Apparatus and method of matching in a source-target structure

• US 9,583,963 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Nam Yun, Park, Eun Seok, Kwon, Sang Wook, Hong, Young Tack, Ryu, Young Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kessie, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/093,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20110266880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

Provided is a source-target structure matching controlling apparatus and method that may perform matching control of a source-target structure while resonance power is transmitted and received through the source-target structure. The source-target structure matching controlling apparatus may include a target resonator to receive, from a resonance power transmitter, the resonance power through a magnetic-coupling, and a rectifier to rectify the resonance power to generate a DC voltage, and provide the DC voltage to a load. The source-target structure matching controlling apparatus may detect an impedance of the load and a variance in the impedance, and may transmit, to the resonance power transmitter, information associated with the variance in the impedance of the load.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling matching in a source-target structure that transmits and receives resonance power, the apparatus comprising:

a target resonator configured to receive resonance power through magnetic-coupling with a resonance power transmitter;

a rectifier configured to rectify the received resonance power to generate a direct current (DC) voltage and to provide the DC voltage to a load;

a load sensor configured to detect the impedance of the load that is provided the DC voltage by the rectifier and a variation in the impedance of the load; and

a target communicating unit configured to modulate information of the variation in the impedance of the load and transmit the modulated information to the resonance power transmitter, the information being used to control an impedance of a source resonator for matching with the varied impedance of the load;

a matching-controller configured to control the impedance of the target resonator to match with the varied impedance of the load,

wherein the impedance of the load, the impedance of the target resonator, and the impedance of the source resonator are matched,

wherein an impedance of the target resonator is controlled at a point in time at which an amount of required power of the load changes,

a received-power monitor configured to monitor resonance power that is received from the resonance power transmitter;

a reflected-power monitor configured to monitor a reflected-power of the received resonance power; and

a target matching controller (MCU) configured to control the matching-controller to perform impedance-matching in response to either one or both of the reflected power and a variation in power to be used by the load being sensed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the load sensor senses a voltage that is applied to the load and an amount of current that is flowing through the load, to detect the variation in the impedance of the load.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target communicating unit comprises:

a communicating unit configured to transmit the information of the variation in the impedance of the load through a resonance frequency of the target resonator, to the resonance power transmitter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impedance-matching is performed to adjust the impedance to 50 ohms.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target MCU controls the matching-controller based on one of a first table that records a value of a variation in an impedance corresponding to a variation in the power to be used by the load and a second table that records a value of a variation in an impedance corresponding to a charged level of the load.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target MCU controls the target resonator to have the same impedance as the impedance of the load.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the matching-controller controls the impedance of the source resonator to be the same as the impedance of the load, and

the impedance of the load being sensed by the resonance power receiver has a value between 10 ohms and 100 ohms.

7. An apparatus for controlling matching in a source-target structure that transmits and receives resonance power, the apparatus comprising:

a source resonator configured to transmit resonance power through magnetic-coupling with a resonance power receiver;

a matching-controller configured to control impedance-matching between the source resonator and a target device included in the resonance power receiver;

a source power monitoring unit configured to monitor resonance power that is applied to the source resonator;

a reflected-power monitoring unit configured to monitor a reflected-power of the resonance power that is output from the source resonator;

a source matching controller (MCU) configured to control the matching-controller to perform the impedance-matching between the source resonator and the target device, in response to either one or both of the reflected power and a variation in power to be used by the resonance power receiver being sensed,

a source communicating unit configured to receive information associated with the variation in the impedance of a load, from the resonance power receiver, wherein the source MCU controls the matching-controller to perform the impedance-matching based on the information that is associated with the variation in the impedance of the load,

wherein the matching-controller is further configured to control an impedance of the source resonator based on adaption of an impedance of the target resonator, the adaption being generated at a point in time at which an amount of required power of the load changes,

wherein the impedance of the load, the impedance of the target resonator, and the impedance of the source resonator are matched.

9. A method of controlling matching in a source-target structure that transmits and receives resonance power, the method comprising:

rectifying received resonance power to generate a direct current (DC) voltage and providing the DC voltage to a load;

monitoring the received resonance power and a reflected-power of the received resonance power;

detecting impedance of the load that is provided the DC voltage by the rectifier and a variation in the impedance of the load;

controlling the impedance of a target resonator to match with the varied impedance of the load

modulating information of the variation in the impedance of the load and transmitting, to a resonance power transmitter, the modulated information, the information being used to control an impedance of a source resonator for matching with the varied impedance of the load; and

receiving, from the resonance power transmitter, resonance power based on the variation in the impedance,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting, to the resonance power transmitter, information of an identification of the resonance power receiver,

wherein an impedance of the target resonator is controlled at a point in time at which either one or both of the reflected power and a variation in an amount of power to be used by the load is sensed,

wherein the impedance of the load, the impedance of the target resonator, and the impedance of the source resonator are matched.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the variation in the impedance of the load is detected by sensing a voltage that is applied to the load and an amount of current flowing through the load.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the resonance power transmitter, the information of the variation in the impedance of the load, and

performing impedance-matching of a source resonator based on the information of the variation in the impedance of the load.

12. A method of controlling matching in a source-target structure that transmits and receives resonance power, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a resonance power receiver, the resonance power through a source resonator;

monitoring the resonance power that is output from the source resonator;

monitoring a reflected-power of the resonance power that is output from the source resonator;

receiving information associated with the variation in the impedance of a load, from the resonance power receiver; and

performing impedance-matching between the source resonator and a target device included in the power resonance receiver based on the information that is associated with the variation in the impedance of the load, in response to either one or both of the reflected power or a variation in power to be used by the resonance power receiver being sensed,

wherein an impedance of the source resonator is controlled based on an adaption of an impedance of the target resonator, the adaption being generated at a point in time at which an amount of required power of the load changes,

wherein the impedance of the load, the impedance of the target resonator, and the impedance of the source resonator are matched.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, by the resonance power receiver, the resonance power through the target resonator;

monitoring the resonance power that is received by the target resonator;

monitoring a target reflected power of the resonance power that is received by the target resonator; and

performing, by the resonance power receiver, impedance-matching of the target resonator, when at least one of the target reflected power or a variation in power to be used by the load is sensed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the impedance-matching of the target resonator is performed based on one of a first table that records a value of a variation in an impedance corresponding to a variation in the power to be used by the load and a second table that records a value of a variation in an impedance corresponding to a charged level of the load.

15. A wireless power apparatus for powering a load with received wireless power, the wireless power apparatus comprising:

a resonator configured to receive resonance power wirelessly from a source through magnetic coupling with the source;

a rectifier configured to rectify the received power to generate a direct current (DC) voltage and to provide the DC voltage to the load;

a sensor configured to detect the impedance of the load that is provided the DC voltage by the rectifier and to detect a variation in the impedance of the load, while the resonator is simultaneously receiving wireless power;

a received-power monitor configured to monitor resonance power received from the source;

a reflected-power monitor configured to monitor a reflected-power of the received resonance power;

a matching controller (MCU) configured to modulate information about the impedance of the load and the variation in the impedance of the load and transmit the modulated information to the source, the information being used to control an impedance of a source resonator for matching with the varied impedance of the load; and

,

a target matching controller configured to control the matching controller to perform impedance-matching in response to either one or both of the reflected power and a variation in power to be used by the load being sensed,

wherein the MCU controls impedance of the resonator to match with the varied impedance of the load,

wherein the impedance of the load, the impedance of the target resonator, and the impedance of the source resonator are matched,

wherein an impedance of the resonator is controlled at a point in time at which an amount of required power of the load changes.

16. The wireless power apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor detects the impedance of the load and the variation in the impedance of the load by sensing a voltage applied to the load and an amount of current flowing through the load.

17. The wireless power apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a matching controller to perform impedance matching between the resonator and the load.

18. The wireless power apparatus of claim 17, wherein the MCU transmits information to the source to enable the source to transmit an amount of wireless power that matches the amount of power to be used by the load.

19. The wireless power apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wireless power apparatus and the load are included in the same device.

20. The wireless power apparatus of claim 15, wherein in response to the amount of power to be used by the load decreasing, the MCU transmits information to the source to indicate to the source to decrease the amount of resonance power that is transmitted.

21. The wireless power apparatus of claim 15, wherein in response to the amount of power to be used by the load increasing, the MCU transmits information to the source.