POWER FEEDING APPARATUS, POWER RECEIVING APPARATUS, POWER FEEDING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING POWER FEEDING

• US 20160164302A1
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Group Corp.
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Hiroaki, Terashima, Toru, Bunsen, Keigo, Kozakai, Osamu, Fujimaki, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,831,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03343 Arrangements at the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03878 Line equalisers; line build-out devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4917 using multilevel codes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A power feeding apparatus is provided. The power feeding apparatus includes a power feeding unit configured to supply electric power to a power receiving apparatus through a magnetic field; a measuring unit configured to measure an electric characteristic value and to generate a measurement value; a power receiving unit configured to provide a set value; and a foreign substance detection unit configured to detect a foreign substance in the magnetic field based on the set value and the measurement value. A power receiving apparatus, a power feeding system, and a method of controlling power feeding are also provided.

Claims

1. A power feeding apparatus comprising:

a power feeding unit configured to supply electric power to a power receiving apparatus through a magnetic field;

a measuring unit configured to measure an electric characteristic value and to generate a measurement value;

a power receiving unit configured to provide a set value; and

a foreign substance detection unit configured to detect a foreign substance in the magnetic field based on the set value and the measurement value.

2. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least the power receiving unit is configured to set the set value.

3. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set value is a based on a quantity of conductors provided in the power receiving apparatus.

4. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set value is based on a surface area of a conductor provided in the power receiving apparatus.

5. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set value is based on change of the electric characteristic value due to an arrangement of the power receiving apparatus in the magnetic field.

6. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the power feeding unit and the measuring unit is configured to supply a plurality of test signals through the magnetic field based on a plurality of AC signals having different frequencies, and wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure the electric characteristic value at each time one of the plurality of test signals is supplied and to supply, to the foreign substance detection unit, the measurement value based on a statistic of the electric characteristic value.

7. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power feeding unit includes a resonance circuit, and wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure the electric characteristic value based on at least one of a quality factor, an inductance, and a resonance frequency associated with the resonance circuit.

8. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power feeding control unit configured to control electric energy of AC power and to supply the controlled AC power as the electric power; and

a filter circuit inserted between the power feeding control unit and the power feeding unit.

9. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure inductance of the power feeding unit as the electric characteristic value.

10. The power feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power feeding unit includes a power feeding coil configured to supply the electric power through the magnetic field, and the measuring unit includes a variable capacity connected to the power feeding coil.

11. A power receiving apparatus comprising:

a power receiving unit configured to receive electric power supplied by a power feeding apparatus through a magnetic field; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the power feeding apparatus, a set value.

12. The power receiving apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least the power receiving unit is configured to set the set value.

13. The power receiving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the set value is based on a quantity of conductors provided in the power receiving apparatus.

14. The power receiving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the set value is based on a surface area of a conductor provided in the power receiving apparatus.

15. The power receiving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the set value is based a change of the electric characteristic value due to an arrangement of the power receiving apparatus in the magnetic field.

16. A power feeding system comprising:

a power receiving apparatus including a power receiving unit configured to receive electric power through a magnetic field, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a set value;

a power feeding apparatus including a power feeding unit configured to supply the electric power to the power receiving apparatus through the magnetic field, a measuring unit configured to measure an electric characteristic value and to generate a measurement value, and a foreign substance detection unit configured to detect a foreign substance in the magnetic field based on the set value and the measurement value.

17. The power feeding system of claim 16, wherein at least the power receiving unit is configured to set the set value.

18. The power feeding system of claim 16, wherein the power feeding unit includes a resonance circuit, and wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure the electric characteristic value based on at least one of a quality factor, an inductance, and a resonance frequency associated with the resonance circuit.

19. A method of controlling power feeding comprising:

supplying electric power through a magnetic field from a power feeding apparatus to a power receiving apparatus;

measuring an electric characteristic value and generating a measurement value based on the electric characteristic value;

determining a set value; and

detecting a foreign substance in the magnetic field based on the set value and the measurement value.