Power transmission control device, power transmission device, electronic instrument, and non-contact power transmission system

• US 7,804,197 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Jin, Mikimoto, Iisaka, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini; Albert W
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US12/163,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20090001818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 320/108
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• 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 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A power transmission control device provided in a power transmission device of a non-contact power transmission system includes a drive clock signal generation circuit that generates a drive clock signal, a driver control circuit that generates a driver control signal based on the drive clock signal, a waveform detection circuit, and a control circuit. The waveform detection circuit includes a pulse width detection circuit that measures a first pulse width period to detect first pulse width information, the first pulse width period being a period between a first edge timing of the drive clock signal and a first timing, the first timing being a timing when a first induced voltage signal that has changed from a low-potential-side power supply voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage. The control circuit detects the power-reception-side load state based on the first pulse width information.

Claims

1. A power transmission control device provided in a power transmission device included in a non-contact power transmission system, the non-contact power transmission system transmitting power from the power transmission device to a power reception device by electromagnetically coupling a primary coil and a secondary coil to transmit the power to a load of the power reception device, the power transmission control device comprising:

a drive clock signal generation circuit that generates a drive clock signal that specifies a drive frequency of the primary coil;

a driver control circuit that generates a driver control signal based on the drive clock signal, and outputs the driver control signal to a transmission driver that drives the primary coil;

a waveform detection circuit that detects a waveform of an induced voltage signal of the primary coil; and

a control circuit that detects a power-reception-side load state based on a detection result of the waveform detection circuit,

the waveform detection circuit including a first pulse width detection circuit that measures a first pulse width period to detect first pulse width information, the first pulse width period being a period between a first edge timing of the drive clock signal and a first timing, the first timing being a timing when a first induced voltage signal of the primary coil that has changed from a low-potential-side power supply voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage; and

the control circuit detecting the power-reception-side load state based on the first pulse width information.

2. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 1,

the waveform detection circuit including a first waveform adjusting circuit that adjusts a waveform of the first induced voltage signal and outputs a first waveform-adjusted signal;

and

the first pulse width detection circuit measuring the first pulse width period based on the first waveform-adjusted signal and the drive clock signal.

3. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 2,

the first pulse width detection circuit including a first counter that increments or decrements a count value in the first pulse width period and measures the first pulse width period based on the resulting count value.

4. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 3,

the first pulse width detection circuit including a first enable signal generation circuit that receives the first waveform-adjusted signal and the drive clock signal and generates a first enable signal that becomes active in the first pulse width period;

and

the first counter incrementing or decrementing the count value when the first enable signal is active.

5. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 4,

the first enable signal generation circuit including a first flip-flop circuit, the drive clock signal being input to a clock terminal of the first flip-flop circuit, a high-potential-side power supply voltage or a low-potential-side power supply voltage being input to a data terminal of the first flip-flop circuit, and the first waveform-adjusted signal being input to a reset terminal or a set terminal of the first flip-flop circuit.

6. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 3,

the first pulse width detection circuit including:

a first count value holding circuit that holds the count value from the first counter; and

a first output circuit that compares the count value currently held by the first count value holding circuit with the count value previously held by the first count value holding circuit, and outputs the count value larger than the other.

7. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 3,

the first pulse width detection circuit including:

a first count value holding circuit that holds the count value from the first counter; and

a first output circuit that outputs an average value of a plurality of the count values held by the first count value holding circuit.

8. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 1,

the control circuit performing foreign object detection based on the first pulse width information.

9. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 8,

the control circuit performing primary foreign object detection based on the first pulse width information, the primary foreign object detection being foreign object detection before normal power transmission starts.

10. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 9,

the waveform detection circuit including a second pulse width detection circuit that measures a second pulse width period to detect second pulse width information, the second pulse width period being a period between a second edge timing of the drive clock signal and a second timing, the second timing being a timing when a second induced voltage signal of the primary coil that has changed from a high-potential-side power supply exceeds a second threshold voltage;

and

the control circuit performing secondary foreign object detection based on the second pulse width information, the secondary foreign object detection being foreign object detection after normal power transmission has started.

11. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 10,

the waveform detection circuit including a second waveform adjusting circuit that adjusts a waveform of the second induced voltage signal and outputs a second waveform-adjusted signal;

and

the second pulse width detection circuit measuring the second pulse width period based on the second waveform-adjusted signal and the drive clock signal.

12. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 11,

the second pulse width detection circuit including a second counter that increments or decrements a count value in the second pulse width period and measures the second pulse width period based on the resulting count value.

13. The power transmission control device as defined in claim 11,

the waveform detection circuit including a first waveform adjusting circuit that adjusts a waveform of the first induced voltage signal and outputs a first waveform-adjusted signal to the first pulse width detection circuit;

and

the second waveform adjusting circuit adjusting a waveform of the second induced voltage signal differing from the first induced voltage signal, and outputting the second waveform-adjusted signal to the second pulse width detection circuit.

14. A power transmission device comprising:

the power transmission control device as defined in claim 1; and

a power transmission section that generates an alternating-current voltage and supplies the alternating-current voltage to the primary coil.

15. An electronic instrument comprising the power transmission device as defined in claim 14.

16. A non-contact power transmission system comprising a power transmission device and a power reception device, the non-contact power transmission system transmitting power from the power transmission device to the power reception device by electromagnetically coupling a primary coil and a secondary coil to transmit the power to a load of the power reception device,

the power reception device including a power reception section that converts an induced voltage of the secondary coil into a direct-current voltage;

the power transmission device including;

a drive clock signal generation circuit that generates a drive clock signal that specifies a drive frequency of the primary coil;

a driver control circuit that generates a driver control signal based on the drive clock signal, and outputs the driver control signal to a transmission driver that drives the primary coil;

a waveform detection circuit that detects a waveform of an induced voltage signal of the primary coil; and

a control circuit that detects a power-reception-side load state based on a detection result of the waveform detection circuit;

the waveform detection circuit including a first pulse width detection circuit that measures a first pulse width period to detect first pulse width information, the first pulse width period being a period between a first edge timing of the drive clock signal and a first timing, the first timing being a timing when a first induced voltage signal that has changed from a low-potential-side power supply voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage; and

the control circuit detecting the power-reception-side load state based on the first pulse width information.