WIRELESS CHARGING APPARATUS AND WIRELESS CHARGING METHOD

• US 20150137749A1
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Sung-Bum
• Granted Patent: US 9,762,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A wireless charging apparatus and a wireless charging method are provided. The method includes selecting at least one of a wireless power reception mode and a wireless power transmission mode by a wireless charging apparatus, wirelessly receiving electric power when the wireless power reception mode is selected, and wirelessly transmitting electric power when the wireless power transmission mode is selected.

Claims

1. A wireless charging method comprising:

selecting at least one of a wireless power reception mode and a wireless power transmission mode by a wireless charging apparatus;

wirelessly receiving electric power, when the wireless power reception mode is selected; and

wirelessly transmitting electric power, when the wireless power transmission mode is selected.

2. The wireless charging method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a wireless power relay mode; and

wirelessly relaying electric power, when the wireless power relay mode is selected.

3. The wireless charging method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting the electric power, when the wireless power transmission mode is selected, comprises:

selecting one of an external power source and a battery, when the wireless power transmission mode is selected;

wirelessly receiving electric power from the external power source and wirelessly transmitting the electric power from the external power source, when the external power source is selected; and

wirelessly transmitting electric power supplied from the battery, when the battery is selected.

4. The wireless charging method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the wireless charging apparatus receives electric power from an external power source, communicating with at least one slave wireless charging apparatus near the wireless charging apparatus, by the wireless charging apparatus, when the wireless charging apparatus acts as a master wireless charging apparatus; and

transmitting the electric power from the external power source to the at least one slave wireless charging apparatus to charge the at least one slave wireless charging apparatus, by the master wireless charging apparatus.

5. The wireless charging method of claim 4, further comprising:

when the at least one slave wireless charging apparatus corresponds to a plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses, controlling the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses such that the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses receive the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus, according to a predetermined condition.

6. The wireless charging method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition is one of distances between the master wireless charging apparatuses and the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses, remaining battery amounts of the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses, and a predetermined time interval.

7. The wireless charging method of claim 5, wherein controlling the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses such that the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses receive the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus, according to the predetermined condition comprises:

controlling such that a highest priority slave wireless charging apparatus of the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses is operated in a reception mode for receiving the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus, according to a predetermined condition;

when a battery of the highest priority slave wireless charging apparatus is fully charged, controlling such that a second highest priority slave wireless charging apparatus of the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatus is operated in the reception mode for receiving the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus; and

controlling such that the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses not operated in the reception mode are operated in a relay mode for relaying the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus.

8. A wireless charging apparatus comprising:

a resonator;

a wireless power transceiver comprising a wireless power transmitter configured to perform any one of wireless power reception and wireless power transmission through the resonator, based on a selection of at least one of a wireless power reception mode and a wireless power transmission mode; and

a controller configured to,

when the wireless power reception mode is selected, control such that electric power is wirelessly received, and

when the wireless power transmission mode is selected, control such that the electric power is wirelessly transmitted.

9. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wireless power transceiver is configured to perform wireless power relay, based on a selection of a wireless power relay mode, and the controller is further configured to control such that, when the wireless power relay mode is selected, the electric power is wirelessly relayed.

10. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless power transceiver further comprises:

a wireless power receiver;

a wireless power transmitter; and

a second switch which,

when the wireless power reception mode is selected, connects the wireless power receiver and the resonator, and

when the wireless power transmission mode is selected, connects the wireless power transmitter and the resonator.

11. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a battery; and

a first switch, which connects one of an external power source and the battery, and the wireless power transmitter.

12. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a booster IC, which adjusts a voltage of the battery to a predetermined value between the battery and the first switch.

13. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a buck converter IC, which adjusts a voltage of the battery to a predetermined value between the battery and the first switch.

14. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a Power Management IC (PMIC), which wirelessly receives electric power received by the wireless power receiver to charge the battery.

15. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a charger IC, which wirelessly receives electric power received by the wireless power receiver to charge the battery.

16. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 8, wherein,

when the electric power is supplied from an external power source, the controller is configured to control such that the wireless charging apparatus acts as a master wireless charging apparatus, and control such that at least one slave wireless charging apparatus near the master wireless charging apparatus is charged, by transmitting the electric power to the at least one slave wireless charging apparatus, by the master wireless charging apparatus.

17. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein when the at least one slave wireless charging apparatus corresponds to a plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses, the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses are controlled such that the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses receive the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus, according to a predetermined condition.

18. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predetermined condition is one of distances between the master wireless charging apparatuses and the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses, remaining battery amounts of the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses, and a predetermined time interval.

19. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to control such that a highest priority slave wireless charging apparatus of the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses is operated in a reception mode for receiving the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus, according to a predetermined condition, when a battery of the highest priority slave wireless charging apparatus is fully charged, control such that a second highest priority slave wireless charging apparatus of the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatus is operated in the reception mode for receiving the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus, and control such that the plurality of slave wireless charging apparatuses not operated in the reception mode are operated in a relay mode for relaying the electric power of the master wireless charging apparatus.