Method for controlling power in a wireless power transmission apparatus and a wireless power transmission apparatus

• US 10,224,761 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Jung, Chun-Kil, Kuk, Yoon-Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Zixuan
• Application Number:
  US13/428,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320108, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• 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 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 power control method for a wireless power transmission assembly, and the wireless power transmission assembly. The method includes: outputting a direct current voltage to a wireless power transmission apparatus, the direct current voltage generated from an alternating current power source in an adaptor; and changing the level of the direct current voltage in the adaptor based on a voltage change communication signal if the wireless power transmission apparatus transmits the voltage change communication signal to the adaptor.

Claims

1. A method performed by a transmission controller in a wireless power transmission apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a first direct current voltage from an adaptor connected to the wireless power transmission apparatus by at least a plus line and a ground line;

transmitting a wireless power signal to a wireless power receiving apparatus, if the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected, by using at least one transmission coil, the wireless power signal based on the first direct current voltage received from the adaptor;

determining, based on a signal from the wireless power receiving apparatus, status information indicating a level of charged power in a battery of the wireless power receiving apparatus;

transmitting a voltage change communication signal to the adaptor based on the status information, wherein the voltage change communication signal comprises a power up signal or a power down signal for causing the adapter to adjust a level of direct current voltage provided by the adapter to the wireless power transmission apparatus via the plus line in response to the level of charged power in the battery of the wireless power receiving apparatus;

receiving, from the adaptor, a second direct current voltage, wherein the second direct current voltage is based on the voltage change communication signal; and

transmitting the wireless power signal to the wireless power receiving apparatus based on the second direct current voltage received from the adaptor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptor and the wireless power transmission apparatus are further connected by a communication line, and wherein the voltage change communication signal is transmitted to the adaptor in the form of an amplitude modulation signal or a serial communication signal through the communication line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission apparatus comprises a first transmission coil and the second transmission coil, and the method further comprises:

transmitting the wireless power signal through the first transmission coil if the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected by the first transmission coil; and

transmitting the wireless power signal through the second transmission coil if the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected by the second transmission coil.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage change communication signal is transmitted to the adaptor through the plus line by direct current (DC) modulation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the voltage change communication signal comprises:

transmitting the voltage change communication from a transmission controller of the wireless power transmission apparatus to a communication controller of the adaptor to cause the adapter to adjust the level of the direct current voltage by adjusting an offset voltage of the adaptor.

6. A wireless power transmission apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to receive a first direct current voltage from an adaptor connected to the wireless power transmission apparatus by at least a plus line and a ground line;

at least one transmission coil configured to transmit a wireless power signal to a wireless power receiving apparatus, if the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected, the wireless power signal based on the first direct current voltage received from the adaptor;

a converter configured to supply a power to the at least one transmission coil;

a driver configured to control operation of the converter;

a transmission controller configured to;

determine, based on a signal from the wireless power receiving apparatus, status information indicating a level of charged power in a battery of the wireless power receiving apparatus,

transmit a voltage change communication signal to the adaptor based on the status information, wherein the voltage change communication signal comprises a power up signal or a power down signal for causing the adapter to adjust a level of direct current voltage provided by the adapter to the wireless power transmission apparatus via the plus line in response to the level of charged power in the battery of the wireless power receiving apparatus, and

receive, from the adaptor, a second direct current voltage, wherein the second direct current voltage is based on the voltage change communication signal; and

the at least one transmission coil configured to transmit the wireless power signal to the wireless power receiving apparatus based on the second direct current voltage received from the adaptor.

7. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 6, wherein the adaptor and the wireless power transmission apparatus are further connected by a communication line, and the transmission controller transmits the voltage change communication signal to the adaptor in the form of an amplitude modulation signal or a serial communication signal through the communication line.

8. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 6, wherein the wireless power transmission apparatus comprises a first transmission coil and a second transmission coil, and the transmission controller is configured to detect the wireless power receiving apparatus at the first transmission coil and the second transmission coil, and to cause transmission of the wireless power signal through the transmission coil where the wireless power receiving apparatus is detected.

9. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission controller detects the wireless power receiving apparatus through the load modulation of the first transmission coil and the second transmission coil.

10. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 6, wherein the transmission controller transmits the voltage up signal or the voltage down signal through the plus line using DC modulation.

11. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 6, wherein the transmission controller transmits the voltage change communication to a communication controller of the adaptor to cause the adapter to adjust the level of the direct current voltage by adjusting an offset voltage of the adaptor.