APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PROTECTING POWER RECEIVER OF WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

• US 20120293009A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Dong Zo, Kwon, Sang Wook, Kim, Ki Young, Kim, Nam Yun, Park, Yun Kwon, Park, Eun Seok, Ryu, Young Ho, Choi, Jin Sung, Hong, Young Tack, Yoon, Chang Wook
• Granted Patent: US 9,444,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/1252 responsive to overvoltage in input or output, e.g. by load dump
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus and method of protecting a power receiver of a wireless power transmission system are provided. A wireless power receiver includes a rectifier comprising an input and an output, and configured to receive a signal through the input, to rectify the signal to produce a rectified signal, and to output the rectified signal through the output, and a capacitor connected to the output of the rectifier and to ground. The wireless power receiver further includes a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter connected to the output of the rectifier and to a load, and configured to convert the rectified signal to a power, and to provide the power to the load, and a device configured to create a short circuit to protect the rectifier and/or the capacitor when a voltage greater than a threshold voltage is applied to the input of the rectifier and/or the output of the rectifier.

Claims

1. A wireless power receiver comprising:

a rectifier comprising an input and an output, and configured to receive a signal through the input, to rectify the signal to produce a rectified signal, and to output the rectified signal through the output;

a capacitor connected to the output of the rectifier and to ground;

a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter connected to the output of the rectifier and to a load, and configured to convert the rectified signal to a power, and to provide the power to the load; and

a device configured to create a short circuit to protect the rectifier and/or the capacitor when a voltage greater than a threshold voltage is applied to the input of the rectifier and/or the output of the rectifier.

2. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to reduce a voltage applied to the rectifier and/or the capacitor to protect the rectifier and/or the capacitor when the voltage greater than the threshold voltage is applied to the input of the rectifier and/or the output of the rectifier.

3. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the signal is a differential signal;

the rectifier further comprises another inputs, and is further configured to receive the differential signal through the input and the other input, and to rectify the differential signal to produce the rectified signal; and

the device is connected between the two inputs of the rectifier.

4. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein a capacitance of the device is less than or equal to 50 picofarads (pF).

5. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the rectifier comprises a Schottky diode; and

a breakdown voltage of the device is 3 volts (V) to 5V less than a peak reverse voltage of the Schottky diode.

6. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the device is connected to the capacitor and to the ground.

7. The wireless power receiver of claim 1, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a DC/DC buck converter.

8. A wireless power receiver comprising:

a rectifier comprising an input and an output, and configured to receive a signal through the input, to rectify the signal to produce a rectified signal, and to output the rectified signal through the output;

a capacitor connected to the output of the rectifier and to ground;

a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter connected to the output of the rectifier and to a load, and configured to convert the rectified signal to a power, and to provide the power to the load;

a switch unit connected to the input of the rectifier; and

a protection unit configured to control the switch unit to open or close based on a voltage of the rectified signal.

9. The wireless power receiver of claim 8, wherein:

the protection unit is further configured to control the switch unit to close when the voltage of the rectified signal is less than a threshold, to enable the rectifier to receive the signal through the switch unit and the input; and

the protection unit is further configured to control the switch unit to open when the voltage of the rectified signal is greater than the threshold, to block the rectifier from receiving the signal through the switch unit and the input.

10. The wireless power receiver of claim 8, wherein the switch unit comprises a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (PMOSFET) switch.

11. The wireless power receiver of claim 8, wherein the protection unit comprises:

a voltage adjustor configured to adjust a voltage of the power to generate a first comparator input signal;

a first voltage divider configured to divide the voltage of the rectified signal to generate a second comparator input signal;

a comparator configured to compare the first comparator input signal and the second comparator input signal, and to output a comparator output signal based on a result the comparison; and

a second voltage divider configured to divide a voltage of the comparator output signal to generate a switch control signal to control the switch unit to open or close.

12. The wireless power receiver of claim 11, wherein:

the comparator comprises

a positive input connected to the first voltage divider to receive the second comparator input signal,

a negative input connected to the voltage adjustor to receive the first comparator input signal, and

an output to output the comparator output signal;

the first voltage divider comprises

a first resistor connected to the positive input of the comparator and to the output of the rectifier, and

a second resistor connected to the positive input of the comparator and to the ground; and

the second voltage divider comprises

a third resistor connected to the switch unit and to the output of the comparator, and

a fourth resistor connected to the output of the comparator and to the ground.

13. The wireless power receiver of claim 11, wherein:

the power charges the load;

the protection unit is further configured to output the switch control signal to control the switch unit to close while the load is being charged; and

the protection unit is further configured to output the switch control signal to control the switch unit to open when the load is fully charged.

14. The wireless power receiver of claim 11, further comprising:

a communication/control unit configured to

receive, from the protection unit, the switch control signal, and

transmit, to a wireless power transmitter that transmits the signal to the rectifier, a power transmission suspension signal based on the switch control signal.

15. The wireless power receiver of claim 14, wherein:

the power charges the load;

the protection unit is further configured to generate the switch control signal to comprise a first value when the load is being charged, and a second value when the load is fully charged; and

the communication/control unit is further configured to transmit the power transmission suspension signal when the switch control signal changes between the first value and the second value, a N number of times, N being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

16. A method of receiving a wireless power, comprising:

rectifying a signal received from a resonator;

converting the rectified signal to a power;

providing the power to a load; and

providing or blocking the rectifying of the signal, based on a voltage of the rectified signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing or blocking of the rectifying of the signal comprises:

adjusting a voltage of the power to generate a first comparator input signal;

dividing a voltage of the rectified signal to generate a second comparator input signal;

comparing the first comparator input signal and the second comparator input signal to output a comparator output signal based on a result the comparison; and

dividing a voltage of the comparator output signal to generate a switch control signal to provide or block the rectifying of the signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting, to a wireless power transmitter that transmits the signal to the resonator, a power transmission suspension signal based on the switch control signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the power charges the load;

the switch control signal comprises a first value when the load is being charged, and a second value when the load is fully charged; and

the transmitting of the power transmission suspension signal comprises;

counting a number of times the switch control signal changes between the first value and the second value; and

transmitting the power transmission suspension signal when the number of times the switch control signal changes is greater than or equal to N, N being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program comprising instructions to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 16.