Wireless power transfer method, apparatus and system for low and medium power

• US 9,287,039 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jihyun, Lee, Hyunbeom, Park, Yongcheol, Lee, Jaesung
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US13/936,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A wireless power transfer method for a wireless power transfer apparatus using full and half-bridge inverter topologies includes detecting whether or not a wireless power receiver is present within a range of power being transferrable in a wireless manner, transmitting a detection signal to the wireless power receiver, receiving at least one of identification information and setting information from the wireless power receiver, receiving a control error packet from the wireless power receiver, and controlling an amount of power to be transferred by using the combination of a driving frequency, a duty cycle or a power signal phase to the full or half-bridge inverter.

Claims

1. A wireless power transfer method for a wireless power transfer apparatus using full and half-bridge inverter topologies, the method comprising:

detecting whether or not a wireless power receiver is present;

transmitting a detection signal to the wireless power receiver;

receiving at least one of an identification packet or configuration information from the wireless power receiver;

applying a power signal by controlling a driving frequency to the half-bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred;

receiving a control error packet from the wireless power receiver;

changing the inverter topology from the half-bridge into the full-bridge after receiving the control error packet if the wireless power receiver is a medium power wireless receiver; and

applying a power signal to the full bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of power to be transferred is controlled based on version information in the identification packet collected from the wireless power receiver when the control error packet is received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving frequency is shifted in response to the conversion from the half-bridge to the full-bridge.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a power transfer unit of the wireless power transmitter uses a voltage corresponding to the half-bridge as an initial voltage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter drives the power transfer unit using one of the full-bridge inverter and the half-bridge inverter based on whether the wireless power receiver corresponds either to a medium power receiver or to a low power receiver, informed by the wireless power receiver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter receives an identification packet from the wireless power receiver, the identification packet comprising version information related to the wireless power receiver.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter initially drives an LC circuit using the half-bridge inverter, and determines whether or not to change the inverter topology from the half-bridge into the full-bridge the control error packet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter changes the inverter topology from the half-bridge into the full-bridge after receiving the control error packet when the wireless power receiver is a medium power receiver and maintains the half-bridge when the wireless power receiver is a low power receiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving frequency of the full-bridge inverter is initially in the range of 135 kHz to 145 kHz.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving frequency used at the step of detecting whether or not the wireless power receiver is present is 140 kHz.

11. A method of receiving power in a wireless manner from a wireless power transmitter using full and half-bridge inverter topologies, the method comprising:

receiving a detection signal from the wireless power transmitter;

transmitting at least one of an identification packet or configuration information to the wireless power transmitter;

receiving a power signal controlled by a driving frequency from the half-bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred;

transmitting a control error packet from a wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter; and

receiving a power signal controlled by at least one of the driving frequency or a duty cycle from the full-bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred,

wherein the inverter topology is changed from the half-bridge into the full-bridge after the control error packet is transmitted if the wireless power receiver is a medium power wireless receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless power receiver transmits the identification packet to the wireless power transmitter, the identification packet comprising version information related to the wireless power receiver.

13. A wireless power transmitter using full and half-bridge inverter topologies, the wireless power transmitter configured to:

detect whether or not a wireless power receiver is present;

transmit a detection signal to the wireless power receiver;

receive at least one of an identification packet or configuration information from the wireless power receiver;

applying a power signal by controlling a driving frequency to the half-bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred;

receive a control error packet from the wireless power receiver;

changing the inverter topology from the half-bridge into the full-bridge after receiving the control error packet if the wireless power receiver is a medium power wireless receiver; and

applying a power signal by controlling at least one of the driving frequency or a duty cycle to the full bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the amount of power to be transferred is selected based on version information in the identification packet collected from the wireless power receiver when the first control error packet is received.

15. The wireless power transmitter of claim 14, wherein the driving frequency is shifted in response to the conversion of the inverter topology from the half-bridge to the full-bridge.

16. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the wireless power transmitter receives an identification packet from the wireless power receiver, the identification packet comprising version information related to the wireless power receiver.

17. A wireless charging system comprising:

a wireless power transmitter configured to transmit power in a wireless manner; and

a wireless power receiver configured to receive the power from the wireless power transmitter in the wireless manner,

wherein a power transfer unit of the wireless power transmitter comprises an LC circuit configured to be switched between a full-bridge and a half-bridge,

wherein the wireless power receiver further configured to;

transmit a control error packet from the wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter; and

receive a power signal controlled by at least one of the driving frequency or a duty cycle from the full-bridge inverter to control an amount of power to be transferred,

wherein the inverter topology is changed from the half-bridge into the full-bridge after the control error packet is transmitted if the wireless power receiver is a medium power wireless receiver.

18. The wireless charging system of claim 17, wherein the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver are configured to:

detect by the wireless power transmitter whether or not the wireless power receiver is present;

transmit by the wireless power transmitter a detection signal to the wireless power receiver;

receive by the wireless power transmitter at least one of an identification packet or configuration information from the wireless power receiver;

receive by the wireless power transmitter a control error packet from the wireless power receiver; and

drive by the wireless power transmitter the power transfer unit using one of the full-bridge and the half-bridge based on whether or not the wireless power receiver corresponds to a medium power receiver or a low power receiver, informed by the wireless power receiver.