Wireless power transferring method and device therefor

• US 10,530,426 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2017
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Yongcheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivero, Alejandro
• Application Number:
  US16/315,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20190305826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for transferring wireless power by an electric power transmitter may comprise: a selection step of monitoring a placement or a removal of an object on or from an interface surface of the power transmitter; a ping step of performing a digital ping and receiving a response from a power receiver; an identifying/configuring step of receiving a configuration packet including configuration information of the power receiver; and a negotiating step of transmitting a capability packet including information on a level of power transferred by the power transmitter, wherein the capability packet may include an NFC detection field indicating whether the power transmitter has a capability of detecting an RFID and/or an NFC, and/or whether the RDID and/or the NFC is detected.

Claims

1. A method for transferring wireless power by a power transmitter, the method comprises:

a selection step of monitoring a placement or a removal of an object on or from an interface surface of the power transmitter;

a ping step of performing a digital ping and receiving a response from a power receiver;

an identifying/configuring step of receiving a configuration packet including configuration information of the power receiver; and

a negotiating step of transmitting a capability packet including information on a level of power transferred by the power transmitter,

wherein the capability packet includes an NFC detection field indicating whether the power transmitter has a capability of detecting a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) and/or a Near Field Communication (NFC), and/or whether the RFID and/or the NFC is detected, and

when the NFC detection field indicates that the power transmitter does not have the capability of detecting the RFID and/or the NFC;

receiving a first End Power Transfer (EPT) packet for indicating a termination of a power transfer from the power receiver;

wherein the first EPT packet includes a first EPT code requesting a removal of a power signal for a pre-configured time,

removing the power signal for the pre-configured time, and returning to the ping step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the NFC detection field is divided into:

a first subfield indicating whether the power transmitter has the capability of detecting the RFID and/or the NFC, and a second subfield indicating whether the RFID and/or the NFC is detected.

3. The method of claim 2,

further comprising a step of receiving a second EPT packet from the power receiver, when re-performing the digital ping according to the returning to the ping step,

wherein the second EPT packet includes a second EPT code requesting the removal of the power signal as the RFID and/or the NFC is detected by the power receiver for the pre-configured time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step of:

when the second EPT packet is received, removing the power signal, and providing a detection result of the RFID and/or the NFC to a user.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

a calibration step of adjusting a specific parameter to improve a foreign object detection capability during the power transfer of the power transmitter, when the NFC detection field indicates that the power transmitter has the capability of detecting the RFID and/or the NFC, and the RFID and/or the NFC is not detected, and

a step of not entering the calibration step, when the NFC detection field indicates that the power transmitter has the capability of detecting the RFID and/or the NFC, and the RFID and/or NFC is detected.

6. The method of claim 5,

wherein the step of not entering the calibration step further comprising the step of:

removing the power signal and providing a detection result of the RFID and/or the NFC detection to a user.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the pre-configured time is indicated via a packet transmitted from the power receiver in the negotiating step.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the packet includes a field indicating time at which the power transmitter removes the power signal.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the field indicates the power transmitter to immediately remove the power signal or to remove the power signal when the power transmitter receives the first EPT packet.

10. The method of claim 7,

wherein the packet indicates the pre-configured time in units of 0.2 seconds.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the capability packet is transmitted as a response to a general request field transmitted from the power receiver.

12. A power transmitter, comprising:

a coil assembly comprising at least one primary coil to generate a magnetic field;

a power conversion unit configured to convert electric energy into a power signal; and

a communication and control unit configured to control a communication with a power receiver and a power transfer,

wherein the communication and control unit is further configured to;

monitor a placement or a removal of an object on or from an interface surface of the power transmitter;

perform a digital ping and receive a response from the power receiver;

receive a configuration packet including configuration information of the power receiver; and

transmit a capability packet including information on a level of power transferred by the power transmitter,

wherein the capability packet includes an NFC detection field indicating whether the power transmitter has a capability of detecting a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) and/or a Near Field Communication (NFC), and/or whether the RFID and/or the NFC is detected, and

when the NFC detection field indicates to the power transmitter that there is no ability to detect the RFID and/or the NFC;

receive a first End Power Transfer (EPT) packet for indicating a termination of the power transfer from the power receiver;

wherein the first EPT packet includes a first EPT code requesting a removal of a power signal for a pre-configured time,

remove the power signal for the pre-configured time, and re-performing the digital ping.

13. The power transmitter of claim 12, wherein the NFC detection field is divided into:

a first subfield indicating whether the power transmitter has the capability of detecting the RFID and/or the NFC, and a second subfield indicating whether the RFID and/or the NFC is detected.

14. A power receiver, comprising:

a coil assembly including at least one secondary coil to receive power from a primary coil of a power transmitter;

a power pick-up unit configured to convert a power signal received through the coil assembly into electric energy;

an NFC functional unit configured to detect Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and/or Near Field Communication (NFC); and

a communication and control unit configured to control a communication with the power transmitter and a power transfer;

wherein the communication and control unit further configured to;

transmit a response for a digital ping of the power transmitter;

transmit a configuration packet including configuration information of the power receiver; and

receive a capability packet including information on a level of power transferred by the power transmitter,

wherein the capability packet includes an NFC detection field indicating whether the power transmitter has a capability of detecting a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) and/or a Near Field Communication (NFC), and/or whether the RFID and/or the NFC is detected, and

when the NFC detection field indicates to the power transmitter that there is no ability to detect the RFID and/or the NFC;

transmit a first End Power Transfer (EPT) packet for indicating a termination of a power transfer from the power receiver;

wherein the first EPT packet includes a first EPT code requesting a removal of a power signal for a pre-configured time,

detect the RFID and/or the NFC using the NFC functional unit for the pre-configured time.

15. The power receiver of claim 14, wherein the NFC detection field is divided into:

a first subfield indicating whether the electric power transmitter has the capability of detecting the RFID and/or the NFC, and a second subfield indicating whether the RFID and/or the NFC is detected.