METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING EFFICIENCY OF WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION

• US 20120306285A1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• 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, Hong, Young Tack
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• 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 2250/16 by display
• 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: 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 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: H02J 7/025 using non-contact coupling, e.g. inductive, capacitive
• 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

Abstract

Provided are a method and apparatus for detecting an efficiency of a wireless power transmission. An output power of a source device may be adjusted based on current that is flowing in a power converter of the source device. The efficiency of wireless power transmission may be calculated based on the adjusted output power, and an amount of power used by a target device.

Claims

1. A method of detecting an efficiency of a wireless power transmission from a source device to a target device, the method comprising:

determining an initial value of an output power based on information about power used by the target device;

transmitting the output power corresponding to the determined initial value to the target device;

detecting a current of the output power;

adjusting the output power based on the detected current; and

calculating the efficiency of the wireless power transmission, based on the adjusted output power and the information about the power used by the target device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the information about the power used by the target device from the target device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the target device, information about power that is received by the target device,

wherein the efficiency is calculated based on the information about the power that is received by the target device and the adjusted output power.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises, in response to the detected current increasing, increasing the output power until the detected current becomes constant.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interrupting an operation of the source device, in response to the calculated efficiency being lower than a reference efficiency.

6. A method of detecting an efficiency of a wireless power transmission, the method comprising:

determining an initial value of an output power based on information about power used by a target device;

transmitting the output power corresponding to the determined initial value to the target device;

receiving, from the target device, information about power that is received by the target device; and

calculating the efficiency of the wireless power transmission based on the information about the power that is received by the target device and the output power.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information about the power that is received by the target device comprises information about power flowing in a virtual load of the target device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the information about the power that is received by the target device comprises information about a current flowing in the target device in a state in which a path connected to a load of the target device is blocked.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting the output power based on the information about the power that is received by the target device,

wherein the adjusting is performed repeatedly until the power received by the target device reaches an amount of power required by the target device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

interrupting an operation of a source device, in response to the calculated efficiency being lower than a reference efficiency.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein program instructions to cause a processor to execute a method of detecting an efficiency of a wireless power transmission from a source device to a target device, the method comprising:

determining an initial value of an output power based on information about power used by the target device;

transmitting the output power corresponding to the determined initial value to the target device;

detecting a current of the output power;

adjusting the output power based on the detected current; and

calculating the efficiency of the wireless power transmission, based on the adjusted output power and the information about the power used by the target device.

12. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a controller to determine an initial value of an output power based on information about power used by a target device;

a resonator to transmit the output power corresponding to the determined initial value to the target device; and

a power detector to detect a current of the output power,

wherein the controller adjusts the output power based on the detected current, and calculates an efficiency of a wireless power transmission based on the adjusted output power and the information about the power used by the target device.

13. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein the controller receives the information about the power used by the target device from the target device.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein the controller receives, from the target device, information about power that is received by the target device, and calculates the efficiency based on the information about the power that is received by the target device and the adjusted output power.

15. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein, in response to the detected current increasing, the controller increases the output power until the detected current becomes constant.

16. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein, in response to the calculated efficiency being lower than a reference efficiency, the controller interrupts an operation of a source device.

17. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a controller to determine an initial value of an output power based on information about power used by a target device; and

a resonator to transmit the output power corresponding to the determined initial value to the target device,

wherein the controller receives, from the target device, information about power that is received by the target device, and calculates an efficiency of a wireless power transmission based on the information about the power that is received by the target device and the output power.

18. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein the information about the power that is received by the target device comprises information about power flowing in a virtual load of the target device.

19. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein the information about the power that is received by the target device comprises information about a current flowing in the target device in a state in which a path connected to a load of the target device is blocked.

20. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein the controller adjusts the output power based on the information about the power that is received by the target device, and continues to adjust the output power until the power received by the target device reaches an amount of power required by the target device.

21. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein, in response to the calculated efficiency being lower than a reference efficiency, the controller interrupts an operation of a source device.

22. The wireless power transmitter of claim 17, wherein, in response to a value of the current being equal to or greater than a set value determined based on the efficiency and the output power, the controller interrupts the operation of the source device.