WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20170126065A1
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wit Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: PARK, Seung Won, CHO, Sang Ho, SHIN, Eun Young, SUNG, Jae Suk, KIM, Chang Ik
• Granted Patent: US 10,320,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/015 with means for adaptation of resonance frequency, e.g. by modification of capacitance or inductance of resonance circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33571 Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A wireless power transmission apparatus includes a resonator configured to be magnetically coupleable to a wireless power reception apparatus; an inverter configured to operate the resonator; and a resonant frequency controller configured to control a resonant frequency of the resonator in response to a change in operating frequency of the inverter.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmission apparatus, comprising:

a resonator configured to be magnetically coupleable to a wireless power reception apparatus;

an inverter configured to operate the resonator; and

a resonant frequency controller configured to control a resonant frequency of the resonator in response to a change in operating frequency of the inverter.

2. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency controller is further configured to decrease the resonant frequency in response to the operating frequency increasing to a predetermined level or more.

3. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency controller is further configured to increase the resonant frequency in response to the operating frequency decreasing to a predetermined level or less.

4. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency controller is further configured to vary capacitance of the resonator, thereby varying the resonant frequency.

5. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to identify a required power of the wireless power reception apparatus and adaptively adjust the operating frequency of the inverter in response to the required power.

6. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the operating frequency in response to the required power increasing.

7. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency controller comprises:

a variable capacitor configured to vary capacitance of the resonator; and

a capacitance controller configured to detect the operating frequency of the inverter and compare the operating frequency with a predetermined range to change capacitance of the variable capacitor responsive to the comparison.

8. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 7, wherein the capacitance controller being further configured to increase the capacitance of the variable capacitor in response to the operating frequency reaching a predetermined upper limit.

9. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 7, wherein the capacitance controller is further configured to decrease the capacitance of the variable capacitor in response to the operating frequency reaching a predetermined lower limit.

10. A method of controlling a wireless power transmission apparatus, the method comprising:

identifying a required power of a wireless power reception apparatus;

changing an operating frequency of an inverter connected to a resonator in response to a change in the required power, the resonator being magnetically coupled to the wireless power reception apparatus; and

changing a resonant frequency of the resonator when the operating frequency is outside of a predetermined range.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the changing of the operating frequency of the inverter comprises:

decreasing the operating frequency in response to the required power increasing; and

increasing the operating frequency in response to the required power decreasing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing of the resonant frequency of the resonator comprises:

decreasing the resonant frequency in response to the operating frequency increasing to a predetermined level or more.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing of the resonant frequency of the resonator comprises:

increasing the resonant frequency in response to the operating frequency decreasing to a predetermined level or less.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing of the resonant frequency of the resonator comprises:

increasing capacitance of the resonator in response to the operating frequency increasing to a predetermined level or more.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing of the resonant frequency of the resonator comprises:

decreasing capacitance of the resonator in response to the operating frequency decreasing to a predetermined level or less.

16. A wireless power transmission apparatus, comprising:

a wireless power resonator;

a power supply operably coupled to the wireless power resonator and configured to supply power thereto; and

a resonant frequency controller configured to control a resonant frequency of the wireless power resonator in response to a detected operational characteristic of the power supply.

17. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 16, wherein

the resonant frequency controller is further configured to detect a load on the power supply and adaptively adjust the resonant frequency of the wireless power resonator in response to the detection.

18. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 16, wherein

the power supply comprises an inverter, and the resonant frequency controller is further configured to detect an operational frequency of the inverter and adaptively adjust the resonant frequency of the wireless power resonator in response to the detection.

19. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a power controller configured to adaptively adjust an operational characteristic of the power supply in response to a detected operational characteristic of a wireless power reception apparatus.

20. The wireless power transmission apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a power controller configured to adaptively adjust an operational frequency of the inverter in response to a power requirement of a wireless power reception apparatus.