Wireless power transfer system and wireless charging system

• US 9,742,214 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ha, Minhun, Yoon, Donghan
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US14/724,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20160043590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 307104
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Disclosed is a wireless power receiving apparatus for wirelessly receiving power. The wireless power receiving apparatus includes a power receiving unit configured to wirelessly receive power, a charging unit configured to receive the power from the power receiving unit, and supply the power to a battery, and a control unit configured to determine an output voltage, which enables a charging efficiency of power, supplied to the battery, to be the maximum, based on an output capacity output from the power receiving unit, and control the power receiving unit for the battery to be charged with the output voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a power receiving unit configured to receive power wirelessly;

a charging unit configured to receive the power via the power receiving unit; and

a controller configured to;

detect output capacity of the power receiving unit at a predetermined interval such that a charging efficiency is maintained at maximum while power is supplied to a battery;

change an output voltage of the power supplied to the battery in real time based on the detected output capacity; and

cause charging of the battery via the charging unit at the changed output voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor a current output from the charging unit at a predetermined interval or in real time to detect the output capacity of the power receiving unit; and

change the output voltage of the power supplied to the battery in real time when a change in the output capacity is detected.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the changed output voltage is a first value when the output capacity is within a first range;

the changed output voltage is a second value when the output capacity is within a second range; and

the controller is further configured to control the power receiving unit to;

supply the power to the battery at the changed output voltage of the first value when the output capacity is within the first range; and

supply the power to the battery at the changed output voltage of the second value when the output capacity is within the second range.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to change the output voltage from a first output voltage to a second output voltage when the output capacity is changed to be in the second range while the power is supplied to the battery at the first output voltage.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the charging unit to stop supplying the power to the battery when the output capacity is equal to or less than predetermined output capacity.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

maintain the output voltage of the power supplied to the battery while the battery is charged via the charging unit based on the detected output capacity when no change is detected in the output capacity.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine the output capacity by using a currently set voltage and a current output from the power receiving unit; and

control the power receiving unit to change the currently set voltage to a second voltage based on the determined output capacity and to supply power to the battery at the second voltage.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a current supplied from the charging unit to the battery;

determine the output capacity by using the detected current, a currently set voltage, and a charging efficiency of the charging unit; and

control the power receiving unit to change the currently set voltage to another voltage based on the determined output capacity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the charging unit to stop supplying the power to the battery when the current supplied to the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

10. A power supply method performed by a wireless power receiving apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting output capacity at a predetermined interval, by a controller, such that a charging efficiency is maintained at maximum while power is supplied to a battery;

changing an output voltage of the power supplied to the battery in real time, by the controller, based on the detected output capacity; and

causing charging of the battery at the changed output voltage by the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting of the output capacity comprises:

monitoring a current output from a charging unit at a predetermined interval or in real time, by the controller, to detect the output capacity; and

changing the output voltage of the power supplied to the battery in real time, by the controller, when a change in the output capacity is detected.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

different output voltages are mapped to different output capacities; and

the changing of the output voltage comprises changing a currently set output voltage to another output voltage when the currently set output voltage is different from an output voltage mapped to a currently detected output capacity, the changed output voltage corresponding to the currently detected output capacity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing of the output voltage further comprises maintaining the currently set output voltage when the currently set output voltage matches the output voltage mapped to the currently detected output capacity.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the changing of the output voltage further comprises:

setting the output voltage as a first value when the detected output capacity is within a first range; and

setting the output voltage as a second value when the detected output capacity is within a second range.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising stopping the charging of the battery when the output voltage is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

16. A wireless charging system comprising:

a transfer apparatus configured to transfer power wirelessly; and

a receiving apparatus configured to receive the power wirelessly from the transfer apparatus,

wherein the receiving apparatus comprises;

a power receiving unit configured to receive the power wirelessly;

a charging unit configured to receive the power via the power receiving unit; and

a controller configured to;

detect output capacity of the power receiving unit at a predetermined interval such that a charging efficiency is maintained at maximum while power is supplied to a battery;

change an output voltage of the power supplied to the battery in real time based on the detected output capacity; and

cause charging of the battery via the charging unit at the changed output voltage.

17. The wireless charging system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor a current output from the charging unit at a predetermined interval or in real time to detect the output capacity of the power receiving unit; and

change the output voltage of the power supplied to the battery in real time when a change in the output capacity is detected.

18. The wireless charging system of claim 17, wherein:

the changed output voltage is a first value when the output capacity is within a first range;

the changed output voltage is a second value when the output capacity is within a second range; and

the controller is further configured to control the power receiving unit to;

supply the power to the battery at the changed output voltage of the first value when the output capacity is within the first range; and

supply the power to the battery at the changed output voltage of the second value when the output capacity is within the second range.

19. The wireless charging system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to change the output voltage from a first output voltage to a second output voltage when the output capacity is changed to be in the second range while the power is supplied to the battery at the first output voltage.

20. The wireless charging system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the charging unit to stop supplying the power to the battery when the output capacity is equal to or less than predetermined output capacity.