Wireless power transmitter, wireless power receiver, and methods of controlling the same

• US 9,496,083 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kyung-Woo, Kwon, Hyuk-Choon, Byun, Kang-Ho, Jun, Hae-Young, Jung, Hee-Won, Kim, Joon-Il, Park, Se-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US13/941,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• 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 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery

Abstract

A wireless power transmitter, a wireless power receiver, and methods of controlling the same are provided. A method of detecting a rogue device other than a wireless power receiver in the wireless power transmitter includes receiving power consumption information about the wireless power receiver from the wireless power receiver, calculating a power loss based on the received power consumption information about the wireless power receiver, determining whether the power loss exceeds a threshold, and controlling transmission power of the wireless power transmitter, determining that a rogue device exists on the wireless power transmitter, if the power loss exceeds the threshold.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a rogue device other than a wireless power receiver in a wireless power transmitter, the method comprising:

receiving power consumption information about the wireless power receiver from the wireless power receiver, wherein the power consumption information includes information about at least one of a power dissipated in a reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, a power loss caused by induction of the wireless power receiver, and applied to a rectifier of the wireless power receiver;

calculating a power loss based on the received power consumption information about the wireless power receiver; and

if the power loss exceeds a threshold, shutting down power transmission to the wireless power receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a rogue device exists on the wireless power transmitter, if the power loss exceeds the threshold;

determining whether the rogue device has been eliminated from the wireless power transmitter after determining that the rogue device exists on the wireless power transmitter; and

transmitting a warning signal until the rogue device is eliminated from the wireless power transmitter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power consumption information further includes information about at least one of a power loss of a rectifier of the wireless power receiver, a power loss of a Direct Current (DC)-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a voltage and a current at a front end of the DC-to-DC converter, and a voltage and a current at a rear end of the DC-to-DC converter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the power loss is performed by calculating the power loss by subtracting the power dissipated in the reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, the power loss caused by induction of the wireless power receiver, and the power applied to the rectifier of the wireless power receiver from a power output from the wireless power transmitter.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein calculating of the power loss is further performed by calculating the power output from the wireless power transmitter by subtracting a power dissipated in a transmission resonator of the wireless power transmitter from a power input to the transmission resonator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating of the power loss is further performed by determining the power consumed in the transmission resonator based on an impedance of the transmission resonator and a current applied to the transmission resonator.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein calculating of the power loss is performed by calculating the power loss by subtracting the power loss of the reception resonator, the power loss caused by mutual induction, the power loss of the rectifier, the power loss of the DC-to-DC converter, and a product between the voltage and the current at the rear end of the DC-to-DC converter from a power output from the wireless power transmitter.

8. A wireless power transmitter that detects a rogue device other than a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive power consumption information about the wireless power receiver from the wireless power receiver, wherein the power consumption information includes information about at least one of a power dissipated in a reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, a power loss caused by induction of the wireless power receiver, and power applied to a rectifier of the wireless power receiver; and

a controller configured to;

calculate a power loss based on the received power consumption information about the wireless power receiver, and

shut down power transmission to the wireless power receiver, if the power loss exceeds a threshold.

9. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8, wherein the controller determines that a rogue device exists on the wireless power transmitter, if the power loss exceeds the threshold, determines whether the rogue device has been eliminated from the wireless power transmitter after determining that the rogue device exists on the wireless power transmitter, and controls transmission of a warning signal until the rogue device is eliminated from the wireless power transmitter.

10. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8, wherein the power consumption information further includes information about at least one of a power loss of a rectifier of the wireless power receiver, a power loss of a Direct Current (DC)-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a voltage and a current at a front end of the DC-to-DC converter, and a voltage and a current at a rear end of the DC-to-DC converter.

11. The wireless power transmitter of claim 8, wherein the controller calculates the power loss by subtracting the power dissipated in the reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, the power loss caused by induction of the wireless power receiver, and the power applied to the rectifier of the wireless power receiver from a power output from the wireless power transmitter.

12. The wireless power transmitter of claim 11, wherein the controller calculates the power output from the wireless power transmitter by subtracting a power dissipated in a transmission resonator of the wireless power transmitter from a power input to the transmission resonator.

13. The wireless power transmitter of claim 12, wherein the controller determines the power consumed in the transmission resonator based on an impedance of the transmission resonator and a current applied to the transmission resonator.

14. The wireless power transmitter of claim 10, wherein the controller calculates the power loss by subtracting the power loss of the reception resonator, the power loss caused by mutual induction, the power loss of the rectifier, the power loss of the DC-to-DC converter, and a product between the voltage and the current at the rear end of the DC-to-DC converter from a power output from the wireless power transmitter.

15. A method of controlling a wireless power transmitter that transmits a charging power to a wireless power receiver, the method comprising:

detecting existence of the wireless power receiver by applying a search power to the wireless power receiver, the search power being used to detect the existence of the wireless power receiver;

transmitting a driving power to the wireless power receiver to drive the wireless power receiver;

determining whether to join the wireless power receiver in a wireless power network, and joining the wireless power receiver in the wireless power network based on a result of the determining;

transmitting a charging power to the wireless power receiver; and

determining whether there is present a rogue device other than the wireless power receiver.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a search signal that searches for a wireless power transmitter from the wireless power receiver; and

transmitting a search response signal, in response to the search signal, to the wireless power receiver.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the search signal includes at least one of a protocol version, a sequence number, manufacturer information, product information, impedance information, capacity information, and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, if the search signal includes the power consumption information about the wireless power receiver, the power consumption information about the wireless power receiver includes information about at least one of a power loss of a reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, a power loss caused by mutual induction between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver, a power loss of a rectifier of the wireless power receiver, and a power loss of a Direct Current (DC)-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein joining the wireless power receiver in the wireless power network comprises:

receiving a join request signal from the wireless power receiver; and

transmitting a join response signal indicating whether the wireless power receiver will join the wireless power network to the wireless power receiver.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the join request signal includes at least one of a sequence number, a network IDentifier (ID) of a wireless power transmitter from which to receive wireless power, product information, a maximum allowed voltage at a front end of a DC-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a minimum allowed voltage at the front end of the DC-to-DC converter, a rated voltage at a rear end of the DC-to-DC converter, a rated current at the rear end of the DC-to-DC converter, and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, if the search signal includes the power consumption information about the wireless power receiver, the power consumption information about the wireless power receiver includes information about at least one of a power loss of a reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, a power loss caused by mutual induction between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver, a power loss of a rectifier of the wireless power receiver, and a power loss of the DC-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting a command signal requesting reporting of a power state of the wireless power receiver to the wireless power receiver; and

receiving a report signal in response to the command signal from the wireless power receiver.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the report signal includes at least one of a session Identifier (ID) of the wireless power receiver, a sequence number, a network ID of a wireless power transmitter from which to receive wireless power, a voltage at a front end of a DC-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver, a voltage at a rear end of the DC-to-DC converter, a current at the rear end of the DC-to-DC converter, and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein, if the search signal includes the power consumption information about the wireless power receiver, the power consumption information about the wireless power receiver includes information about at least one of a power loss of a reception resonator of the wireless power receiver, a power loss caused by mutual induction between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver, a power loss of a rectifier of the wireless power receiver, and a power loss of the DC-to-DC converter of the wireless power receiver.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether there is present a rogue device other than the wireless power receiver comprises detecting existence of a rogue device based on impedance information about the wireless power receiver included in a received search signal and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver included in a join request signal received when the wireless power receiver is to join a wireless power network.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising, if the rogue device is present, calculating a wireless power transmission efficiency and continuously detecting the rogue device.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether there is present a rogue device other than the wireless power receiver comprises detecting existence of a rogue device based on power consumption information about the wireless power receiver included in a received search signal and impedance information about the wireless power receiver included in a join request signal received when the wireless power receiver is to join a wireless power network.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether there is present a rogue device other than the wireless power receiver comprises detecting existence of a rogue device based on impedance information and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver included in a received search signal.

29. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether there is present a rogue device other than the wireless power receiver comprises detecting existence of a rogue device based on impedance information and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver included in a join request signal received when the wireless power receiver is to join a wireless power network.

30. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting a command signal requesting reporting of a power state of the wireless power receiver to the wireless power receiver; and

receiving a report signal in response to the command signal from the wireless power receiver,

wherein the determination of whether there is present a rogue device other than the wireless power receiver comprises detecting existence of a rogue device based on impedance information about the wireless power receiver included in a search signal or a join request signal received when the wireless power receiver is to join a wireless power network and power consumption information about the wireless power receiver included in the report signal.