POWER SUPPLY DEVICE, ADAPTER, POWER RECEIVING DEVICE, AND POWER SUPPLY METHOD

• US 20130314069A1
• Filed: 04/16/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: SUZUKI, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,712,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/318
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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: H02M 5/02 without intermediate conversion into dc

Abstract

There is provided a power supply device, including a connection state determiner that determines a connection state between an external power recipient device and a power line on which electric power is transmitted, a communication control unit that, in a case where the connection state determiner determines that the external power recipient device is connected to the power line, causes information related to power receiving capability corresponding to the external power recipient device to be acquired by wireless communication, a power receiving capability specifier that specifies the power receiving capability of the external power recipient device on the basis of the acquired information related to the power receiving capability, and a power control unit that causes electric power compatible with the external power recipient device to be transmitted on the basis of the specified power receiving capability.

Claims

1. A power supply device, comprising:

a connection state determiner that determines a connection state between an external power recipient device and a power line on which electric power is transmitted;

a communication control unit that, in a case where the connection state determiner determines that the external power recipient device is connected to the power line, causes information related to power receiving capability corresponding to the external power recipient device to be acquired by wireless communication;

a power receiving capability specifier that specifies the power receiving capability of the external power recipient device on the basis of the acquired information related to the power receiving capability; and

a power control unit that causes electric power compatible with the external power recipient device to be transmitted on the basis of the specified power receiving capability.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with an external device,

wherein the power receiving capability specifier specifies the power receiving capability of the external power recipient device on the basis of the information related to the power receiving capability acquired from the external power recipient device due to the wireless communication unit wirelessly communicating with the external power recipient device.

3. The power supply device according to claim 2,

wherein the wireless communication unit acquires the information related to the power receiving capability transmitted by load modulation conducted at the external power recipient device.

4. The power supply device according to claim 3,

wherein the wireless communication unit includes a communication antenna that transmits a carrier wave according to a high-frequency signal having a higher frequency than a frequency of the electric power, and a communication processor that transmits the high-frequency signal via the communication antenna and communicates with the external power recipient device.

5. The power supply device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a connecting unit that connects the power line to an external device,

wherein the communication antenna is disposed in a manner that the communication antenna surrounds the connecting unit.

6. The power supply device according to claim 5,

wherein a center position of the communication antenna is horizontally and/or vertically offset from a center position in the connecting unit.

7. The power supply device according to claim 1,

wherein the power receiving capability specifier specifies the power receiving capability of the external power recipient device on the basis of power receiving capability information indicating the power receiving capability of the external power recipient device, the power receiving capability information being the acquired information related to the power receiving capability.

8. The power supply device according to claim 1,

wherein the power receiving capability specifier specifies the external power recipient device on the basis of identification information indicating the external power recipient device, the identification information being the acquired information related to the power receiving capability, and specifies the power receiving capability corresponding to the specified external power recipient device.

9. The power supply device according to claim 1,

wherein the power control unit determines whether electric power supplied from a power source exceeds the specified power receiving capability, and

wherein, in a case where a determination result indicates that the power receiving capability is exceeded, the power control unit converts the electric power supplied from the power source into electric power that does not exceed the specified power receiving capability and causes the converted electric power to be transmitted, and, in a case where the determination result does not indicate that the power receiving capability is exceeded, the power control unit causes the electric power supplied from the power source to be transmitted.

10. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connecting unit that connects the power line to an external device,

wherein the connection state determiner determines a connection state between the power line and the external device at the connecting unit.

11. The power supply device according to claim 10,

wherein the connecting unit includes one or a plurality of first insertion slots that accept insertion of a power line connecting plug used for connecting to a power line, and one or a plurality of second insertion slots that accept insertion of a plug having a different shape from a shape of the power line connecting plug.

12. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notifier that issues a notification regarding a state of power transmission with respect to the external power recipient device.

13. The power supply device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a connecting unit that connects the power line to an external device,

wherein the notifier includes a light emitter, and a light guide panel, disposed in a manner that the light guide panel surrounds the connecting unit, that guides light produced by the light emitter and outputs the guided light from an illuminated face, and

wherein the notifier visually indicates the state of power transmission with respect to the external power recipient device with the light output from the light guide panel.

14. The power supply device according to claim 13,

wherein the light emitter is provided a distance away from the light guide panel, outward from an outer perimeter of the light guide panel.

15. The power supply device according to claim 13,

wherein the notifier further includes a rib member surrounding the light guide panel.

16. An adapter, comprising:

a connecting unit that connects to a power line on which electric power is transmitted;

an output unit that outputs the electric power transmitted from the power line; and

a wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a power supply device that transmits electric power, and transmits information related to power receiving capability.

17. The adapter according to claim 16,

wherein the connecting unit includes one or a plurality of power line connecting plugs used for connecting to the power line, and one or a plurality of plugs that restrict insertion of the power line connecting plugs into an external insertion slot that accept insertion of the power line connecting plugs.

18. The adapter according to claim 16, further comprising:

a storage unit that stores the information related to the power receiving capability,

wherein the wireless communication unit transmits the information related to the power receiving capability being stored in the storage unit.

19. A power receiving device, comprising:

a connecting unit that connects to a power line on which electric power is transmitted;

a storage unit that stores information related to power receiving capability;

a wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a power supply device that transmits electric power, and transmits the information related to the power receiving capability; and

an operating unit that operates on the electric power transmitted from the power line.

20. A power supply method, comprising:

determining a connection state between an external power recipient device and a power line on which electric power is transmitted;

causing, in a case of determining that the external power recipient device is connected to the power line, information related to power receiving capability corresponding to the external power recipient device to be acquired by wireless communication;

specifying the power receiving capability of the external power recipient device on the basis of the acquired information related to the power receiving capability; and

causing electric power compatible with the external power recipient device to be transmitted on the basis of the specified power receiving capability.