Contactless power transmitting system having overheat protection function and method thereof

• US 9,130,380 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hanrim Postech Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Chun-Kil
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/667,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/150, 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a contactless power transmitting system having an overheat protection function, which protects a battery cell module from damage due to overheating while the battery cell module is being charged, and a method thereof. In the contactless power transmitting system, a contactless power transmitting apparatus transmits a first power to a contactless power receiving apparatus through a power transmitting coil to charge the battery cell module with the first power, and transmits a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, to the contactless power receiving apparatus through the power transmitting coil to charge the battery cell module with the second power if an overheat alarm signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus, thereby making it possible to fully charge the battery cell module while preventing overheating of the battery cell module.

Claims

1. A contactless power transmitting and receiving system, comprising:

a contactless power transmitting apparatus; and

a contactless power receiving apparatus including a battery cell module and a charging unit to charge the battery cell module with power received from the contactless power transmitting apparatus,

the contactless power transmitting apparatus comprising;

a power transmitting unit, comprising a power transmitting coil which transmits a first power or a second power to the contactless power receiving apparatus;

a first signal transmitting unit;

a first signal receiving unit which receives an overheat alarm signal transmitted by the contactless power receiving apparatus; and

a contactless power transmission controlling unit which directs the power transmitting unit to transmit the first power to the contactless power receiving apparatus, and which directs the power transmitting unit to transmit the second power lower than the first power, to the contactless power receiving apparatus if the first signal receiving unit receives the overheat alarm signal to charge the second power in the battery cell module, thereby allowing the battery cell module not to be overheated,

the contactless power receiving apparatus comprising;

a contactless power reception controlling unit which detects an overheat of the battery cell module when the charging unit charges the first power in the battery cell module; and

a second signal transmitting unit to transmit the overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus if the overheat is detected,

wherein when the overheat alarm signal is transmitted to the contactless power transmitting apparatus, the contactless power reception controlling unit switches the charging unit into a first power charging mode which allows the charging unit to charge the second power in the battery cell module and to remain without generation of an error.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power transmitting unit further comprises:

a driving driver which generates a driving signal for transmitting the first power or the second power under a direction of the contactless power transmission controlling unit; and

a series resonant converter which switches a direct current (DC) power according to the driving signal,

wherein the power transmitting coil transmits the first power or the second power to the contactless power receiving apparatus while being resonated with the power switched by the series resonant converter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal transmitting unit generates an identification (ID) request signal and transmits the generated ID request signal to the contactless power receiving apparatus, under a direction of the contactless power transmission controlling unit,

wherein the first signal receiving unit receives an ID signal transmitted by the contactless power receiving apparatus according to the ID request signal and provides the received ID signal to the contactless power transmission controlling unit.

4. A contactless power receiving apparatus in a contactless power system, the system comprising a contactless power transmitting apparatus which comprises a first signal transmitting unit and a first signal receiving unit and a contactless power receiving apparatus which comprises a second signal transmitting unit and a second signal receiving unit, the contactless power receiving apparatus comprising:

a charging apparatus which receives a first power transmitted by a contactless power transmitting apparatus, and which charges a battery cell module with the first power;

the second signal transmitting unit which generates an overheat alarm signal, and which transmits the overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus; and

a contactless power reception controlling unit which judges whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated, and which, if it is judged that the battery cell module has been overheated, directs the second signal transmitting unit to generate the overheat alarm signal and to transmit the generated overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus in case where it is judged that the battery cell module has been overheated and then directs the charging apparatus to receive a second power, of lower wattage than the first power, from the contactless power transmitting apparatus and to charge the battery cell module with the second power, thereby allowing the battery cell module not to be overheated,

wherein when the overheat alarm signal is transmitted to the contactless power transmitting apparatus, the contactless power reception controlling unit switches the charging unit into a first power charging mode which allows the charging unit to charge the second power in the battery cell module and to remain without generation of an error.

5. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a first temperature sensor which detects a first temperature of the battery cell module,

wherein the contactless power reception controlling unit judges whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated using the first temperature.

6. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor which detects a first temperature of the battery cell module; and

a second temperature sensor which detects a second temperature of the environment,

wherein the contactless power reception controlling unit judges whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated using a difference between the first and second temperatures.

7. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second signal receiving unit receives an ID request signal transmitted by the contactless power transmitting apparatus, and provides the ID request signal to the contactless power reception controlling unit, and

wherein, if the ID request signal is received, the second signal transmitting unit generates an ID signal and transmits the generated ID request signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus under a direction of the contactless power reception controlling unit.

8. The contactless power receiving apparatus of claim 4, wherein the charging apparatus comprises:

a power receiving coil which receives the first power or the second power transmitted by the contactless power transmitting apparatus;

a rectifying unit which rectifies the first power or the second power received by the power receiving coil into a DC power; and

a charging unit which charges the battery cell module with the DC power rectified by the rectifying unit, under a direction of the contactless power reception controlling unit.

9. A contactless power transmitting and receiving method, comprising:

transmitting, in a contactless power transmitting apparatus, a first power to a contactless power receiving apparatus through a power transmitting coil, the contactless power receiving apparatus including a battery cell module to be recharged and a charging unit to recharge the battery cell module with power received from the contactless power transmitting apparatus;

detecting, in the contactless power receiving apparatus, an overheat of the battery cell module when the charging unit charges the first power in the battery cell module and transmitting an overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus if the overheat is detected;

transmitting, from the contactless power transmitting apparatus, a second power lower than the first power, to the contactless power receiving apparatus through the power transmitting coil if an overheat alarm signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus to charge the second power in the battery cell module, thereby allowing the battery cell module not to be overheated; and

switching the charging unit into a first power charging mode which allows the charging unit to charge the second power in the battery cell module and to remain without generation of an error, when the overheat alarm signal is transmitted to the contactless power transmitting apparatus.

10. The contactless power transmitting and receiving method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting of the first power comprises:

transmitting, using the contactless power transmitting apparatus, an ID request signal to the contactless power receiving apparatus; and

transmitting the first power if an ID signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus according to the ID request signal.

11. The contactless power transmitting and receiving method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting of the ID request signal comprises:

judging whether or not a change in a load has been generated in the power transmitting coil; and

transmitting the ID request signal if it is judged that the change in the load has been generated in the power transmitting coil.

12. The contactless power transmitting and receiving method of claim 9, further comprising stopping the transmission of the first or second power if a charge completion signal is received from the contactless power receiving apparatus.

13. A contactless power receiving method, comprising:

receiving, in a charging unit, a first power transmitted by a contactless power transmitting apparatus to charge a battery cell module with the first power;

judging, in a contactless power reception controlling unit, whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated;

transmitting, from the contactless power reception control unit, an overheat alarm signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus;

switching, in the contactless power reception control unit, a charging unit into a first power charging mode which allows a second power lower than the first power to be charged in the battery cell module; and

receiving, in the charging apparatus, the second power, if it is judged that the battery cell module has been overheated, to charge the second power in the battery cell module, thereby allowing the battery cell module not to be overheated and remaining without generation of an error.

14. The contactless power receiving method of claim 13, wherein the judging of whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated comprises:

detecting, in a first temperature sensor, a first temperature of the battery cell module; and

judging that the battery cell module has been overheated if the first temperature is equal to or higher than a preset temperature.

15. The contactless power receiving method of claim 13, wherein the judging of whether or not the battery cell module has been overheated comprises:

detecting, in a first temperature sensor, a first temperature of the battery cell module;

detecting, in a second temperature sensor, a second temperature of the environment; and

judging that the battery cell module has been overheated if a difference between the first and second temperatures is equal to or higher than a preset value.

16. The contactless power receiving method of claim 13, further comprising:

judging, in the contactless power reception controlling unit, whether or not the charging of the battery cell module has been completed; and

if it is judged that the charging of the battery cell module has been completed, transmitting a charge completion signal to the contactless power transmitting apparatus.