WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION AND CHARGING SYSTEM, AND IMPEDANCE CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120293118A1
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Nam Yun, Kwon, Sang Wook, Park, Yun Kwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,124,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/122 Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil
• 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: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• 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 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A wireless power transmission and charging system and method are provided. The wireless power may refer to energy that may be transferred from a wireless power transmitter to a wireless power receiver. The wireless power transmission and charging system may include a source device to wirelessly transmit power, and a target device to wirelessly receive power.

Claims

1. An impedance control method of a wireless power transmitter configured to transmit power to a plurality of target devices, the method comprising:

generating power for charging by determining an impedance of a source resonator based on the number of the plurality of target devices, and adjusting a signal level of a direct current (DC) voltage to be supplied to a power amplifier based on the number of the plurality of target devices;

transmitting the charging power to the plurality of target devices through magnetic coupling; and

adjusting the impedance of the source resonator based on one or more of a reflected wave of the charging power, an amount of power received by each of the plurality of target devices, an amount of the charging power, and a transmission efficiency of the charging power.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to generating a charging power:

transmitting a wake-up request message to the plurality of target devices;

receiving response messages corresponding to the wake-up request message from the plurality of target devices; and

detecting the number of the plurality of target devices based on the received response messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the impedance of the source resonator is performed by controlling N matching switches to be powered ON and/or OFF, and the N matching switches are connected to a plurality of capacitors and/or a plurality of inductors.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the response messages comprises one or more of a product type of a corresponding target device, manufacturer information of the corresponding target device, a product model name of the corresponding target device, a battery type of the corresponding target device, a charging scheme of the corresponding target device, an impedance value of a load of the corresponding target device, information about a characteristic of a target resonator of the corresponding target device, information about a used frequency band of the corresponding target device, an amount of a power to be used for the corresponding target device, an intrinsic identifier of the corresponding target device, and product version information or standards information of the corresponding target device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the charging power comprises determining the signal level of the DC voltage to be supplied to the power amplifier based on one or more of a product type of the corresponding target device, a manufacturer information of the corresponding target device, a product model name of the corresponding target device, a battery type of the corresponding target device, a charging scheme of the corresponding target device, an impedance value of the load of the corresponding target device, information about the characteristic of the target resonator of the corresponding target device, information about the used frequency band of the corresponding target device, and an amount of a power to be used for the corresponding target device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the adjusting of the impedance of the source resonator comprises:

calculating a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) based on a voltage level of the reflected wave, a level of an output voltage, and a level of an output current of a source resonator;

controlling the N matching switches to be powered ON and OFF, in response to the VSWR being less than a predetermined reference value;

determining a tracking impedance having a power transmission efficiency above a predetermined threshold; and

changing the impedance of the source resonator to the tracking impedance having the power transmission efficiency above the predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining of the tracking impedance having the power transmission efficiency above a predetermined threshold comprises performing the following operations a) through g) continuously for each of the N matching switches,

a) selecting at least one of the N matching switches based on a predetermined selection scheme;

b) changing the impedance of the source resonator to a selected impedance, by controlling the at least one selected matching switch to be powered ON;

c) transmitting the charging power;

d) transmitting, to the plurality of target devices, a command to request an input voltage value and an input current value of a target device, or a command to request a DC/DC output voltage value and a DC/DC output current value of the target device;

e) receiving, from each of the plurality of target devices, an input voltage value and an input current value of a rectification unit, or the DC/DC output voltage value and the DC/DC output current value;

f) calculating an amount of a power received by each of the plurality of target devices, based on the input voltage value and the input current value, or the DC/DC output voltage value and the DC/DC output current value; and

g) calculating a transmission efficiency of the charging power, based on an output voltage level and an output current level of the source resonator, and the amount of a power received by each of the plurality of target devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined selection scheme in the operation a) corresponds to a scheme of selecting matching switches so that the plurality of capacitors may be powered ON and OFF in a sequential order, beginning from a capacitor having a lowest capacitance value to a capacitor having a highest capacitance value, or a scheme of selecting matching switches so that the plurality of capacitors may be powered ON and OFF in a sequential order, beginning from the capacitor having the highest capacitance value to the capacitor having the lowest capacitance value.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined selection scheme in the operation a) corresponds to a scheme of sequentially selecting M matching switches from the N matching switches, performing the operations b) through g) continuously for each of the M matching switches, and subsequently performing the operations b) through g) continuously for each matching switch, excluding the M matching switches from the N matching switches, M being less than N.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined selection scheme in the operation a) corresponds to a scheme of classifying the N matching switches into M groups, selecting one of the M groups based on the number of the one or more target devices, and sequentially selecting tracking frequencies included in the selected group, M being less than N.

11. A wireless power transmitter comprising:

a power converter configured to generate power used for communication or a charging power used for charging in a plurality of target devices, by converting a direct current (DC) voltage to be supplied to a power amplifier to an alternating current (AC) voltage using a resonance frequency;

a source resonator configured to transmit, to a plurality of target devices, the generated power through magnetic coupling; and

an impedance adjusting unit configured to adjust an impedance of the source resonator based on one or more of a reflected wave of the charging power, an amount of power received by each of the plurality of target devices, an amount of the charging power, and a transmission efficiency of the charging power.

12. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the impedance adjustment unit is configured to adjust the impedance of the source resonator by controlling N matching switches to be powered ON and OFF, and the impedance adjusting unit comprises the N matching switches which are connected to a plurality of capacitors and/or a plurality of inductors.

13. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, further comprising a control and communication unit configured to determine the impedance of the source resonator, and a signal level of the DC voltage to be supplied to the power amplifier based on the number of the plurality of target devices, and to control the impedance adjusting unit.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the control and communication unit is configured to determine the signal level of the DC voltage to be supplied to the power amplifier, based on one or more of a product type of a corresponding target device, manufacturer information of the corresponding target device, a product model name of the corresponding target device, a battery type of the corresponding target device, a charging scheme of the corresponding target device, an impedance value of a load of the corresponding target device, information about a characteristic of a target resonator of the corresponding target device, information about a used frequency band of the corresponding target device, and an amount of a power to be used for the corresponding target device.

15. The wireless power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the control and communication unit is configured to calculate a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) based on a voltage level of the reflected wave, a level of an output voltage, and a level of an output current of the source resonator, to control the N matching switches to be powered ON and OFF if the VSWR is less than a predetermined value, to determine a tracking impedance having a power transmission efficiency above a predetermined threshold, and to change the impedance of the source resonator to the tracking impedance having the power transmission efficiency above the predetermined threshold.

16. The wireless power transmitter of claim 15, wherein the control and communication unit is configured to perform the following operations a) through g) continuously for each of the N matching switches in order to determine the tracking impedance having the power transmission efficiency above the predetermined threshold,

a) selecting at least one of the N matching switches, based on a predetermined selection scheme;

b) changing the impedance of the source resonator to a selected impedance, by controlling the at least one selected matching switch to be powered ON;

c) transmitting the charging power;

d) transmitting, to the plurality of target devices, a command to request an input voltage value and an input current value of a target device, or a command to request a DC/DC output voltage value and a DC/DC output current value of the target device;

e) receiving, from each of the plurality of target devices, an input voltage value and an input current value of a rectification unit, or the DC/DC output voltage value and the DC/DC output current value;

f) calculating an amount of a power received by each of the plurality of target devices, based on the input voltage value and the input current value, or the DC/DC output voltage value and the DC/DC output current value; and

g) calculating a transmission efficiency of the charging power, based on an output voltage level and an output current level of the source resonator, and the amount of a power received by each of the plurality of target devices.

17. The wireless power transmitter of claim 16, wherein the predetermined selection scheme in the operation a) corresponds to a scheme of selecting matching switches so that the plurality of capacitors may be powered ON and OFF in a sequential order, beginning from a capacitor having a lowest capacitance value to a capacitor having a highest capacitance value, or a scheme of selecting matching switches so that the plurality of capacitors may be powered ON and OFF in a sequential order, beginning from the capacitor having the highest capacitance value to the capacitor having the lowest capacitance value.

18. The wireless power transmitter of claim 16, wherein the predetermined selection scheme in the operation a) corresponds to a scheme of sequentially selecting M matching switches from the N matching switches, performing the operations b) through g) continuously for each of the M matching switches, and subsequently performing the operations b) through g) continuously for each matching switch, excluding the M matching switches from the N matching switches, M being less than N.

19. The wireless power transmitter of claim 16, wherein the predetermined selection scheme in the operation a) corresponds to a scheme of classifying the N matching switches into M groups, selecting one of the M groups based on the number of the plurality of target devices, and sequentially selecting matching switches included in the selected group, M being less than N.

20. A wireless power receiver comprising:

a target resonator configured to receive power from a source resonator through magnetic coupling with the source resonator; and

a control and communication unit configured to detect an amount of power received by the target resonator, and to transmit, to the wireless power transmitter, information about the amount of the power received by the target resonator,

wherein an impedance of the source resonator is adjusted based on at least one of a reflected wave of the charging power, an amount of a power received by the target resonator, an amount of the charging power, and a transmission efficiency of the charging power.

21. The wireless power receiver of claim 20, further comprising:

a rectification unit configured to generate a direct current (DC) signal by rectifying an alternating current (AC) signal of the power received by the target resonator; and

a DC/DC converter configured to supply a voltage of a predetermined level to a load by adjusting a level of the DC signal.

22. The wireless power receiver of claim 21, wherein the information about the amount of power received by the target resonator corresponds to an input voltage value and an input current value of the rectification unit, an output voltage value and an output current value of the rectification unit, or a DC/DC output voltage value and a DC/DC output current value.

23. A power receiving method of a wireless power receiver, the method comprising:

receiving power from a wireless power transmitter through magnetic coupling;

receiving a first power used for charging from the wireless power transmitter; and

receiving a second power used for charging, that is generated after an impedance of the source resonator is adjusted in the wireless power transmitter.

24. The power receiving method claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a wake-up request message from the wireless power transmitter; and

transmitting, to the wireless power transmitter, a response message corresponding to the wake-up request message.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first power used for charging is generated by adjusting a signal level of a direct current (DC) voltage to be supplied to a power amplifier of the wireless power transmitter.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the impedance of the source resonator is adjusted based on one or more of a reflected wave of the first power used for charging, an amount of the first power used for charging, and a transmission efficiency of the first power used for charging.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the response message corresponding to the wake-up request message comprises one or more of a product type of a corresponding target device, manufacturer information of the corresponding target device, a product model name of the corresponding target device, a battery type of the corresponding target device, a charging scheme of the corresponding target device, an impedance value of a load of the corresponding target device, information about a characteristic of a target resonator of the corresponding target device, information about a used frequency band of the corresponding target device, an amount of a power to be used for the corresponding target device, an intrinsic identifier of the corresponding target device, and product version information or standards information of the corresponding target device.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the adjusted impedance of the source resonator corresponds to a tracking impedance having a power transmission efficiency above a predetermined threshold, among a plurality of predetermined tracking impedances.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the tracking impedance having the power transmission efficiency above the predetermined threshold is determined by performing the following operations a) through c) continuously for each of the plurality of predetermined tracking impedances,

a) receiving the second power used for charging;

b) receiving, from the wireless power transmitter, a command to request an input voltage value and an input current value of a target device, or a command to request a DC/DC output voltage value and a DC/DC output current value of the target device; and

c) transmitting, to the wireless power transmitter, an input voltage value and an input current value of a rectification unit, or the DC/DC output voltage value and the DC/DC output current value.