Detecting device, power supply system, and detecting device control method

• US 9,570,231 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Takashi, Omae, Uichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Toan
• Application Number:
  US14/254,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20140339906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/101 by measuring the impedance of the search coil; by measuring features of a resonant circuit comprising the search coil measuring impedance or characteristics derived therefrom G01R27/00, e.g. quality factor G01R27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• 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 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters

Abstract

A detecting device includes: a measurement coil made up of a first partial coil to which current in a particular direction is induced by a magnetic field to be supplied to a power reception coil configured to receive power, and a second partial coil to which the current in the opposite direction of the particular direction is induced by the magnetic field; a measurement unit configured to measure the voltage of the measurement coil as measurement coil voltage; and a foreign object detecting unit configured to detect a foreign object within the magnetic field based on the measurement coil voltage.

Claims

1. A detecting device comprising:

a measurement coil made up of a first partial coil to which current in a particular direction is induced by a magnetic field to be supplied to a power reception coil configured to receive power and a second partial coil to which the current in the opposite direction of the particular direction is induced by the magnetic field;

a measurement unit configured to measure the voltage of the measurement coil as measurement coil voltage; and

an object detecting unit configured to detect an object within the magnetic field based on the measurement coil voltage,

wherein the first partial coil and the second partial coil are disposed in a position sandwiching the middle of the outermost edge and the innermost edge of the power reception coil, the area of each coil surface of the first partial coil and the second partial coil differs.

2. The detecting device according to claim 1,

wherein the measurement unit further measures the voltage and current of the power reception coil;

and

wherein the object detecting unit acquires impedance of the power reception coil from the measurement coil voltage and the voltage and current of the power reception coil, and detects the object based on such impedance.

3. The detecting device according to claim 1,

wherein the measurement unit further measures the voltage of the power reception coil as power reception coil voltage;

and

wherein the object detecting unit acquires a voltage ratio between the measurement coil voltage and the power reception coil voltage, and detects the object based on this voltage ratio.

4. The detecting device according to claim 3,

wherein the power reception coil receives first and second power which differs in electric energy in this order;

and

wherein the object detecting unit detects the object based on difference between the voltage ratio acquired in the case of the first power having been received, and the voltage ratio acquired in the case of the second power having been received.

5. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the measurement coil is made up of the first partial coil and the second partial coil, which are serially connected.

6. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the first partial coil and the second partial coil is disposed outside the outermost edge of the power reception coil.

7. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the first partial coil and the second partial coil is disposed inside the innermost edge of the power reception coil.

8. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the first partial coil and the second partial coil are disposed generally on the same flat surface.

9. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the first partial coil and the second partial coil are disposed in a position where the centers of the coil surfaces thereof generally agree.

10. The detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply device configured to supply the power; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit a control signal for requesting reduction of electric energy of the power in the case of the object having been detected to the power supply device.

14. The detecting device according to claim 1, the object unit is a foreign object unit.

11. A detecting device comprising:

a measurement coil made up of

a first partial coil to which current in a particular direction is induced by a magnetic field to be supplied by a power supply coil configured to supply power to a power reception coil configured to receive power, and

a second partial coil to which the current in the opposite direction of the particular direction is induced by the magnetic field;

a measurement unit configured to measure the voltage of the measurement coil as measurement coil voltage; and

an object detecting unit configured to detect an object within the magnetic field based on the measurement coil voltage,

wherein the first partial coil and the second partial coil are disposed in a position sandwiching the middle of the outermost edge and the innermost edge of the power reception coil, the area of each coil surface of the first partial coil and the second partial coil differs.

15. The detecting device according to claim 11, the object unit is a foreign object unit.

12. A power supply system comprising:

a power supply coil configured to supply power via a magnetic field;

a power reception coil configured to receive the power;

a measurement coil made up of

a first partial coil to which current in a particular direction is induced by a magnetic field, and

a second partial coil to which the current in the opposite direction of the particular direction is induced by the magnetic field;

a measurement unit configured to measure the voltage of the measurement coil as measurement coil voltage; and

an object detecting unit configured to detect an object within the magnetic field based on the measurement coil voltage,

wherein the first partial coil and the second partial coil are disposed in a position sandwiching the middle of the outermost edge and the innermost edge of the power reception coil, the area of each coil surface of the first partial coil and the second partial coil differs.

16. The detecting device according to claim 12, the object unit is a foreign object unit.

13. A detecting device control method comprising:

measuring, at a measurement unit, voltage of a measurement coil made up of

a first partial coil to which current in a particular direction is induced by a magnetic field to be supplied to a power reception coil configured to receive power, and

a second partial coil to which the current in the opposite direction of the particular direction is induced by the magnetic field; and

detecting, at an object detecting unit, an object within the magnetic field based on the measurement coil voltage,

wherein the first partial coil and the second partial coil are disposed in a position sandwiching the middle of the outermost edge and the innermost edge of the power reception coil, the area of each coil surface of the first partial coil and the second partial coil differs.

17. The detecting device according to claim 13, the object unit is a foreign object unit.