METHODS, TRANSMISSION DEVICES AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING POWER WIRELESSLY

• US 20110298297A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Staring, Antonius Adriaan Maria, Hilgers, Achim, Waffenschmidt, Eberhard, van Wageningen, Andries
• Granted Patent: US 9,735,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

This invention proposes a method of and a device for transmitting power via electromagnetic coupling from a transmission device to a set of reception devices, said method comprising a step of calculating by the transmission device, a first sum of given power levels defined by each reception device of said set of reception devices; if a maximum power that can be transmitted by the transmission device to said set of reception devices is less than said first sum, then performing a step of determining by said transmission device, based on said first sum and according to a set of criteria, a subset of reception devices among said set of reception devices, to which the transmission device transmits power.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting power via electromagnetic coupling from a transmission device to a set of reception devices, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating by the transmission device, a first sum of given power levels defined by each reception device of said set of reception devices;

if a maximum power that can be transmitted by the transmission device to said set of reception devices is less than said first sum,

determining by said transmission device, a subset of reception devices among said set of reception devices, to which the transmission device transmits power.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining step determines said subset of reception device according to at least one of the following:

priority level of each reception device of said set of reception devices, said priority level defining the priority to receive power from the transmission device;

time sequence in which the transmission device detects each reception device of said set of reception devices;

maximum number of reception devices to which the transmission device can transmit power simultaneously.

3. A method according to claim 1, before said step of determining, said method further comprising the steps of:

identifying, among said set of reception devices, the reception devices that also defines a lower given power level;

if there is at least one reception device that also defines a lower given power level, performing said calculating step using the lower given power level instead of using the given power level defined by said at least one reception device;

otherwise, performing said step of determining.

4. A method according to claim 1, after the determining step, the method further comprising a step of reserving power for each reception device of said subset of reception devices according to their given power level respectively.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said given power level defined by at least one reception device of said set of reception device is a minimum workable power level of said at least one reception device.

6. A method according to claim 1, said method further comprising a step of:

transmitting power by said transmission device to said subset of reception devices, wherein,

if an actual power level needed by a first given reception device among said subset of reception devices is below the given power level defined by said first given reception device, said transmitting step transmits power to said first given reception device according to said actual power level; and

if an actual power level needed by a second given reception device among said subset of reception devices is above the given power level defined by said second given reception device, said transmitting step transmits power to said second given reception device according to the given power level defined by said second given reception device.

7. A method according to claim 5, if a first power amount defined as said maximum power minus a second sum of given power levels defined by each reception device of said subset of reception devices is positive, and if there is at least one of said second given reception devices, said transmitting step transmitting power to said at least one of said second given reception devices according to the given power level defined by said at least one of said second given reception devices and said first power amount.

8. A method according to claim 5, said transmitting step transmitting power to said second given reception device according to the given power level defined by said second given reception device and a second power amount, said second power amount being defined as the given power level defined by said first given reception device minus said actual power level needed by said first given reception device, said method further comprising a step of:

periodically obtaining, by said transmission device, the actual power level needed by said first given reception device, so as to update the value of said second power amount according to said obtained actual power level.

9. A method of transmitting power via electromagnetic coupling from a transmission device to a set of reception devices, said method comprising a step of sending, by at least one reception device of said set of reception devices, information of a given power level related to said at least one reception device, wherein said given power level is a minimum workable power level of said at least one reception device.

10. A transmission control system for controlling a transmission device transmitting power to a set of reception devices via electromagnetic coupling, said control system comprising:

a first unit for calculating, by the transmission device, a first sum of given power levels defined by each reception device of said set of reception devices;

a second unit for determining, when a maximum power that can be transmitted by said transmission device to said set of reception devices is less than said first sum, a subset of reception devices among said set of reception devices, to which the transmission device transmits power.

11. A transmission control system according to claim 10, wherein said second unit determines said subset of reception devices according to at least one of the following:

priority level of each reception device of said set of reception devices, said priority level defining the priority to receive power from the transmission device;

time sequence in which the transmission device detects each reception device of said set of reception devices;

maximum number of reception devices to which the transmission device can transmit power simultaneously.

12. A transmission control system according to claim 10, said control system further comprising a third unit for identifying, among said set of reception devices, the reception devices defining a lower given power level;

if there is at least one reception device defining a lower given power level, performing said calculating step by said first unit using the lower given power level instead of using the given power level defined by said at least one reception device;

otherwise, performing said step of determining by said second unit.

13. A transmission device for transmitting power via electromagnetic coupling from a transmission device to a set of reception devices, said transmission device comprising a transmission control system as claimed in claim 10.

14. A transmission device according to claim 13, said transmission device further comprising a transmission element for transmitting power to said subset of reception devices, wherein,

if an actual power level needed by a first given reception device among said subset of reception devices is below the given power level defined by said first given reception device, said transmission element transmits power to said first given reception device according to said actual power level;

and

if an actual power level needed by a second given reception device among said subset of reception devices is above the given power level defined by said second given reception device, said transmission element transmits power to said second given reception device according to the given power level defined by said second given reception device.

15. A transmission device according to claim 13, if a first power amount defined as said maximum power minus a second sum of given power levels defined by each reception device of said subset of reception devices is positive, and if there is at least one of said second given reception devices, said transmission device transmits power to said at least one of said second given reception devices according to the given power level defined by said at least one of said second given reception devices and said first power amount.