Wireless power system and resonant frequency changing method thereof

• US 9,444,289 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Yongcheol, Lee, Seonghun, Kwon, Taewook, Seo, Jeongkyo, Lee, Jaesung
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US13/606,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130062961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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

Abstract

This specification provides a wireless power system capable of changing a resonant frequency and a resonant frequency changing method thereof. To this end, a wireless power receiver according to one exemplary embodiment includes a power receiving unit having a receiving side resonant circuit provided with at least one inductor and at least one capacitor, and configured to receive a wireless power signal, the wireless power signal being generated based on a resonance phenomenon between the receiving side resonant circuit and a transmitting side resonant circuit of a wireless power transmitter, and a power reception control unit configured to control the power receiving unit to change a connection between the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor so as to change a resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver comprising:

a power receiving unit having a receiving side resonant circuit provided with at least one inductor and at least one capacitor, and configured to receive a wireless power signal, the wireless power signal being generated based on a resonance phenomenon between the receiving side resonant circuit and a transmitting side resonant circuit of a wireless power transmitter; and

a power reception control unit configured to control the power receiving unit to change a connection between the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor so as to change a resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal, wherein the power receiving unit comprises;

a first capacitor;

a second capacitor;

an inductor; and

a switching device,

wherein the power receiving unit is configured to selectively connect either the first capacitor or the second capacitor to the inductor in response to a switching operation of the switching device so as to change the resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal,

wherein the first capacitor is a detection capacitor configured to connect to the inductor to have the power receiving unit to operate in a first resonant frequency when the wireless power receiver meets a specific condition,

wherein the first resonant frequency is preconfigured to generate a resonant coupling between the receiving side resonant circuit and the transmitting side resonant circuit strong enough to wake up and drive the power reception control unit and prevent the wireless power signal from damaging the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the second capacitor is a resonance capacitor configured to connect to the inductor to wirelessly receive power and charge the wireless power receiver in a second resonant frequency from the wireless power transmitter based on the resonance phenomenon when a receiving side voltage of the wireless power receiver is close to a reference voltage within a specific error range after meeting the specific condition.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first capacitor or the second capacitor comprises n capacitors, and the switching device comprises n switching devices, and

wherein the power reception control unit controls the power receiving unit to selectively connect at least one of the n capacitors to the inductor in parallel to each other in response to the switching operation of the switching device.

3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the inductor comprises n inductors, and the switching device comprises n switching devices, and

wherein the power reception control unit controls the power receiving unit to selectively connect at least one of the n inductors to either the first capacitor or the second capacitor in series in response to the switching operation of the switching device.

4. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the reference voltage is decided based on whether or not it is a voltage which is able to cause damage on the wireless power receiver.

5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter generates a wireless power signal based on a carrier signal, and operates in a resonant frequency deciding mode when the wireless power receiver meets the specific condition, and

wherein the resonant frequency deciding mode is a mode of sequentially changing power transmitted in a wireless manner based on the wireless power signal by sequentially changing a driving frequency of the carrier signal, and deciding a driving frequency corresponding to the receiving side voltage as a resonant frequency when the receiving side voltage is close to the reference voltage within the specific error range due to the changed wireless power.

6. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the specific error range is ±

5% of the reference voltage.

7. The receiver of claim 5, wherein the specific condition indicates a case where the wireless power receiver is located within a specific area, a case where a new wireless power receiver is located within the specific area, a case where the number of wireless power receivers present within the specific area changes, a case where a position of at least one wireless power receiver present within the specific area changes, or a case of receiving a request periodically or from the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the specific area is an area where the wireless power signal passes through or an area where the wireless power receiver can be detected.

8. The receiver of claim 5, wherein the power reception control unit controls the power receiving unit to transmit a control message to the wireless power transmitter, and

wherein the wireless power transmitter sequentially changes the driving frequency based on the transmitted control message.

9. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the control message comprises control error information indicating a voltage difference between the receiving side voltage and the reference voltage.

10. The receiver of claim 8, wherein the wireless power transmitter decides whether or not the receiving side voltage is close to the reference voltage within the specific error range based on the control message, and terminates the change of the driving frequency when the receiving side voltage is close to the reference voltage based on the specific error range.

11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the wireless power transmitter changes a connection between at least one inductor and at least one capacitor included in the transmitting side resonant circuit to correspond to the change of the resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal when the receiving side voltage is close to the reference voltage within the specific error range.

12. A wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power conversion unit having a transmitting side resonant circuit provided with at least one inductor and at least one capacitor, and configured to generate a wireless power signal based on a resonance phenomenon between the transmitting side resonant circuit and a receiving side resonant circuit of a wireless power receiver; and

a power transmission control unit configured to change a connection between the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor so as to change a resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal, wherein the wireless power receiver comprises;

a first capacitor;

a second capacitor;

an inductor; and

a switching device,

wherein the inductor is selectively connected to either the first capacitor or the second capacitor in response to a switching operation of the switching device so as to change the resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal,

wherein the first capacitor is a detection capacitor configured to connect to the inductor to have the wireless power receiver to operate in a first resonant frequency when the wireless power receiver meets a specific condition,

wherein the first resonant frequency is preconfigured to generate a resonant coupling between the receiving side resonant circuit and the transmitting side resonant circuit strong enough to wake up and drive the power reception control unit and prevent the wireless power signal from damaging the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the second capacitor is a resonance capacitor configured to connect to the inductor to wirelessly receive power and charge the wireless power receiver in a second resonant frequency from the wireless power transmitter based on the resonance phenomenon when a receiving side voltage of the wireless power receiver is close to a reference voltage within a specific error range after meeting the specific condition.

13. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein the power conversion unit generates the wireless power signal based on a carrier signal, and

wherein the power transmission control unit controls the power conversion unit to sequentially change a driving frequency of the carrier signal so as to sequentially change power wirelessly transmitted based on the wireless power signal when the wireless power receiver receiving power in a wireless manner based on the wireless power signal meets the specific condition, and

wherein the power transmission control unit controls the power conversion unit to terminate the sequential change of the driving frequency when the receiving side voltage of the wireless power receiver is close to the reference voltage within the specific error range by the changed wireless power.

14. The transmitter of claim 13, wherein the specific condition indicates a case where the wireless power receiver is located within a specific area, a case where a new wireless power receiver is located within the specific area, a case where the number of wireless power receivers present within the specific area changes, a case where a position of at least one wireless power receiver present within the specific area changes, or a case of receiving a request periodically or from the wireless power receiver,

wherein the specific area is an area where the wireless power signal passes through or an area where the wireless power receiver can be detected,

wherein the reference voltage is decided based on whether or not it is a voltage which is able to cause a damage on the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the specific error range is ±

5% of the reference voltage.

15. A method for changing a resonant frequency in a wireless power receiver having a receiving side resonant circuit provided with at least one inductor and at least one capacitor, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless power signal generated based on a resonance phenomenon between the receiving side resonant circuit and a transmitting side resonant circuit of a wireless power transmitter; and

changing a connection between the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor to change a resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal, wherein the receiving side resonant circuit comprises;

a first capacitor;

a second capacitor;

an inductor; and

a switching device,

wherein the inductor is selectively connected to either the first capacitor or the second capacitor in response to a switching operating of the switching device so as to change the resonant frequency corresponding to the wireless power signal,

wherein the first capacitor is a detection capacitor configured to connect to the inductor to have the wireless power receiver to operate in a first resonant frequency when the wireless power receiver meets a specific condition,

wherein the first resonant frequency is preconfigured to generate a resonant coupling between the receiving side resonant circuit and the transmitting side resonant circuit strong enough to wake up and drive the power reception control unit and prevent the wireless power signal from damaging the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the second capacitor is a resonance capacitor configured to connect to the inductor to wirelessly receive power and charge the wireless power receiver in a second resonant frequency from the wireless power transmitter based on the resonance phenomenon when a receiving side voltage of the wireless power receiver is close to a reference voltage within a specific error range after meeting the specific condition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the specific condition indicates a case where the wireless power receiver is located within a specific area, a case where a new wireless power receiver is located within the specific area, a case where the number of wireless power receivers present within the specific area changes, a case where a position of at least one wireless power receiver present within the specific area changes, or a case of receiving a request periodically or from the wireless power receiver,

wherein the specific area is an area where the wireless power signal passes through or an area where the wireless power receiver can be detected,

wherein the reference voltage is decided based on whether or not it is a voltage which is able to cause a damage on the wireless power receiver, and

wherein the specific error range is ±

5% of the reference voltage.