Cooperative wireless power signal transmission method and device

• US 9,219,385 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Byoung Hoon, Jo, Jun Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US13/392,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20120214536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 455/571, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and device for cooperatively sending and receiving power wirelessly. Wireless power charging coverage at the level of data signal transmission can be ensured by establishing one or more modes for transmitting, to a specific terminal, a power transmission signal from any of a plurality of nodes which is (are) not engaged in data transmission, and by matching the phase synchronization of the power transmission signal between the one or more nodes and then transmitting, to the specific terminal, a power transmission signal of which the phase synchronization has been matched by means of the one or more modes.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmission method in which power is wirelessly transmitted to terminals in a wireless communication system, the wireless power transmission method comprising:

determining one or more nodes to transmit power transmission signals to a specific terminal, from among a plurality of nodes;

matching phase synchronization of the power transmission signals between the one or more nodes with each other; and

allowing the one or more nodes to transmit the power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched to the specific terminal,

wherein the one or more nodes transmit the power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched for a period when the specific terminal is in an idle mode.

2. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes includes one or more of access points (APs), Femto base stations (BSs), relay stations, wireless personal area networks (WPANs) and macro BSs to transmit the power transmission signals and data to the specific terminal.

3. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing one or more nodes from among the plurality of nodes to receive a request signal requesting the power transmission signals from the specific terminal.

4. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more nodes from among the plurality of nodes transmit the power transmission signals to the specific terminal according to priority of the request signal.

5. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more nodes from among the plurality of nodes and the specific terminal exchange information regarding switching time of at least one mode from among a sleep mode, the idle mode and an active mode of the specific terminal.

6. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication system executes communication using a frame structure including a first time section for transmission of the power transmission signals and a second time section for transmission of signals other than the power transmission signals.

7. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 6, wherein the second time section includes a time section for uplink signal reception and a time section for downlink signal transmission.

8. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication system executes communication using a frame structure including a sub-band for transmission of the power transmission signals, from among a downlink bandwidth.

9. A wireless power transmission method in which terminals wirelessly receive power in a wireless communication system, the wireless power transmission method comprising:

receiving power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched from one or more nodes determined from among a plurality of nodes; and

executing wireless charging using the power transmission signals,

wherein a specific terminal receives the power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched from the one or more nodes for a period when the specific terminal is in an idle mode.

10. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of nodes includes one or more of access points (APs), Femto base stations (BSs), relay stations, wireless personal area networks (WPANs) and macro BSs to transmit the power transmission signals and data to a specific terminal.

11. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 9, further comprising allowing a specific terminal to transmit a request signal requesting the power transmission signals to one or more nodes from among the plurality of nodes.

12. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 9, wherein the one or more nodes from among the plurality of nodes and the specific terminal exchange information regarding switching time of at least one mode from among a sleep mode, the idle mode and an active mode of the specific terminal.

13. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 9, wherein the wireless communication system executes communication using a frame structure including a first time section for transmission of the power transmission signals and a second time section for transmission of signals other than the power transmission signals.

14. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 13, wherein the second time section includes a time section for uplink signal transmission and a time section for downlink signal reception.

15. The wireless power transmission method according to claim 9, wherein the wireless communication system executes communication using a frame structure including a sub-band for transmission of the power transmission signals, from among a downlink bandwidth.

16. A wireless power transmission device which wirelessly transmits power to terminals in a wireless communication system, the wireless power transmission device comprising:

a processor configured to determine one or more wireless power transmission devices to transmit power transmission signals to a specific terminal between wireless power transmission devices, and to match phase synchronization of the power transmission signals between the one or more wireless power transmission devices with each other; and

a transmission module configured to transmit the power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched between the one or more wireless power transmission devices to the specific terminal,

wherein the one or more wireless power transmission devices transmit the power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched for a period when the specific terminal is in an idle mode.

17. A terminal device which wirelessly receives power in a wireless communication system to execute charging, the terminal device comprising:

a reception module configured to receive power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched from one or more nodes determined from among a plurality of nodes; and

a charging module configured to execute wireless charging using the power transmission signals,

wherein the reception module is further configured to receive the power transmission signals of which the phase synchronization has been matched from the one or more nodes for a period when a specific terminal is in an idle mode.