Wireless charging apparatus and wireless charging method

• US 10,211,678 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sung-Bum
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbowski, Leigh M
• Application Number:
  US15/670,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A wireless charging apparatus and a wireless charging method are provided. The method includes selecting at least one of a wireless power reception mode and a wireless power transmission mode by a wireless charging apparatus, wirelessly receiving electric power when the wireless power reception mode is selected, and wirelessly transmitting electric power when the wireless power transmission mode is selected.

Claims

1. A control method of an electronic device comprising:

wirelessly transmitting power to an external power receiving device by connecting a power transmitting circuit of the electronic device to a resonator of the electronic device based on a wireless power transmission mode;

obtaining a wireless power reception mode selection input by the electronic device;

switching from the wireless power transmission mode to the wireless power reception mode based on the obtained wireless power reception mode selection input while operating in the wireless power transmission mode;

wirelessly receiving power from an external power transmitting device by connecting a power receiving circuit of the electronic device to the resonator of the electronic device based on the wireless reception mode;

obtaining a wireless power relay mode selection input;

switching from the wireless power transmission mode to a wireless power relay mode based on the obtained wireless power relay mode selection input while operating in the wireless power transmission mode; and

wirelessly relaying power from the power transmitting device to the power receiving device by disconnecting both of the power transmitting circuit and the power receiving circuit from the resonator based on the wireless power relay mode.

2. The control method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting the power comprises:

selecting one of an external power source and a battery of the electronic device, based on the wireless power transmission mode;

receiving electric power from the external power source and wirelessly transmitting the power using the electric power being supplied from the external power source, based on the external power source being selected; and

wirelessly transmitting the power using electric power supplied from the battery, based on the battery being selected.

3. The control method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the electronic device receives electric power from an external power source, communicating with the power receiving device among a plurality external devices located around the electronic device; and

wirelessly transmitting the power using the electric power supplied from the external power source to the external power receiving device to charge the external power receiving device.

4. The control method of claim 3, further comprising:

causing the external power receiving device to wirelessly receive the power transmitted from the electronic device, based on a predetermined condition.

5. The control method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined condition is one of a distance between the electronic device and the external power receiving device, a remaining battery amount of the external power receiving device, and a predetermined time interval.

6. The control method of claim 4, further comprising:

identifying a charging order of the plurality of external devices based on the predetermined condition, and

causing one external device of the plurality of external devices to be the power receiving device to operate in a wireless power reception mode and another external device of the plurality of external devices to be the power transmitting device to operate in the wireless power relay mode based on the charging order.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a resonator;

a power transmitting circuit;

a power receiving circuit; and

a controller configured to;

control the power transmitting circuit to wirelessly transmit power to an external power receiving device by connecting the power transmitting circuit to the resonator based on a wireless power transmission mode,

obtain a wireless power reception mode selection input by the electronic device,

switch from the wireless power transmission mode to the wireless power reception mode based on the obtained wireless power reception mode selection input while operating in the wireless power transmission mode,

control the power receiving circuit to wirelessly receive power from an external power transmitting device by connecting the power receiving circuit of the electronic device to the resonator of the electronic device based on the wireless reception mode,

obtain a wireless power relay mode selection input,

switch from the wireless power transmission mode to a wireless power relay mode based on the obtained wireless power relay mode selection input while operating in the wireless power transmission mode, and

wirelessly relay power from the power transmitting device to the power receiving device by disconnecting both of the power transmitting circuit and the power receiving circuit from the resonator of the electronic device based on the wireless power relay mode.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

a first switch configured to;

based on the power reception mode, connect the power receiving circuit to the resonator of the electronic device,

based on the wireless power transmission mode, connect the power transmitting circuit to the resonator of the electronic device, and

based on the wireless power relay mode, disconnect both of the power receiving circuit and the power transmitting circuit from the resonator of the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising:

a battery; and

a second switch configured to connect one of an external power source and the battery to the power transmitting circuit.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a booster integrated circuit (IC), located between the battery and the second switch, configured to adjust a voltage of power provided from the battery to a predetermined value.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a buck converter IC, located between the battery and the second switch, configured to adjust a voltage of power provided from the battery to a predetermined value.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a Power Management IC (PMIC) configured to charge the battery with power received through the power receiving circuit.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a booster Integrated Circuit (IC) configured to charge the battery with power received through the power receiving circuit.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, based on electric power from the external source being supplied to the electronic device, the controller is further configured to control the electronic device to wirelessly transmit power to the external power receiving device.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to control the electronic device to wirelessly transmit power to the external power receiving device among a plurality of external devices based on a predetermined condition.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined condition is one of a distance between the electronic device and the external power receiving device, a remaining battery amount of the external power receiving device, and a predetermined time interval.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a charging order of the plurality of external devices, and cause one external device of the plurality of external devices to operate in the wireless power reception mode and another electronic device to operate in the wireless power relay mode based on the charging order.