POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS, METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20120205988A1
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanabe, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,379,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection

Abstract

A power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit that outputs power to an electronic apparatus, and a control unit that determines whether a predetermined object is detected. The control unit controls the power supply unit to output power that is less than a predetermined value if the predetermined object is detected, and the predetermined object does not include a chargeable object.

Claims

1. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit that wirelessly outputs power to an electronic apparatus; and

a control unit that determines whether a predetermined object is detected based on at least one of first information and second information,

wherein the control unit controls the power supply unit to output power that is less than a predetermined value if the predetermined object is detected, the predetermined object does not include a chargeable object, the first information indicates a change of reflection corresponding to power outputted by the power supply unit, and the second information indicates power received by the electronic apparatus from the power supply apparatus.

2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the power supply unit such that power output by the power supply unit is not less than the predetermined value if the predetermined object is not detected.

3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature detector, wherein the control unit controls the power supply unit such that power output by the power supply unit is less than the predetermined value if a temperature detected by the temperature detector is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature.

4. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs a process for resonating between the power supply apparatus and the electronic apparatus by using a predetermined frequency.

5. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes a change of voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) and the control unit determines that the predetermined object is detected if the change of VSWR is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value.

6. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second information includes a predetermined efficiency, wherein the control unit determines that the predetermined object is detected if the predetermined efficiency is less than a second predetermined value, and wherein the predetermined efficiency is calculated by using power received by the electronic apparatus and power outputted by the power supply unit.

7. The power supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second predetermined value is set based on an operation performed by the electronic apparatus.

8. The power supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second predetermined value is set based on a position of the electronic apparatus.

9. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether the predetermined object is detected based on third information for identifying the electronic apparatus.

10. The power supply apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit determines that the predetermined object is detected if it is determined that the electronic apparatus is not a predetermined apparatus by using the third information, and the predetermined apparatus includes a unit that charges a battery.

11. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes a change of voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), the second information includes a predetermined efficiency, the predetermined efficiency is calculated by using power received by the electronic apparatus and power outputted by the power supply unit, and the control unit does not determine that the predetermined object is detected if the change of VSWR is less than a first predetermined value and the predetermined efficiency is not less than a second predetermined value.

12. The power supply apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit determines that the predetermined object is detected if the change of VSWR is less than the first predetermined value and the predetermined efficiency is less than the second predetermined value.

13. The power supply apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit determines that the predetermined object is detected if the change of VSWR is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and the predetermined efficiency is not less than the second predetermined value.

14. The power supply apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second predetermined value is set based on an operation performed by the electronic apparatus.

15. The power supply apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second predetermined value is set based on a position of the electronic apparatus.

16. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes a change of standing wave ration (SWR), and the control unit determines that the predetermined object is detected if the change of SWR is greater than or equal to a third predetermined value.

17. A method for controlling a power supply apparatus, the power supply apparatus including a power supply unit that wirelessly outputs power to an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

determining whether a predetermined object is detected based on at least one of first information and second information; and

outputting power that is less than a predetermined value if the predetermined object is detected, wherein the predetermined object does not include a chargeable object, and the first information indicates a change of reflection corresponding to power outputted by the power supply unit, and the second information indicates power received by the electronic apparatus from the power supply apparatus.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program executed by a computer to perform a method for controlling a power supply apparatus, the power supply apparatus including a power supply unit that wirelessly outputs power to an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

determining whether a predetermined object is detected based on at least one of first information and second information; and

outputting power that is less than a predetermined value if the predetermined object is detected, wherein the predetermined object does not include a chargeable object, and the first information indicates a change of reflection corresponding to power outputted by the power supply unit, and the second information indicates power received by the electronic apparatus from the power supply apparatus.