Wireless electric power transmission apparatus, method for controlling wireless electric power transmission apparatus, and storage medium

• US 9,667,102 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Amaya, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US14/252,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20140312708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/00045 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

Abstract

A wireless electric power transmission apparatus includes a communication unit configured to carry out communication for wireless electric power transmission, a restriction unit configured to restrict the wireless electric power transmission in a case in which the communication unit is unable to communicate with an object disposed within a range in which the wireless electric power transmission apparatus can transmit the wireless electric power, and a control unit configured to start the wireless electric power transmission in response to a user instruction in a case in which the communication unit is unable to communicate with the object disposed within the range in which the wireless electric power transmission apparatus can transmit wireless electric power.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmission apparatus that carries out wireless power transmission, the wireless power transmission apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to carry out communication for a wireless power transmission;

a restriction unit configured to restrict a wireless power transmission in a case in which the communication unit is unable to communicate with an object disposed within a range in which a wireless power transmission apparatus can transmit wireless power;

a display control unit configured to display an instruction for an operation to start a wireless power transmission to the object while a wireless power transmission to the object is restricted by the restriction unit; and

a control unit configured to start a wireless power transmission for charging the object so that the object is able to communicate with the communication unit in response to the operation having been performed by a user after the display control unit displays the instruction for the operation to start the wireless power transmission.

2. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless power transmission unit configured to carry out first wireless power transmission that is based on the communication by the communication unit, and second wireless power transmission that is based on the control unit.

3. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless power transmission and the second wireless power transmission differ in terms of an electric power value.

4. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect the object disposed within the range in which the wireless power transmission apparatus can transmit wireless power.

5. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detection unit detects the object disposed within the range in which the wireless power transmission is possible based on an impedance of an antenna used for the wireless power transmission.

6. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display control unit configured to cause a warning to be displayed in response to detecting of the object disposed within the range in which the wireless power transmission apparatus can transmit wireless power.

7. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input unit configured to accept the user instruction in response to detecting the object disposed within the range in which the wireless power transmission apparatus can transmit wireless power.

8. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restriction unit stops the wireless power transmission in a case in which the communication by the communication unit does not start in response to the wireless power transmission started by the control unit.

9. The wireless power transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the wireless power transmission unit starts the first wireless power transmission in a case in which the communication by the communication unit starts in response to the wireless power transmission started by the control unit.

10. A method for controlling a wireless power transmission apparatus that carries out wireless power transmission, the method comprising:

communicating for a wireless power transmission;

restricting a wireless power transmission in a case in which the communicating is unable to establish communication with an object disposed within a range in which a wireless power transmission apparatus can transmit wireless power;

displaying an instruction for an operation to start a wireless power transmission to the object while a wireless power transmission to the object is restricted by the restricting; and

performing control to start a wireless power transmission for charging the object so that the object is able to communicate with the communication unit in response to the operation having been performed by a user after the display control unit displays the instruction for the operation to start the wireless power transmission.

11. A storage medium storing a program that, when executed, causes a computer to implement the method according to claim 10.