Feed system, feed apparatus, and electronic device

• US 8,952,654 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Uramoto, Yoichi, Tanaka, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/183,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20120025760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109, 320/115, 320/139, 455/69, 455/89, 455/411, 455/437, 379/61, 379/62, 379/443, 361/82
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A feed system includes a plurality of electronic devices; and a feed apparatus having a power transmission section performing electric power transmission using a magnetic field to the plurality of electronic devices. Each of the electronic devices includes a power receiving section receiving electric power transmitted from the power transmission section, and a switching section switching whether or not to carry out charging operation based on the electric power received by the power receiving section, according to time sharing control by a system control section.

Claims

1. A feed system comprising:

a plurality of electronic devices; and

a feed apparatus having (a) a power transmission section configured to transmit electric power using a magnetic field to the plurality of electronic devices to charge the plurality of electronic devices, and (b) a system control section configured to perform a time sharing control in which charging operations of the plurality of electronic devices are executed selectively by time sharing between the plurality of electronic devices such that a charging operation of a first electronic device is executed during a first charging period and a charging operation of a second electronic device is executed during a second charging period different from the first charging period, wherein,

(a) the system control section is further configured to change individual lengths of the first charging period and the second charging period according to a priority level set for each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, a first priority level associated with the first electronic device being set in accordance with a frequency of execution of the charging operation of the first electronic device, and a second priority level associated with the second electronic device being set in accordance with a frequency of execution of the charging operation of the second electronic device, and

(b) each of the plurality of electronic devices includes

(i) a power receiving section configured to receive the electric power transmitted from the power transmission section, and

(ii) a switching section configured to control whether or not the charging operation is carried out based on the electric power received by the power receiving section in accordance with the time sharing control of the system control section.

2. The feed system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of electronic devices further includes (1) a charging section configured to perform the charging operation, and (2) a switch provided on a path between the power receiving section and the charging section, and

the switching section controls whether or not the charging operation is carried out by controlling an on-off operation of the switch.

3. The feed system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of electronic devices further includes a charging section configured to perform the charging operation, and

the switching section supplies the charging section with a control signal to control whether or not the charging section performs the charging operation.

4. The feed system according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission section transmits the electric power to the power receiving section using magnetic resonance.

5. A feed system comprising:

a power transmission section configured to transmit electric power using a magnetic field to a plurality of electronic devices to charge the plurality of electronic devices; and

a system control section configured to perform a time sharing control in which charging operations of the plurality of electronic devices are executed selectively by time sharing between the plurality of electronic devices such that a charging operation of a first electronic device is executed during a first charging period and a charging operation of a second electronic device is executed during a second charging period different from the first charging period,

wherein, the system control section is further configured to change individual lengths of the first charging period and the second charging period according to a priority level set for each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, a first priority level associated with the first electronic device being set in accordance with a frequency of execution of the charging operation of the first electronic device, and a second priority level associated with the second electronic device being set in accordance with a frequency of execution of the charging operation of the second electronic device.