Power receiving apparatus, power feeding system, power feeding method, power source management method, computer readable recording medium storing power feeding program, and computer readable recording medium storing power source management program

• US 10,547,216 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2015
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US15/772,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20190097469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• 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: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00

Abstract

A master station is a power feeding apparatus which transmits a power feeding signal that feeds power, to a slave station being a power receiving apparatus. The master station includes a wake-up time recording unit being a power-feeding-side storage unit, and a power-feeding-side determination unit. The power-feeding-side storage unit stores time information which specifies a start time at which data communication with the power receiving apparatus should be started. The power-feeding-side determination unit determines whether the start time specified by the time information is reached, and transmits the power feeding signal if it is determined that the start time is reached.

Claims

1. A power feeding apparatus which transmits a power feeding signal that feeds power, to a power receiving apparatus, the power feeding apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry

storing time information which specifies a start time at which data communication with the power receiving apparatus should be started,

to determine whether the start time specified by the time information is reached and transmit the power feeding signal if it is determined that the start time is reached,

wherein the processing circuitry

stores identification information which identifies the power receiving apparatus, the identification information being related to the time information, and

when transmitting the power feeding signal, determines a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal corresponding to the identification information, the transmission pattern being used to cause the power receiving apparatus which receives the power feeding signal, to determine whether or not the data communication should be started, and transmits the power feeding signal with the determined transmission pattern,

the transmission pattern representing a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously.

2. A power receiving apparatus which comprises a power-receiving-side data communication unit to perform data communication with a power feeding apparatus and receives a power feeding signal that feeds power, from the power feeding apparatus which transmits the power feeding signal, the power receiving apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry

storing determinative information used for determining whether or not data communication with the power feeding apparatus should be started,

to determine whether or not the data communication should be started, when the power feeding signal is received, using the determinative information;

turn on a power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when it is determined that the data communication should be started and cause the power-receiving-side data communication unit to perform data communication with the power feeding apparatus; and

turn off the power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when the data communication by the power-receiving side data communication unit with the power feeding apparatus ends,

wherein the processing circuitry

stores, as the determinative information, collation information to be collated with pattern information indicating a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal, and

detects the pattern information of the power feeding signal, compares the detected pattern information and the collation information with each other, and determines that the data communication should be started if, as a result of comparison, the pattern information represents the collation information,

the collation information stored representing at least either one of

information of a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously, and

information of propagation characteristics of a radio wave received as the power feeding signal.

3. A power feeding system comprising:

a power feeding apparatus to transmit a power feeding signal that feeds power; and

a power receiving apparatus to receive the power feeding signal from the power feeding apparatus and perform data communication with the power feeding apparatus,

wherein the power feeding apparatus comprises

a power-feeding-side storage unit storing identification information which identifies the power receiving apparatus, the identification information being related to time information which specifies a start time at which the data communication with the power receiving apparatus should be started,

a power-feeding-side determination unit to determine whether the start time specified by the time information is reached, and if it is determined that the start time is reached, determine a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously, as a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal corresponding to the identification information, the transmission pattern being used to cause the power receiving apparatus which receives the power feeding signal, to determine whether or not the data communication should be started, and transmit the power feeding signal with the determined transmission pattern, and

a power-feeding-side data communication unit to perform data communication with the power receiving apparatus, and

wherein the power receiving apparatus comprises

a power-receiving-side storage unit storing, as determinative information used for determining whether or not the data communication with the power feeding apparatus should be started, at least either one piece of collation information out of information of the power transmission period, being collation information to be collated with pattern information indicating a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal, and information of propagation characteristics, being the collation information, of a radio wave received as the power feeding signal,

a power-receiving-side data communication unit to perform data communication with the power-feeding-side data communication unit, and

a power-receiving-side determination unit to detect the pattern information of the power feeding signal, when the power feeding signal is received, compare the detected pattern information and the collation information with each other, and determine that the data communication should be started if, as a result of comparison, the pattern information represents the collation information;

turn on a power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when it is determined that the data communication should be started and cause the power-receiving-side data communication unit to perform data communication with the power-feeding-side data communication unit; and

turn off the power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when the data communication by the power-receiving side data communication unit with the power-feeding-side data communication unit ends.

4. A power feeding method, by a computer being a power feeding apparatus which transmits a power feeding signal that feeds power, to a power receiving apparatus, and which comprises a power-feeding-side storage unit storing identification information which identifies the power receiving apparatus, the identification information being related to time information which specifies a start time at which data communication with the power receiving apparatus should be started, the power feeding method comprising:

determining whether the start time specified by the time information is reached; and

if it is determined that the start time is reached, determining a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously, as a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal corresponding to the identification information, the transmission pattern being used to cause the power receiving apparatus which receives the power feeding signal, to determine whether or not the data communication should be started, and transmitting the power feeding signal with the determined transmission pattern.

5. A power source management method, by a computer being a power receiving apparatus including a power-receiving-side data communication unit and a power-receiving-side storage unit, the power-receiving-side data communication unit performing data communication with a power feeding apparatus which transmits a power feeding signal that feeds power, the power-receiving-side storage unit storing, as determinative information used for determining whether or not data communication with the power feeding apparatus should be started, collation information to be collated with pattern information indicating a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal, the power source management method comprising:

storing, in the power-receiving-side storage unit, at least either one piece of information out of information of a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously and information of propagation characteristics of a radio wave received as the power feeding signal, as the collation information;

detecting the pattern information of the power feeding signal, when the power feeding signal is received;

comparing the detected pattern information and the collation information with each other; and

determining that the data communication should be started if, as a result of comparison, the pattern information represents the collation information, and

turning on a power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when it is determined that the data communication should be started, to cause the power-receiving-side data communication unit to perform data communication with the power feeding apparatus, and turning off the power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when the data communication by the power-receiving side data communication unit with the power feeding apparatus ends.

6. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a power feeding program for causing a computer, being a power feeding apparatus which transmits a power feeding signal that feeds power, to a power receiving apparatus, and which comprises a power-feeding-side storage unit storing identification information which identifies the power receiving apparatus, the identification information being related to time information which specifies a start time at which data communication with the power receiving apparatus should be started, to execute:

a process of determining whether the start time specified by the time information is reached;

a process of, if it is determined that the start time is reached, determining a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously, as a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal corresponding to the identification information, the transmission pattern being used to cause the power receiving apparatus which receives the power feeding signal, to determine whether or not the data communication should be started, and

a process of transmitting the power feeding signal with the determined transmission pattern.

7. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a power source management program for causing a computer, being a power receiving apparatus including

a power-receiving-side data communication unit which performs data communication with a power feeding apparatus which transmits a power feeding signal that feeds power, and

a power-receiving-side storage unit which stores, as determinative information used for determining whether or not data communication with the power feeding apparatus should be started, collation information to be collated with pattern information indicating a transmission pattern of the power feeding signal, to execute:

a process of storing, in the power-receiving-side storage unit, at least either one piece of information out of information of a power transmission period being a period during which the power feeding signal is transmitted continuously and information of propagation characteristics of a radio wave received as the power feeding signal, as the collation information;

a process of detecting the pattern information of the power feeding signal;

when the power feeding signal is received, comparing the detected pattern information and the collation information with each other; and

determining that the data communication should be started if, as a result of comparison, the pattern information represents the collation information; and

a process of turning on a power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when it is determined that the data communication should be started, to cause the power-receiving-side data communication unit to perform data communication with the power feeding apparatus, and turning off the power source of the power-receiving-side data communication unit when the data communication by the power-receiving side data communication unit with the power feeding apparatus ends.