SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR CHARGING MULTIPLE POWER RECEIVERS IN A WIRELESS CHARGING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20140285145A1
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Patro, Ranjeet Kumar, Arunan, Thenmozhi
• Granted Patent: US 9,698,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A wireless power charging system and a method thereof are provided. The system includes a power transmitter configured to charge one or more power receivers. The power transmitter includes a signal and control unit configured to detect the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter, transmit a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers, and determine whether a response is received from each of the one or more power receivers. The power transmitter further includes a regulator unit connected to the signal and control unit configured to modulate an amount of radiation to be transmitted based on the number of power receivers that provided a response and a power conversion unit connected to the regulator unit transmitting energy radiation to charge the one or more power receivers.

Claims

1. A method of charging one or more power receivers in a wireless charging environment, the method comprising:

detecting the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter;

broadcasting a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers;

receiving a response for the request from the each of the one or more power receivers;

transmitting a unicast confirmation to the one or more power receivers on receiving the response; and

transmitting radiation to charge at least one of the one or more power receivers on receiving an acknowledgement from the one or more power receivers in response to the unicast confirmation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the response to the request of discovering includes a random id associated with each of the one or more power receivers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unicast confirmation comprises a device id and a random id associated with each of the one or more power receivers.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a threshold response time to receive the response from the one or more power receivers.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the assigning of the threshold response time for the one or more power receivers comprises:

asserting a number of power receivers placed on a charging pad, a history of threshold response time values and device discovery results.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the response comprising the random id is received within a threshold response time.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

extracting a random id from the response associated with the each of the one or more power receivers and

assigning a unique device id to each receiver by performing a one-to-one mapping of the random id with the unique device id.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the radiation to charge at least one of the one or more power receivers comprises:

initiating power transfer to the one or more power receivers on receiving the acknowledgement.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving responses from the one or more power receivers with identical random ids; and

retransmitting the request for discovering the one or more power receivers.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reconfiguring the threshold response time assigned to the one or more power receivers based on a history of threshold response time values set by the power transmitter and associated device discovery results.

11. A method of charging one or more power receivers in a wireless charging environment, the method comprising:

detecting the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter;

broadcasting a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers;

determining that a response from the one or more power receivers is not received within a threshold response time; and

retransmitting the request for discovering the one or more power receivers.

12. A method of charging one or more power receivers in a wireless charging environment, the method comprising:

detecting the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter;

broadcasting a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers;

determining that there is no response from the one or more power receivers after a predetermined number of attempts of broadcasting the request for discovering the request; and

aborting discover of the one or more power receivers by determining the one or more power receivers as a foreign device.

13. A wireless power charging method comprising:

receiving a device discovery request from a power transmitter;

sending a response to the request within a threshold response time, the response comprising a random id to facilitate device discovery;

transmitting an acknowledgement on receiving device discovery confirmation from the power transmitter; and

converting radiation from the power transmitter to an electric current for charging an energy storage device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining a waiting time for sending the response to the device discovery request, wherein the waiting time for sending the response is less than the threshold response time assigned by the power transmitter.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining the random id to be provided in the response to the power transmitter.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

extracting a unique device id from the device discovery confirmation provided by the power transmitter.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the acknowledgement comprises the random id, and a unique device id.

18. A wireless power charging system comprising:

a power transmitter configured to charge one or more power receivers, comprising;

a signal and control unit configured to;

detect the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter;

transmit a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers; and

determine whether a response is received from each of the one or more power receivers within a threshold response time;

a regulator unit connected to the signal and control unit configured to regulate an amount of radiation to be transmitted based on the number of power receivers that provided a response; and

a power conversion unit connected to the regulator unit configured to transmit energy radiations to charge the one or more power receivers.

19. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

transmit a unicast confirmation to the one or more power receivers after receiving the response, wherein the unicast confirmation comprises the device id and the random id associated with each of the one or more power receivers.

20. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the signal and control unit further is configured to:

receive an acknowledgement from the one or more power receivers in response to the unicast confirmation.

21. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 20, wherein the signal and control unit further is configured to:

initiate power transfer to the one or more power receivers on receiving the acknowledgement.

22. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

receive responses from the one or more power receivers with identical random ids; and

retransmit the request for discovering the one or more power receivers.

23. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

assign the threshold response time to receive the response from the power receiver.

24. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 23, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

assert a number of power receivers placed on a charging pad, a history of threshold response time values and device discovery results.

25. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 23, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

reconfigure the threshold response time assigned to the one or more power receivers based on a previously set threshold response time value and device discovery results.

26. The wireless power charging system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

extract the random id from the response associated with the each of the one or more power receivers; and

assign a unique device id for each of the one or more power receivers.

27. A wireless power charging system comprising:

a power transmitter configured to charge one or more power receivers, the power transmitter comprising;

a signal and control unit configured to;

detect the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter;

transmit a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers;

determine that there is no response from the one or more power receivers within a threshold response time; and

retransmit the request for discovering the one or more power receivers;

a regulator unit connected to the signal and control unit configured to regulate an amount of radiation to be transmitted based on the number of power receivers that provided a response; and

a power conversion unit connected to the regulator unit configured to transmit energy radiations to charge the one or more power receivers.

28. A wireless power charging system comprising:

a power transmitter configured to charge one or more power receivers, the power transmitter comprising;

a signal and control unit configured to;

detect the one or more power receivers present within a radio frequency range of a power transmitter;

transmit a request for discovering each of the one or more power receivers;

determine that there is no response from the one or more power receivers after a predetermined number of attempts of transmitting the request and

abort discovery of the one or more power receivers by determining the one or more power receivers as a foreign device;

a regulator unit connected to the signal and control unit configured to regulate an amount of radiation to be transmitted based on the number of power receivers that provided a response; and

a power conversion unit connected to the regulator unit configured to transmit energy radiations to charge the one or more power receivers.

29. A wireless power charging system comprising:

a power transmitter configured to transmit energy radiation;

one or more power receivers connected to the power transmitter configured to receive the energy radiation, the one more power receivers comprising;

a signal and control unit configured to;

receive a device discovery request from the power transmitter;

send a response to the request, the response comprising a random id; and

transmit an acknowledgement of receiving a device discovery confirmation from the power transmitter;

a power pickup unit connected to the signal and control unit configured to convert the energy radiations from the power transmitter to an electric current or charge; and

an energy storage unit connected to the power pickup unit configured to store the charge.

30. The wireless power charging system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

determine a waiting time for sending the response to the device discovery request, wherein the waiting time for sending the response is less than a threshold response time assigned by the power transmitter.

31. The wireless power charging system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

determine a random id to be provided in response to the power transmitter.

32. The wireless power charging system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the signal and control unit is further configured to:

extract a unique device id from the device discovery confirmation provided by the power transmitter.

33. The wireless power charging system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the acknowledgement comprises the random id, and a unique device id.