Charging System, Electronic Apparatus, Charge Control Method, and Program

• US 20140176068A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC CASIO Mobile Communications Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Kazuyuki
• Application Number:
  US14/241,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/448 End of discharge regulating measures
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A charging system, electronic apparatus, charge control method, and program applicable also to a movable-coil-type charging system are provided. A power receiving unit includes a charging section charging a secondary battery by using current induced in a power receiving coil; a charge state determining section monitoring a charge state of the secondary battery to determine whether charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped; a command transmitting section stopping an operation of charging when determined that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped and transmitting a command to a power transmitting unit; a recharge determining section determining, while charging of the secondary battery is stopped, whether the secondary battery requires recharging; and a coupling releasing section temporarily releasing coupling of the power receiving coil and a power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction when determined that the secondary battery requires recharging.

Claims

1. A charging system comprising:

a power transmitting unit including a power transmitting coil and a power receiving unit including a power receiving coil that can be coupled to the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction,

the power transmitting unit including

power transmitting section driving the power transmitting coil when the power receiving coil is positioned near the power transmitting coil and transmitting electric power to the power receiving coil,

command receiving section receiving a predetermined command transmitted from the power receiving unit, and

stopping section stopping a power transmitting operation of the power transmitting section when the predetermined command is received, and

the power receiving unit including

charging section charging a secondary battery by using a current induced in the power receiving coil,

charge state determining section monitoring a charge state of the secondary battery to determine whether the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped,

command transmitting section stopping the charging section from performing an operation of charging the secondary battery when it is determined by the charge state determining section that the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped and transmitting the predetermined command to the power transmitting unit,

recharge determining section determining, while charging of the secondary battery is being stopped, whether the secondary battery is in a state requiring recharging, and

coupling releasing section temporarily releasing coupling of the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction when it is determined by the recharge determining section that the secondary battery is in the state requiring recharging.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the power transmitting coil is a movable coil moving to a position of the power receiving coil.

6. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling releasing means temporarily releases the coupling of the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction, by temporarily cutting off the power receiving coil from a circuit.

7. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling releasing means temporarily releases the coupling of the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction, by making a switch element inserted between the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil temporarily become in a release state.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a power receiving coil that can be coupled to a power transmitting coil of a power transmitting unit by electromagnetic induction,

charging section charging a secondary battery by using a current induced in the power receiving coil,

charge state determining section monitoring a charge state of the secondary battery to determine whether the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped,

command transmitting section stopping the charging section from performing an operation of charging the secondary battery when it is determined by the charge state determining section that the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped and transmitting to the power transmitting unit a command for making an instruction for stopping electric power transmission,

recharge determining section determining, while charging of the secondary battery is being stopped, whether the secondary battery is in a state requiring recharging, and

coupling releasing section temporarily releasing coupling of the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction when it is determined by the recharge determining section that the secondary battery is in the state requiring recharging.

4. A charge control method comprising:

a charging step of charging a secondary battery by using a current induced in a power receiving coil;

a charge state determining step of monitoring a charge state of the secondary battery to determine whether the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped;

a command transmitting step of stopping the charging step from performing an operation of charging the secondary battery when it is determined in the charge state determining step that the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped and transmitting a command making an instruction for stopping a power transmitting unit from transmitting electric power;

a recharge determining step of determining whether the secondary battery is in a state requiring recharging while charging of the secondary battery is being stopped; and

a coupling releasing step of temporarily releasing coupling of the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction when it is determined in the recharge determining step that the secondary battery is in the state of requiring recharging.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon that is executable by a computer in a power receiving unit having a power receiving coil that can be coupled to a power transmitting coil of a power transmitting unit by electromagnetic induction, the program causing the computer to perform functions comprising:

a charging section charging a secondary battery by using a current induced in the power receiving coil,

a charge state determining section monitoring a charge state of the secondary battery to determine whether the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped,

a command transmitting section stopping the charging section from performing an operation of charging the secondary battery when it is determined by the charge state determining section that the secondary battery is in a state that charging of the secondary battery is required to be stopped and transmitting to the power transmitting unit a command for making an instruction for stopping electric power transmission,

a recharge determining section determining whether the secondary battery is in a state requiring recharging while charging of the secondary battery is being stopped, and

a coupling releasing section temporarily releasing coupling of the power receiving coil and the power transmitting coil by electromagnetic induction when it is determined by the recharge determining section that the secondary battery is in the state requiring recharging.