Method and apparatus for controlling wireless charging during mode transition of a wireless power receiving device

• US 10,348,134 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kyung-Woo, Byun, Kang-Ho, Lee, Ho-Seong, Jung, Hee-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US16/042,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20180351410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 320 7, 320108, 320114, 320115, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for performing wireless charging are disclosed. One of the disclosed apparatuses is a wireless power receiver which can receive charging power from a wireless power transmitter. When the wireless power receiver receives, through a power receiving circuit, from a wireless power transmitter, a first power for initiating a communication unit; establishes a communication connection with the wireless power transmitter while receiving the first power; performs, by the communication unit, communication with the wireless power transmitter; receives, through the power receiving circuit, from the wireless power transmitter, a second power for charging; transmits, by the communication unit, to the wireless power transmitter, a message indicating a mode transition of the communication unit; terminates the communication with the wireless power transmitter; performs the mode transition for a time period while receiving the second power; and resumes the communication with the wireless power transmitter, after performing the mode transition.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a wireless power receiver, the method comprising:

receiving, through a power receiving circuit, a first power for initiating a communication controller unit from a wireless power transmitter;

establishing a communication connection with the wireless power transmitter while receiving the first power;

performing communication with the wireless power transmitter;

receiving, through the power receiving circuit, a second power for charging from the wireless power transmitter;

transmitting, to the wireless power transmitter, a message indicating a mode transition of the communication controller unit;

terminating the communication with the wireless power transmitter;

performing the mode transition for a time period while receiving the second power; and

resuming the communication with the wireless power transmitter, after performing the mode transition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode transition comprises a transition from a first mode to a second mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver performs the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a first communication scheme stored in the communication controller unit in the first mode, and performs the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a second communication scheme received from an application processor of the wireless power receiver in the second mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted through a Power Reception Unit (PRU) alert signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mode transition is indicated in a data field of the PRU alert signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises address information for resuming the communication with the wireless power transmitter.

7. A method of controlling a wireless power transmitter, the method comprising:

transmitting, through a power transmitting circuit, a first power for initiating a communication controller unit of a wireless power receiver;

establishing a communication connection with the wireless power receiver while transmitting the first power;

performing communication with the wireless power receiver;

transmitting a second power for charging of the wireless power receiver;

receiving, from the wireless power receiver, a message indicating a mode transition of the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver;

terminating the communication with the wireless power receiver;

in response to receiving the message, maintaining power transmission of the second power to the wireless power receiver for a time period; and

after the mode transition, resuming the communication with the wireless power receiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mode transition comprises a transition from a first mode to a second mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver performs the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a first communication scheme stored in the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver in the first mode, and performs communication with the wireless power transmitter using a second communication scheme received from an application processor of the wireless power receiver in the second mode.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the message is received through a Power Reception Unit (PRU) alert signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mode transition is indicated in a data field of the PRU alert signal.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the message comprises address information for resuming the communication with the wireless power receiver.

13. A wireless power receiver for wireless charging, the wireless power receiver comprising:

a power receiving circuit configured to receive, from a wireless power transmitter, a first power for initiating a communication controller unit and a second power for charging; and

the communication controller unit configured to;

establish a communication connection with the wireless power transmitter while receiving the first power,

perform communication with the wireless power transmitter,

transmit, to the wireless power transmitter, a message indicating a mode transition of the communication controller unit,

terminate the communication with the wireless power transmitter,

perform the mode transition for a time period while receiving the second power, and

resume the communication with the wireless power transmitter, after performing the mode transition.

14. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the mode transition comprises a transition from a first mode to a second mode.

15. The wireless power receiver of claim 14, wherein the communication controller unit is further configured to:

perform the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a first communication scheme stored in the communication controller unit in the first mode, and

perform the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a second communication scheme received from an application processor of the wireless power receiver in the second mode.

16. The wireless power receiver of claim 14, wherein the message is transmitted through a Power Reception Unit (PRU) alert signal.

17. The wireless power receiver of claim 16, wherein the mode transition is indicated in a data field of the PRU alert signal.

18. The wireless power receiver of claim 13, wherein the message comprises address information for resuming the communication with the wireless power transmitter.

19. A wireless power transmitter for wireless charging, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power transmitting circuit configured to transmit a first power for initiating a communication controller unit of a wireless power receiver and a second power for charging;

a communication controller unit configured to;

establish a communication connection with the wireless power receiver while transmitting the first power, perform communication with the wireless power receiver

receive, from the wireless power receiver, a message indicating a mode transition of the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver, terminate the communication with the wireless power receiver,

in response to receiving the message, control to maintain power transmission of the second power to the wireless power receiver for a time period, and

after the mode transition, resume the communication with the wireless power receiver.

20. The wireless power transmitter of claim 19, wherein the mode transition comprises a transition from a first mode to a second mode.

21. The wireless power transmitter of claim 20, wherein the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver performs the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a first communication scheme stored in the communication controller unit of the wireless power receiver in the first mode, and performs the communication with the wireless power transmitter using a second communication scheme received from an application processor of the wireless power receiver in the second mode.

22. The wireless power transmitter of claim 20, wherein the message is received through a Power Reception Unit (PRU) alert signal.

23. The wireless power transmitter of claim 22, wherein the mode transition is indicated in a data field of the PRU alert signal.

24. The wireless power transmitter of claim 19, wherein the message comprises address information for resuming the communication with the wireless power receiver.