Apparatus and method of wirelessly sharing power by inductive method

• US 20070103110A1
• Filed: 10/24/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sagoo, Kiran
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

An apparatus and method of wirelessly sharing power by an inductive method are provided. The apparatus includes a first battery supplying power; a rectifier supplied with an AC voltage, converts the AC voltage into a DC voltage, and outputs the DC voltage; an inverter supplied with the DC voltage, converts the DC voltage into the AC voltage, and outputs the AC voltage; a power control/conversion unit connected to the rectifier or the inverter and supplying power to charge the first battery or a second battery that is provided in an external device as a power supply for the first battery; and a communication unit communicating with the external device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly sharing power, the apparatus comprising:

a first battery which supplies power;

a rectifier which is supplied with an alternating current (AC) voltage, converts the AC voltage into a direct current (DC) voltage, and outputs the DC voltage;

an inverter which is supplied with the DC voltage, converts the DC voltage into the AC voltage, and outputs the AC voltage;

a power control and conversion unit which is connected to the rectifier or the inverter and supplying power to charge the first battery or a second battery that is provided in an external device as a power supply for the first battery; and

a first communication unit which communicates with the external device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a charge sensor unit which senses a charge state of the first battery, wherein, if a remaining amount of charge in the first battery is less than a certain amount, the charge sensor unit receives a charge state of a neighboring device through the first communication unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a user interface unit which outputs the charge state of the neighboring device received by the first communication unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication unit performs authentication with a second communication unit of the external device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inductive coil which is connected to the power control and conversion unit is set as a primary coil or a secondary coil so as to operate as a transformer together with the external device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first inductive coil which is connected to the power control and conversion unit;

wherein, if an amount of charge in the first battery is less than a certain amount, in order to charge the first battery, the power control and conversion unit is connected to the rectifier, the first inductive coil is set as a secondary coil, the first communication unit transmits to the external device data instructing the external device to be set to a power supply mode, and a second inductive coil of the external device is set as a primary coil.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, if the first communication unit receives from the external device data instructing the apparatus to be set to a power supply mode, in order to supply power to the external device, the power control and conversion unit is connected to the inverter, and the first inductive coil coupled with the power control and conversion unit is set as the primary coil.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication unit performs communication using Near Field Communication.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication unit receives and transmits data through a radio frequency tag.

10. A method of wirelessly loading power, the method comprising:

detecting a device capable of operating in a source mode;

instructing the detected device to operate in a source mode;

connecting a rectifier to a battery and a power control and conversion unit and switching to a load mode for receiving energy from the outside;

setting an inductive coil coupled with the power control and conversion unit as a secondary coil; and

receiving energy from the inductive coil of the detected device set as a primary coil.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising checking a charge state of the battery before the detecting of the device capable of operating in the source mode.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising outputting a power state of the detected device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing authentication with the detected device before the instructing of the detected device to operate in the source mode.

14. A method of wirelessly supplying power, the method comprising:

receiving data instructing to operate in a source mode from an external device;

connecting an inverter to a battery and a power control and conversion unit and switching to the source mode for supplying energy to the external device;

setting an inductive coil coupled with the power control and conversion unit as a primary coil; and

transmitting energy to an inductive coil of the external device set as a secondary coil.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising checking a charge state of the battery before the receiving of the data;

and

transmitting the charge state of the battery.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising performing authentication with the external device after the receiving of the data.