POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20110244794A1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

If a plurality of power receiving apparatuses are in a predetermined range, a power supply apparatus selects a power receiving apparatus to be preferentially charged based on the remaining capacities of batteries of the respective power receiving apparatuses, and stops charging of the power receiving apparatuses other than the selected power receiving apparatus until the remaining capacity of the selected power receiving apparatus reaches a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A power supply apparatus for supplying electric power to a plurality of power receiving apparatuses in a non-contact manner, the power supply apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect that at least one of a first power receiving apparatus and a second power receiving apparatus is in a predetermined range;

a division unit configured to divide, if it is detected that the second power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range before elapsing a predetermined time period since it is detected that the first power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range, the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus into a first group;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire first information indicating a remaining capacity of a first battery charged by the first power receiving apparatus from the first power receiving apparatus, and to acquire second information indicating a remaining capacity of a second battery charged by the second power receiving apparatus from the second power receiving apparatus; and

a communication unit configured to transmit, if the first group is selected and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the remaining capacity of the second battery, a first command to the first power receiving apparatus, and to transmit a second command to the second power receiving apparatus,

wherein the first command includes a command used for instructing to execute charging, and

the second command includes a command used for instructing to stop charging.

2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine, if the first group is selected, whether or not the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than a predetermined remaining capacity,

wherein if the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the remaining capacity of the second battery and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the predetermined remaining capacity, the communication unit does not transmit the first command to the second power receiving apparatus until the remaining capacity of the first battery reaches the predetermined remaining capacity.

3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the predetermined remaining capacity, the determination unit changes the predetermined remaining capacity to be larger than a current value, and determines whether or not the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the changed predetermined remaining capacity.

4. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the predetermined remaining capacity, the communication unit transmits the first command to the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus.

5. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if it is determined that a state of the first battery is a full charge state after the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus are divided into the first group, the division unit removes the first power receiving apparatus from the first group, and

if the first power receiving apparatus is removed from the first group, the communication unit does not transmit the first command to the first power receiving apparatus.

6. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a comparison unit configured to compare a first operable time period in which the first power receiving apparatus operates based on the first battery and a second operable time period in which the second power receiving apparatus operates based on the second battery,

wherein if the first group is selected and the first operable time period is shorter than the second operable time period, the communication unit transmits the first command to the first power receiving apparatus, and transmits the second command to the second power receiving apparatus.

7. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if it is detected that a third power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range after the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus are divided into the first group, the division unit divides the third power receiving apparatus into a second group different from the first group, and

if the first group is selected and the first command is transmitted to at least one of the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus, the communication unit transmits the second command to the third power receiving apparatus divided into the second group without transmitting the first command.

8. A method for controlling a power supply apparatus which supplies electric power to a plurality of power receiving apparatuses in a non-contact manner, the method comprising:

detecting that at least one of a first power receiving apparatus and a second power receiving apparatus is in a predetermined range;

dividing, if it is detected that the second power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range before elapsing a predetermined time period since it is detected that the first power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range, the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus into a first group;

acquiring first information indicating a remaining capacity of a first battery charged by the first power receiving apparatus from the first power receiving apparatus;

acquiring second information indicating a remaining capacity of a second battery charged by the second power receiving apparatus from the second power receiving apparatus;

transmitting, if the first group is selected and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than remaining capacity of the second battery, a first command to the first power receiving apparatus; and

transmitting, if the first group is selected and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than remaining capacity of the second battery, a second command to the second power receiving apparatus,

wherein the first command includes a command used for instructing to execute charging, and

the second command includes a command used for instructing to stop charging.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

determining, if the first group is selected, whether or not the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than a predetermined remaining capacity, and

not transmitting, if the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the remaining capacity of the second battery and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the predetermined remaining capacity, the first command to the second power receiving apparatus until the remaining capacity of the first battery reaches the predetermined remaining capacity.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

changing the predetermined remaining capacity to be larger than a current value if the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the predetermined remaining capacity; and

determining whether or not the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remain capacity of the second battery are not less than the changed predetermined remaining capacity.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting the first command to the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus if the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the predetermined remaining capacity.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

removing the first power receiving apparatus from the first group if it is determined that a state of the first battery is a full charge state after the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus are divided into the first group, and

not transmitting the first command to the first power receiving apparatus if the first power receiving apparatus is removed from the first group.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

comparing a first operable time period in which the first power receiving apparatus operates based on the first battery and a second operable time period in which the second power receiving apparatus operates based on the second battery,

transmitting the first command to the first power receiving apparatus if the first group is selected and the first operation time period is shorter than the second operation time period, and

transmitting the second command to the second power receiving apparatus if the first group is selected and the first operation time period is shorter than the second operation time period.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

dividing, if it is detected that a third power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range after the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus are divided into the first group, the third power receiving apparatus into a second group different from the first group, and

transmitting, if the first group is selected and the first command is transmitted to at least one of the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus, the second command to the third power receiving apparatus divided into the second group without transmitting the first command.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program of instructions for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling a power supply apparatus which supplies electric power to a plurality of power receiving apparatuses in a non-contact manner, the method comprising:

detecting that at least one of a first power receiving apparatus and a second power receiving apparatus is in a predetermined range;

dividing, if it is detected that the second power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range before elapsing a predetermined time period since it is detected that the first power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range, the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus into a first group;

acquiring first information indicating a remaining capacity of a first battery charged by the first power receiving apparatus from the first power receiving apparatus;

acquiring second information indicating a remaining capacity of a second battery charged by the second power receiving apparatus from the second power receiving apparatus;

transmitting, if the first group is selected and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than remaining capacity of the second battery, a first command to the first power receiving apparatus; and

transmitting, if the first group is selected and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than remaining capacity of the second battery, a second command to the second power receiving apparatus,

wherein the first command includes a command used for instructing to execute charging, and

the second command includes a command used for instructing to stop charging.

16. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining, if the first group is selected, whether or not the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than a predetermined remaining capacity, and

not transmitting, if the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the remaining capacity of the second battery and the remaining capacity of the first battery is smaller than the predetermined remaining capacity, the first command to the second power receiving apparatus until the remaining capacity of the first battery reaches the predetermined remaining capacity.

17. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, further comprising:

changing the predetermined remaining capacity to be larger than a current value if the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the predetermined remaining capacity; and

determining whether or not the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remain capacity of the second battery are not less than the changed predetermined remaining capacity.

18. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting the first command to the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus if the remaining capacity of the first battery and the remaining capacity of the second battery are not less than the predetermined remaining capacity.

19. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising:

removing the first power receiving apparatus from the first group if it is determined that a state of the first battery is a full charge state after the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus are divided into the first group, and

not transmitting the first command to the first power receiving apparatus if the first power receiving apparatus is removed from the first group.

20. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising:

comparing a first operable time period in which the first power receiving apparatus operates based on the first battery and a second operable time period in which the second power receiving apparatus operates based on the second battery,

transmitting the first command to the first power receiving apparatus if the first group is selected and the first operation time period is shorter than the second operation time period, and

transmitting the second command to the second power receiving apparatus if the first group is selected and the first operation time period is shorter than the second operation time period.

21. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, further comprising:

dividing, if it is detected that a third power receiving apparatus is in the predetermined range after the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus are divided into the first group, the third power receiving apparatus into a second group different from the first group, and

transmitting, if the first group is selected and the first command is transmitted to at least one of the first power receiving apparatus and the second power receiving apparatus, the second command to the third power receiving apparatus divided into the second group without transmitting the first command.