WIRELESS CHARGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20150028802A1
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wit Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: LEE, Gye Won, LIM, Hyun Keun
• Granted Patent: US 9,472,972 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection

Abstract

A wireless charging device may include: a sensor unit sensing an input from an external device and generating a wake-up signal; a control unit, upon receiving the wake-up signal, exiting from a sleep mode to enter an active mode, and generating an activation signal; a detection unit receiving the activation signal from the control unit to detect a mobile terminal; and a power supply unit, in the case that the detection unit detects the mobile terminal, supplying power to the mobile terminal wirelessly.

Claims

1. A wireless charging device, comprising:

a sensor unit sensing an input from an external device and generating a wake-up signal;

a control unit, upon receiving the wake-up signal, exiting from a sleep mode to enter an active mode, and generating an activation signal;

a detection unit receiving the activation signal from the control unit to detect a mobile terminal; and

a power supply unit, in the case that the detection unit detects the mobile terminal, supplying power to the mobile terminal wirelessly.

2. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes a detection coil detecting the mobile terminal.

3. The wireless charging device of claim 2, wherein the detection unit applies a reference current to the detection coil to thereby detect a change in impedance.

4. The wireless charging device of claim 3, wherein the detection unit applies a current having a level higher than that of the reference current to the detection coil if no change in impedance is detected.

5. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit receives alternating current voltage from an external power source to be supplied to the mobile terminal or converts it into direct current voltage to be supplied to the mobile terminal.

6. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a piezoelectric sensor module sensing pressure applied by the mobile terminal to generate the wake-up signal, and

the control unit receives the wake-up signal so as to exit the sleep mode to enter the active mode.

7. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a magnetic sensor module sensing magnetic force generated by the mobile terminal to generate the wake-up signal, and

the control unit receives the wake-up signal so as to exit the sleep mode to enter the active mode.

8. The wireless charging device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a touch sensor module sensing a touch input from the mobile terminal to generate the wake-up signal, and

the control unit receives the wake-up signal so as to exit the sleep mode to enter the active mode.

9. The wireless charging power of claim 1, further comprising a display unit displaying a current charging state of the mobile terminal thereon.

10. The wireless charging power of claim 1, wherein the power is supplied to the mobile terminal in a magnetic induction manner or in a magnetic resonance manner.

11. A method for controlling a wireless charging device, comprising:

sensing, by a sensor unit, an input from an external device to generate a wake-up signal;

upon receiving the wake-up signal, by a control unit, exiting from a sleep mode to enter an active mode, and generating an activation signal;

receiving, by a detection unit, the activation signal and detecting a mobile terminal; and

supplying power to the mobile terminal wirelessly if the mobile terminal is detected.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the mobile terminal includes:

applying a reference current to a detection coil to detect a change in impedance; and

applying a current having a level higher than that of the reference current to the detection coil if no change in impedance is detected to detect a change in impedance.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensing of the input from the external device to generate the wake-up signal includes:

sensing, by the sensor module, pressure applied by the mobile terminal using a piezoelectric sensor module;

generating the wake-up signal if the pressure applied by the mobile terminal is sensed; and

providing the wake-up signal to the control unit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensing of the input from the external device to generate the wake-up signal includes:

sensing, by the sensor module, magnetic force generated by the mobile terminal using a magnetic sensor module;

generating the wake-up signal if the magnetic force generated by the mobile terminal is sensed; and

providing the wake-up signal to the control unit.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensing of the input from the external device to generate the wake-up signal includes:

sensing, by the sensor module, a touch input from the mobile terminal using a touch sensor module;

generating the wake-up signal if the touch input from the mobile terminal is sensed; and

providing the wake-up signal to the control unit.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the supplying of the power to the mobile terminal wirelessly includes supplying the power to the mobile terminal in a magnetic induction manner or supplying the power to the mobile terminal in a magnetic resonance manner.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a current charging state of the mobile terminal on a screen.