Wireless power transfer method, apparatus and system

• US 10,547,209 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2015
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Yongcheol, Lee, Hyunbeom
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US15/312,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a wireless power transmitter for performing communication with a wireless power receiver using a plurality of slots, and the wireless power transmitter may include a power conversion unit configured to transmit a wireless power signal to the wireless power receiver, and a power transmission control unit configured to perform communication with the wireless power receiver using the wireless power signal, wherein the power transmission control unit performs steps including receiving control information from the wireless power receiver within any one of the plurality of slots, transmitting an ACK signal to the wireless power receiver in response to the control information, and allocating the any one slot to the wireless power receiver to perform communication with the wireless power receiver using the any one slot when the ACK signal is received.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter for performing communication with a wireless power receiver using a plurality of slots, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power conversion circuit configured to transmit a wireless power signal to the wireless power receiver; and

a power transmission controller configured to perform communication with the wireless power receiver to control the wireless power signal,

wherein the power transmission controller performs steps comprising;

receiving control information from the wireless power receiver within one slot of the plurality of slots;

transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) signal to the wireless power receiver in response to the control information; and

allocating the one slot of the plurality of slots to the wireless power receiver to perform the communication with the wireless power receiver using the one slot of the plurality of slots,

wherein the power transmission controller is alolowed to transmit the ACK signal to the wireless power receiver when there is no collision between the wireless power receiver and a second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the ACK signal is transmitted to the wireless power receiver when the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver does not occur, and

the ACK signal is not transmitted to the wireless power receiver when the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver occurs.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 2, wherein a state in which the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver does not occur is a state in which only the control information of the wireless power receiver is received within the one slot of the plurality of slots, and

a state in which the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver occurs is a state in which the control information of the wireless power receiver and control information of the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver are received at the same time within the one slot of the plurality of slots.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the power transmission controller does not allocate any slot to the wireless power receiver when the ACK signal is not transmitted to the wireless power receiver.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the power transmission controller further transmits power to the wireless power receiver subsequent to the allocation of the one slot of the plurality of slots, and

receives only the control information received from the wireless power receiver within the one slot of the plurality of slots while transmitting the power.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the power transmission controller limits the reception of control information of the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver within the one slot of the plurality of slots when the one slot of the plurality of slots is allocated.

7. A communication method of a wireless power transmitter performing communication with a wireless power receiver using a plurality of slots, the method comprising:

receiving control information from the wireless power receiver within one slot of the plurality of slots;

transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) signal to the wireless power receiver in response to the control information; and

allocating the one slot of the plurality of slots to the wireless power receiver to perform the communication with the wireless power receiver using the one slot of the plurality of slots,

wherein the ACK signal is transmitted to the wireless power receiver when there is no collision between the wireless power receiver and a second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the ACK signal is transmitted to the wireless power receiver when the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver does not occur, and the ACK signal is not transmitted to the wireless power receiver when the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver occurs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a state in which the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver does not occur is a state in which only the control information of the wireless power receiver is received within the one slot of the plurality of slots, and

a state in which the collision between the wireless power receiver and the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver occurs is a state in which the control information of the wireless power receiver and control information of the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver are received at the same time within the one slot of the plurality of slots.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the one slot of the plurality of slots is not allocated to the wireless power receiver when the ACK signal is not transmitted in response to the control information.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting power to the wireless power receiver subsequent to allocating the one slot of the plurality of slots to the wireless power receiver,

wherein the control information is continuously received from the wireless power receiver within the one slot of the plurality of slots while transmitting the power.

12. A wireless power receiver for performing communication with a wireless power transmitter using a plurality of slots, the wireless power receiver comprising:

a power receiving circuit configured with at least one coil for receiving a wireless power signal transferred in a magnetic field; and

a power receiving controller configured to perform communication to control the wireless power signal,

wherein the power receiving controller performs steps comprising;

transmitting control information to the wireless power transmitter using one slot of the plurality of slots;

receiving an acknowledge (ACK) signal from the wireless power transmitter in response to the control information; and

allocating the one slot of the plurality of slots to the wireless power receiver to perform the communication with the wireless power transmitter when the ACK signal is received,

wherein the ACK signal is received in response to the control information transmitted in the one slot, when there is no collision between the wireless power receiver and a second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver.

13. The wireless power receiver of claim 12, wherein a case where the ACK signal is not received is a case where the control information of the wireless power receiver and control information of the second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver are received at the same time within the one slot of the plurality of slots.

14. The wireless power receiver of claim 12, wherein the power receiving controller receives power from the wireless power transmitter subsequent to the allocation of the one slot of the plurality of slots, and transmits the control information to the wireless power transmitter using the one slot of the plurality of slots while receiving the power.

15. The wireless power receiver of claim 12, wherein the one slot of the plurality of slots is a free slot.

16. The wireless power receiver of claim 15, wherein the free slot is a slot allowing the reception of the control information from at least one or more wireless power receivers.

17. A control method of a wireless power receiver performing communication with a wireless power transmitter using a plurality of slots, the method comprising:

transmitting control information to the wireless power transmitter using one slot of the plurality of slots;

receiving an acknowledge (ACK) signal from the wireless power transmitter in response to the control information; and

allocating the one slot of the plurality of slots to the wireless power receiver to perform the communication with the wireless power transmitter when the ACK signal is received,

wherein the ACK signal is received in response to the control information transmitted in the one slot, when there is no collision between the wireless power receiver and a second wireless power receiver different from the wireless power receiver.