METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING COUPLING REGION

• US 20150022012A1
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Nam Yun, KWON, Sang Wook, KIM, Dong Zo, PARK, Jae Hyun, SONG, Keum Su, SHIM, Dal Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/320,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022012A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 50/80 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: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/285 taking into account the mobility of the user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus to detect a coupling region in a wireless power transmission and reception system are provided. To detect a coupling region, a wireless power transmission apparatus receives state information of a wireless power reception apparatus, calculates a variation in the state information due to movement of the wireless power reception apparatus, and generates coupling region update information of the wireless power reception apparatus, based on the variation. The receiving, the calculating, and the generating are repeatedly performed.

Claims

1. A method of a wireless power transmission apparatus, the method comprising:

calculating a variation in state information due to movement of a wireless power reception apparatus; and

generating coupling region update information of the wireless power reception apparatus based on the variation repeatedly performing the calculating and the generating.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving wireless power from another wireless power transmission apparatus; and

transmitting the received wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the generated coupling region update information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the outputting comprises outputting the coupling region update information using one of a visual scheme, a tactile scheme, and an auditory scheme.

5. The operation method of claim 1, wherein the state information comprises at least one of an impedance, received power, received voltage, and received current.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the generated coupling region update information to the wireless power reception apparatus,

wherein the wireless power reception apparatus provides a user with the coupling region update information using one of a visual scheme, a tactile scheme, and an auditory scheme.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling a switching circuit based on the generated coupling region update information,

wherein the wireless power transmission apparatus comprises;

two resonators separated from each other; and

the switching circuit configured to switch the two resonators.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the repeatedly performing further comprises:

updating the coupling region update information to continue based on a current position of the wireless power reception apparatus.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to control a processor to perform the method of claim 1.

12. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

two resonators separated from each other;

a switching circuit configured to switch the two resonators; and

a controller configured to control the switching circuit based on the generated coupling region update information.

13. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an output unit configured to output the generated coupling region update information.

14. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 13, wherein the output unit outputs the coupling region update information using one of a visual scheme, a tactile scheme, and an auditory scheme.

15. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 12, wherein the state information comprises at least one of an impedance, received power, received voltage, and received current.

16. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a reflected wave of communication power or charging power, and detect mismatching between a target resonator the wireless power reception apparatus and a source resonator in the wireless power transmission apparatus based on the detected reflected wave from the source resonator;

and

a matching network configured to compensate for impedance mismatching between the source resonator and the target resonator to be optimally matched.

17. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to induce at least one of a source resonator in the wireless power transmission apparatus and a target resonator in a wireless power reception apparatus to be repositioned so that the source resonator and the target resonator are aligned to enable maximum magnetic resonance.

10. A wireless power transmission apparatus, comprising:

a calculation unit configured to calculate a variation in state information due to movement of a wireless power reception apparatus;

an information generator configured to generate coupling region update information of the wireless power reception apparatus, based on the variation; and

a processor configured to process and direct each of the calculation unit and the information generator to repeatedly calculate the variation in the state information and generate the coupling region update information.

11. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive state information of a wireless power reception apparatus.

18. A wireless power reception apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit state information to a wireless power transmission apparatus, and to receive coupling region update information from the wireless power transmission apparatus; and

an output unit configured to output the coupling region update information,

wherein the coupling region update information is generated based on a variation in the state information due to movement of the wireless power reception apparatus.

19. The wireless power reception apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a resonator configured to receive wireless power from the wireless power transmission apparatus, wherein the output unit outputs the coupling region update information, as feedback, to a user using one of a visual scheme, a tactile scheme, and an auditory scheme.

20. The wireless power reception apparatus of claim 18, wherein the state information comprises at least one of impedance, received power, received voltage, and received current.