Wireless power transmission apparatus and transmission method thereof

• US 9,509,374 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wit Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Jeong Hoon, Lee, Kwang Du, Park, Chul Gyun, Yoon, Jung Ho, Kim, Eung Ju, Hwang, Sang Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Amaya, Carlos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/208,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 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 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a wireless power transmission apparatus and a transmission method thereof. The wireless power transmission apparatus is configured to include a wireless power transmitter generating a wireless power signal to be wireless transmitted, wirelessly transmitting the generated wireless power signal by a magnetic resonance manner, receiving a reflection wireless power signal to determine whether or not a load apparatus is presented, and supplying power to the load apparatus; and a wireless power receiver connected to the load apparatus and receiving the transmitted wireless power signal by the magnetic resonance manner and supplying it to the connected load apparatus and reflecting the remaining wireless power signal to the wireless power transmitter, whereby a transmission apparatus can recognize a receiving environment and resonance characteristics are improved, without a separate communication device or a system.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmission apparatus, comprising:

a wireless power transmitter configured to receive an input power, generate a wireless power signal, wirelessly transmit the generated wireless power signal, receive a reflection wireless power signal to determine whether or not a loading is present, and, in response to a determination that loading is present, wirelessly transmit a reconfigured wireless power signal by using a substantially optimal impedance and a resonance frequency corresponding to the loading to supply power thereto for supplying and reflection of a remaining wireless power signal, that is not consumed, to the wireless power transmitter,

wherein the wireless power transmitter is configured to calculate a ratio of the transmitted wireless power signal to the reflection wireless power signal and determine presence of the loading according to the calculated ratio of the transmitted wireless power signal to the reflection wireless power signal, and

wherein the wireless power transmitter comprises

a frequency oscillator configured to receive the input power and generate the wireless power signal;

a power amplifier configured to output an amplified wireless power signal;

a transmitter configured to input and wirelessly transmit the wireless power signal or the amplified wireless power signal;

a transmitting controller configured to determine whether or not the loading is present; and

a power pass switch configured to connect the frequency oscillator to the transmitter in response to the transmitting controller determining whether or not the loading is present and connect the frequency oscillator to the power amplifier in response to the wireless power transmitter supplying power to the loading.

2. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises:

a first resonance antenna including a variable capacitor circuit and a variable inductor circuit, the first resonance antenna configured to transmit the wireless power signal by using the substantially optimal impedance and the resonance frequency searched by varying the inductance and capacitance of the variable capacitor circuit and the variable inductor circuit, and receive and output the reflection wireless power signal;

an impedance matching device positioned between the power amplifier and the first resonance antenna to provide the impedance matching between the power amplifier and the first resonance antenna;

a directional power coupler positioned between the power amplifier and the impedance matching device or between the impedance matching device and the first resonance antenna and having directivity to output the wireless power signal input through a first port from the power amplifier or the impedance matching device to the first resonance antenna through a second port and to output the reflection wireless power signal input through the second port from the first resonance antenna through a third port;

an output power detector detecting and outputting the output power of the wireless power signal output from the second port of the directional power coupler; and

a reflection power detector configured to detect and output the reflection power of the reflection wireless power signal output from the third port of the directional power coupler;

wherein the transmitting controller is configured to calculate the ratio of the reflection power to the output power, determine whether or not a load apparatus is present according to the calculated output-reflection power ratio, and control the first resonance antenna so as to transmit the reconfigured wireless power signal by using the substantially optimal impedance and the resonance frequency corresponding to the load apparatus and the power pass switch.

3. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the impedance matching device comprises:

a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a plurality of first switches mounted at the primary winding;

a plurality of second switches mounted at the secondary winding; and

a first switch controller connected to the plurality of first and second switches and configured to control the plurality of first and second switches to vary the winding ratio of the primary winding to the secondary winding in order to control the real components of the impedance.

4. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the transmitting controller is further configured to search substantially minimum turning points of the reflection wireless power signal received in the reflection power detector while changing the real components of the impedance of the impedance matching device to set the real components of impedance corresponding to the searched minimum turning points as the real components of the substantially optimal impedance of the impedance matching device.

5. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first resonance antenna comprises:

a variable capacitor circuit configured to vary capacitance by connecting a plurality of capacitors in parallel and connecting a plurality of third switches to each of the plurality of capacitors in series,

a variable inductor circuit configured to vary inductance by connecting a plurality of inductors in series and connecting a plurality of fourth switches to each of the plurality of inductors in parallel; and

a second switch controller connected to the plurality of third and fourth switches and configured to control the plurality of third and fourth switches to vary the capacitance and the inductance in order to search the imaginary components of the resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance,

the variable capacitor circuit and the variable inductor circuit being connected in series or in parallel.

6. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the transmitting controller is further configured to search a substantially minimum turning point of the reflection wireless power signal received in the reflection power detector while changing the imaginary components of the frequency and the impedance of the first resonance antenna, respectively, to set the imaginary components of the frequency and the impedance corresponding to each of the searched minimum turning points as the imaginary components of the resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance of the first resonance antenna.

7. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a wireless power receiver comprising:

a second resonance antenna including the variable capacitor circuit and the variable inductor circuit configured to receive the wireless power signals transmitted from the wireless power transmitter by using the substantially optimal impedance and the resonance frequency searched by varying the inductance and the capacitance of the variable capacitor circuit and the inductor circuit and to reflect the remaining wireless power signal to the wireless power transmitter;

a rectifier configured to rectify the wireless power signal received by the second resonance antenna;

a power signal converter connected to the load apparatus and configured to convert the wireless power signal rectified by the rectifier into the power signal according to a power supplying manner and to supply the converted power signal to the load apparatus; and

a receiving controller configured to perform a control to receive the wireless power signal in the second resonance antenna and supply power to the load apparatus and to reflect the remaining wireless power signal to the wireless power transmitter.

8. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the second resonance antenna comprises:

a variable capacitor circuit configured to vary capacitance by connecting a plurality of capacitors in parallel and connecting a plurality of fifth switches to each of the plurality of capacitors in series,

a variable inductor circuit configured to vary inductance by connecting a plurality of inductors in series and connecting a plurality of sixth switches to each of the plurality of inductors in parallel; and

a third switch controller connected to the plurality of fifth and sixth switches and configured to control the plurality of fifth and sixth switches to vary the capacitance and the inductance in order to search the imaginary components of the resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance,

the variable capacitor circuit and the variable inductor circuit being connected in series or in parallel.

9. The wireless power transmission apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the wireless power receiver further comprises a rectifier switch positioned between the second resonance antenna and the rectifier configured to interrupt the wireless power transmission received in the second resonance antenna, and

the receiving controller configured to control the rectifier switch in the case where the connection of the load apparatus is disconnected to interrupt the power transmission received in the second resonance antenna.

10. A wireless power transmitter, comprising:

a frequency oscillator configured to receive an input power and generate a wireless power signal to be transmitted;

a power amplifier configured to be disconnected from the frequency oscillator while determining whether or not a loading is present, and amplify and output the wireless power signal generated from the frequency oscillator while supplying power to the loading;

a first resonance antenna including a variable capacitor circuit and a variable inductor circuit, configured to transmit the wireless power signal by using a substantially optimal impedance and a resonance frequency set by varying the inductance and capacitance of the variable capacitor circuit and the variable inductor circuit, and to receive and output a reflected wireless power signal;

an impedance matching device positioned between the power amplifier and the first resonance antenna configured to provide the impedance matching between the power amplifier and the first resonance antenna;

a directional power coupler positioned between the power amplifier and the impedance matching device or between the impedance matching device and the first resonance antenna and configured to have directivity to output the wireless power signal input through a first port from the power amplifier or the impedance matching device to the first resonance antenna through a second port and output the reflection wireless power signal input through the second port from the first resonance antenna through a third port;

an output power detector configured to detect and output an output power of the wireless power signal output from the second port of the directional power coupler;

a reflection power detector configured to detect and output a reflection power of the reflection wireless power signal output from the third port of the directional power coupler;

a transmitting controller configured to calculate a ratio of the reflection power to the output power, determine whether or not the loading is present according to the calculated output-reflection power ratio, and in response thereto, control the first resonance antenna so as to transmit a reconfigured wireless power signal by using a substantially optimal impedance and resonance frequency corresponding to the loading; and

a power pass switch configured to connect the frequency oscillator to the power amplifier to supply power to the loading and connect the frequency oscillator to the impedance matching device or the directional power coupler to determine whether or not the loading is present.

11. The wireless power transmitter as set forth in claim 10, wherein the impedance matching device comprises:

a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a plurality of first switches mounted at the primary winding;

a plurality of second switches mounted at the secondary winding; and

a first switch controller connected to the plurality of first and second switches and configured to control the plurality of first and second switches to vary the winding ratio of the primary winding to the second winding in order to control the real components of the impedance.

12. The wireless power transmitter as set forth in claim 11, wherein the transmitting controller is configured to search substantially minimum turning points of the reflection wireless power signal received in the reflection power detector while changing the real components of the impedance of the impedance matching device, to set the real components of impedance corresponding to the searched minimum turning points as the real components of the substantially optimal impedance of the impedance matching device.

13. The wireless power transmitter as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first resonance antenna comprises:

a variable capacitor circuit configured to vary capacitance by connecting a plurality of capacitors in parallel and connect a plurality of third switches to each of the plurality of capacitors in series;

a variable inductor circuit configured to vary inductance by connecting a plurality of inductors in series and connecting a plurality of fourth switches to each of the plurality of inductors in parallel; and

a second switch controller connected to the plurality of third and fourth switches and configured to control the plurality of third and fourth switches to vary the capacitance and the inductance in order to search the imaginary components of the resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance,

the variable capacitor circuit and the variable inductor circuit being connected in series or in parallel.

14. The wireless power transmitter as set forth in claim 13, wherein the transmitting controller is configured to search each of substantially minimum turning points of the reflection wireless power signal received in the reflection power detector while changing the imaginary components of the frequency and the impedance of the first resonance antenna, respectively, to set the imaginary components of the frequency and the impedance corresponding to each of the searched minimum turning points as the imaginary components of the resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance of the first resonance antenna.

15. The wireless power transmitter as set forth in claim 10, wherein the directional power coupler is a circulator.

16. A wireless power transmission method, comprising:

by a frequency oscillator, receiving an input power and generating a wireless power signal;

by a transmitting controller, controlling a power pass switch to connect the frequency oscillator to a transmitter;

by the transmitter, wirelessly transmit the wireless power signal;

by the transmitting controller,

detecting a reflected wireless power signal;

calculating a ratio of the transmitted wireless power signal to the reflected wireless power signal;

determining a presence of a loading according to the calculated ratio of the transmitted wireless power signal to the reflected wireless power signal; and

in response to a determination that a loading is connected;

searching a resonance frequency and a substantially optimal impedance therefor;

reconfiguring the wireless power signal according to the searched resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance;

controlling the power pass switch to connect the frequency oscillator to a power amplifier to perform substantially maximum power transmission level; and

transmitting the amplified reconfigured wireless power signal by using the searched resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance via the power amplifier and the transmitter.

17. The wireless power transmission method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the detecting the reflected wireless power signal further comprises:

transmitting the wireless power signal to a wireless power receiver by the transmitter;

receiving the transmitted wireless power signal by the wireless power receiver and reflecting the remaining wireless power signal; and

receiving the reflected wireless power signal by the transmitter to detect a reflection power strength and then, confirming whether or not a load apparatus is connected to the wireless power receiver according to the reflection power strength.

18. The wireless power transmission method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the searching the resonance frequency and the substantially optimal impedance comprises:

responsive to a determination that a load apparatus is connected to a wireless power receiver by the wireless power transmitter, searching substantially minimum turning points of the reflection wireless power signal while varying a frequency and searching the substantially minimum turning points of the reflection wireless power signal while varying impedance;

setting a frequency and impedance corresponding to each of the minimum turning points searched by the transmitter as a resonance frequency and an substantially optimal impedance performing maximum power transmission; and

transmitting the reconfigured wireless power signal in a state where the reconfigured wireless power signal is matched to the substantially optimal impedance in the resonance frequency.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 16.

19. A wireless power transmission and reception apparatus, comprising:

a wireless power receiver;

a power amplifier;

a wireless power transmitter selectively decoupleable from the power amplifier, the transmitter configured to

decouple with the power amplifier and generate a wireless power signal, wirelessly transmit the generated wireless power signal to a remote wireless power receiver,

receive a reflection wireless power signal,

calculate a ratio of the transmitted wireless power signal to the reflection wireless power signal,

determine presence of a loading according to the calculated ratio, and,

in response to a determination that the loading is present, couple with the power amplifier and wirelessly transmit a reconfigured and amplified wireless power signal by using a substantially optimal impedance and a resonance frequency corresponding to the loading to supply power to the remote wireless power receiver,

wherein the wireless power transmitter comprises

a frequency oscillator configured to receive input power and generate the generated wireless power signal;

a power amplifier configured to output an amplified wireless power signal;

a transmitter configured to receive and wirelessly transmit the wireless power signal or the amplified wireless power signal;

a transmitting controller configured to determine whether or not the loading is present; and

a power pass switch configured to connect the frequency oscillator to the transmitter in response to the transmitting controller determining whether or not the loading is present, and connect the frequency oscillator to the power amplifier in response to the wireless power transmitter supplying power to the loading.