Electronic device and method of wireless power transfer therefor

• US 10,211,666 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jongmin, Cho, Sungrae
• Primary Examiner(s): Memula, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US15/261,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20170077744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 320145
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An electronic device and method of wireless power transfer therefor are provided. The electronic device may include a frequency change circuit to produce a first signal of a frequency corresponding to at least one wireless power transfer scheme, a duty cycle change circuit to produce a second signal of a duty cycle corresponding to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme, and a control unit to control at least one of the frequency change circuit and the duty cycle change circuit according to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme. Various other embodiments are also possible.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a frequency change circuit configured to produce a first signal of a frequency corresponding to at least one wireless power transfer scheme;

a duty cycle change circuit configured to produce a second signal of a duty cycle corresponding to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme; and

a control unit configured to control at least one of the frequency change circuit and the duty cycle change circuit according to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme,

wherein the duty cycle change circuit includes a variable resistor, and

wherein the duty cycle change circuit is further configured to;

receive a duty adjustment signal corresponding to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme from the control unit,

adjust a resistance of the variable resistor according to the duty adjustment signal, and

output the second signal.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless power transfer scheme comprises standard or non-standard schemes for wireless charging.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the standard schemes for wireless charging conform to at least one of a wireless power consortium (WPC) standard, a power matters alliance (PMA) standard, or an alliance for wireless power (A4WP) standard.

4. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the frequency change circuit includes a variable capacitor, and

wherein the frequency change circuit is further configured to:

receive a frequency adjustment signal corresponding to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme from the control unit,

adjust a capacitance of the variable capacitor according to the frequency adjustment signal, and

output the first signal.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the frequency change circuit is further configured to:

decrease the frequency of the first signal with an increasing capacitance, and

increase the frequency of the first signal with a decreasing capacitance.

6. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the duty cycle change circuit includes a comparator, and

wherein the duty cycle change circuit is further configured to output the second signal by comparing the first signal with a voltage across the variable resistor.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the duty cycle change circuit is further configured to:

decrease the duty cycle of the second signal with an increasing resistance of the variable resistor, and

increase the duty cycle of the second signal with a decreasing resistance thereof.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a channel control circuit configured to:

receive a channel control signal corresponding to the at least one wireless power transfer scheme from the control unit, and

adjust a number of wireless power transmission channels according to the channel control signal.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a power transmission circuit configured to transmit power with the frequency and duty cycle to an external electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a 50% duty cycle check circuit configured to examine whether the duty cycle of the second signal is 50 percent.

11. The electronic device of claim 10,

wherein the 50% duty cycle check circuit includes an operational amplifier, and

wherein the 50% duty cycle check circuit is further configured to send a third signal indicating an output voltage of the operational amplifier to the control unit.

12. The electronic device of claim 11,

wherein the duty cycle change circuit includes a variable resistor, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to:

decrease the resistance of the variable resistor when the third signal is below zero,

increase the resistance when the third signal is above zero, and

maintain a current resistance when the third signal is zero.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a frequency change circuit;

a 50% duty cycle check circuit

a duty cycle change circuit; and

a processor functionally connected to the frequency change circuit and the duty cycle change circuit,

wherein the processor is configured to;

select at least one wireless power transfer scheme,

operate the frequency change circuit to change a frequency of a signal in conformance with the at least one wireless power transfer scheme,

operate the duty cycle change circuit to change a duty cycle of the signal in conformance with the at least one wireless power transfer scheme, and

transmit power with the frequency and duty cycle to an external electronic device, and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

check whether the duty cycle of the signal is 50 percent by use of the 50% duty cycle check circuit, and

adjust a resistance of a variable resistor in the duty cycle change circuit in accordance with an output voltage of the 50% duty cycle check circuit.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to change the frequency by adjusting a capacitance of a variable capacitor in the frequency change circuit.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to change the duty cycle by adjusting the resistance of a variable resistor in the duty cycle change circuit.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising:

a channel control circuit,

wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a number of wireless power transmission channels in conformance with the at least one wireless power transfer scheme by use of the channel control circuit.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

decrease the resistance of the variable resistor when the output voltage is below zero,

increase the resistance when the output voltage is above zero, and

maintain the a current resistance when the output voltage is zero.

18. A method of wireless power transmission for an electronic device, the method comprising:

selecting at least one wireless power transfer scheme;

changing a frequency of a signal in conformance with the at least one wireless power transfer scheme;

changing a duty cycle of the signal in conformance with the at least one wireless power transfer scheme; and

transmitting power with the frequency and duty cycle to an external electronic device,

wherein the changing of the duty cycle comprises adjusting a resistance of a variable resistor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the changing of the frequency comprises adjusting a capacitance of a variable capacitor.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising adjusting a number of wireless power transmission channels in conformance with the at least one wireless power transfer scheme.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

checking whether the duty cycle of the signal is 50 percent;

performing, when the duty cycle is not 50 percent, adjustment so that the duty cycle becomes 50 percent; and

performing, when the duty cycle is 50 percent, maintenance so that the duty cycle remains 50 percent.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the selecting of the at least one wireless power transfer scheme comprises:

analyzing information regarding a wireless charging environment; and

replacing a current wireless power transfer scheme with another wireless power transfer scheme on a basis of the analysis result.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the information regarding the wireless charging environment comprises information on a charging efficiency of a wireless charging receiver, information on a temperature of the wireless charging receiver, information on a wireless communication load of the wireless charging receiver, or any combination thereof.