POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS CONFIGURED TO CARRY OUT WIRELESS POWER SUPPLY

• US 20160087690A1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,374,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit configured to wirelessly supply power to an electronic apparatus, a communication unit configured to transmit, to the electronic apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object, and a control unit configured to cause the communication unit to transmit the information to the electronic apparatus before outputting of predetermined power to the electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit configured to wirelessly supply power to an electronic apparatus;

a communication unit configured to transmit, to the electronic apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object; and

a control unit configured to cause the communication unit to transmit the information to the electronic apparatus before outputting predetermined power to the electronic apparatus.

2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit determines whether to perform the foreign object detection process according to a magnitude of the predetermined power,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if it is determined to perform the foreign object detection process, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if it is determined not to perform the foreign object detection process.

3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if the predetermined power is higher than a first value, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if the predetermined power is the first value or lower.

4. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit determines whether to perform the foreign object detection process according to a length of a predetermined time during which the power supply unit outputs the predetermined power,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if the control unit determines to perform the foreign object detection process, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if the control unit determines not to perform the foreign object detection process.

5. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if a predetermined time during which the power supply unit outputs the predetermined power is a second value or longer, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if the predetermined time is not the second value or longer.

6. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit determines whether to perform the foreign object detection process according to a remaining capacity of a battery connected to the electronic apparatus,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if the control unit determines to perform the foreign object detection process, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if the control unit determines not to perform the foreign object detection process.

7. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if a remaining capacity of a battery connected to the electronic apparatus is a third value or larger, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if the remaining capacity is not the third value or larger.

8. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit determines whether to perform the foreign object detection process according to a magnitude of power requested from the electronic apparatus,

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process if the control unit determines to perform the foreign object detection process, and

wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit information indicating not to perform the foreign object detection process if the control unit determines not to perform the foreign object detection process.

9. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the foreign object detection process with use of data regarding reflection of the power output from the power supply unit.

10. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the foreign object detection process with use of data regarding an electric current flowing in the power supply unit.

11. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the power supply unit to start outputting the predetermined power according to non-detection of the foreign object if the foreign object detection process is performed.

12. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs process for limiting the power output from the power supply unit according to detection of the foreign object if the foreign object detection process is performed.

13. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs process for reducing the power output from the power supply unit according to detection of the foreign object if the foreign object detection process is performed.

14. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process, which is transmitted to the electronic apparatus by the communication unit, includes information indicating a time for performing the foreign object detection process.

15. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process, which is transmitted to the electronic apparatus by the communication unit, includes information indicating a method for detecting the foreign object.

16. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a power reception unit configured to wirelessly receive power from a power supply apparatus;

a communication unit configured to receive, from the power supply apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object; and

a control unit configured to limit a load of the electronic apparatus until a detection time, during which the power supply apparatus performs the foreign object detection process, has elapsed, after the communication unit receives, from the power supply apparatus, information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process.

17. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a power reception unit configured to wirelessly receive power from a power supply apparatus;

a communication unit configured to receive, from the power supply apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object; and

a control unit configured to limit an electric current flowing in the electronic apparatus until a detection time, during which the power supply apparatus performs the foreign object detection process, has elapsed, after the communication unit receives, from the power supply apparatus, information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process.

18. A method for controlling a power supply apparatus, the method comprising:

supplying power wirelessly to an electronic apparatus;

transmitting, to the electronic apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object; and

performing control so as to cause the information to be transmitted to the electronic apparatus in the transmitting before outputting of predetermined power to the electronic apparatus.

19. A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving power wirelessly from a power supply apparatus;

performing communication so as to receive, from the power supply apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object from the power supply apparatus; and

performing control so as to limit a load of the electronic apparatus until a detection time, during which the power supply apparatus performs the foreign object detection process, has elapsed, after information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process is received from the power supply apparatus.

20. A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving power wirelessly from a power supply apparatus;

performing communication so as to receive, from the power supply apparatus, information indicating whether to perform a foreign object detection process for detecting a foreign object; and

performing control so as to limit an electric current flowing in the electronic apparatus until a detection time, during which the power supply apparatus performs the foreign object detection process, has elapsed, after information indicating to perform the foreign object detection process is received from the power supply apparatus.