WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF AS WELL AS PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CHARGING DEVICE

• US 20120249064A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nishino, Yu, Negishi, Hideki, Yamada, Hidekatsu
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless charging system and a control method thereof, as well as a portable electronic device and a charging device, all of which are capable of performing charging at an appropriate charging level. The wireless charging system includes: a battery charger 100; and a cellular telephone device 1. The cellular telephone device 1 includes: a plurality of power receiving units 10; a charging state monitoring unit 21; and a cellular telephone device side communication unit 14. The battery charger 100 includes: a plurality of power transmitting units 110 that transmit power to the cellular telephone device 1; a battery charger side communication unit 140; and a power transmission control unit 121 that controls transmission of power by the power transmitting units 110, based on a result of monitoring by the charging state monitoring unit 21.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system, comprising:

a charging device; and

a portable electronic device that charges a secondary battery by utilizing electromagnetic waves being output from the charging device,

wherein the portable electronic device includes;

a plurality of receiving units that receive the electromagnetic waves being output from the charging device;

a charging state monitoring unit that monitors a charging state of the secondary battery; and

a first communication unit that communicates with the charging device, and

wherein the charging device includes;

a plurality of output units that output the electromagnetic waves;

a second communication unit that communicates with the portable electronic device; and

an output control unit that controls an output from the output units, based on a result of monitoring by the charging state monitoring unit.

2. The wireless charging system according to claim 1,

wherein the charging device further includes a switching unit, and

wherein the output control unit controls that the switching unit switches an output from the output units.

3. The wireless charging system according to claim 2,

wherein the output control unit controls that the switching unit switches sequentially the plurality of output units, and

wherein the charging state monitoring unit monitors a charging state, corresponding to how the switching unit is controlled by the output control unit, thereby identifying the output units that output electromagnetic waves.

4. The wireless charging system according to claim 3, wherein the output control unit controls that the switching unit switches sequentially the plurality of output units that periodically perform an output.

5. The wireless charging system according to claim 1, wherein the output control unit controls an output from the output units, in accordance with a result of monitoring each charging state received from a plurality of the portable electronic devices.

6. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a plurality of receiving units that receive electromagnetic waves being output from a charging device;

a secondary battery that is charged by utilizing the electromagnetic waves received by the receiving unit;

a charging state monitoring unit that monitors a charging state of the secondary battery; and

an instructing unit that gives an instruction for controlling the electromagnetic waves being output from the charging device, based on a result of monitoring by the charging state monitoring unit; and

a communication unit that transmits the instruction from the instructing unit to the charging device.

7. A charging device, comprising:

a plurality of output units that output electromagnetic waves to a portable electronic device for charging a secondary battery of the portable electronic device;

a communication unit that communicates with the portable electronic device; and

an output control unit that controls the electromagnetic waves being output from the output units, based on a monitoring result of a charging state of the secondary battery received via the communication unit.

8. A method for controlling a wireless charging system that includes:

a charging device that outputs electromagnetic waves from an output unit; and

a portable electronic device that wirelessly receives the electromagnetic waves being output from the charging device, for charging a secondary battery,

a receiving step of receiving the electromagnetic waves being output from the charging device;

a charging status monitoring step of monitoring a charging state of the secondary battery that is being charged by utilizing the electromagnetic waves received in the receiving step; and

a first communication step of transmitting a signal to the charging device, based on a result of monitoring in the charging status monitoring step, and

wherein the charging device includes;

an outputting step of transmitting the electromagnetic waves to the portable electronic device;

a second communication step of receiving the signal transmitted in the first communication step; and

an output controlling step of controlling an output by the outputting step, based on the result of monitoring in the charging status monitoring step.