception device and the at least one other power transmission device; and

at least one processor that functions as;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a number of communicatable power transmission devices, using said communication unit;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire a number of communicatable power transmission devices from each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, using said communication unit;

a comparison unit configured to compare the number of communicatable power transmission devices, which is calculated by said calculation unit, and the number of communicatable power transmission devices of each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, which is acquired by said acquisition unit; and

a determination unit configured to determine the power transmission device as a master device of the group, in a case where a result of comparison by said comparison unit indicates that the number of communicatable power transmission devices, which is calculated by said calculation unit, is larger than the number of communicatable power transmission devices of each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, which is acquired by said acquisition unit.

2. The wireless power feeding system according to claim 1, wherein in a case where communication with none of the at least one other power transmission device can be performed by said communication unit, said determination unit determines the power transmission device as the master device.

3. A method of controlling a wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device and at least one other power transmission device that transmit electric power form a group in cooperation with each other, the method being implemented by the power transmission device and comprising:

transmitting electric power from the power transmission device to the power reception device;

performing communication with the power reception device and the at least one other power transmission device;

calculating a number of communicatable power transmission devices, using said communication;

acquiring a number of communicatable power transmission devices from each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, using said communication;

comparing the number of communicatable power transmission devices, which is calculated by said calculating, and the number of communicatable power transmission devices of each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, which is acquired by said acquiring; and

determining the power transmission device as a master device of the group, in a case where a result of said comparing indicates that the number of communicatable power transmission devices, which is calculated by said calculating, is larger than the number of communicatable power transmission devices of each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, which is acquired by said acquiring.