METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CONTACTLESS POWER SUPPLYING DEVICE AND CONTACTLESS POWER SUPPLYING DEVICE

• US 20140103732A1
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: IRIE, Kenichi, KAWADA, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for controlling a contactless power supplying device that excites a primary coil and supplies power using an electromagnetic induction effect to a secondary coil of a power receiving device arranged in an electric appliance is provided. A full-bridge circuit is full-bridge-operated to excite the primary coil when the electric appliance is on a setting surface. The full-bridge circuit is half-bridge-operated to excite the primary coil when the electric appliance is not on the setting surface.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a contactless power supplying device that excites a primary coil and supplies power using an electromagnetic induction effect to a secondary coil of a power receiving device arranged in an electric appliance, the method comprising:

full-bridge-operating a full-bridge circuit to excite the primary coil when the electric appliance is on a setting surface; and

half-bridge-operating the full-bridge circuit to excite the primary coil when the electric appliance is not on the setting surface.

2. The method for controlling a contactless power supplying device according to claim 1, wherein

the full-bridge-operation of the full-bridge circuit continuously excites the primary coil when the electric appliance is on the setting surface, and

the half-bridge operation of the full-bridge circuit intermittently excites the primary coil when the electric appliance is not on the setting surface.

3. A contactless power supplying device that excites a primary coil and supplies power using an electromagnetic induction effect to a secondary coil of a power receiving device arranged in an electric appliance, the contactless power supplying device comprising:

a full-bridge circuit that is arranged in each of one or more power supplying areas defined in a setting surface on which the electric appliance is set and that excites and drives the primary coil;

a detection circuit that detects whether or not an object is present on the setting surface and generates a detection signal; and

a system control unit that drives and controls the full-bridge circuit, wherein the system control unit full-bridge-operates the full-bridge circuit to excite the primary coil when the detection signal indicates that the electric appliance is on the setting surface, and the system control unit half-bridge-operates the full-bridge circuit to excite the primary coil when the detection signal indicates that the electric appliance is not on the setting surface.

4. The contactless power supplying device according to claim 3, wherein the system control unit continuously excites the primary coil by full-bridge-operating the full-bridge circuit when the detection signal indicates that the electric appliance is on the setting surface, and the system control unit intermittently excites the primary coil by half-bridge-operating the full-bridge circuit when the detection signal indicates that the electric appliance is not on the setting surface.