Apparatus and method for applying wireless power based on detection of a wireless power receiver

• US 9,425,626 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kyung-Woo, Byun, Kang-Ho, Park, Se-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US13/717,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 320107-108, 455/522
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting wireless power to a wireless power receiver. The method includes detecting wireless power receiver within a service area of a wireless power transmitter; transmitting driving power for driving the wireless power receiver; joining the wireless power receiver in a wireless power network managed by the wireless power transmitter; and transmitting charging power to the wireless power receiver.

Claims

1. A method for applying wireless power for charging a wireless power receiver by a wireless power transmitter, the method comprising:

detecting a change in impedance of the wireless power transmitter caused by a placement of the wireless power receiver;

applying driving power for the wireless power receiver, in response to detecting the change;

receiving a signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the driving power is used to transmit the signal from the wireless power received to the wireless power transmitter;

establishing a communication network with the wireless power receiver, wherein the communication network is associated with the signal;

registering the wireless power receiver in a wireless power network managed by the wireless power transmitter by using the established communication network; and

applying charging power for the wireless power receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the communication network with the wireless power receiver comprises transmitting a wireless power transmitter search response signal in response to the signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal includes at least one of a protocol version, a sequence number, company information, product information, impedance information, and capacity information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless power transmitter search response signal includes at least one of a sequence number, and network IDentifier (ID) information of the wireless power transmitter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the wireless power receiver in the wireless power network comprises:

receiving a request register signal from the wireless power receiver;

determining whether to permit the wireless power receiver to register the wireless power network; and

transmitting a response register signal indicating whether or not the wireless power receiver is permitted to register the wireless power network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving an Acknowledgement (Ack) signal for the response register signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the request register signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power transmitter, product information, a maximum voltage value allowable at a front end of a Direct Current (DC)/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a minimum voltage value allowable at the front end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a rated voltage value at a rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, and a rated current value at the rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the response register signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, register permission information, and a session ID of the wireless power receiver.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the permission field indicates whether the wireless power receiver is permitted to register the wireless power network or not.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the charging power comprises transmitting a command signal indicating a charge start command to the wireless power receiver.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an Acknowledgement (Ack) signal for the command signal from the wireless power receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the command signal includes at least one of a session IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver, a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, a command type, and command type-related information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the charge start command is written in a field for the command type.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the command signal turns on a switching unit connected to a charging unit of the wireless power receiver.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting another command signal to the wireless power receiver.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a command type of another command signal is a charge finish command, and wherein the charge finish command is a command to finish the charging by turning off a switching unit of the wireless power receiver.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a report signal from the wireless power receiver, if the command signal is not a signal for the charge start.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the report signal includes at least one of a session IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver, a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, a voltage value applied to a front end of a DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a voltage value applied to a rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, and a current value applied to the rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the change in the impedance of the wireless power transmitter comprises detecting an abrupt change in at least one of the impedance, a current value, a voltage value, a phase and a temperature at a point of the wireless power transmitter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein detecting the change in the impedance of the wireless power transmitter further comprises applying detection power to a power transmitter of the wireless power transmitter at stated periods.

21. A wireless power transmitter for applying wireless power for charging a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power transmitter;

a controller that detects a change in impedance of the wireless power transmitter caused by a placement of the wireless power receiver, controls the power transmitter to apply driving power for the wireless power transmitter to the power transmitter, in response to the controller detecting the change; and

a communication unit that receives a communication signal from the wireless power receiver, and establishes a communication network with the wireless power receiver,

wherein the driving power is used to transmit the communication signal from the wireless power received to the wireless power transmitter,

wherein the communication network is associated with the communication signal, and

wherein the controller registers the wireless power receiver in a wireless power network managed by the wireless power transmitter by using the established communication network, and applies charging power for the wireless power receiver to the power transmitter.

22. The wireless power transmitter of claim 21, wherein the communication unit transmits a wireless power transmitter search response signal in response to the communication signal.

23. The wireless power transmitter of claim 22, wherein the communication signal comprises at least one of:

a protocol version;

a sequence number;

company information;

product information;

impedance information; and

capacity information.

24. The wireless power transmitter of claim 22, wherein the wireless power transmitter search response signal comprises at least one of:

a sequence number; and

network IDentifier (ID) information of the wireless power transmitter.

25. The wireless power transmitter of claim 21, wherein the communication unit receives a request register signal from the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the controller determines whether to permit the wireless power receiver to register the wireless power network, and controls the communication unit to transmit a response register signal indicating whether or not the wireless power receiver is permitted to register the wireless power network.

26. The wireless power transmitter of claim 25, wherein the communication unit receives an Acknowledgement (Ack) signal for the response register signal.

27. The wireless power transmitter of claim 25, wherein the request register signal comprises at least one of:

a sequence number;

a network IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power transmitter;

product information;

a maximum voltage value allowable at a front end of a Direct Current (DC)/DC converter of the wireless power receiver;

a minimum voltage value allowable at the front end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver;

a rated voltage value at a rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver; and

a rated current value at the rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

28. The wireless power transmitter of claim 25, wherein the response register signal comprises at least one of:

a sequence number;

a network IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power transmitter;

register permission information; and

a session ID of the wireless power receiver.

29. The wireless power transmitter of claim 28, wherein the permission field indicates whether the wireless power receiver is not permitted to register the wireless power network or not.

30. The wireless power transmitter of claim 21, wherein the power transmitter transmits charging power to the wireless power receiver, if the communication unit transmits a command signal indicating a charge start command to the wireless power receiver.

31. The wireless power transmitter of claim 30, wherein the communication unit receives an Acknowledgement (Ack) signal for the command signal from the wireless power receiver.

32. The wireless power transmitter of claim 31, wherein the command signal comprises at least one of:

a session IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver;

a sequence number;

a network ID of the wireless power transmitter;

a command type; and

command type-related information.

33. The wireless power transmitter of claim 32, wherein the charge start command is written in a field for the command type.

34. The wireless power transmitter of claim 30, wherein the command signal turns on a switching unit connected to a charging unit of the wireless power receiver.

35. The wireless power transmitter of claim 30, wherein the communication unit transmits another command signal to the wireless power receiver.

36. The wireless power transmitter of claim 35, wherein a command type of another command signal is a charge finish command, and

wherein the charge finish command is a command to finish the charging by turning off a switching unit of the wireless power receiver.

37. The wireless power transmitter of claim 30, wherein the communication unit receives a report signal from the wireless power receiver, if the command signal is not a signal for the charge start.

38. The wireless power transmitter of claim 37, wherein the report signal comprises at least one of:

a session IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver;

a sequence number;

a network ID of the wireless power transmitter;

a voltage value applied to a front end of a DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver;

a voltage value applied to a rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver; and

a current value applied to the rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

39. The wireless power transmitter of claim 21, wherein the controller detects the change in the impedance of the wireless power transmitter by detecting an abrupt change in at least one of the impedance, a current value, a voltage value, a phase, and a temperature at a point of the wireless power transmitter.

40. The wireless power transmitter of claim 39, wherein the controller detects the change in the impedance of the wireless power transmitter by applying detection power to the power transmitter at stated periods.