Apparatus for handling change in orientation of terminal during wireless power transfer and method thereof

• US 10,574,300 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Kihyun, Park, Jinmoo, Chu, Inchang, Seo, Jeongkyo, Lee, Jaesung
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warmflash, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/606,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A wireless power transmitter for transmitting power by wireless to a terminal includes a power conversion unit and a power transmission control unit. The power conversion unit forms a wireless power signal for wireless power transfer using power supplied from a power supply unit. The power transmission control unit regulates a characteristic of the supplied power, based on orientation information of the terminal. A terminal includes a power receiving unit and a control unit. The power receiving unit receives a wireless power signal formed by a wireless power transmitter. The control unit detects whether or not an orientation of the terminal is changed while the wireless power signal is received, and transmits a control message for power regulation to the wireless power transmitter when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter for transmitting power by wireless to a terminal, comprising:

a power conversion unit configured to form a wireless power signal for wireless power transfer using power supplied from a power supply unit; and

a power transmission control unit configured to regulate a characteristic of the supplied power by selecting one of inductive coupling or electromagnetic resonance coupling, based on orientation information of the terminal,

wherein the orientation information includes a change of the orientation information based on a relative direction of the terminal with respect to a reference location.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the supplied power is regulated so that a power transmission speed is increased, and

wherein the power transmission speed is changed from general charging to rapid charging, by controlling functions being executed on the terminal to enter into a dormant state when an orientation of the terminal is not changed to be crossed.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the one of the inductive coupling or the electromagnetic resonance coupling is selected, based on a distance between the wireless power transmitter and the terminal.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the power transmission control unit detects an orientation of the terminal, based on a change in the power for forming the wireless power signal.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to perform data communication with the terminal,

wherein the power transmission control unit receives the orientation information through the communication unit.

6. A terminal comprising:

a power receiving unit configured to receive a wireless power signal formed by a wireless power transmitter in a wireless power transmission method; and

a control unit configured to detect whether or not an orientation of the terminal is changed, and transmit a control message for power regulation to the wireless power transmitter when the orientation of the terminal is detected,

wherein the wireless power signal is received in the wireless power transmission method selected among inductive coupling or electromagnetic resonance coupling, based on orientation information of the terminal, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to detect whether or not the orientation of the terminal is changed based on a relative direction of the terminal with respect to a reference location.

7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the wireless power signal is received in the wireless power transmission method selected among the inductive coupling or the electromagnetic resonance coupling, based on a distance between the wireless power transmitter and the terminal.

8. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the control message for power regulation is a message that requests the wireless power transmitter to convert the power transmission method.

9. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the control message for power regulation is a message that requests the wireless power transmitter to change the power transmission speed of the wireless power signal.

10. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the control unit determines the power transmission speed, based on the changed orientation of the terminal, and changes a power transmission speed from general charging to rapid charging, by controlling functions being executed on the terminal to enter into a dormant state when an orientation of the terminal is not changed to be crossed.

11. The terminal of claim 6, wherein when the change of the orientation of the terminal is detected, the control unit controls the terminal to output information on the transmitted power.

12. The terminal of claim 6, wherein when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected, and a strength of the wireless power signal is smaller than a threshold value, the control unit visually or auditorily notifies that the orientation of the terminal has been changed.

13. The terminal of claim 6, wherein when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected, the control unit executes a predetermined program.

14. The terminal of claim 6, wherein when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected, the control unit changes a configuration, based on the changed orientation of the terminal.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the orientation of the terminal represents a direction of the terminal placed on an interface surface of the wireless power transmitter, and the direction of the terminal is determined based on whether the direction of the terminal is a relative direction of a main body of the terminal with respect to the reference location on the interface surface or a direction in which the main body of the terminal views the interface surface.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the control unit detects the change in the orientation of the terminal by detecting whether the direction of the main body of the terminal is changed between portrait and landscape directions or whether a surface viewing the interface surface is changed between top and bottom sides of the main body of the terminal.

17. The terminal of claim 14, wherein when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected, the control unit changes the configuration so that a sound signal is output to a speaker.

18. The terminal of claim 14, wherein when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected during receiving of a call signal, the control unit receives the call signal and changes the configuration so that a sound signal is output to a speaker.

19. The terminal of claim 14, wherein when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected during receiving of a call signal, the control unit receives the call and transmits voice data to another terminal receiving the call, or does not receive the call but transmits text data to another terminal receiving the call.

20. A method of transmitting power in wireless manner to a terminal, the method comprising:

selecting a wireless power transmission method including inductive coupling or electromagnetic resonance coupling, based on orientation information of the terminal; and

forming a wireless power signal for wireless power transfer in the selected wireless power transmission method using power supplied from a power supply unit,

wherein the orientation information includes a change of the orientation information based on a relative direction of the terminal with respect to a reference location.

21. A method of a terminal, comprising:

detecting an orientation of the terminal; and

transmitting a control message for power regulation to the wireless power transmitter when the orientation of the terminal is detected,

wherein the wireless power signal is received in the wireless power transmission method selected among inductive coupling or electromagnetic resonance coupling, based on the orientation information of the terminal, and

wherein the orientation information includes a change of the orientation information based on a relative direction of the terminal with respect to a reference location.