METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESSLY CHARGING MULTIPLE WIRELESS POWER RECEIVERS

• US 20130221915A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Hee-Won, Kang, Noh-Gyoung, Bae, Tae-Han, Won, Eun-Tae, SON, Jae-Seung
• Granted Patent: US 9,444,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting wireless power to at least one wireless power receiver. The apparatus includes a communication unit that receives power management information from the at least one wireless power receiver, wherein the power management information includes a power capacity of each of the at least one wireless power receiver; and a controller that analyzes the power management information and determines whether an output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is greater than a total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter for transmitting wireless power to at least one wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a communication unit that receives power management information from each of the at least one wireless power receiver, wherein the power management information includes a power capacity of each of the at least one wireless power receiver; and

a controller that analyzes the power management information and determines whether an output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is greater than a total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a wireless power transmission unit that transmits the wireless power to the at least one wireless power receiver.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 2, wherein the controller controls the wireless power transmission unit to supply power to all of the at least one wireless power receiver, if the output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is greater than the total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 2, wherein the controller selects fewer than all of the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power, if the output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is less than the total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 4, wherein the controller controls the wireless power transmission unit to transmit to charging control signals to the selected wireless power receivers, and

wherein the charging control signals control the selected wireless power receivers to prepare to be charged.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 4, wherein the controller controls the wireless power transmission unit to transmit charging control signals to the non-selected wireless power receivers, and

wherein the charging control signals control the non-selected wireless power receivers to disable their charging functions.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 4, wherein the power management information further includes charging priority information of the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the controller determines a wireless power receiver having a top charging priority to receive the wireless power.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 7, wherein the controller controls the wireless power transmission unit to transmit wireless power charging control signals to the at least one wireless power receiver, other than the wireless power receiver having the top charging priority, and

wherein the charging control signals control the at least one wireless power receiver, other than the wireless power receiver having the top charging priority, to disable their charging functions.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 4, wherein the power management information further includes at least one of remaining battery power, charging count, consumption, battery capacity, and remaining battery power/capacity ratio, and

wherein the controller selects the fewer than all of the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power, based on the at least one of the remaining battery power, the charging count, the consumption, the battery capacity, and the remaining battery power/capacity ratio.

10. The wireless power transmitter of claim 9, wherein the controller selects the fewer than all of the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power, based on a remaining battery power order, based on a lower charging count order, based on a higher consumption order, based on a higher battery capacity order, or based on a lower remaining battery power/capacity order.

11. A method for transmitting, by a wireless power transmitter, wireless power to at least one wireless power receiver, the method comprising:

receiving power management information from each of the at least one wireless power receiver, wherein the power management information includes a power capacity of each of the at least one wireless power receiver; and

determining whether an output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is greater than a total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting the wireless power to all of the at least one wireless power receiver, if the output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is greater than the total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting fewer than all of the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power, if the output capacity of the wireless power transmitter is less than the total sum of the power capacities of the at least one wireless power receiver.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting charging control signals to the selected wireless power receivers,

wherein the charging control signals control the selected wireless power receivers to prepare to be charged.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the wireless power to the selected wireless power receivers.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting charging control signals to the non-selected wireless power receivers,

wherein the charging control signals control the non-selected wireless power receivers to disable their charging functions.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the power management information further includes charging priority information of the at least one wireless power receiver, and

wherein the method further comprises determining a wireless power receiver having a top charging priority to receive the wireless power.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting wireless power charging control signals to the at least one wireless power receiver, other than the wireless power receiver having the top charging priority,

wherein the charging control signals control the at least one wireless power receiver, other than the wireless power receiver having the top charging priority, to disable their charging functions.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the power management information further includes at least one of remaining battery power, charging count, consumption, battery capacity, and remaining battery power/capacity ratio, and

wherein selecting the fewer than all of the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power comprises determining the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power based on the at least one of the remaining battery power, charging count, consumption, battery capacity, and remaining battery power/capacity ratio.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power comprises determining the at least one wireless power receiver to receive the wireless power based on a lower remaining battery power order, based on a lower charging count order, based on a higher consumption order, based on a higher battery capacity order, or based on a lower remaining battery power/capacity order.