Method and apparatus for transmitting power and data

• US 8,830,036 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chang Soon, Hwang, Chan Soo, Kim, Ki Ho, Park, Jong Ae
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY III, EDWIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/024,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20110279244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.34, 320/108, 455/343.1
• US Class Current: 340/10.34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and a method for transmitting power to electronic devices and of transmitting and receiving data. The method of transmitting power includes searching for a device to be charged located in an area, determining whether the found device needs charging, and transmitting power to the found device when the found device is determined to need charging. The apparatus may be mobile, and may travel towards or away from one or more devices based on whether the one or more devices need charging.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting power using a power transmission apparatus, the method comprising:

searching for a device to be charged located in an area while the power transmission apparatus moves along a path;

determining whether the found device should be charged in response to finding the device to be charged; and

transmitting power to the found device in response to determining that the found device should be charged.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching for the device to be charged comprises:

transmitting a search signal having a predetermined strength while the power transmission apparatus physically travels in a preset area;

receiving a response signal from the device to be charged; and

determining a strength of a response signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching for the device to be charged comprises receiving position information about the device to be charged from a positioning device and controlling the power transmission apparatus to approach the device to be charged based on the position information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing a search count for the device; and

searching for a next device to be charged in response to the increased search count being less than a preset count and a remaining charge capacity being greater than a minimum basic capacity.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping the transmitting of the power to the device in response to receiving a charge termination signal from the device receiving the power;

increasing a search count for the device; and

searching for a next device to be charged in response to the increased search count being less than a preset count and a remaining charge capacity being greater than a minimum basic capacity.

6. A method of transmitting data using a power transmission apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a data transmission request signal and a signal of identification (ID) information about at least one second device from a first device;

transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) signal to the first device;

receiving data to be transmitted to the second device from the first device;

searching for and finding the second device based on the ID information about the second device while the power transmission apparatus travels along a preset path; and

transmitting the received data to the found second device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising terminating data transmission and reception between the first device and the second device in response to the transmitting of the received data to the second device being completed.

8. A method of receiving power using a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a search signal for a device to be charged from a power transmission apparatus;

determining whether the mobile device should request charging in response to the received search signal satisfying a preset condition;

receiving power from the power transmission apparatus in response to the charging being requested; and

transmitting a charge termination signal to the power transmission apparatus in response to the charging is completed.

9. A power transmission apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a device search unit configured to search for a device to be charged located in an area while the apparatus travels along a path;

a charge determination unit configured to determine whether the found device should be charged in response to the device being found; and

a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to the found device in response to determining the found device should be charged.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device search unit comprises:

a search signal transmission unit configured to transmit a search signal having a predetermined strength while the apparatus travels in a preset area; and

a response signal determination unit configured to determine a strength of a response signal that is received in response to the search signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device search unit receives position information of the device from a positioning device and controls the power transmission apparatus to approach the device to be charged based on the position information.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising

a relay request receiving unit configured to receive, from a first device, a data transmission request signal and a signal of identification (ID) information about at least one second device;

and

an approval unit configured to transmit an ACK signal to the first device in response to receiving the data transmission request signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a relay processing unit configured to receive data to be transmitted to the at least one second device, from the first device, configured to search for the second device based on the ID information about the second device while the apparatus travels along a preset path, and configured to transmit the received data to the found second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the relay processing unit receives data to be transmitted to the at least one second device from the first device and simultaneously transmits the received data to the found second device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a charging unit configured to be charged with power to be transmitted to the device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a maximum power capacity charged in the charging unit is greater than a sum of a maximum power capacity of each device and a minimum power capacity consumed in traveling for search in a preset area.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the charging unit is charged with power provided from an external power supply.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the charging unit comprises at least one of a long-distance charging unit, a short-distance charging unit, and a contact charging unit which are classified based on a charging distance from the external power supply,

wherein the long-distance charging unit is charged within several meters, the short-distance charging unit is charged within several millimeters, and the contact charging unit is charged via a directly connected contact terminal.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the charging unit comprises at least one of a cable charging unit and a wireless charging unit, and the cable charging unit is charged via a cable from the external power supply and the wireless charging unit is charged via a wireless power transmission device using resonance coupling or electromagnetic induction.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the charging unit controls the power transmission apparatus to automatically move to a charging location using an infrared sensor in response to a remaining charge capacity of the power transmission apparatus being less than a minimum basic remaining capacity.

21. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the power transmission unit comprises at least one of a long-distance transmission unit, a short-distance transmission unit, and a contact transmission unit which are classified based on a transmission distance from the device,

wherein the long-distance transmission unit transmits power within several meters, the short-distance transmission unit transmits power within several millimeters, and the contact transmission unit transmits power via a directly connected contact terminal.

22. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device search unit transmits a search signal in the same resonance frequency as at least one resonance frequency in order to search for each device, in response to a response signal in the at least one resonance frequency is received from the found device.

23. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the power transmission unit transmits power to the at least one found device to be charged in response to a request for charging being received from the at least one found device.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the charging unit receives power from an external wireless power device, and the power transmission unit transmits the received power to the found device while the received power is being charged.

25. An apparatus for receiving power, the apparatus comprising:

a charge request determination unit configured to determine whether to request charging in response to a search signal received from a source satisfying a preset condition;

a power receiving unit configured to receive power from the source in response to the charging being requested; and

a charge termination transmission unit configured to transmit a charge termination signal to the source in response to the charging being completed.

26. A mobile power transmission apparatus, comprising:

a device search unit configured to transmit a search signal and to receive a response signal including position information about at least one found device;

a motor configured to power the mobile power transmission apparatus to travel along a path towards the at least one found device based on the position information; and

a power transmission unit configured transmit power to the at least one found device.

27. The mobile power transmission apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a charge determination unit configured to determine whether the at least one found device needs to be charged based on the received response signal.

28. The mobile power transmission apparatus of claim 26, wherein the power transmission unit is configured to simultaneously transmit power to the at least one found device via a contact interface and via a wireless interface.

29. The mobile power transmission apparatus of claim 26, wherein the power transmission unit is configured to simultaneously transmit power to at least two found devices.