POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING POWER TRANSMISSION

• US 20170063433A1
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanabe, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,749,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a power transmission apparatus wirelessly transmits power to an electronic device, acquires a value of a standing wave ratio relating to power to be transmitted to the electronic device, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, updates a reference value with the acquired value of the standing wave ratio when the acquired value of the standing wave ratio is smaller than the reference value, and detects removal of the electronic device when a difference between the acquired value of the standing wave ratio and the updated reference value is greater than a threshold.

Claims

1. A power transmission apparatus comprising:

a power transmission unit that wirelessly transmits power to an electronic device;

an acquisition unit that acquires a value of a standing wave ratio relating to power to be transmitted to the electronic device, when a predetermined condition is satisfied;

an update unit that updates a reference value with the acquired value of the standing wave ratio when the acquired value of the standing wave ratio is smaller than the reference value; and

a detection unit that detects removal of the electronic device when a difference between the acquired value of the standing wave ratio and the updated reference value is greater than a threshold.

2. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when a predetermined time has elapsed after the power transmission unit starts to transmit power to the electronic device.

3. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when a power transmission current, a power transmission voltage, a reflection current, or a reflection voltage falls within a predetermined range.

4. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires a second value of a standing wave ratio when the power transmission unit transmits power transmission to the electronic device, and acquires a third value of a standing wave ratio when a predetermined time has elapsed after the power transmission unit starts to transmit power to the electronic device, and

wherein the detection unit detects removal of the electronic device when a difference between the second value of the standing wave ratio and the acquired third value of the standing wave ratio.

5. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the update unit changes the threshold according to power output by the power transmission unit.

6. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the update unit changes the threshold in response to an update of the reference value.

7. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the electronic device,

wherein the communication unit transmits a command to the electronic device after removal of the electronic device is detected, and

wherein the power transmission unit stops transmitting power to the electronic device when the communication unit receives no response to the command.

8. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication unit acquires identification information of the electronic device, and

wherein the update unit changes the threshold using the identification information.

9. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 8, wherein after removal of the electronic device is detected, the communication unit transmits a command for requesting the electronic device to send device information, and

wherein the power transmission unit does not stop transmitting power to the electronic device when the electronic device responds to the command.

10. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the electronic device using NFC (Near Field Communication).

11. A method comprising:

causing a power transmission unit to wirelessly transmit power to an electronic device;

acquiring a value of a standing wave ratio relating to power to be transmitted to the electronic device, when a predetermined condition is satisfied;

updating a reference value with the acquired value of the standing wave ratio when the acquired value of the standing wave ratio is smaller than the reference value; and

detecting removal of the electronic device when a difference between the acquired value of the standing wave ratio and the updated reference value is greater than a threshold.

12. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program causing a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

causing a power transmission unit to wirelessly transmit power to an electronic device;

acquiring a value of a standing wave ratio relating to power to be transmitted to the electronic device, when a predetermined condition is satisfied;

updating a reference value with the acquired value of the standing wave ratio when the acquired value of the standing wave ratio is smaller than the reference value; and

detecting removal of the electronic device when a difference between the acquired value of the standing wave ratio and the updated reference value is greater than a threshold.