ENERGY CHARGING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20160064946A1
• Filed: 08/03/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: CHO, In Kui, KIM, Seong Min, MOON, Jung Ick, YUN, Je Hoon, BYUN, Woo Jin, CHOI, Hyung Do
• Granted Patent: US 10,122,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Provided is an energy charging apparatus including a transponder configured to transmit and receive radio energy, and a resonator configured to transmit the radio energy transmitted from the transponder to at least one external device and transmit the radio energy received from the at least one external device to the transponder, wherein each of the transponder and the resonator is provided in a form of a single module.

Claims

1. An energy charging apparatus comprising:

a transponder configured to transmit and receive radio energy; and

a resonator configured to transmit the radio energy transmitted from the transponder to at least one external device and transmit the radio energy received from the at least one external device to the transponder,

wherein each of the transponder and the resonator is provided in a form of a single module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transponder comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit the radio energy to the resonator;

a receiver configured to receive the radio energy from the resonator; and

a transponder switch configured to selectively connect the resonator with one of the transmitter and the receiver so as to switch the transponder to one of a transmitting module and a receiving module.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transmitter comprises:

a controller configured to control a control signal and a communication signal of the transmitter;

a high frequency transmitter configured to transmit high frequency radio energy to the resonator based on a magnetic resonance scheme;

a low frequency transmitter configured to transmit low frequency radio energy to the resonator based on a magnetic induction scheme; and

a mode changing switch configured to selectively connect the transponder with one of the high frequency transmitter and the low frequency transmitter, thereby performing a switching to one of a high frequency transmission mode and a low frequency transmission mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the high frequency transmitter comprises:

a signal generator configured to generate a signal for the high frequency radio energy;

a power amplifier configured to amplify the signal; and

an impedance matcher configured to control the amplified signal to match an output of the resonator.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the low frequency transmitter comprises:

a signal generator configured to generate a signal for the low frequency radio energy;

a power amplifier configured to amplify the signal; and

an impedance matcher configured to control the amplified signal to match an output of the resonator.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the receiver comprises:

a controller configured to control a control signal and a communication signal of the receiver;

a high frequency receiver configured to receive high frequency radio energy from the resonator based on a magnetic resonance scheme;

a low frequency receiver configured to receive low frequency radio energy from the resonator based on a magnetic induction scheme; and

a mode changing switch configured to selectively connect the transponder with one of the high frequency receiver and the low frequency receiver, thereby performing a switching to one of a high frequency reception mode and a low frequency reception mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the high frequency receiver comprises:

an impedance matcher configured to control a signal for the high frequency radio energy received from the resonator to match an output of the transponder; and

a rectifier configured to rectify the signal controlled to match the output as the radio energy.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the low frequency receiver comprises:

an impedance matcher configured to control a signal for the low frequency radio energy received from the resonator to match an output of the transponder; and

a rectifier configured to rectify the signal controlled to match the output as the radio energy.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery configured to store the radio energy.

10. An energy charging method comprising:

transmitting radio energy received from a transponder to at least one external device using a resonator; and

transmitting the radio energy received from the at least one external device to the transponder using the resonator,

wherein each of the transponder and the resonator is provided in a form of a single module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transponder comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit the radio energy to the resonator;

a receiver configured to receive the radio energy from the resonator; and

a transponder switch configured to selectively connect the resonator with one of the transmitter and the receiver so as to switch the transponder to one of a transmitting module and a receiving module.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting of the radio energy to the at least one external device comprises:

performing a switching to one of a high frequency transmission mode and a low frequency transmission mode by using a mode changing switch included in the transmitter;

transmitting high frequency radio energy to the at least one external device using the resonator based on a magnetic resonance scheme when a result of the switching corresponds to the high frequency transmission mode; and

transmitting low frequency radio energy to the at least one external device using the resonator based on a magnetic induction scheme when a result of the switching corresponds to the low frequency transmission mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting of the high frequency radio energy comprises:

generating a signal for the high frequency radio energy;

amplifying the signal; and

controlling the amplified signal to match an output of the resonator.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting of the low frequency radio energy comprises:

generating a signal for the low frequency radio energy;

amplifying the signal; and

controlling the amplified signal to match an output of the resonator.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting of the radio energy to the transponder comprises:

changing a mode to one of a high frequency transmission mode and a low frequency transmission mode by using a mode changing switch included in the receiver;

transmitting high frequency radio energy to the transponder using the resonator based on a magnetic resonance scheme when the mode is changed to the high frequency transmission mode; and

transmitting low frequency radio energy to the transponder using the resonator based on a magnetic induction scheme when the mode is changed to the low frequency transmission mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmitting of the high frequency radio energy comprises:

controlling a signal for the high frequency radio energy received from the resonator to match an output of the transponder; and

rectifying the controlled signal as the radio energy.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmitting of the low frequency radio energy comprises:

controlling a signal for the low frequency radio energy received from the resonator to match an output of the transponder; and

rectifying the controlled signal as the radio energy.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing the radio energy in a battery; and

transmitting the stored radio energy from the battery through the transponder and the resonator to at least one external device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a program comprising instructions to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 10.