Power transmission apparatus, control method for power transmission apparatus, and program

• US 10,601,260 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shiao, David A
• Application Number:
  US15/321,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20170155284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 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 50/60 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A power transmission apparatus transmitting power to a power reception apparatus and communicating with the power reception apparatus by applying a communication method which allows communication in a wider communication range than a power transmittable range includes a reception unit which receives a notification signal for notifying the existence of a power reception apparatus by applying the communication method, an instruction unit which instructs a power reception apparatus having transmitted the notification signal to change a load impedance consuming received power, a determination unit which determines that the source power reception apparatus has changed the load impedance in accordance with the instruction, and a wireless power transfer unit which wirelessly transfers power to the power reception apparatus if the determination unit determines that the source power reception apparatus has changed the load impedance in accordance with the instruction.

Claims

1. A power transmission apparatus comprising:

a power transmission antenna configured to perform wireless power transmission to a power reception apparatus;

a communication antenna configured to communicate with the power reception apparatus; and

one or more processors configured to cause the power transmission apparatus to;

receive a signal from the power reception apparatus using the communication antenna;

instruct the power reception apparatus to change an impedance of the power reception apparatus using the communication antenna;

determine whether the power reception apparatus changes the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to an instruction in the instructing the power reception apparatus to change the impedance of the power reception apparatus; and

control the power transmission antenna so that the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus is suppressed, based on determining that the power reception apparatus does not change the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to the instruction,

wherein, in a case where the power transmission apparatus receives signals from the power reception apparatus and another power reception apparatus, the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus to;

instruct respectively the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus to change their respective impedances, wherein an instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation to change its respective impedance to a first value, and an instruction to said another power reception apparatus comprises designation to change its respective impedance to a second value, the second value being different from the first value, and

control the power transmission antenna so that the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus is respectively suppressed based on determining that each of the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus does not change its respective impedance according to the respective instructions.

2. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation of a period for changing the impedance of the power reception apparatus.

3. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation of a length of a period for changing the impedance of the power reception apparatus.

4. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation of a starting time for changing the impedance of the power reception apparatus.

5. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power reception apparatus has an antenna for receiving power transmitted thereto;

and

wherein the instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation of a change of the value of the impedance of the antenna of the power reception apparatus.

6. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation of a first length of a period for changing the impedance of the power reception apparatus, and

wherein the instruction to said another power reception apparatus comprises designation of a second length of a period for changing the impedance of said another power reception apparatus, the second length being different from the first length.

7. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation of a first starting time for changing the impedance of the power reception apparatus, and

wherein the instruction to said another power reception apparatus comprises designation of a second starting time for changing the impedance of said another power reception apparatus, the second starting time being different from the first starting time.

8. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a period of time from reception of the signal to an instruction given by the one or more processors is set.

9. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus to instruct the power reception apparatus to change an impedance a plurality of times.

10. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors further cause the power transmission apparatus to detect at least one of the voltage and the current input of the power transmission antenna after transmitting the instruction to the power reception apparatus.

11. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, in a case where the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus to determine that the power reception apparatus does not change the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to the instruction to power reception apparatus, the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus not to acquire, from the power reception apparatus, information related to an amount of power to be wirelessly transferred.

12. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus to determine whether the power reception apparatus changes the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to the instruction to the power reception apparatus, based on a detection result of at least one of a voltage and a current of the power transmission antenna.

13. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors further cause the power transmission apparatus to:

acquire, from the power reception apparatus, information related to an amount of power to be wirelessly transmitted, based on determining that the power reception apparatus changes the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to the instruction to the power reception apparatus, and

control the power transmission antenna so that the power transmission antenna performs wireless power transmission, based on the information acquired from the power reception apparatus.

14. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus to instruct the power reception apparatus to change the impedance of the power reception apparatus so that an impedance of the power reception apparatus is larger than an impedance of the power reception apparatus before instructing the power reception apparatus to change the impedance of the power reception apparatus.

15. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors cause the power transmission apparatus to control the power transmission antenna so that, based on determining that a power reception apparatus from among the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus does not change its respective impedance according to its respective instruction and that a power reception apparatus from among the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus changes its respective impedance according to its respective instruction, the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus determined to not change its respective impedance is suppressed and the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus determined to change its respective impedance is performed based on information obtained from the power reception apparatus determined to change its respective impedance.

16. A control method for a power transmission apparatus, the power transmission apparatus including a power transmission antenna configured to wirelessly transmit power to a power reception apparatus and a communication antenna configured to communicate with the power reception apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the power reception apparatus using the communication antenna;

instructing the power reception apparatus to change an impedance of the power reception apparatus using the communication antenna;

determining whether the power reception apparatus changes the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to an instruction in the instructing, and

controlling the power transmission antenna so that the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus is suppressed, based on determining that the power reception apparatus does not change the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to the instruction,

wherein, in a case where the power transmission apparatus receives signals from the power reception apparatus and another power reception apparatus,

instructing respectively the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus to change their respective impedances, wherein an instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation to change its respective impedance to a first value, and an instruction to said another power reception apparatus comprises designation to change its respective impedance to a second value, the second value being different from the first value, and

controlling the power transmission antenna so that the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus is respectively suppressed based on determining that each of the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus does not change its respective impedance according to the respective instructions.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes a computer to execute a control method for a power transmission apparatus, the power transmission apparatus including a power transmission antenna configured to wirelessly transmit power to a power reception apparatus and a communication antenna configured to communicate with the power reception apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the power reception apparatus using the communication antenna;

instructing the power reception apparatus to change an impedance of the power reception apparatus using the communication antenna;

determining whether the power reception apparatus changes the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to an instruction in the instructing, and

controlling the power transmission antenna so that the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus is suppressed, based on determining that the power reception apparatus does not change the impedance of the power reception apparatus according to the instruction,

wherein, in a case where the power transmission apparatus receives signals from the power reception apparatus and another power reception apparatus,

instructing respectively the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus to change their respective impedances, wherein an instruction to the power reception apparatus comprises designation to change its respective impedance to a first value, and an instruction to said another power reception apparatus comprises designation to change its respective impedance to a second value, the second value being different from the first value, and

controlling the power transmission antenna so that the wireless power transmission to the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus is respectively suppressed based on determining that each of the power reception apparatus and said another power reception apparatus does not change its respective impedance according to the respective instructions.