Power transmission device, power transmission method, and power transmission system

• US 9,461,712 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyabayashi, Naoki, Ishikawa, Yasuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US13/399,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 340/4.2, 340/10.1, 340/10.34, 340/13.23, 340/13.24, 340/13.25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A power transmission device includes a communication unit that transmits a power capability information transmission request via a communication channel and receives power capability information in response to the power capability information transmission request. The power transmission device also includes a processing unit that sets a parameter based on the power capability information. Further, the power transmission device includes a power transmission unit that wirelessly transmits power using the parameter. The communication unit transmits the power capability information transmission request before the power transmission unit wirelessly transmits the power.

Claims

1. A power transmission device, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

transmit a power capability information transmission request via a communication channel;

receive power capability information in response to the power capability information transmission request;

determine a parameter type, to be used to wirelessly transmit power, from one or more parameter types indicated in the received power capability information, that matches a parameter type indicated in transmission power capability information;

set a parameter of the determined parameter type based on the received power capability information;

wirelessly transmit the power using the parameter, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the power capability information transmission request before wirelessly transmitting the power;

receive first power reception amount information for the parameter after transmitting the power;

calculate a first power transmission efficiency based on the first power reception amount information; and

generate parameter information excluding the parameter if the first power transmission efficiency is less than a predetermined value, wherein, if the circuitry receives second power reception amount information for the parameter, the circuitry is configured to calculate a second power transmission efficiency based on the second power reception amount information, and wherein if the second power transmission efficiency is less than the predetermined value a predetermined number of times in a predetermined period corresponding to the first power reception amount information and the second power reception amount information, the circuitry is configured to exclude the parameter from the parameter information.

2. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the power capability information indicates one or more transmission types and the one or more parameter types.

3. The power transmission device according to claim 2, wherein the one or more transmission types is defined by at least one of an electromagnetic induction, electric waves, a magnetic-field resonance, or an electric-field resonance, and the circuitry is configured to wirelessly transmit the power using the at least one of the electromagnetic induction, the electric waves, the magnetic-field resonance, or the electric-field resonance.

4. The power transmission device according to claim 2, wherein the one or more parameter types is defined by at least one of a frequency, a voltage, and an azimuth angle, or the circuitry is configured to wirelessly transmit the power using the at least one of the frequency, the voltage, or the azimuth angle.

5. The power transmission device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the transmission power capability information, wherein the circuitry is configured to set the parameter by comparing the one or more parameter types indicated by the received power capability information and the parameter type indicated by the transmission power capability information to add the parameter type indicated by the received power capability information to a parameter type list.

6. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to calculate a plurality of power transmission efficiencies for each of a plurality of parameters of the parameter type and to set a standard efficiency range based on a maximum power transmission efficiency of the plurality of power transmission efficiencies.

7. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel s encrypted.

8. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured not to

transmit the power if the first power transmission efficiency is less than the predetermined value.

9. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to periodically or aperiodically include the parameter in the parameter information after the parameter has been excluded from the parameter information.

10. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter does not exceed a power reception capability indicated by the received power capability information, and the circuitry is configured to

transmit the parameter information;

receive the second power reception amount information after wirelessly transmitting the power;

calculate a plurality of third power transmission efficiencies of a plurality of parameters based on the second power reception amount information;

set a standard range based on the plurality of third power transmission efficiencies; and

exclude one of the plurality of parameters from the parameter information if the third power transmission efficiency of the one of the plurality of parameters is outside the standard range.

11. The power transmission device according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to

calculate a power transmission unit price corresponding to the standard range;

transmit information indicating the power transmission unit price; and

wirelessly transmit the power using the parameter if the communication unit receives a power transmission start request in response to the information indicating the power transmission unit price.

12. The power transmission device according to claim 10, wherein, if the third power transmission efficiency of the one of the plurality of parameters is outside the standard range, the circuitry is configured to stop wirelessly transmitting the power.

13. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit or receive connection information for forming the communication channel via a non-contact communication using a carrier of a predetermined frequency.

14. The power transmission device according to claim 13, wherein the circuitry is configured to

transmit the power capability information transmission request via the non-contact communication;

receive the power capability information via the non-contact communication, wherein the parameter does not exceed a power reception capability indicated by the received power capability information.

15. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate parameter information indicating the parameter based on parameter candidates of the power, and wherein the parameter candidates corresponding to an environment where the power is transmitted are set on the basis of the received power capability information.

18. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to set a transmission type to wirelessly transmit the power by comparing one or more transmission types indicated in the received power capability information and one or more transmission types indicated by the transmission power capability information.

19. The power transmission device according to claim 18, wherein the circuitry is configured to set the transmission type according to a predetermined priority.

16. A power transmission method, comprising:

transmitting a power capability information transmission request via a communication channel;

receiving power capability information in response to the power capability information transmission request;

determining a parameter type, to be used to wirelessly transmit power, from one or more parameter types indicated in the received power capability information, that matches a parameter type indicated in transmission power capability information;

setting a parameter of the determined parameter type based on the received power capability information;

wirelessly transmitting the power using the parameter, wherein the transmitting the power capability information transmission request is performed before the wirelessly transmitting the power;

receiving first power reception amount information for the parameter after transmitting the power;

calculating a first power transmission efficiency based on the first power reception amount information; and

generating parameter information excluding the parameter if the first power transmission efficiency is less than a predetermined value, wherein, if second power reception amount information is received for the parameter, a second power transmission efficiency is calculated based on the second power reception amount information, and wherein if the second power transmission efficiency is less than the predetermined value a predetermined number of times in a predetermined period corresponding to the first power reception amount information and the second power reception amount information, the parameter is excluded from the parameter information.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause a computer to perform the steps comprising:

transmitting a power capability information transmission request via a communication channel;

receiving power capability information in response to the power capability information transmission request;

determining a parameter type, to be used to wirelessly transmit power, from one or more parameter types indicated in the received power capability information, that matches a parameter type indicated in transmission power capability information;

setting a parameter of the determined parameter type based on the received power capability information;

wirelessly transmitting the power using the parameter, wherein the transmitting the power capability information transmission request is performed before the wirelessly transmitting the power;

receiving first power reception amount information for the parameter after transmitting the power;

calculating a first power transmission efficiency based on the first power reception amount information; and

generating parameter information excluding the parameter if the first power transmission efficiency is less than a predetermined value, wherein, if second power reception amount information is received for the parameter, a second power transmission efficiency is calculated based on the second power reception amount information, and wherein if the second power transmission efficiency is less than the predetermined value a predetermined number of times in a predetermined period corresponding to the first power reception amount information and the second power reception amount information, the parameter is excluded from the parameter information.