Wireless power supply and method of supplying power

• US 7,253,571 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Byung-Chang, Shin, Dong-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tho
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Chuc
• Application Number:
  US11/267,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20060097667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/149, 315/156, 315/159, 315/150, 315/294, 250/208.1
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas

Abstract

A wireless power supply and method of wirelessly supplying power use light to directly supply power wirelessly to an electrical apparatus without a power cable. The wireless power supply includes: a plurality of pressure switches adapted to switch ON/OFF in response to an applied pressure; and a plurality of light emitting devices respectively connected to the plurality of pressure switches, the plurality of light emitting devices adapted to emit light to supply the power to a load in response to at least one of the pressure switches being switched ON.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply comprising:

a plurality of pressure switches adapted to switch ON/OFF in response to an applied pressure; and

a plurality of light emitting devices respectively connected to the plurality of pressure switches, the plurality of light emitting devices adapted to emit light to supply the power to a load in response to at least one of the pressure switches being switched ON, wherein the plurality of pressure switches comprise a plurality of piezoelectric switches.

2. The wireless power supply according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pressure switches and light emitting devices are arranged in an array.

3. The wireless power supply according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting devices comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes.

4. The wireless power supply according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting devices comprise a plurality of laser diodes.

5. A wireless power supply comprising:

a power supply pad having a plurality of pressure switches and a plurality of light emitting devices, the plurality of pressure switches adapted to being switched ON/OFF in response to an applied pressure, the plurality of light emitting devices being respectively connected to the plurality of pressure switches, the plurality of light emitting devices adapted to emit light in response to at least one of the pressure switches being switched ON; and

a photoelectric converter adapted to receive light emitted from at least one light emitting device and to convert the received light into electrical energy and to supply the electrical energy to a load.

6. The wireless power supply according to claim 5, wherein the power supply pad comprises a pad including the plurality of pressure switches and light emitting devices arranged in an array.

7. The wireless power supply according to claim 5, wherein a transparent protective layer is arranged on a top surface of the power supply pad, the transparent protective layer adapted to protect the plurality of light emitting devices and pressure switches.

8. The wireless power supply according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of light emitting devices comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes.

9. The wireless power supply according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of light emitting devices comprise a plurality of laser diodes.

10. The wireless power supply according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of pressure switches comprise a plurality of piezoelectric switches.

11. The wireless power supply according to claim 5, wherein the photoelectric converter comprises a solar cell.

12. A method of wirelessly supplying power to a load, the method comprising:

switching a plurality of pressure switches ON/OFF in response to an applied pressure;

emitting light in response to at least one of the pressure switches being switched ON, wherein the plurality of pressure switches comprise a plurality of piezoelectric switches;

receiving the optical signal and converting it into electrical energy; and

supplying the converted electric energy to supply the power to the load.