Wireless power transfer device, control method for wireless power transfer device and program

• US 10,027,182 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Eguchi, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/314,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20150001936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A wireless power transfer device includes a wireless power transfer unit that wirelessly transfers power to a plurality of other devices and a notification unit that provides notification that wireless power transfer to a third wireless power transfer device different from a second wireless power transfer device is not available or provides notification that the wireless power transfer to the third wireless power transfer device is available in the case where wireless power transfer to the second wireless power transfer device is performed.

Claims

1. A wireless power transfer device, comprising:

a power transmission antenna configured to wirelessly transfer power to a plurality of wireless power receiving devices; and

a CPU configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to

provide, in a case where the power transmission antenna is transmitting power greater than a predetermined value to a first wireless power receiving device, a first notification that wireless power transfer to a second wireless power receiving device different from the first wireless power receiving device is not available, and provide, in a case where the power transmission antenna is transmitting power smaller than the predetermined value to the first wireless power receiving device, a second notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is available,

wherein the first and second notifications are visually recognizable notifications.

2. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is further configured to determine whether to provide the first notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is not available or to provide the second notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is available based on the power that is wirelessly transferred to the first wireless power receiving device.

3. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the determining further comprises determining whether to provide the first notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is not available or to provide the second notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is available based on power required by the second wireless power receiving device.

4. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to

provide the first notification in response to reception of a power demand from the first wireless power receiving device.

5. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit a power transmission start notification when the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device has started.

6. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication circuit configured to receive a power transmission start notification from a third wireless power receiving device,

wherein the wireless power transfer device stops the second notification in response to reception by the wireless communication circuit.

7. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transfer device detects the second wireless power receiving device, according to an impedance change based on an electromagnetic wave generated from the power transmission antenna.

8. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display a warning regarding the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device in a case where the CPU provides the first notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is not available and the wireless power transfer device has detected the second wireless power receiving device.

9. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 7, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to provide a notification to prompt to move the second wireless power receiving device in a case where the CPU provides the first notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device is not available and the power transmission antenna has detected the second wireless power receiving device.

10. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless power transfer device is a power transmission device configured to transmit power to the second wireless power receiving device.

13. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to provide the first notification in a case where a number of wireless power receiving devices to which the power transmission antenna is wirelessly transferring power is smaller than a number of wireless power receiving devices to which the power transmission antenna is capable of wirelessly transferring power, and to provide the second notification, in response to the power transmission antenna starting to wirelessly transfer power to a plurality of wireless power receiving devices of which a number is an upper limit of the number of wireless power receiving devices to which the power transmission antenna is capable of wirelessly transferring power, in a case where the number of wireless power receiving devices to which the power transmission antenna is wirelessly transferring power is the upper limit of the number of wireless power receiving devices to which the power transmission antenna is capable of wirelessly transferring power.

14. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to provide the first notification or the second notification by emission of a lamp or an image to be displayed on a screen.

15. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to provide the first notification and the second notification based on output of different colors.

16. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to provide the first notification and the second notification based on different emission states.

17. The wireless power transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is configured to cause the wireless power transfer device to provide the second notification in response to the power transmission antenna starting to transmit power greater than the predetermined value.

11. A control method for a wireless power transfer device, the control method comprising:

wirelessly transferring power to a plurality of wireless power receiving devices via a power transmission antenna; and

providing, in a case where the power transmission antenna is transmitting power greater than a predetermined value to a first wireless power receiving device, a first notification that wireless power transfer to a second wireless power receiving device different from the first wireless power receiving device is not available and providing, in a case where the power transmission antenna is transmitting power smaller than the predetermined value to the first wireless power receiving device, a second notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device,

wherein the first and second notifications are visually recognizable notifications.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for causing a computer to execute a control method, the control method comprising:

wirelessly transferring power to a plurality of wireless power receiving devices via a power transmission antenna; and

providing, in a case where the power transmission antenna is transmitting power greater than a predetermined value to a first wireless power receiving device, a first notification that wireless power transfer to a second wireless power receiving device different from the first wireless power receiving device is not available and providing, in a case where the power transmission antenna is transmitting power smaller than the predetermined value to the first wireless power receiving device, a second notification that the wireless power transfer to the second wireless power receiving device,

wherein the first and second notifications are visually recognizable notifications.