Cordless power transmission system, power transmission terminal and electrical appliance

• US 20020000792A1
• Filed: 01/09/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation), Mitsubishi Electric System (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation), Mitsubishi Electric System (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanaki, Shigeto
• Granted Patent: US 6,437,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/234
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• 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

Abstract

A cordless power transmission system can transmit and receive power stably without malfunctions. A power transmission terminal transmits default power to an electrical appliance by diffractive electromagnetic waves. The electrical appliance transmits its own unique data and required power intensity data to the power transmission terminal by diffractive electromagnetic waves. A network host assigns an ID to the electrical appliance. Under the control of the network host, the power transmission terminal transmits the assigned ID data and the power with the required intensity to the electrical appliance by rectilinear electromagnetic waves.

Claims

1. A cordless power transmission system comprising:

at least one power transmission terminal connected to a network;

at least one electrical appliance supplied with power from said power transmission terminal by electromagnetic waves;

a network host connected to the network for managing said electrical appliance via said power transmission terminal;

a default power transmitter installed in said power transmission terminal for transmitting default power to said electrical appliance by diffractive electromagnetic waves;

a first data transceiver installed in said electrical appliance for receiving default power, and for transmitting unique data and required power intensity data to said power transmission terminal by diffractive electromagnetic waves;

a second data transceiver installed in said power transmission terminal for receiving the unique data and required power intensity data from said electrical appliance, and for transmitting them to said network host; and

a power transmitter installed in said power transmission terminal for transmitting ID data to be assigned to said electrical appliance and power with a required intensity to said electrical appliance by rectilinear electromagnetic waves,

wherein said network host obtains the ID data to be assigned to said electrical appliance from the unique data of said electrical appliance, and obtains the required intensity of the power to be transmitted from said power transmission terminal from the required power intensity data sent from said electrical appliance.

2. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said first data transceiver continuously transmits the ID data, which is assigned to said electrical appliance by said network host, to said power transmission terminal by the diffractive electromagnetic waves while said electrical appliance is in a normal operation mode, and

said second data transceiver notifies said network host of the ID data received by said power transmission terminal.

3. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of power transmission terminals, each of which includes a data collector for collecting intensity data of the electromagnetic waves arriving at said power transmission terminal from said electrical appliance, wherein said network host obtains a 3-D position of said electrical appliance from the intensity data of the electromagnetic waves collected by said power transmission terminals, and assigns a part of the required intensity power to each of said power transmission terminals.

4. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 1, comprising at least two power transmission terminals, each of which includes a reflectance detector for detecting reflectance of the rectilinear electromagnetic waves while said power transmission terminals are transmitting required power by the rectilinear electromagnetic waves, and said second data transceiver of each of said power transmission terminals notifies said network host of the reflectance, wherein said network host has the power transmission terminals other than the power transmission terminal whose reflectance of the electromagnetic waves varies substantially, transmit the required power.

5. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said network host is installed in each room, and the network hosts are interconnected by a cable to exchange data between the rooms.

6. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 5, wherein said network hosts are connected to an external communication circuit via a fire wall.

7. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the diffractive electromagnetic waves consist of radio waves;

and the rectilinear electromagnetic waves consist of light waves.

8. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 7, wherein

said power transmitter of said power transmission terminal converts AC power into light power with the required intensity, transmits it to said electrical appliance by light waves, and carries out information communication with said electrical appliance by the light waves;

said default power transmitter converts the AC power into radio power, and transmits the de fault power to said electrical appliance by the radio waves; and

said second data transceiver carries out information communication with said electrical appliance by the radio waves.

9. The cordless power transmission system according to claim 7, wherein said electrical appliance further comprises:

a light section for converting light power transmitted from said power transmission terminal into electric power, and for carrying out information communication with said power transmission terminal by light waves, and wherein

said first data transceiver converts the radio power transmitted from said power transmission terminal into electric power, and carries out information communication with said power transmission terminal by the radio waves.

10. A power transmission terminal that supplies power to an electrical appliance by electromagnetic waves in accordance with a command sent from a network host connected to a network, said power transmission terminal comprising:

a default power transmitter for supplying said electrical appliance by diffractive electromagnetic waves;

a data transceiver for receiving unique data and required power intensity data associated with said electrical appliance from said electrical appliance by diffractive electromagnetic waves, and notifies these data to said network host; and

a power transmitter for transmitting ID data and power with a required intensity to said electrical appliance by rectilinear electromagnetic waves, the ID data and the required intensity of the power being assigned to said electrical appliance and to said power transmission terminal, respectively, by said network host.

11. An electrical appliance that receives power by electromagnetic waves transmitted from a power transmission terminal connected to a network host through a network, said electrical appliance comprising:

a default power receiver for receiving default power from said power transmission terminal by diffractive electromagnetic waves;

a data transmitter for transmitting unique data and required power intensity data associated with said electrical appliance to said power transmission terminal by diffractive electromagnetic waves; and

a power receiver for receiving ID data and power with a required intensity from said power transmission terminal by rectilinear electromagnetic waves, the ID data and the required intensity of the power being assigned to said electrical appliance and to said power transmission terminal, respectively, by said network host.