NON-CONTACT CHARGE AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110316476A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Washiro, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 8,390,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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
• 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: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a non-contact charge and communication system including: non-contact charge apparatus configured to include a power transmitting device that transmits power for a charge by magnetic field coupling and a first communication unit that carries out non-contact communication by electric field coupling; and power receiving apparatus configured to include a power receiving device that receives power transmitted from the non-contact charge apparatus based on a magnetic field resonance relationship and a second communication unit capable of non-contact communication with the first communication unit by electric field coupling, and charge a battery by received power. The non-contact charge apparatus includes a first control unit, and the power receiving apparatus includes a storage unit, and a second control unit.

Claims

1. A non-contact charge and communication system comprising:

non-contact charge apparatus configured to include a power transmitting device that transmits power for a charge by magnetic field coupling and a first communication unit that carries out non-contact communication by electric field coupling; and

power receiving apparatus configured to include a power receiving device that receives power transmitted from the non-contact charge apparatus based on a magnetic field resonance relationship and a second communication unit capable of non-contact communication with the first communication unit by electric field coupling, and charge a battery by received power, wherein

the non-contact charge apparatus includes

a first control unit that transmits charge-exchange delivered data to the power receiving apparatus existing in a magnetic field of the power transmitting device by the first communication unit, and transmits power permitting a charge of the battery by the power transmitting device if the first communication unit receives a reception-completion notification of the charge-exchange delivered data by the second communication unit of the power receiving apparatus, and

the power receiving apparatus includes

a storage unit, and

a second control unit that stores the charge-exchange delivered data that has been received in the storage unit and transmits the reception-completion notification to the first communication unit if the second communication unit receives the charge-exchange delivered data by the first communication unit.

2. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first control unit of the non-contact charge apparatus transmits a confirmation signal to confirm whether or not the charge-exchange delivered data is held in a state in which the first communication unit is capable of communicating with the second communication unit,

the first control unit transmits the charge-exchange delivered data by the first communication unit if the first control unit receives a non-data-holding notification as a reply to the confirmation signal, and the first control unit transmits power permitting a charge of the battery by the power transmitting device if the first communication unit receives the reception- completion notification of the charge-exchange delivered data by the second communication unit of the power receiving apparatus,

the second control unit of the power receiving apparatus receives the confirmation signal in a state in which the second communication unit is capable of communicating with the first communication unit, and transmits the non-data-holding notification to the first communication unit by the second communication unit if the charge-exchange delivered data is not held in the storage unit, and

the second control unit stores the charge-exchange delivered data that has been received in the storage unit and transmits the reception-completion notification to the first communication unit if the second communication unit receives the charge-exchange delivered data by the first communication unit.

3. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first control unit of the non-contact charge apparatus transmits a confirmation signal to confirm whether or not the charge-exchange delivered data is held in a state in which the first communication unit is capable of communicating with the second communication unit,

the first control unit transmits power permitting a charge of the battery by the power transmitting device if the first control unit receives a data-holding notification as a reply to the confirmation signal, and

the second control unit of the power receiving apparatus receives the confirmation signal in a state in which the second communication unit is capable of communicating with the first communication unit, and transmits the data-holding notification to the first communication unit by the second communication unit if the charge-exchange delivered data is held in the storage unit.

4. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first control unit of the non-contact charge apparatus periodically transmits the confirmation signal to confirm whether or not the charge-exchange delivered data is held by the first communication unit, and stops power transmission by the power transmitting device if the first control unit does not receive a data-holding notification as a reply to the confirmation signal.

5. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first control unit of the non-contact charge apparatus intermittently carries out power transmission by the power transmitting device irrespective of whether or not the power receiving apparatus is present, and switches power transmission to continuous power transmission if the first communication unit becomes capable of starting communication with the second communication unit of the power receiving apparatus.

6. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the non-contact charge apparatus includes

a sensing unit to sense that the power receiving apparatus exists at a communication-possible position,

the first control unit transmits power necessary for data transfer and starts communication with the second communication unit by the first communication unit if the sensing unit senses that the power receiving apparatus exists at a communication-possible position, and

the first control unit continues power transmission if transmission of the charge-exchange delivered data results in success, and stops the power transmission if the transmission results in failure.

7. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

a range of communication between the first communication unit of the non-contact charge apparatus and the second communication unit of the power receiving apparatus is within a range in which the power receiving device receives power transmitted from the power transmitting device based on a magnetic field resonance relationship.

8. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first control unit of the non-contact charge apparatus includes an authentication function to confirm that the power receiving apparatus is compatible with the charge and communication system by the first communication unit with the second communication unit of the power receiving apparatus.

9. The non-contact charge and communication system according to claim 8, wherein

the first control unit of the non-contact charge apparatus does not carry out power transmission by the power transmitting device if authentication confirmation is not achieved.