Apparatus and method for determining whether a power receiver is removed from the apparatus

• US 10,355,494 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kyung-Woo, Byun, Kang-Ho, Park, Se-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US15/640,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20170302087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 455522, 320107-108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• 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: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for determining, by a wireless power transmitter, whether a wireless power receiver is removed from a wireless power network managed by the wireless power transmitter. The method includes transmitting a command signal to report power information of the wireless power receiver at stated periods; determining whether a report signal corresponding to the command signal is received from the wireless power receiver; and determining that the wireless power receiver is removed from the wireless power network, if the report signal is not received after transmitting the command signal a predetermined number of times at the stated periods.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting wireless power by a wireless power transmitter, the method comprising:

detecting a change in impedance of the wireless power transmitter caused by a placement of a wireless power receiver;

applying driving power for the wireless power receiver to a power transmitter of the wireless power transmitter, in response to detecting the change;

receiving a wireless power transmitter search signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the driving power is used to transmit the wireless power transmitter search signal from the wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter;

transmitting, to the wireless power receiver, a wireless power transmitter search response signal corresponding to the wireless power transmitter search signal;

registering the wireless power receiver in a wireless power network corresponding to the wireless power transmitter; and

applying charging power for the wireless power receiver to the power transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a communication network is established with the wireless power receiver based on receiving the wireless power transmitter search signal and transmitting the wireless power transmitter search response signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter search signal includes at least one of a protocol version, a sequence number, company information, product information, impedance information, and capacity information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter search response signal includes at least one of a sequence number and network IDentifier (ID) information of the wireless power transmitter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the wireless power receiver in the wireless power network comprises:

receiving a request join signal from the wireless power receiver; and

transmitting a response join signal corresponding to the request join signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the request join signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power transmitter, product information, a maximum voltage value allowable at a front end of a Direct Current (DC)/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a minimum voltage value allowable at the front end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a rated voltage value at a rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, and a rated current value at the rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the response join signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, join permission information, and a session ID of the wireless power receiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the join permission information is written as 0 or 1 in a permission field of the response join signal, and

wherein the permission field indicates that the wireless power receiver is not permitted to join the wireless power network, when a value of the permission field is 0, and indicates that the wireless power receiver is permitted to join the wireless power network, when a value of the permission field is 1.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the charging power comprises transmitting a command signal indicating a charge start command to the wireless power receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the command signal includes at least one of a session IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver, a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, a command type, and command type-related information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the charge start command is written in a field for the command type.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the command signal turns on a switching unit connected to a charging unit of the wireless power receiver.

13. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a power transmitter;

a communication unit; and

a controller configured to;

detect a change in impedance of the wireless power transmitter caused by a placement of a wireless power receiver, and

apply driving power for the wireless power receiver to the power transmitter, in response to detecting the change,

wherein the communication unit receives a wireless power transmitter search signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the driving power is used to transmit the wireless power transmitter search signal from the wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter,

wherein the communication unit transmits, to the wireless power receiver, a wireless power transmitter search response signal corresponding to the wireless power transmitter search signal, and

wherein the controller registers the wireless power receiver in a wireless power network corresponding to the wireless power transmitter and applies charging power for the wireless power receiver to the power transmitter.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13,

wherein a communication network is established with the wireless power receiver based on receiving the wireless power transmitter search signal and transmitting the wireless power transmitter search response signal.

15. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the wireless power transmitter search signal includes at least one of a protocol version, a sequence number, company information, product information, impedance information, and capacity information.

16. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the wireless power transmitter search response signal includes at least one of a sequence number, and network IDentifier (ID) information of the wireless power transmitter.

17. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13,

wherein the communication unit receives a request join signal from the wireless power receiver and transmits a response join signal corresponding to the request join signal.

18. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein the request join signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power transmitter, product information, a maximum voltage value allowable at a front end of a Direct Current (DC)/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a minimum voltage value allowable at the front end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a rated voltage value at a rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver, and a rated current value at the rear end of the DC/DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

19. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein the response join signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, join permission information, and a session ID of the wireless power receiver.

20. The wireless power transmitter of claim 19, wherein the join permission information is written as 0 or 1 in a permission field of the response join signal, and wherein the permission field indicates that the wireless power receiver is not permitted to join the wireless power network, when a value of the permission field is 0, and indicates that the wireless power receiver is permitted to join the wireless power network, when a value of the permission field is 1.

21. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13,

wherein the communication unit transmits a command signal indicating a charge start command to the wireless power receiver.

22. The wireless power transmitter of claim 21, wherein the command signal includes at least one of a session IDentifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver, a sequence number, a network ID of the wireless power transmitter, a command type, and command type-related information.

23. The wireless power transmitter of claim 22, wherein the charge start command is written in a field for the command type.

24. The wireless power transmitter of claim 21, wherein the command signal turns on a switching unit connected to a charging unit of the wireless power receiver.