Communication device and feeder device

• US 9,264,105 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Naoyuki, Tsujimoto, Norito
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US14/180,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/562.1, 455/575.7, 455/41.1, 455/448, 455/274, 455/63.1, 343/894
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A communication device includes a sensor, an antenna, and a notification component. The sensor is configured to detect magnetic field strength. The antenna is configured to generate a magnetic field. The antenna is further configured to communicate with a wireless device that is configured to generate a magnetic field during communication. The notification component is configured to notify a positional offset between the antenna and the wireless device based on output signal indicative of the magnetic field strength. The sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna such that an effect of the magnetic field generated by the antenna on the output signal is suppressed.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

an antenna that generates a magnetic field, and communicates with a wireless device that generates a magnetic field during communication;

a sensor that detects magnetic field strength by receiving the magnetic field of the antenna and the magnetic field of the wireless device; and

a notification component that notifies a positional offset between the antenna and the wireless device based on output signal indicative of the magnetic field strength detected by the sensor,

the sensor being arranged with respect to the antenna with an effect of the magnetic field generated by the antenna on the output signal being suppressed.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna with the sensor detecting the magnetic field strength in first and second regions, respectively, the magnetic field generated by the antenna having mutually opposite magnetic flux orientations in the first and second regions, respectively.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna with the magnetic field strength detected in the first and second regions cancelling out with respect to each other.

4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the magnetic field generated by the antenna has a larger strength in the second region than in the first region, and

the sensor is arranged with respect to the antenna with detection of the magnetic field strength in the second region being suppressed more than detection of the magnetic field strength in the first region.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a pickup coil.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the notification component further calculates a positional offset direction of the wireless device with respect to the antenna based on the output signal, the notification component further notifying the positional offset direction of the wireless device.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the notification component further notifies that there is no positional offset while the positional offset between the wireless device and the antenna is below a specific threshold based on the output signal.

8. A feeder device comprising:

a feeder element that generates a magnetic field and performs a non-contact electrical power transmission to a receiver element of a receiver device that generates a magnetic field;

a sensor that detects magnetic field strength by receiving the magnetic field of the feeder element and the magnetic field of the receiver element; and

a notification component that notifies a positional offset between the feeder element and the receiver element based on output signal indicative of the magnetic field strength detected by the sensor,

the sensor being arranged with respect to the feeder element with an effect of the magnetic field generated by the feeder element on the output signal being suppressed.

9. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the feeder element with the sensor detecting the magnetic field strength in first and second regions, respectively, the magnetic field generated by the feeder element having mutually opposite magnetic flux orientations in the first and second regions, respectively.

10. The feeder device according to claim 9, wherein

the sensor is arranged with respect to the feeder element with the magnetic field strength detected in the first and second regions cancelling out with respect to each other.

11. The feeder device according to claim 9, wherein

the magnetic field generated by the feeder element has a larger strength in the second region than in the first region, and

the sensor is arranged with respect to the feeder element with detection of the magnetic field strength in the second region being suppressed more than detection of the magnetic field strength in the first region.

12. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein the sensor includes a pickup coil.

13. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the notification component further calculates either one-dimensional or two-dimensional positional offset direction of the receiver element with respect to the feeder element based on the output signal, the notification component further notifying the positional offset direction of the receiver element.

14. The feeder device according to claim 8, wherein

the notification component further notifies that there is no positional offset while the positional offset between the receiver element and the feeder element is below a specific threshold based on the output signal.