NETWORK-BASED WIRELESS POWER CONTROL METHOD, AND WIRELESS POWER CONTROL DEVICE AND SYSTEM

• US 20180091002A1
• Filed: 04/20/2016
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, Su Bin, PARK, Soo Young, LEE, Jong Heon
• Application Number:
  US15/568,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20180091002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency 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: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention relates to a network-based wireless power control method, and a device and a system therefor. A wireless power control method, in a wireless power transmission device which wirelessly transmits power to a wireless power reception device, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: transmitting a first signal via a first frequency band when a power source is applied; when a second signal corresponding to the first signal is received via a second frequency band, measuring the first reception sensitivity of the second signal; receiving second to n-th reception sensitivities corresponding to the second signal from at least one other wireless power transmission device connected via a network; and determining whether power has been wirelessly transmitted to the wireless power reception device, on the basis of the first to n-th reception sensitivities. As such, the present invention has an advantage of being capable of more effectively transmitting power wirelessly by using a wireless power transmission device connected via a network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling wireless power by a wireless power transmission apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power to a wireless power reception apparatus, the method comprising:

transmitting a first signal through a first frequency band when power is applied;

measuring, when a second signal corresponding to the first signal is received through the second frequency band, a first reception sensitivity of the second signal,

receiving second to n-th reception sensitivities corresponding to the second signal from at least one other wireless power transmission apparatus connected to a network, a reception sensitivity; and

determining whether to transmit wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus based on the first to n-th reception sensitivities.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when transmission of the wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus is determined, the wireless power is transmitted through the first frequency band.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining a target wireless power transmission apparatus when the first reception sensitivity falls below a reference value during transmission of the wireless power,

wherein a handover request message including characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus is transmitted to the determined target wireless power transmission apparatus over the network.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining a target wireless power transmission apparatus when efficiency of power transmission to the wireless power reception apparatus falls below a reference value during transmission of the wireless power,

wherein a handover request message including characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus is transmitted to the determined target wireless power transmission apparatus over the network.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus comprises at least one of reception sensitivity information about the second signal, identification information about the wireless power reception apparatus, information about a current and a voltage required by the wireless power reception apparatus, information about a charging state of the wireless power reception apparatus, information about a version of software installed on the wireless power reception apparatus, authentication and security information about the wireless power reception apparatus, neighboring and/or candidate wireless power transmission apparatus list information corresponding to the wireless power reception apparatus, sub-in-band channel allocation information allocated to the wireless power reception apparatus, and connection information about the second frequency band corresponding to the wireless power reception apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the handover request message is received by the target wireless power transmission apparatus, the target wireless power transmission apparatus initiates transmission of the wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus without performing a separate identification procedure for the wireless power reception apparatus.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

generating a list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses based on the first to n-th reception sensitivities,

wherein the target wireless power transmission apparatus is determined from the list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one wireless power transmission apparatus included in the list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses is controlled to simultaneously supply the wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first reception sensitivity to the at least one other wireless power transmission apparatus connected to the network.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the first frequency band is a resonance frequency band, the second signal is an advertisement signal broadcast by the wireless power reception apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the first frequency band is a radio frequency band, the second signal is received on an uplink shared channel defined in the second frequency band.

32. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for executing the method according to claim 1 is recorded.

12. A method for controlling wireless power by a wireless power transmission controller operatively connected with first to n-th wireless power transmission apparatuses, the method comprising:

receiving reception sensitivity information for each of wireless power reception apparatuses connected to the first to n-th wireless power transmission apparatuses;

determining at least one wireless power transmission apparatus to transmit power to the wireless power reception apparatus, using the reception sensitivity information;

calculating the power to be transmitted to the wireless power reception apparatus by each of the determined at least one wireless power transmission apparatus; and

transmitting a power transmission request message including the calculated power information to the determined wireless power transmission apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

receiving state information about the first to n-th wireless power transmission apparatuses,

wherein the determining of the at least one wireless power transmission apparatus is performed further using the state information.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the state information comprises at least one of information about a maximum transmission power intensity, information about the number of currently connected wireless power reception apparatuses, information about a maximum number of serviceable wireless power reception apparatuses, information about the available transmission power, and sub-in-band allocation information allocated for each of the connected wireless power reception apparatuses.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the determining of the at least one wireless power transmission apparatus comprises:

allocating at least one wireless power transmission apparatus having the reception sensitivity greater than or equal to a first reference value for each of the wireless power reception apparatuses to a list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses; and

extracting a wireless power transmission apparatus having the reception sensitivity greater than or equal to a second reference value from the list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses,

wherein the power transmission request message is transmitted to the extracted wireless power transmission apparatus.

16. A wireless power control system comprising:

first to n-th wireless power transmission apparatuses configured to transmit a first signal when power is applied, measure a reception sensitivity of a second signal corresponding to the first signal, and exchange information about the measured reception sensitivity over a network; and

a wireless power reception apparatus configured to broadcast the second signal when the first signal is sensed,

wherein the first to n-th wireless power transmission apparatuses determine whether to transmit power to the wireless power reception apparatus based on the exchanged reception sensitivity.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the first signal and the second signal are transmitted and received through different frequency bands.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the network is a wired or wireless IP communication network.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein a serving wireless power transmission apparatus among the first to n-th wireless power transmission apparatuses identifies at least one candidate wireless power transmission apparatus based on the exchanged reception sensitivity, determines, when it is recognized that the reception sensitivity of the second signal is less than or equal to a reference value, a target wireless power transmission apparatus of the at least one candidate wireless power transmission apparatus, and transmits a predetermined handover request message to the determined target wireless power transmission apparatus.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the handover request message comprises characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus,

wherein the target wireless power transmitter does not measure the reception sensitivities of the first signal transmission and the second signal, but immediately initiates transmission of power to the wireless power reception apparatus using the characteristics and state information.

21. A wireless power transmission apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power to a wireless power reception apparatus, comprising:

a power transmission unit configured to transmit, through a first frequency band, a first signal for sensing and identifying the wireless power reception apparatus;

a first communication unit configured to receive a second signal corresponding to the first signal through a second frequency band,

a reception sensitivity measurement unit configured to measure a first reception sensitivity of the second signal;

a second communication unit configured to receive second to n-th reception sensitivities corresponding to the second signal from at least one other wireless power transmission apparatus connected to a network; and

a controller configured to determine whether to transmit wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus based on the first to n-th reception sensitivities.

22. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 21, wherein, when transmission of the wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus is determined, the wireless power is transmitted through the first frequency band.

23. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 22, wherein a target wireless power transmission apparatus is determined when the first reception sensitivity falls below a reference value during transmission of the wireless power,

wherein a handover request message including characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus is transmitted to the determined target wireless power transmission apparatus through the second communication unit.

24. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 22, wherein a target wireless power transmission apparatus is determined when efficiency of power transmission to the wireless power reception apparatus falls below a reference value during transmission of the wireless power,

wherein a handover request message including characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus is transmitted to the determined target wireless power transmission apparatus through the second communication unit.

25. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the characteristics and state information about the wireless power reception apparatus comprises at least one of reception sensitivity information about the second signal, identification information about the wireless power reception apparatus, information about a current and a voltage required by the wireless power reception apparatus, information about a charging state of the wireless power reception apparatus, information about a version of software installed on the wireless power reception apparatus, authentication and security information about the wireless power reception apparatus, neighboring and/or candidate wireless power transmission apparatus list information corresponding to the wireless power reception apparatus, sub-in-band channel allocation information allocated to the wireless power reception apparatus, and connection information about the second frequency band corresponding to the wireless power reception apparatus.

26. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 25, wherein, when the handover request message is received by the target wireless power transmission apparatus, the target wireless power transmission apparatus initiates transmission of the wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus without performing a separate identification procedure for the wireless power reception apparatus.

27. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses is generated based on the first to n-th reception sensitivities,

wherein the target wireless power transmission apparatus is determined from the list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses.

28. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 27, wherein at least one wireless power transmission apparatus included in the list of candidate wireless power transmission apparatuses is controlled to simultaneously supply the wireless power to the wireless power reception apparatus.

29. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first transmission sensitivity is transmitted to the at least one other wireless power transmission apparatus connected to the network through the second communication unit.

30. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 21, wherein, when the first frequency band is a resonance frequency band, the second signal is an advertisement signal broadcast by the wireless power reception apparatus.

31. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 21, wherein, when the first frequency band is a radio frequency band, the second signal is a pilot signal or a preamble signal transmitted by the wireless power reception apparatus.