APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATION USING WIRELESS POWER

• US 20120309305A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• 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, Park, Eun Seok, Hong, Young Tack, Kim, Ki Young, Ryu, Young Ho, Kim, Dong Zo, Choi, Jin Sung, Yoon, Chang Wook
• Granted Patent: US 9,484,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• 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

An apparatus and method are described that may enable a target device to communicate with a source device using a wireless power. The communication apparatus receives a wireless power from a source resonator through a magnetic coupling between the source resonator and a target resonator. The communication apparatus transmits a message, and modulates the message based on the received wireless power and impedance mismatch between the source device and the target device. The communication apparatus controls the impedance mismatch by changing an impedance of the target device.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a target resonance unit configured to receive a wireless power from a source resonator, and to transmit a message through a magnetic coupling between the source resonator and a target resonator;

a modulation unit configured to modulate the message based on the wireless power and impedance mismatch between a source device and a target device; and

a control unit configured to control the impedance mismatch by changing an impedance of the target device.

2. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulation unit modulates the message using a frequency of the wireless power as a carrier frequency.

3. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the impedance of the target device by controlling an amount of a current, or ON and OFF states of the current flowing through a load connected to a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter in parallel.

4. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the impedance of the target device through a current source operating as a load.

5. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the impedance of the target device using ON and OFF states of a switch connected to a load of the target device.

6. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the impedance of the target device, based on an amount of power stored in a battery of the target device.

7. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulation unit comprises:

a detection unit configured to detect a DC signal of the wireless power received from the source resonator;

an amplification unit configured to amplify the detected DC signal by a predetermined factor;

a comparison unit configured to output a High value or a Low value by comparing the amplified DC signal and a reference signal; and

a switch controlling unit to control a switch connected to a load based on the High value or the Low value.

8. The communication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the reference signal corresponds to an objective voltage to be used to modulate the message.

9. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a target resonance unit configured to receive a wireless power through a magnetic coupling between a source resonator and a target resonator;

a demodulation unit configured to demodulate a message from a source device by comparing a direct current (DC) signal of the wireless power and a reference signal; and

a control unit configured to output the reference signal and to perform impedance matching between the source device and a target device.

10. The communication apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a leakage current blocking unit configured to block a leakage current of the DC signal.

11. The communication apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a ripple removing unit configured to remove a ripple signal of the DC signal.

12. The communication apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

an offset blocking unit configured to block a DC offset voltage of the DC signal.

13. A communication method, comprising:

receiving a wireless power from a source resonator through a magnetic coupling between the source resonator and a target resonator;

controlling impedance mismatch between a source device and a target device by changing an impedance of the target device; and

modulating a message based on the received wireless power and the impedance mismatch.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises changing the impedance of the target device by controlling an amount of a current or ON and OFF states of the current flowing through a load connected to a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter in parallel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises changing the impedance of the target device using ON and OFF states of a switch connected to a load of the target device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises detecting a DC signal of the power received from the source resonator;

amplifying the detected DC signal to be greater than a predetermined value;

outputting a High value or a Low value by comparing the amplified DC signal and a reference signal; and

controlling a switch connected to a load, based on the High value or the Low value.

17. A communication method, comprising:

receiving a wireless power through a magnetic coupling between a source resonator and a target resonator;

demodulating a message from a source device, by comparing a direct current (DC) signal of the received wireless power and a reference signal;

outputting the reference signal; and

performing impedance matching between the source device and a target device.

18. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a target resonance unit configured to receive a wireless power from a source device, and configured to transmit a message comprising a change in an impedance of a target device;

a modulation unit configured to modulate the message based on the wireless power and impedance mismatch between the source device and the target device; and

a control unit configured to control the impedance mismatch between the source device and the target device by controlling an amount of current flowing through a load at the target device, ON and OFF states of the current flowing through the load, or by adjusting an amount of power stored in a battery of the load.

19. The communication apparatus of claim 18, wherein the target resonance unit receives the wireless power from a source resonator in the source device through a magnetic coupling between the source resonator and a target resonator in the target device.

20. The communication apparatus of claim 18, wherein the modulation unit is further configured to use a resonant frequency of the wireless power as a carrier frequency.

21. The communication apparatus of claim 18, wherein the target resonance unit is configured to receive a wake-up power used to drive the control unit of the target device.

22. The communication apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a matching network configured to match an output impedance of the target resonance unit and an input impedance of the matching network to transfer the wireless power to the load.

23. The communication apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a rectification unit configured to rectify an AC signal to a DC signal; and

a DC/DC converter configured to convert the DC signal to a voltage level or a current level to be used for the load.

24. The communication apparatus of claim 18, wherein the modulation unit comprises:

a detection unit configured to detect a DC signal of the wireless power received from a source resonator in the source device;

an amplification unit configured to amplify the detected DC signal by a factor;

a comparison unit configured to output a High value or a Low value by comparing the amplified DC signal and a reference signal; and

a switch controlling unit to control a switch connected to a load based on the High value or the Low value.

25. The communication apparatus of claim 24, wherein the reference signal corresponds to an objective voltage to be used to modulate the message.

26. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program being configured to control a processor to perform:

receiving a wireless power from a source resonator through a magnetic coupling between the source resonator and a target resonator;

controlling impedance mismatch between a source device and a target device by changing an impedance of the target device; and

modulating a message based on the received wireless power and the impedance mismatch.

27. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program being configured to control a processor to perform:

receiving a wireless power through a magnetic coupling between a source resonator and a target resonator;

demodulating a message from a source device, by comparing a direct current (DC) signal of the received wireless power and a reference signal;

outputting the reference signal; and

performing impedance matching between the source device and a target device.