CHARGING APPARATUS

• US 20090224723A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanabe, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,183,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A charging apparatus includes: a charging unit configured to perform a contactless charging operation for a placed external device; a detector configured to detect a position of a placed object; a determining unit configured to determine that the placed object is an external device compatible with the charging unit; and a control unit configured to control the charging unit such that, during the contactless charging operation for an external device compatible with the charging unit, the charging operation for the external device being charged is restricted when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging unit, has been placed within a predetermined distance from the charging unit.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus comprising:

a charging unit configured to perform a contactless charging operation for a placed external device;

a position detector configured to detect a position of a placed object;

a determining unit configured to determine whether the placed object is not an external device compatible with the charging unit; and

a control unit configured to control the charging unit such that, during the contactless charging operation for an external device compatible with the charging unit, the charging operation for the external device being charged is restricted when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging unit, has been placed within a predetermined distance from the charging unit.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the charging unit such that, during the contactless charging operation for the external device compatible with the charging unit, the external device being charged is intermittently charged when the object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging unit, has been placed within the predetermined distance from the charging unit.

3. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the charging unit such that, during the contactless charging operation for the external device compatible with the charging unit, a charging voltage applied to the external device being charged is lowered when the object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging unit, has been placed within the predetermined distance from the charging unit.

4. The charging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the external device compatible with the charging unit is a device having a charging mechanism.

5. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, during the contactless charging operation for the external device compatible with the charging unit, terminates the charging operation of the charging unit when the object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging unit has been placed within the predetermined distance from the charging unit.

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

a notification unit configured to notify a user that an object that is not an external device compatible with the charging unit has been placed when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging unit, has been placed within the predetermined distance from the charging unit during the contactless charging operation for the external device compatible with the charging unit.

7. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a user that the control unit has restricted the charging operation of the charging unit.

8. A charging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of charging units configured to perform contactless charging operations for placed external devices;

a position detector configured to detect a position of a placed object;

a determining unit configured to determine whether the placed object is not an external device compatible with the charging units; and

a control unit configured to control the plurality of charging units, while a plurality of the charging units are performing contactless charging operations for external devices compatible with the charging units, such that when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging units has been placed within a predetermined distance from either of the charging units performing the contactless charging operations, at least one of the charging operations for the external devices compatible with the charging units is restricted.

9. The charging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein while a plurality of the charging units are performing contactless charging operations for external devices compatible with the charging units, the control unit, when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging units has been placed within a predetermined distance from either of the charging units performing the contactless charging operations, terminates a charging operation of at least one of the charging units performing the charging operations that is located within the predetermined distance from the object determined not to be an external device compatible with the charging units.

10. The charging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein while a plurality of the charging units are performing contactless charging operations for external devices compatible with the charging units, the control unit performs such control that, when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging units has been placed within a predetermined distance from either of the charging units performing the contactless charging operations, the charging unit that is not located within the predetermined distance from the object determined not to be an external device compatible with the charging units, is controlled to intermittently charge the external devices compatible with the charging units.

11. The charging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein while a plurality of the charging units are performing contactless charging operations for external devices compatible with the charging units, the control unit performs such control that, when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging units has been placed within a predetermined distance from either of the charging units performing the contactless charging operations, the charging unit that is not located within the predetermined distance from the object determined not to be an external device compatible with the charging units, is controlled to lower a charging voltage applied to the external device compatible with the charging units.

12. The charging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the external device compatible with the charging units is a device having a charging mechanism.

13. The charging apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a user, while a plurality of the charging units are performing contactless charging operations for external devices compatible with the charging units, that an object that is not an external device compatible with the charging units has been placed, when an object that is determined by the determining unit not to be an external device compatible with the charging units, has been placed within a predetermined distance from the charging units performing the contactless charging operations.

14. The charging apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a user that the control unit has restricted at least one of the charging operations of the charging units.

15. The charging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a user of a position of the charging unit whose charging operation has been terminated by the control unit.