Wireless power supply system

• US 9,800,058 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Ichiro, Sawada, Kiyohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Xuan
• Application Number:
  US14/420,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20150236515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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

Abstract

A wireless power supply system includes a power supply-side apparatus having a power supply unit configured to wirelessly supply power, a power reception-side apparatus having a power reception unit configured to receive the power from the power supply unit, a power supply area memory configured to store a power supply area where the power is supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit, an object position detector configured to detect a position of an object, a notifying unit configured to notify notification information, and a controller configured to cause the notifying unit to notify the information about the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector.

Claims

1. A wireless power supply system comprising:

a power supply-side apparatus having a power supply unit configured to wirelessly supply power;

a power reception-side apparatus having a power reception unit configured to receive the power from the power supply unit;

a power supply area memory configured to store a power supply area where the power is supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit;

an object position detector configured to detect a position of an object;

a notifying unit configured to notify notification information, and

a controller configured to cause the notifying unit to notify the information about the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector, the information including at least a location of a dangerous area where there is a possibility that the object is subjected to radiation exposure depending on an output of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit, wherein

the controller is configured, when determining that the object is in the dangerous area, to cause the notifying unit to notify first information and to cause the power supply unit to stop supplying the power to the power reception, and

the controller is configured, when determining that the object is in a warning area, to cause the notifying unit to notify second information, which is different from the first information, and to cause the power supply unit to continue supplying the power to the power reception.

2. The wireless power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller causes the power supply unit to stop supplying the power to the power reception unit when determining that the power supply needs to be stopped based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector.

3. The wireless power supply system according to claim 2, wherein

the controller causes the power supply unit to restart supplying the power to the power reception unit when determining that the power supply needs to be restarted based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector after causing the power supply unit to stop supplying the power to the power reception unit.

4. The wireless power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller reduces the output of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit when determining that the output of the power needs to be reduced based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area and the position of the object detected by the object position detector.

5. The wireless power supply system according to claim 4, wherein

the controller restores the output of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit when determining that the output of the power needs to be restored based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector after reducing the output of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit.

6. The wireless power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the power reception-side apparatus includes a power reception controller configured to control a use of an auxiliary power unit, and

the power reception controller starts the use of the auxiliary power unit when determining that the use of the auxiliary power unit needs to be started based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector.

7. The wireless power supply system according to claim 6, wherein

the power reception controller stops the use of the auxiliary power unit when determining that the use of the auxiliary power unit needs to be stopped based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector after starting the use of the auxiliary power unit.

8. The wireless power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is configured

to set an area of a near side of the power supply area from the power supply unit to the dangerous area and

to set an area of a far side of the power supply area from the power supply unit to the warning area.

9. The wireless power supply system according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to form the warning area around the dangerous area, and

the warning area is where there is less possibility that the object is subjected to radiation exposure than the dangerous area.

10. The wireless power supply system according to claim 9, wherein

the warning area is where the output of power transferred from the power source unit to the power reception unit is moderate and where there is a moderate possibility of radiation exposure.

11. The wireless power supply system according to claim 10, wherein

the controller is configured to form the dangerous area around the power reception-side apparatus, and

the dangerous location is where the output of power transferred is very large and where there is a very large possibility of radiation exposure.

12. The wireless power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the dangerous information indicates that the object is in the dangerous location, and

the warning information indicates that the object is in the warning location.

13. A wireless power supply system comprising:

a power supply-side apparatus having a power supply unit configured to wirelessly supply power;

a power reception-side apparatus having a power reception unit configured to receive the power from the power supply unit;

a power supply area memory configured to store a power supply area where the power is supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit;

an object position detector configured to detect a position of an object;

a notifying unit configured to notify notification information, and

a controller configured to cause the notifying unit to notify the information about the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector, the information including at least a location of a dangerous area where there is a possibility that the object is subjected to radiation exposure depending on an output of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the power reception unit, wherein

the power reception-side apparatus includes a power reception controller configured to control a use of an auxiliary power unit, and

the power reception controller starts the use of the auxiliary power unit when determining that the use of the auxiliary power unit needs to be started based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector.

14. The wireless power supply system according to claim 13, wherein

the power reception controller stops the use of the auxiliary power unit when determining that the use of the auxiliary power unit needs to be stopped based on the power supply area stored in the power supply area memory and the position of the object detected by the object position detector after starting the use of the auxiliary power unit.