WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20170201132A1
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HOQUE, Mohammad Anwarul, RAHMAN, Mahbubur, CHOWDHURY, Mohammad Tawhidul Islam, SHARIAR, Kazy Fayeen, RAHMAN, Sardar Muhammad Monzurur
• Granted Patent: US 10,637,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A wireless power transmission device and a method for controlling the same are provided. The method includes receiving a charging request from an external apparatus using radio communication, determining a direction in which the external apparatus is positioned, determining a distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus, and transmitting an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus based on the direction in which the external apparatus is positioned and the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a wireless power transmission device using an ultrasonic wave, the method comprising:

receiving a charging request from an external apparatus using radio communication;

determining a direction in which the external apparatus is positioned;

determining a distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus; and

transmitting an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus based on the direction in which the external apparatus is positioned and the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an object is present on a path for transmitting the ultrasonic signal; and

upon determining that the object is present on the path, stopping transmission of the ultrasonic signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising, when transmission of the ultrasonic signal is stopped, displaying a user interface (UI) indicating that transmission of the ultrasonic signal is stopped.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the determining of whether the object is present comprises determining that the object is present on the path when a backscattered signal is valid.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus when the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus is within a preset value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus using a time in which an ultrasonic signal generated from the wireless power transmission device reaches the external apparatus and a time in which an ultrasonic signal generated from the external apparatus reaches the wireless power transmission device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining comprises generating an ultrasonic wave at a plurality of transmitters and determining the direction in which the external apparatus is positioned using a difference in time periods in which the plurality of generated ultrasonic waves reaches the external apparatus.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the ultrasonic signal comprises activating a converter arranged in a direction corresponding to the position of the external apparatus among a plurality of converters arranged in different directions to transmit an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the ultrasonic signal comprises converting an electric signal into an ultrasonic signal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving state information of a plurality of external apparatus from the plurality of external apparatus; and

displaying state information of each of the plurality of external apparatus in at least a partial region of a display.

11. A wireless power transmission device using an ultrasonic wave, the device comprising:

a communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with an external apparatus;

an ultrasonic signal generator configured to generate an ultrasonic signal; and

a controller configured to control the ultrasonic signal generator to;

in response to a charging request being received from the external apparatus through the communicator, determine a direction in which the external apparatus is positioned,

determine a distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus, and

transmit an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus based on the direction in which the external apparatus is positioned and the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the ultrasonic signal generator to:

determine whether an object is present on a path for transmitting the ultrasonic signal, and

upon determining that the object is present on the path, stop transmission of the ultrasonic signal.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a display,

wherein, when the controller controls the ultrasonic signal generator to stop transmission of the ultrasonic signal, the controller is further configured to control the display to display a user interface (UI) indicating that transmission of ultrasonic signal is stopped.

14. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a backscattered signal is valid, and

determine that an object is present on the path when the backscattered signal is valid.

15. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the ultrasonic signal generator to transmit an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus when the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus is within a preset value.

16. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus using a time in which an ultrasonic signal generated from the wireless power transmission device reaches the external apparatus and a time in which an ultrasonic signal generated from the external apparatus reaches the wireless power transmission device.

17. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

generate an ultrasonic wave at a plurality of transmitters, and

determine the direction in which the external apparatus is positioned using a difference in time periods in which the plurality of generated ultrasonic waves reaches the external apparatus.

18. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the ultrasonic signal generator to activate a converter arranged in a direction corresponding to the position of the external apparatus among a plurality of converters arranged in different directions to transmit an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus.

19. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic signal generator is configured to convert an electric signal into an ultrasonic signal to generate an ultrasonic signal.

20. A method of controlling a wireless charging system using an ultrasonic wave, the method comprising:

transmitting a charging request to a power transmission device using a radio communication by an external apparatus;

in response to the charging request being received from an external apparatus, determining a direction in which the external apparatus is positioned and a distance between the wireless power transmission device and the external apparatus, by a power transmission device;

when a distance with the external apparatus is within a preset value, transmitting an ultrasonic signal to the external apparatus based on the direction and distance in which the external apparatus is positioned, by the power transmission device; and

in response to the ultrasonic signal being received, converting the ultrasonic signal into a charging voltage as an electric signal, by the external apparatus.