Power supply apparatus and method for wireless power transmission

• US 9,369,007 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Nam Yun, Kwon, Sang Wook, Park, Yun Kwon, Choi, Jin Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Inge, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/486,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method that may stably perform wireless transmission. According to one general aspect, a power supply for a wireless power transmitter may include: a detecting unit configured to detect voltage, current, or both supplied to a power amplifier (PA); a controller configured to determine power supplied to the PA based on the detected voltage, the detected current, or both, and to determine a reference current based on the determined power supplied to the PA; and a breaker configured to cut off the power supplied to the PA based on a comparison of current supplied to the PA and the reference current.

Claims

1. A power supply for a wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power converter configured to generate a supply power supplied to a power amplifier (PA);

a detecting unit configured to detect voltage, current, or both of the supply power;

a controller configured to determine a level of the supply power based on the detected voltage, the detected current, or both, and to determine a reference current corresponding to the level of the supply power to prevent over current of the PA; and

a breaker configured to cut off the supply power supplied to the PA from the power converter based on a comparison of current supplied to the PA and the reference current.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the detecting unit measures voltage across a resistor or a transistor connected to the PA, measures current flowing through the resistor or the transistor, or both.

3. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the detecting unit measures voltage across a resistor having a predetermined resistance connected to the PA, and determines the current based on the predetermined resistance and the measured voltage.

4. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the reference current using a reference table in which reference currents, predetermined supply powers, and supply voltages, are provided.

5. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the controller controls a signal input to the PA based on the comparison.

6. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the controller controls power output from the power converter that provides supply power to the PA based on the comparison.

7. The power supply of claim 1, further comprising:

a comparing unit configured to compare current supplied to the PA and the reference current.

8. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the breaker determines the state of a switch that connects the PA and the power converter based on the comparison.

9. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the breaker determines an operation of a transistor that connects the PA and the power converter based on the comparison.

10. The power supply of claim 1, further comprising:

a leakage current breaker configured to cut off a leakage current.

11. The power supply of claim 1, further comprising:

a source resonance unit configured to transmit power output from the PA; and

a matching network configured to match an output impedance of the PA and an input impedance of the source resonance unit.

12. A power supply method for wireless power transmission, the method comprising:

generating a supply power supplied to a power amplifier (PA);

detecting voltage, current, or both of the supply power;

determining a level of the supply power based on the detected voltage, the detected current, or both;

determining a reference current corresponding to the level of the supply power to prevent over current of the PA; and

cutting off the supply power supplied to the PA from a power converter based on comparison of current supplied to the PA and the reference current.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting comprises:

measuring voltage across a resistor or a transistor connected to the PA, measuring current flowing through the resistor or the transistor, or both.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting comprises:

measuring voltage across a resistor having a predetermined resistance connected to the PA; and

determining the current supplied to the PA based on the predetermined resistance and the measured voltage.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

controlling power output from the power converter that provides power to the PA based on the comparison.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the current supplied to the PA and the reference current.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the cutting off comprises:

cutting off an electrical connection between the PA and the power converter based on the comparison.