System for wireless power transmission and reception using in-band communication

• US 9,071,085 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Nam Yun, Kwon, Sang Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US13/330,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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
• 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 transmitter and receiver using an in-band communication and a method thereof are provided. In one embodiment, a wireless power transmitter using an in-band communication may include: a source resonance unit including a source resonator that is configured to transmit wireless power to one or more in-band resonators; a source controller configured to control a resonance frequency and an impedance of the source resonator, to detect an in-band resonator located in a location corresponding to a wireless power receiver among the in-band resonators, and to generate a control signal of the detected in-band resonator; and an in-band resonance unit configured to receive and demodulate identification information associated with the wireless power receiver via the one or more in-band resonators, and to transmit the wireless power and transmission data via the in-band resonator corresponding to the wireless power receiver.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitter using an in-band communication, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a source resonance unit including a source resonator that is configured to transmit wireless power to one or more in-band resonators;

a source controller configured to control a resonance frequency and an impedance of the source resonator, to detect an in-band resonator located in a location corresponding to a wireless power receiver among the in-band resonators, and to generate a control signal of the detected in-band resonator; and

an in-band resonance unit configured to receive and demodulate identification information associated with the wireless power receiver via the one or more in-band resonators, and to transmit the wireless power and transmission data via the in-band resonator corresponding to the wireless power receiver, wherein the transmission data is modulated according to switching of the in-band resonators.

2. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, further comprising:

a power converting unit configured to convert a DC voltage of a predetermined level into an AC power based on a predetermined switching pulse signal;

a power amplifier configured to amplify the AC power to an AC power of at least a predetermined value; and

a matching controller configured to set, based on the demodulated identification information, an impedance matching frequency and a resonance bandwidth of the source resonator that is to transmit the amplified AC power.

3. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the in-band resonance unit comprises:

an array resonator including an array of in-band resonators, one or more of the in-band resonators configured to transmit wireless power and transmission data to a corresponding predetermined area;

a modulator configured to modulate the transmission data by controlling the switching of the in-band resonators;

a demodulator configured to demodulate reception data received from the wireless power receiver; and

an in-band resonator controller configured to control modulation of the transmission data and demodulation of the reception data.

4. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein the in-band resonators are positioned between the source resonator and a target resonator so as to increase a wireless power transmission distance between the source resonator and the target resonator.

5. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein the array resonance unit is configured to receive the reception data from the wireless power receiver via one or more of the in-band resonators.

6. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein the array resonance unit is configured to switch on a switch of an in-band resonator that transmits the wireless power among the in-band resonators, and to switch remaining in-band resonators off.

7. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein the modulator is configured to switch a predetermined number of in-band resonators among the in-band resonators on and off.

8. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein the modulator is configured to perform analog modulation or digital modulation of the transmission data by switching the in-band resonators on and off.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 3, wherein the source controller is configured to receive the demodulated reception data to determine whether to charge the wireless power receiver, and to generate the control signal of the in-band resonator corresponding to the wireless power receiver to enable the wireless power to be transmitted via the in-band resonator.

20. The wireless power transmitter of claim 1, wherein the wireless power and the transmission data are simultaneously transmitted.

10. A wireless power receiver using an in-band communication, the wireless power receiver comprising:

a target resonance unit configured to receive, from an in-band resonator, a wireless power and reception data including a wake-up signal;

a demodulator configured to demodulate the reception data including the wake-up signal;

a modulator configured to modulate transmission data including a response signal with respect to the wake-up signal, a charging request signal, and an identification (ID) of a target resonator that is awoken; and

a target controller configured to control an impedance to perform impedance matching between a source resonator, the in-band resonator, and the awoken target resonator.

11. The wireless power receiver of claim 10, further comprising:

a power determining unit configured to determine, based on the reception data, whether the target resonator is awoken and whether to charge a load.

12. The wireless power receiver of claim 10, wherein the target resonance unit is configured to transmit the modulated transmission data to the in-band resonator.

13. A method of transmitting wireless power using an in-band communication, the method comprising:

receiving identification information associated with a wireless power receiver, via in-band resonators;

demodulating the received identification information;

controlling, based on the demodulated identification information, an impedance and a resonance frequency of a source resonator;

transmitting the wireless power from the source resonator to the in-band resonators via a magnetic coupling; and

transmitting the wireless power and transmission data, via an in-band resonator corresponding to the wireless power receiver from among the in-band resonators, wherein the transmission data is modulated according to switching of the in-band resonators.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting, from among the in-band resonators, the in-band resonator corresponding to the wireless power receiver; and

generating a control signal of the detected in-band resonator.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting the wireless power and the transmission data comprises:

modulating the transmission data by switching switches of the in-band resonators on and off;

demodulating reception data received from the wireless power receiver; and

transmitting the wireless power and the transmission data to a predetermined area via an array in-band resonators configured by forming the array of the in-band resonators.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless power and the transmission data are simultaneously transmitted.

16. A method of receiving wireless power using an in-band communication, the method comprising:

receiving wireless power and reception data including a wake-up signal, from an in-band resonator;

demodulating the reception data including the wake-up signal;

modulating transmission data including a response signal with respect to the wake-up signal, a charging request signal, and an identification (ID) of a target resonator that is awoken; and

controlling an impedance used to perform impedance matching between a source resonator, the in-band resonator, and the awoken target resonator.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining, based on the reception data, whether the target resonator is awoken and whether to charge a load.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless power and the reception data are received via a magnetic coupling.