Electronic device and method for controlling fan of electronic device

• US 10,340,737 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Ku-Chul, Koo, Kyung-Ha, Park, Chul-Woo, Jang, Ki-Youn, Yun, Yong-Sang, Cho, Chi-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US15/233,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20170047784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: H05K 7/20209 Thermal management, e.g. fan control

Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device for charging a battery of an external device may include a coil and a first circuit configured to wirelessly transmit power to the external device through the coil. A second circuit may be configured to wirelessly receive information from the external device. A fan may be disposed adjacent to the coil to discharge heat to the exterior of the electronic device. A control circuit may adjust the driving speed of the fan based at least in part on the received information.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a coil;

a first circuit;

a second circuit;

a fan disposed adjacent to the coil and operable to discharge heat; and

at least one processor configured to;

wirelessly transmit electromagnetic power to an external device via the coil using the first circuit,

wirelessly receive information from the external device using the second circuit, and

adjust a driving speed of the fan based at least in part on the information,

wherein the information includes environment information including illuminance data or sound data obtained by the external device, or time information of the external device.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust a transmit power level based at least in part on the information.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the driving speed of the fan based on the adjusted transmit power level.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second circuit is configured to wirelessly receive the information via the coil.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication circuit, wherein the second circuit is configured to wirelessly receive the information via the wireless communication circuit.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the information further includes charging configuration information related to a charge level of a battery of the external device, or power control information related to an adjustment of a transmit power level.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the charging configuration information includes at least one of a total capacity of the battery, a remaining capacity of the battery, a number of times the battery has been charged, an amount of battery usage, a charging mode, a charging method, or a wireless reception frequency band in the external device.

8. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the power control information includes at least one of:

a requested amount of power according to a change in the charge level of the battery, a requested amount of power according to a conversion of a charging mode of the external device, or a requested amount of power according to a conversion of a charging method of the external device.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to readjust the adjusted driving speed of the fan based on a result of comparing the requested amount of power included in the information with the transmit power level.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

in response to the requested amount of power being equal to or less than an amount related to the transmit power level, reduce the transmit power level and reduce the fan driving speed according to a reduced transmit power level, and

in response to the requested amount of power exceeding the amount related to the transmit power level, increase the transmit power level and increase fan driving speed according to an increased transmit power.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

in response to the illuminance data value being equal to or less than a predetermined illuminance data value, reduce a transmit power level to be transmitted to the external device and reduce the fan driving speed according to the reduced transmit power level.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

in response to the sound data value being equal to or more than a predetermined sound level data value, reduce a transmit power level to be transmitted to the external device and reduce the fan driving speed according to the reduced transmit power level.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

in response to time data of the time information corresponding to a predetermined period of time, reduce a transmit power level to be transmitted to the external device and reduce the fan driving speed according to the reduced transmit power level.

14. A control method of an electronic device having a fan, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, using a first circuit of the electronic device, electromagnetic power to an external device via a coil of the electronic device;

wirelessly receiving, using a second circuit of the electronic device, information from the external device; and

adjusting a driving speed of the fan based at least in part on the information,

wherein the information includes environment information including illuminance data or sound data obtained by the external device, or time information of the external device.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising adjusting a transmit power level to be transmitted to the external device based at least in part on the information.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting of the driving speed of the fan comprises changing the driving speed of the fan based on the adjusted transmit power level.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a coil;

a battery;

a first circuit operatively connected to the battery;

a second circuit;

a memory; and

a processor operatively coupled to the first circuit, the second circuit, and the memory;

wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, when a wireless charging device is positioned adjacent to the coil;

wirelessly receive, using the first circuit, electromagnetic power from the wireless charging device via the coil, and

transmit, to the wireless charging device via the second circuit, information,

wherein the information includes environment information including illuminance data or sound data obtained by the electronic device or time information of the electronic device.