COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND FEEDER DEVICE

• US 20140248836A1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: WAKABAYASHI, Naoyuki, TSUJIMOTO, Norito
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A communication device includes a sensor, an antenna, and a notification component. The sensor is configured to detect magnetic field strength. The antenna is configured to generate a magnetic field. The antenna is further configured to communicate with a wireless device that is configured to generate a magnetic field during communication. The notification component is configured to notify a positional offset between the antenna and the wireless device based on output signal indicative of the magnetic field strength. The sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna such that an effect of the magnetic field generated by the antenna on the output signal is suppressed.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect magnetic field strength;

an antenna configured to generate a magnetic field, the antenna being further configured to communicate with a wireless device that is configured to generate a magnetic field during communication; and

a notification component configured to notify a positional offset between the antenna and the wireless device based on output signal indicative of the magnetic field strength,

the sensor being arranged with respect to the antenna such that an effect of the magnetic field generated by the antenna on the output signal is suppressed.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna such that the sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field strength in first and second regions, respectively, the magnetic field generated by the antenna having mutually opposite magnetic flux orientations in the first and second regions, respectively.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna such that the magnetic field strength detected in the first and second regions cancels out with respect to each other.

4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the magnetic field generated by the antenna has a larger strength in the second region than in the first region, and

the sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna such that detection of the magnetic field strength in the second region is suppressed more than detection of the magnetic field strength in the first region.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor includes a pickup coil.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the notification component is further configured to calculate a positional offset direction of the wireless device with respect to the antenna based on the output signal, the notification component being further configured to notify the positional offset direction of the wireless device.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the notification component is further configured to notify that there is no positional offset while the positional offset between the wireless device and the antenna is below a specific threshold based on the output signal.

8. A feeder device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect magnetic field strength;

a feeder element configured to generate a magnetic field, the feeder element being further configured to perform a non-contact electrical power transmission to a receiver element of a receiver device; and

a notification component configured to notify a positional offset between the feeder element and the receiver element based on output signal indicative of the magnetic field strength,

the sensor being arranged with respect to the feeder element such that an effect of the magnetic field generated by the feeder element on the output signal is suppressed.

9. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the feeder element such that the sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field strength in first and second regions, respectively, the magnetic field generated by the feeder element having mutually opposite magnetic flux orientations in the first and second regions, respectively.

10. The feeder device according to claim 9, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the feeder element such that the magnetic field strength detected in the first and second regions cancels out with respect to each other.

11. The feeder device according to claim 9, wherein

the magnetic field generated by the feeder element has a larger strength in the second region than in the first region, and

the sensor is arranged with respect to the feeder element such that detection of the magnetic field strength in the second region is suppressed more than detection of the magnetic field strength in the first region.

12. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the sensor includes a pickup coil.

13. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the notification component is further configured to calculate either one-dimensional or two-dimensional positional offset direction of the receiver element with respect to the feeder element based on the output signal, the notification component being further configured to notify the positional offset direction of the receiver element.

14. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the notification component is further configured to notify that there is no positional offset while the positional offset between the receiver element and the feeder element is below a specific threshold based on the output signal.