Power transmitting apparatus, power receiving apparatus, control methods therefor, program, and computer-readable storage medium

• US 10,326,308 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagamine, Kazuhide, Hokyo, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Kenneth B
• Application Number:
  US15/831,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A power transmitting apparatus transmits power by a first wireless power transmission method, transmits power by a second wireless power transmission method, detects a wireless power transmission method supported by a power receiving apparatus, and determines whether power is transmitted to a first power receiving apparatus by the first power transmission method or the second power transmission method, based on a detected wireless power transmission method supported by the first power receiving apparatus and a detected wireless power transmission method supported by a second power receiving apparatus.

Claims

1. A power transmitting apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect a power receiving apparatus;

an identification unit configured to identify one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus;

a determination unit configured to determine, based on the one or more wireless power transmission methods that are identified by the identification unit, a wireless power transmission method, to be used for wireless power transmission to the detected power receiving apparatus, from among a plurality of wireless power transmission methods, including a first wireless power transmission method and a second wireless power transmission method whose transmissible maximum power amount is larger than that of the first wireless power transmission method; and

a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to the detected power receiving apparatus according to the wireless power transmission method that is determined by the determination unit.

2. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit identifies, based on information received from the detected power receiving apparatus, the one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus.

3. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit transmits inquiry signals according to the plurality of wireless power transmission methods, and identifies, based on a response signal to the inquiry signals, the one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus.

4. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission method determined by the determination unit is the second wireless power transmission method in a case where both of the first and second wireless power transmission methods are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus.

5. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission method determined by the determination unit is a wireless power transmission method by which it is possible to transmit power to a larger number of power receiving apparatuses in parallel, in a case where two or more wireless power transmission methods are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus.

6. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a changing unit configured to change a wireless power transmission method for power transmitting to the power receiving apparatus in accordance with one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by another power receiving apparatus that is detected while the power transmitting unit transmits power to the power receiving apparatus according to the determined wireless power transmission method.

7. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communication protocol for controlling power transmission according to the first wireless power transmission method is different from a communication protocol for controlling power transmission according to the second wireless power transmission method.

8. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communicable distance for controlling power transmission according to the first wireless power transmission method is different from a communicable distance for controlling power transmission according to the second wireless power transmission method.

9. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a negotiation unit configured to perform negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus to decide a parameter for transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus.

10. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, in the negotiation by the negotiation unit, the power transmitting apparatus obtains information on requested power amount from the detected power receiving apparatus.

11. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, the parameter comprises at least one of a current value and voltage value to be applied to a power transmitting antenna in the power transmitting apparatus.

12. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the determination unit determines the one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus before the negotiation unit performs the negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus.

13. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the negotiation unit performs the negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus according to the one or more wireless power transmission methods determined by the determination unit.

14. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the power transmission unit transmits power to the detected power receiving apparatus based on the parameter decided in the negotiation by the negotiation unit.

15. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of wireless power transmission methods includes at least two wireless power transmission methods whose frequencies used in wireless communication for controlling wireless power transmission to the detected power receiving apparatus are different.

16. A control method comprising:

detecting a power receiving apparatus;

identifying one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus;

determining, based on the identified one or more wireless power transmission methods, a wireless power transmission method, to be used for wireless power transmission to the detected power receiving apparatus, from among a plurality of wireless power transmission methods, including a first wireless power transmission method and a second wireless power transmission method whose transmissible maximum power amount is larger than that of the first wireless power transmission method; and

transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus according to the determined wireless power transmission method.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus is identified based on information from the detected power receiving apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the determined wireless power transmission method is the second wireless power transmission method in a case where both of the first and second wireless power transmission method are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus.

19. The medium according to claim 16, wherein the determined wireless power transmission method is the second wireless power transmission method in a case where both of the first and second wireless power transmission method are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method, the control method comprising:

detecting a power receiving apparatus;

identifying one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus;

determining, based on the identified one or more wireless power transmission methods, a wireless power transmission method, to be used for wireless power transmission to the detected power receiving apparatus, from among a plurality of wireless power transmission methods, including a first wireless power transmission method and a second wireless power transmission method whose transmissible maximum power amount is larger than that of the first wireless power transmission method;

transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus according to the determined wireless power transmission method.

21. The medium according to claim 20, wherein the one or more wireless power transmission methods that are usable by the detected power receiving apparatus is identified based on information from the detected power receiving apparatus.

22. A power transmitting apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect a power receiving apparatus;

a negotiation unit configured to perform negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus to decide a parameter for transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus;

an identification unit configured to identify a wireless power transmission method that is usable by the detected power receiving apparatus, from among a plurality of wireless power transmission methods, before the negotiation unit performs the negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus; and

a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to the detected power receiving apparatus based on the parameter decided in the negotiation according to the wireless power transmission method identified by the identification unit.

23. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of wireless power transmission methods include a first wireless power transmission method, and a second wireless power transmission method whose transmissible maximum power amount is different that of the first wireless power transmission method.

24. The power transmitting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of wireless power transmission methods include a first wireless power transmission method, and a second wireless power transmission method whose frequencies used in wireless communication for controlling wireless power transmission to the detected power receiving apparatus is different from that of the first wireless power transmission method.

25. A control method comprising:

detecting a power receiving apparatus;

performing negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus to decide a parameter for transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus;

identifying a wireless power transmission method that is usable by the detected power receiving apparatus, from among a plurality of wireless power transmission methods, before the negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus is performed; and

transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus based on the parameter decided in the negotiation according to the identified wireless power transmission method.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method, the control method comprising:

detecting a power receiving apparatus;

performing negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus to decide a parameter for transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus;

identifying a wireless power transmission method that is usable by the detected power receiving apparatus, from among a plurality of wireless power transmission methods, before the negotiation with the detected power receiving apparatus is performed; and

transmitting power to the detected power receiving apparatus based on the parameter decided in the negotiation according to the identified wireless power transmission method.