Wireless power transmission apparatus using ultrasound

• US 9,362,783 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Sung Q, Hwang, Gunn, Youm, WooSub
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/192,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20150003207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 367/135, 333/186
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/15 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment

Abstract

Provided is a wireless power transmission apparatus. The apparatus includes an ultrasound transmitter generating an ultrasound signal in response to an external source voltage and transmitting the generated ultrasound signal to a medium layer and an ultrasound receiver receiving the ultrasound signal through the medium layer and converting the received ultrasound signal into a driving voltage. The ultrasound transmitter and receiver are manufactured to control impedance values thereof to be matched with each other and a distance between the ultrasound transmitter and receiver is controlled according to predetermined distance conditions.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmission apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound transmitter generating an ultrasound signal in response to an external source voltage and transmitting the generated ultrasound signal to a medium layer; and

an ultrasound receiver receiving the ultrasound signal through the medium layer and converting the received ultrasound signal into a driving voltage,

wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are manufactured to control impedance values thereof to be matched with each other, and a distance between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver is controlled according to predetermined distance conditions, and

wherein the ultrasound transmitter comprises a drive controller determining the distance between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver by controlling a driving frequency of the ultrasound signal when the distance between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver is out of the predetermined distance conditions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are manufactured to allow the impedance values thereof to be same.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transmitter comprises:

a first impedance layer generating the ultrasound signal; and

a second impedance layer for allowing impedances of the first impedance layer and the medium layer to be matched with each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ultrasound receiver comprises:

a third impedance layer converting the ultrasound signal into the driving voltage; and

a fourth impedance layer for allowing impedances of the third impedance layer and the medium layer to be matched with each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first and third impedance layers and the second and fourth impedance layers are manufactured to have same impedance values, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein distances of the second and fourth impedance layers are determined to have λ

/4 based on a driving frequency of the ultrasound signal, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the impedance value of the second impedance layer is a harmonic mean of the impedance values of the first impedance layer and the medium layer, and

wherein the impedance value of the fourth impedance layer is a harmonic mean of the impedance values of the third impedance layer and the medium layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance d between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver controlled according to the predetermined distance conditions is determined as

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive controller further controls a level of the external source voltage.

10. A wireless power transmission apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound transmitter generating an ultrasound signal in response to an external source voltage and transmitting the generated ultrasound signal to a medium layer; and

an ultrasound receiver receiving the ultrasound signal through the medium layer and converting the received ultrasound signal into a driving voltage,

wherein a distance between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver is determined according to predetermined distance conditions, and

wherein the ultrasound receiver comprises a light emitter for alignment, the light emitter generating an optical signal, and the ultrasound transmitter comprises a camera module taking images for an alignment with the ultrasound receiver according to the optical signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a tube connected to the ultrasound transmitter and controlling a movement of the ultrasound transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ultrasound transmitter comprises first to third balls for being aligned with the ultrasound receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the ultrasound receiver is formed with at least one groove, the first and second balls are located to be movable along the at least one groove, and the third ball is in contact with one surface of the ultrasound receiver to be movable.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ultrasound transmitter comprises a first electromagnetic device and the ultrasound receiver comprises a second electromagnetic device, and

wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are aligned according to the predetermined distance conditions according to a gravitational force occurring between the first and second electromagnetic devices.

15. A wireless power transmission apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound transmitter generating an ultrasound signal in response to an external source voltage and transmitting the generated ultrasound signal to a medium layer; and

an ultrasound receiver receiving the ultrasound signal through the medium layer and converting the received ultrasound signal into a driving voltage,

wherein a distance between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver is determined according to predetermined distance conditions, and

wherein the ultrasound transmitter comprises first to third balls for being aligned with the ultrasound receiver and the ultrasound receiver is formed with at least one groove, the first and second balls being located to be movable along the at least one groove, the third ball being in contact with a surface of the ultrasound receiver that includes no groove.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ultrasound transmitter comprises a first electromagnetic device and the ultrasound receiver comprises a second electromagnetic device, and

wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are aligned according to the predetermined distance conditions according to a gravitational force occurring between the first and second electromagnetic devices.