Contactless battery charger, electronic device, battery pack, and contactless charging system

• US 9,362,779 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Oku, Hiroyuki, Oshimi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Piggush, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US14/244,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20140217968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/132, 320/133, 320/134, 320/155
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/446 Initial charging measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/448 End of discharge regulating measures
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A contactless charging system is made up of an electronic device and a contactless charger 200 that recharges the electronic device in a contactless manner. The electronic device transmits a full charge command indicating completion of charge. Upon receipt of the full charge command, the contactless charger shifts to a charge stop state in which charge of the electronic device is not performed. In the charge stop state, the contactless charger generates a load check signal for checking whether or not the electronic device is placed in the contactless charger in a rechargeable state, and transmits the signal. Further, the contactless charger also generates a charge restart check command for checking whether or not the electronic device requests recharge in a charge stop state, and transmits the command.

Claims

1. A contact-less charger, which is capable to charge, in a contact-less manner, an electronic device using a secondary battery as a power source, the contact-less charger comprising:

a receiving section that receives from the electronic device a signal indicating completion of charge;

wherein upon receipt of the signal indicating the completion of charge, the contact-less charger shifts to a charge stop state in which the charge of the electronic device is restricted;

wherein in the charge stop state, the contact-less charger intermittently generates a load check signal for checking whether or not the electronic device is placed on the contact-less charger; and

wherein in the charge stop state, the contact-less charger generates a signal for checking whether or not the electronic device requires recharge after a time period, which is longer than the generation interval of the load check signal, elapses from a beginning of the charge stop state.

2. The contact-less charger according to claim 1, wherein in the charge stop state, the contact-less charger generates a plurality of the load check signal before generating the signal for checking whether or not the electronic device requires recharge.

3. The contact-less charger according to claim 1, further comprising:

a standby mode in which the contact-less charger intermittently generates the load check signal;

wherein upon determination of presence of a load in the standby mode, the contact-less charger shifts to an authentication mode in which the contact-less charger authenticates the electronic device; and

wherein upon the electronic device is authenticated in the authentication mode, the contact-less charger shifts to a transfer mode in which charge of the electronic device is performed.

4. The contact-less charger according to claim 3, wherein in the transfer mode, the contact-less charger determines whether or not an extraneous load is present;

and

wherein upon determination of presence of the extraneous load, the contact-less charger restricts charge and intermittently generates the load check signal.

5. The contact-less charger according to claim 3, wherein upon failure of authentication of the electronic device in the authentication mode, the contact-less charger restricts the charge and then intermittently generates the load check signal.

6. The contact-less charger according to claim 1, wherein in the charge stop state, the signal for checking whether or not the electronic device requires recharge is generated independently from the load check signal.