U.S. patent application number 13/875748 was filed with the patent office on 2013-11-14 for wireless multi-charger system and controlling method thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is Spacon Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chun-Kil JUNG.
Application Number | 20130300355 13/875748 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40349936 |
Filed Date | 2013-11-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130300355 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JUNG; Chun-Kil |
November 14, 2013 |
WIRELESS MULTI-CHARGER SYSTEM AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
Disclosed are a wireless multi-charger system capable of saving
the total charging time of a large number of wireless power
transmission devices since one wireless multi-power transmission
device includes a plurality of the wireless power transmission
devices so that a large number of the wireless power transmission
devices can be charged with electricity, and preventing the damage
of the wireless power transmission devices and the wireless
multi-power transmission device although foreign substances are put
on charger blocks that are not charged.
Inventors: |
JUNG; Chun-Kil; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Spacon Co., Ltd. |
Gyeonggi-Do |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
40349936 |
Appl. No.: |
13/875748 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13755931 |
Jan 31, 2013 |
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13875748 |
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12166483 |
Jul 2, 2008 |
8102147 |
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13755931 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
320/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 50/12 20160201;
H02J 50/90 20160201; H02J 50/60 20160201; H02J 7/025 20130101; H04B
5/0037 20130101; H02J 50/80 20160201; H02J 7/0027 20130101; H02J
50/40 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
320/108 |
International
Class: |
H02J 7/02 20060101
H02J007/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 2007 |
KR |
1020070123749 |
Nov 30, 2007 |
KR |
1020070123751 |
Nov 30, 2007 |
KR |
1020070123752 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A wireless multi-power transmission device for detecting a
foreign substance, the multi-power transmission device comprising:
a plurality of charger blocks each of which includes a primary
charging core for generating a magnetic field to perform a wireless
charging operation; and a main controller which converts a charger
block into a foreign substance detection mode when the main
controller detects a foreign substance on the charger block.
14. The wireless multi-power transmission device in accordance with
claim 13, wherein the main controller stops the wireless charging
operation on the charger block during the foreign substance
detection mode.
15. The wireless multi-power transmission device in accordance with
claim 14, further comprising: a reception signal processor module
which is coupled to the plurality of charger blocks to detect a
detection signal received through a primary charging core
corresponding to the charger block, wherein the main controller
detects the foreign substance if the detection signal is not a
normal signal.
16. The wireless multi-power transmission device in accordance with
claim 15, wherein the reception signal processor module detects the
detection signal according to a load modulation.
17. The wireless multi-power transmission device in accordance with
claim 13, wherein other charger blocks on which a secondary
charging core is positioned perform the wireless charging
operation.
18. The wireless multi-power transmission device in accordance with
claim 13, further comprising: an LCD panel which displays a foreign
substance error in the charger block.
19. The wireless multi-power transmission device in accordance with
claim 14, wherein when the wireless charging operation stopped, the
charger block is in a standby mode until a re-start signal is
inputted into the charger block.
20. A method for detecting a foreign substance by a wireless
multi-power transmission device, the method comprising: generating
a magnetic field to perform a wireless charging operation at a
plurality of charger blocks, each of which includes a primary
charging core; and converting a charger block into a foreign
substance detection mode when a foreign substance is detected on
the charger block.
21. The method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising:
stopping the wireless charging operation on the charger block
during the foreign substance detection mode.
22. The method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:
detecting a detection signal received through a primary charging
core corresponding to the charger block, wherein the foreign
substance is detected if the detection signal is not a normal
signal.
23. The method in accordance with claim 22, wherein the detection
signal is detected according to a load modulation.
24. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the wireless
charging operation is performed at other charger blocks on which a
secondary charging core is positioned.
25. The method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising:
displaying a foreign substance error in the charger block.
26. The method in accordance with claim 22, wherein when the
wireless charging operation stopped, the charger block is in a
standby mode until a re-start signal is inputted into the charger
block.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a, and more particularly to
a wireless charger system, and more particularly to a wireless
multi-charger system capable of saving the total charging time of a
large number of wireless power transmission devices since one
wireless multi-power transmission device includes a plurality of
the wireless power transmission devices so that a large number of
the wireless power transmission devices can be charged with
electricity, and preventing the damage of the wireless power
transmission devices and the wireless multi-power transmission
device although foreign substances are put on charger blocks that
are not charged.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Generally, since portable wireless power transmission
devices such as mobile phones, PDA, PMP, DMB terminals, MP3 or
notebook computers are not supplied with a conventional household
power source since users use the portable wireless power
transmission devices while moving around. Therefore, it is
necessary to install disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries
in the portable wireless power transmission devices.
[0003] However, as a charger for charging electricity in a battery
pack for these wireless power transmission devices, there is a
terminal supply system in which electricity is received from a
conventional power source and a power source is supplied to a
battery pack via power supply lines and a power supply terminal.
However, where the battery pack is attached/detached to/from the
charger when a power source is supplied to this terminal supply
system, an instant discharge phenomenon occurs due to the different
potential difference of terminals disposed in both sides of the
battery pack. Therefore, the battery pack has an increasing
possibility to start fires as foreign substances are accumulated in
the terminals. Also, since the terminals are directly exposed to
the air, the life span and performances of the charger and the
battery pack may be deteriorated, for example, due to the
spontaneous discharge in the presence of moisture or dusts.
[0004] In order to solve these problems regarding the terminal
supply system, there has been developed a wireless charger. That is
to say, this conventional wireless charger is charged by a
secondary coil of the battery when a portable terminal block having
a battery pack mounted inside is disposed upwardly in a primary
coil of wireless charger. That is to say, an induced electromotive
force is generated in the secondary coil by the magnetic field
formed in the primary coil, and electricity induced from the
induced electromotive force is charged in the secondary coil.
[0005] However, these conventional wireless chargers have no
practical use since it is possible only to supply a power to a
portable terminal block, but they have difficulty in use for other
applications.
[0006] Furthermore, the wireless charger may be damaged due to the
increased loss of power in the primary coil with the changes in the
magnetic field when metals are disposed adjacent to the magnetic
field generated in the primary coil.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention is designed to solve the
above problems, and therefore it is an object of the present
invention to provide a wireless multi-charger system capable of
saving the total charging time of a large number of wireless power
transmission devices since one wireless multi-power transmission
device includes a plurality of the wireless power transmission
devices so that a large number of the wireless power transmission
devices can be charged with electricity.
[0008] Also, it is another object of the present invention to
provide a wireless multi-charger system capable of preventing the
damage of the wireless power transmission devices and the wireless
multi-power transmission device by stopping the power transmission
when foreign substances such as metals are put on charger blocks
that are not charged.
[0009] Furthermore, it is still another object of the present
invention to provide a wireless multi-charger system capable of
improving the charging efficiency by stably performing a continuous
charging operation although the current wireless power transmission
device that is on charge is touched to charge a new wireless power
transmission device.
Technical Solution
[0010] In order to accomplish the above object, one embodiment of
the present invention provides a wireless multi-charger system (A)
including a wireless multi-power transmission device 10 for
transmitting a power signal to a wireless power transmission device
30 in a wireless manner, wherein the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10 include a wireless charger case 11 formed as
an external body, the wireless charger case 11 having a full-bridge
resonant converter 22 and a central controller 21 mounted
thereinside to transmit a power signal to the wireless power
transmission device 30 in a wireless manner, wherein the wireless
charger case 11 has a wireless charger table 12 formed in an upper
surface thereof, wherein the wireless charger table 12 has a
plurality of charger blocks 14, each of which includes a primary
charging core 13, wherein the full-bridge resonant converter 22 is
present in a plural form and coupled respectively to a plurality of
the charger blocks 14, wherein a multi-gate driver module 23 is
provided to transmit a converted power signal to each of a
plurality of the full-bridge resonant converters 22 under the
control of the central controller 21, and wherein a reception
signal processor module 24 coupled to a plurality of the charger
blocks 14 to process a signal transmitted from the wireless power
transmission device 30 and supply the processed signal to the
central controller 21 is provided.
[0011] In this case, the wireless charger case 11 may have a
power-on/off switch 151; an input panel 152 for inputting a signal;
and a LCD panel 153 and a charging LED 154 for displaying a
charging state of the wireless charger table 12 and a plurality of
the charger blocks 14 and the wireless power transmission device
30, all of which are formed in the front thereof, and may include a
power supply unit 25 formed thereinside.
[0012] Also, the central controller 21 may includes a power supply
block 211 coupled to the power supply unit 25 to supply a power
source of the wireless multi-power transmission device 10; a signal
output block 212 for outputting a display signal into the LCD panel
153 and the charging LED 154; a gate output signal processor block
213 coupled to the multi-gate driver module 23 to transmit a power
signal transmitted from the primary charging core 13; a received
signal processor block 214 coupled to one side of the primary
charging core 13 for processing a signal transmitted from the
reception signal processor module 24 for processing a signal
transmitted from the wireless power transmission device 30; and a
main controller 210 for controlling the power supply block 211, the
signal output block 212, the gate output signal processor block 213
and the received signal processor block 214.
[0013] In addition, the central controller 21 may control the
request for data information on charging capacity to the wireless
device 30, receive data of the information on charging capacity and
data of the power signal voltage transmitted from the wireless
device 30 to determine voltage data of the transmitted power
signal, perform an arithmetic operation on the frequency of the
power signal to compensate for a transmitted power relative to the
voltage data of the power signal of the determined wireless device
30, and control the transmission of the power signal as the
compensated frequency to transmit a compensated power signal to the
wireless device 30.
[0014] Also, the wireless power transmission device 30 may include
a secondary charging core 32 for transmitting an induced electric
current from the magnetic field to correspond to the primary
charging core 13 of the wireless multi-power transmission device
10; a rectifier block 33 coupled to the secondary charging core 32
to rectify the induced electric current; a smoothing filter block
34 coupled to the rectifier block 33 to filter an electric current;
a charger IC block 36 coupled to the smoothing filter block 34 to
charge a power source in the battery cell 35; a protection circuit
module block 37 provided between the charger IC block 36 and the
battery cell 35 to detect an electric current charged in the
battery cell 35 and transmit information on a charging state of the
battery cell 35 to the power receiver controller 39; a
positive-voltage regulator block 38 provided to supply a power
source to the power receiver controller 39; and a power receiver
controller 39 for controlling the rectifier block 33, the smoothing
filter block 34, the charger IC block 36, the protection circuit
module block 37 and the positive-voltage regulator block 38.
[0015] In addition, the power receiver controller 39 may include a
power signal processor block 393 coupled to the smoothing Filter
block 34 to process a transmission signal for the data information
on the power signal received from the wireless power transmission
device 10; a charge signal processor block 394 coupled to the
charger IC block 36 and the protection circuit module block 37 to
process a transmission signal for the data information on the
charging capacity and charging state of the battery cell 35; a
signal processor block 392 for processing information on the
charging capacity and data information on the native ID that are
transmitted to the wireless multi-power transmission device 10
under the control of the device controller 390; a device memory
unit 391 for storing data information on the native ID, temporally
storing the data information of the charging capacity and the
charging state transmitted from the protection circuit module block
37 and the charger IC block 36 and storing the data transmitted
from the wireless multi-power transmission device 10; and a device
controller 390.
[0016] Additionally, the main controller 210 of the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 may control the transmission of
a native code signal for respective charger blocks 14 in addition
to the charge power signal to the charger blocks that are on
charge, the device controller 390 may analyze the native code
signal for the corresponding charger block 14 transmitted from the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10, and the device memory
unit 391 stores a data value of the native code signal for the
corresponding charger block 14 transmitted from the device
controller 390.
[0017] Furthermore, the device controller 390 may control the
transmission of a data value to the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10, the data value including a voltage value of
the power signal received for the received request signal from the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10.
[0018] In order to accomplish the above object, another embodiment
of the present invention provides a method for controlling a
wireless multi-charger system (A) as defined in any one of claims 1
to 4, including:
[0019] 1) transmitting a power signal via the primary charging core
13 from wireless multi-power transmission device 10 of the wireless
multi-charger system (A) in every cycle, the power signal including
a call signal for calling a native ID value of the wireless power
transmission device 30, and waiting for the receipt of a response
signal for the power signal (S01);
[0020] 2) determining the presence of an object by checking a
detected detection signal according to the load modulation in a
primary charging core 13 of one of the charger blocks 14 and
determining whether the detected detection signal is a normal
signal (S02);
[0021] 3) determining whether a native ID signal of the wireless
power transmission device 30 is received by analyzing the detected
reception signal (S03);
[0022] 4) transmitting a fully charged transmission power from the
primary charging core 13 of the corresponding charger block 14 via
the multi-gate driver module 23 when the received native ID signal
is determined to be a native ID transmitted from the wireless power
transmission device 30 (S04);
[0023] 5) requesting information on the charging state to the
wireless power transmission device 30 and adjusting a charging
level according to the charging information of the wireless power
transmission device 30 (S05);
[0024] 6) displaying a fully charged state in an LCD panel 153 or a
charging LED 154 corresponding to the corresponding charger block
14 and stopping a charging operation when the information on the
fully charged state is received from the wireless power
transmission device 30 (S06).
[0025] In this case, the object detection step (S02) may include:
converting a plurality of the charger blocks 14 into a foreign
substance detection mode when a detection signal detected through
the corresponding primary charging core 13 and the reception signal
processor module 24 according to the load modulation generated by
objects is not a normal signal, displays a foreign substance error
in the LCD panel 153 or charging LED 154 when the detected foreign
substance is a metal or electronic equipment, and stops a charging
operation on the corresponding charger block 14 (S021).
[0026] Also, the charging control step (S05) may include:
[0027] requesting data information on the charging capacity to the
wireless power transmission device 30;
[0028] receiving data information on the charging capacity and the
voltage data of the power signal transmitted from the wireless
power transmission device 30;
[0029] determining the voltage data of the power signal transmitted
from the wireless power transmission device 30;
[0030] performing an arithmetic operation on a frequency of the
power signal to compensate for the transmitted power for the
voltage data of the power signal transmitted from the wireless
power transmission device 30;
[0031] transmitting a power signal as a compensated frequency to
transmit a compensated power signal to the wireless power
transmission device 30.
Advantageous Effects
[0032] As described above, the wireless multi-charger system
according to the present invention may be useful to save the total
charging time of a large number of wireless power transmission
devices since one wireless multi-power transmission device includes
a plurality of the wireless power transmission devices so that a
large number of the wireless power transmission devices can be
charged with electricity.
[0033] Also, the wireless multi-charger system according to the
present invention may be useful to prevent the damage of the
wireless power transmission devices and the wireless multi-power
transmission device by stopping the power transmission in the
corresponding charger block when foreign substances are put on
charger blocks that are not charged.
[0034] Furthermore, the wireless multi-charger system according to
the present invention may be useful to improve the charging
efficiency by stably performing a continuous charging operation
although the current wireless power transmission device that is on
charge is touched to charge a new wireless power transmission
device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a wireless multi-power
transmission device of a wireless multi-charger system according to
the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 2 is a control block view showing the wireless
multi-power transmission device of the wireless multi-charger
system according to the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 3 is block view showing the wireless multi-power
transmission device of the wireless multi-charger system according
to the present invention.
[0038] FIG. 4 is a control flowchart showing the wireless
multi-power transmission device of the wireless multi-charger
system according to the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 5 is a control flowchart showing the wireless
multi-power transmission device of the wireless multi-charger
system according to the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a control block view showing a method for
controlling a wireless multi-charger system according to the
present invention.
[0041] FIGS. 7 to 12 are graphic diagrams illustrating the
efficiencies to the power control in the wireless multi-charger
system according to the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 13 is configuration view showing a wireless power
transmission device according to one exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0043] FIG. 14 is configuration view showing a central controller
of the wireless power transmission device according to one
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] FIGS. 15 and 16 are an exploded perspective view and a side
cross-sectional view showing the wireless power transmission device
according to the present invention, respectively.
[0045] FIG. 17 is a graphic diagram illustrating the efficiencies
of the wireless power transmission device according to the present
invention in the repeated charging/discharging experiments.
[0046] FIG. 18 is a circuit view showing a wireless device control
module of the wireless power transmission device according to one
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0047] FIG. 19 is a circuit view showing a rectifier member of the
wireless power transmission device according to one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE
[0048] Hereinafter, preferred embodiment of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0049] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a wireless multi-power
transmission device of a wireless multi-charger system according to
the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block view showing the
wireless multi-power transmission device of the wireless
multi-charger system according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is
block view showing the wireless multi-power transmission device of
the wireless multi-charger system according to the present
invention, FIG. 4 is a control flowchart showing the wireless
multi-power transmission device of the wireless multi-charger
system according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a control
flowchart showing the wireless multi-power transmission device of
the wireless multi-charger system according to the present
invention, and FIG. 6 is a control block view showing a method for
controlling a wireless multi-charger system according to the
present invention.
[0050] FIGS. 7 to 12 are graphic diagrams illustrating the
efficiencies to the power control in the wireless multi-charger
system according to the present invention. FIGS. 7 to 12 shows the
power control when a wireless power transmission device 30 moves
relative to the wireless multi-power transmission device 10.
[0051] FIG. 13 is configuration view showing a wireless power
transmission device according to one exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, and FIG. 14 is configuration view showing a
central controller of the wireless power transmission device
according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0052] FIGS. 15 and 16 are an exploded perspective view and a side
cross-sectional view showing the wireless power transmission device
according to the present invention, respectively, FIG. 17 is a
graphic diagram illustrating the efficiencies of the wireless power
transmission device according to the present invention in the
repeated charging/discharging experiments, FIG. 18 is a circuit
view showing a wireless device control module of the wireless power
transmission device according to one exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, and FIG. 19 is a circuit view showing a
rectifier member of the wireless power transmission device
according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0053] That is to say, the wireless multi-charger system (A)
according to the present invention includes a wireless multi-power
transmission device 10 for transmitting a power signal to a
wireless power transmission device 30 in a wireless manner, as
shown in FIGS. 1 to 19.
[0054] As shown above in FIG. 1, the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10 has a wireless charger case 11 formed as an
external body. In this case, a full-bridge resonant converter 22
and a central controller 21 for transmitting a power signal to the
wireless power transmission device 30 in a wireless manner are
mounted inside the wireless charger case 11.
[0055] Also, a wireless charger table 12 is provided in an upper
surface of the wireless charger case 11. In this case, a plurality
of charger blocks 14 each having a primary charging core 13 are
formed in the wireless charger table 12.
[0056] Therefore, the full-bridge resonant converter 22 is provided
in a plural form and coupled respectively to a plurality of the
charger blocks 14. And, a multi-gate driver module 23 is provided
to transmit a converted power signal to each of a plurality of the
full-bridge resonant converters 22 under the control of the central
controller 21. Also, provided is a reception signal processor
module 24 coupled to a plurality of the charger blocks 14 to
process a signal transmitted from the wireless power transmission
device 30 and supply the processed signal to the central controller
21.
[0057] Also, the wireless charger case 11 has a power-on/off switch
151; an input panel 152 for inputting a signal; and a LCD panel 153
and a charging LED 154 for displaying a charging state of the
wireless charger table 12 and a plurality of the charger blocks 14
and the wireless power transmission device 30, all of which are
formed in the front thereof, and includes a power supply unit 25
formed thereinside.
[0058] Therefore, the portable wireless power transmission device
30 such as mobile phones, PDA, PMP, DMB terminals, MP3 or notebook
computers is put on a plurality of charger blocks 14 formed on the
wireless charger case 11, as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the power
transmission device 10 detects the wireless power transmission
device 30 and performs a charging operation when the portable
wireless power transmission device 30 is put on a plurality of
charger blocks 14.
[0059] Also, referring to the configuration of the central
controller 21 for controlling the charging operation in the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10, the central controller
21 includes a power supply block 211 coupled to the power supply
unit 25 to supply a power source of the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10; a signal output block 212 for outputting a
display signal into the LCD panel 153 and the charging LED 154; a
gate output signal processor block 213 coupled to the multi-gate
driver module 23 to transmit a power signal transmitted from the
primary charging core 13; a received signal processor block 214
coupled to one side of the primary charging core 13 for processing
a signal transmitted from the reception signal processor module 24
for processing a signal transmitted from the wireless power
transmission device 30; and a main controller 210 for controlling
the power supply block 211, the signal output block 212, the gate
output signal processor block 213 and the received signal processor
block 214, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0060] In addition, referring to the major configuration of the
wireless power transmission device 30 that is charged while being
put on a plurality of the charger blocks 14 formed in the wireless
charger case 11 of the wireless multi-power transmission device 10,
the wireless power transmission device 30 includes a secondary
charging core 32 for transmitting an induced electric current to
correspond to the primary charging core 13 of the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10; a rectifier block 33 coupled to
the secondary charging core 32 to rectify the induced electric
current; a smoothing filter block 34 coupled to the rectifier block
33 to filter an electric current; a charger IC block 36 coupled to
the smoothing filter block 34 to charge a power source in the
battery cell 35; a protection circuit module block 37 (PCM)
provided between the charger IC block 36 and the battery cell 35 to
detect an electric current charged in the battery cell 35 and
transmit information on a charging state of the battery cell 35 to
the power receiver controller 39, and detecting overvoltage, under
voltage, electric current and shortcut of a battery; a
positive-voltage regulator block 38 provided to supply a power
source to the power receiver controller 39; and a power receiver
controller 39 for controlling the rectifier block 33, the smoothing
filter block 34, the charger IC block 36, the protection circuit
module block 37 and the positive-voltage regulator block 38 and
monitoring the ID generation and the charging state, as shown in
FIG. 3.
[0061] Also, the power receiver controller 39 includes a power
signal processor block 393 coupled to the smoothing filter block 34
to process a transmission signal for the data information on the
power signal received from the wireless power transmission device
10; a charge signal processor block 394 coupled to the charger IC
block 36 and the protection circuit block 37 to process a
transmission signal for the data information on the charging
capacity and charging state of the battery cell 35; a signal
processor block 392 for processing information on the charging
capacity and data information on the native ID that are transmitted
to the wireless multi-power transmission device 10 under the
control of the device controller 390; a device memory unit 391 for
storing data information on the native ID, temporally storing the
data information of the charging capacity and the charging state
transmitted from the protection circuit block 37 and the charger IC
block 36 and storing the data transmitted from the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10; and a device controller
390.
[0062] The wireless multi-charger system (A) according to the
present invention, as configured thus, has an advantage that
several wireless power transmission devices 30 may be charged only
one time since the wireless charger table 12 formed on the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 is formed of a plurality of the
charger blocks 14.
[0063] The charging operation of the wireless multi-charger system
(A) according to the present invention is described in more detail,
as follows.
[0064] 1) First, a standby mode step (S01) in which a power signal
is transmitted in every cycle via gate signal paths 234 of the gate
output signal processor block 213--the multi-gate driver module
23--the full-bridge resonant converter 22--the corresponding
primary charging cores 13 of respective charger blocks 14 is
performed under the control of the central controller 21 in the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 of the wireless
multi-charger system (A). As described above, in the standby mode
step (S01), a power signal is transmitted via the primary charging
core 13 in every cycle, the power signal including a call signal
for calling a native ID value of the wireless power transmission
device 30, and waiting for the receipt of a response signal for the
power signal.
[0065] 2) Then, while a call signal for a native ID value is
transmitted and the receipt of a response signal for the call
signal is waited for in the standby mode step (S01), an object
detection step (S02) of receiving a detection signal according to
the load modulation is performed in the primary charging core 13 of
one of the charger blocks 14. When any object is detected as
described above, the portable wireless power transmission devices
30, such as mobile phones, PDA, PMP, DMB terminals, MP3 or notebook
computers, that may be charged in a wireless manner; and
conventional electronic equipments that may not be charged in a
wireless manner may be put on the charger blocks 14. Therefore, the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 receives a signal
according to the load modulation as a detection signal, the load
modulation being generated by any of the objects as listed above,
and simultaneously determines the presence of the object by
determining whether the objects are put on the top of the charger
block 14.
[0066] When particular problems do not occur by the use of the
non-mental materials and the load modulation caused by the movement
of the objects, the wireless multi-power transmission device 10 may
be converted into the standby mode step (S01). However, the heat
generation and erroneous operations of equipment may occur due to
the charging operation in the case of the electronic equipment that
may not be charged in a wireless manner, not in the case of the
wireless power transmission device 30 that may be charged in a
wireless manner.
[0067] Therefore, the object detection step (S02) includes:
detecting these foreign substances (parasitic metal detection
(PMD)) (S021). That is to say, the foreign substance detection step
(S021) includes: determining whether a detection signal is not a
normal signal, the detection signal being detected through the
corresponding primary charging core 13 and the reception signal
processor module 24 according to the load modulation generated by
objects in a plurality of the charger blocks 14. The signal
transmitted under the control of the central controller 21 is
determined whether it is an abnormal signal whose signal
determination is impossible by comparing the reception signal
according to the load modulation. Therefore, the corresponding
charger block 14 is converted into a foreign substance detection
mode when the corresponding charger block 14 detects a foreign
substance, and displays a foreign substance error in the LCD panel
153 or the charging LED 154 when the detected foreign substances is
a metal or electronic equipment, and operates to stop a charging
operation of the corresponding charger block 14 (parasitic metal
detection (PMD) error).
[0068] 3) However, a native ID determination step (S03) of
analyzing and determining the detected signal according to the load
modulation when the detected reception signal is determined to be
data for native ID of the wireless power transmission device 30
that may be charged in a wireless manner. In the standby mode step
(S01), a signal for searching the wireless power transmission
device 30 is transmitted together with a request signal for
requesting a data value of the native ID of the wireless power
transmission device 30. Therefore, an induced electric current
generated by the secondary charging core 32 is rectified through
the rectifier block 33 in the wireless power transmission device
30, and then filtered through the smoothing Filter block 34. During
this process, information on the received native ID request is
transmitted to the device controller 390 of the power receiver
controller 39, and therefore a native ID data value of the
corresponding wireless power transmission device 30, which is
stored in the device memory unit 391, is transmitted to the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 via the signal
processor block 392. Therefore, in the case of the native ID
determination step (S03), the receive reception signal according to
the load modulation is processed in the reception signal processor
module 24 coupled to the primary charging core 13 of the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10, and then transmitted to the
main controller 210 of the central controller 21 via the received
signal processor block 214. Then, the main controller 210
determines whether the received data is a normal native ID data of
the wireless power transmission device 30, and then determines
whether the wireless power transmission device 30 is a normal
device that can be charged in a wireless manner by determining
whether the received data is a native ID data transmitted from the
normal wireless power transmission device 30.
[0069] 4) Subsequently, when the received data is proven to be a
native ID transmitted from the wireless power transmission device
30, a fully charged power transmission step (S04) of transmitting a
fully charged transmission power from the primary charging core 13
of the corresponding charger block 14 is performed in the
multi-gate driver module 23.
[0070] Referring to the fully charged power transmission step (S04)
in the wireless multi-power transmission device 10, when the main
controller 210 of the central controller 21 determines that the
normal wireless power transmission device 30 is put on the charger
block 14 of the main controller 210, the main controller 210
transmits a control signal with the transmission of the power
signal via the gate output signal processor block 213 and the gate
signal path 234.
[0071] Since the control signal is transmitted to the multi-gate
driver module 23, and then transmitted with the transmission of the
power signal, a power signal is transmitted to the primary charging
core 13 of the corresponding charger block 14 via the corresponding
full-bridge resonant converter 22, and then the power signal is
transmitted to the wireless power transmission device 30 due to the
generation of an induced magnetic field.
[0072] During a series of these processes, configurations of the
gate signal path 234 and the multi-gate driver module 23 will be
described in more detail, as follows.
[0073] First, the gate signal path 234 may be composed of a
plurality of signal paths corresponding respectively to the
respective charger blocks 14. Therefore, a control signal of the
main controller 210 is transmitted to the multi-gate driver module
23 via the respective corresponding signal paths of the gate signal
paths 234. In this case, the multi-gate driver module 23 may
include a gate signal converter unit 232 for processing a gate
signal; an output driver 233 for transmitting the processed signal
to the corresponding full-bridge resonant converter 22; and a gate
controller 231.
[0074] Therefore, the gate signal path 234 is composed of a
plurality of signal paths corresponding to the respective charger
blocks 14. In this case, the main controller 210 is configured to
transmit respective control signals to the charger block 14
respectively via the gate output signal processor block 213
including a plurality of output signal processor members, and
therefore the gate signal converter unit 232 of the multi-gate
driver module 23 may be composed of a plurality of converter
members corresponding respectively to the charger blocks 14.
[0075] And, the gate controller 231 is configured to control the
signal transmission/reception and signal processing in the
multi-gate driver module 23. According to this exemplary
embodiment, the control signal transmitted from the main controller
210 may be transmitted to members corresponding respectively to the
charger blocks 14, and therefore a power signal is transmitted to
stably transmit an induced magnetic field. As a result, this
configuration is suitable to a small wireless multi-power
transmission device 10.
[0076] Also, according to another exemplary embodiment of the
multi-gate driver module 23 and the gate signal paths 234, the gate
signal path 234 may be configured as a single path, and the gate
signal converter unit 232 of the multi-gate driver module 23 may
also be configured as a single converter member (or a plurality of
converter member).
[0077] In this regard, the main controller 210 transmits a control
signal to the multi-gate driver module 23. In this case, the
control signal is transmitted together with a code signal for the
corresponding charger block 14 prior to transmission of a
conversion signal, and the gate controller 231 of the multi-gate
driver module 23 receiving the control signal determines a signal
for which charger block 14 the control signal transmitted from the
main controller 210 is, and the converted power signal may be
transmitted to the full-bridge resonant converter 22 as a code
signal for the corresponding charger block 14.
[0078] Therefore, it is possible to simplify the configuration of
the main controller 210 and the multi-gate driver module 23, and
this configuration may be suitable to manufacture the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 and the wireless power
transmission device 30 in a large scale.
[0079] 5) Then, a charging control step (S05) is performed by
requesting information on a charging state to the wireless power
transmission device 30 and controlling a charging level according
to the received charging information of the wireless power
transmission device 30.
[0080] Then, the wireless power transmission device 30 controls the
charger IC block 36 and the protection circuit module block 37 to
charge a power source into the battery cell 35, the power source
being transmitted via the rectifier block 33 and the smoothing
filter block 34 under the control of the device controller 390
after the fully charged power transmission step (S04).
[0081] For this charging operation, the device controller 390
receives information on a charging state of the battery cell 35
through the charger IC block 36 and the protection circuit module
block 37, and temporally stores the information on a charging state
in the device memory unit 391. Then, when the battery cell 35 is in
a fully charged state, the charging operation is stopped by
controlling the charger IC block 36. Also, information on the fully
charged state is generated in the secondary charging core 32
through the signal processor block 392. Also, when a voltage of the
charged battery cell 35 is less than a predetermined reference
voltage, the battery cell 35 is converted again into a charging
state to perform another charging operation. However, the battery
cell 35 is proven to be in a fully charged state, the charging of
the battery cell 35 is stopped (No Operation).
[0082] Therefore, the main controller 210 of the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 requests information on the
charging levels in every step of the wireless power transmission
device 30 in the charging control step (S05). In this case, the
device controller 390 of the wireless power transmission device 30
transmits data of the information on the charging state of the
battery cell 35 using a load modulation method.
[0083] As described above, the information on the charging state
transmitted from the wireless power transmission device 30 is
transmitted to the main controller 210 coupled to the received
signal processor block 214 through the reception signal processor
module 24. The reception signal processor module 24 includes a
plurality of reception signal input units 243 for receiving signals
detected in the respective charger blocks 14 through the load
modulation; a reception signal processor unit 242 for converting a
detection signal according to the load modulation of each of the
charger blocks 14; and a reception signal controller 241 for
controlling an operation of the reception signal processor module
24.
[0084] Therefore, the transmission information of the wireless
power transmission device 30 received through the load modulation
is converted into signals in the reception signal processor module
24, depending on the respective charger blocks 14, and the
converted signals are transmitted to the main controller 210
through the received signal processor blocks 214.
[0085] The reception signal processor module 24 may generally have
a plurality of amplifiers, LPF, OR logic circuits and the like, all
of which are mounted thereinside. In particular, in the case of the
configuration of the reception signal processor unit 242 and the
reception signal path 244 of the reception signal processor module
24, the reception signal processor unit 242 and the reception
signal path 244 may be configured as a single member or as a
plurality of members so as to generate a native code each of the
corresponding charger blocks 14, as described above in the
exemplary embodiment of the multi-gate driver module 23.
[0086] That is to say, when signals according to the load
modulation are transmitted to each of the charger block 14s, a
plurality of the reception signal processor units 242 according to
this exemplary embodiment process their own signals, and transmit
the processes signals to the main controller 210 via the respective
reception signal paths 244. Therefore, signals generated in the
corresponding charger blocks 14 are accurately transmitted to the
main controller 210 through the separate signal processing and via
the paths, and processed in the main controller 210, and therefore
it is possible to operate a system stably. Also, this system may
suitably apply to small devices as in the above-mentioned
multi-gate driver module 23.
[0087] In addition, for the exemplary embodiment in which each of
the reception signal processor unit 242 and the reception signal
paths 244 is configured as a single member, the reception signal
processor unit 242 of the multi-gate driver module 23 determines a
reception signal for which charger block 14 the received signal
according to the load modulation is under the control of the
reception signal controller 241, and the processed reception signal
is divided into categories together with the code signal for the
corresponding charger blocks 14 when the processed reception signal
is transmitted via the received signal processor block 214. Then,
the main controller 210 receives the reception signals for the
respective charger blocks 14, divides respective signals into
categories and processes the signals by category. Therefore, the
configuration of single members may be used as the simplified
configuration of the entire members.
[0088] Accordingly, the wireless multi-power transmission device 10
requests data information on a charging level to the wireless power
transmission device 30 that is charged in the corresponding charger
block 14 through the multi-gate driver module 23 and the primary
charging core 13, depending on the corresponding charger block 14.
As a result, the corresponding wireless power transmission device
30 transmits the data information on a charging level of the
battery cell 35 that is received via the charger IC block 36 and
the protection circuit module block 37.
[0089] Also, the information is transmitted to the main controller
210 via the primary charging core 13 of the respective charger
block 14 and the reception signal processor module 24.
[0090] Then, the main controller 210 of the central controller 21
displays information on a charging level or state in the form of
letters or figures on the LCD panel 153 through the signal output
block 212, depending on the data of the charging level in the
corresponding wireless power transmission device 30, and controls
the charging LED 154 to display that the corresponding charger
block 14 is on charge. Then, the LCD panel 153 displays a charging
state along with the number of the corresponding charger block 14.
Also, the LCD panel 153 displays that each of the respective
charger blocks 14 turns on the charging LED 154. For example, the
charging operation of the battery cell 35 is stopped when a lamp of
the charging LED 154 is turned off, the battery cell 35 is on
charge when the lamp is flickered, a green light is turned on the
battery cell 35 is fully charged, and a red light is turned on when
errors such as a foreign substance error, a native ID error are
caused. As described above, the charging operation of the battery
cell 35 may be performed in various manners.
[0091] During a series of these charging processes, when the
wireless power transmission device 30 moves from the corresponding
charger block 14 of the wireless charger table 12, a charging
efficiency in the wireless power transmission device 30 may be
maximized by converting a power signal transmitted from the
corresponding charger block 14 of the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10.
[0092] 6) Finally, when the information on the fully charged state
is received from the wireless power transmission device 30, the
fully charged state is displayed in the LCD panel 153 or the
charging LED 154 corresponding to the respective charger block 14,
and the fully charged state step (S06) of stopping the charging
operation is performed to stop the charging operation for the
corresponding charger block 14.
[0093] When a user removes the fully charged wireless power
transmission device 30 from the charger block 14 whose charging
operation is stopped, and inputs an operation start signal again,
the charger blocks 14 is preferably in a standby mode.
[0094] Also, when a foreign substance error or an ID error is
caused in the foreign substance detection step of detecting foreign
substances, the error is displayed in the corresponding charger
block 14, and the charging operation of the corresponding charger
block 14 is then stopped to ensure the stability of the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10, the wireless power transmission
device 30 or other metal materials, and the electronic equipment.
Therefore, when the charging operation of the corresponding charger
block 14 is stopped due to the generation of the errors, the
charger block 14 is in a standby mode until a re-start signal is
inputted into the charger block 14 by a user.
[0095] Of course, a pulse signal is periodically transmitted to the
charger blocks 14 when there is the error or the fully charged
state. In this case, the charger blocks 14 are normally converted
into a standby mode when the charger blocks 14 senses that the
error is solved, for example, by removing the fully charged
wireless power transmission device 30 or foreign substances using
the signal according to the load modulation.
[0096] Also, the main controller 210 of the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10 may be configured to control the charger
block that is on charge to transmit a native code signals for the
respective charger blocks 14 together with the charge power signal.
Therefore, the device controller 390 may be configured to analyze
the native code signals for the corresponding charger blocks 14
that are transmitted from the wireless multi-power transmission
device 10, and the device memory unit 391 may be configured to
store a data value of the native code signals for the corresponding
charger blocks 14 that are transmitted from the device controller
390.
[0097] In addition, the device controller 390 is configured to
control the data value for the voltage value of the power signal to
be transmitted to the wireless multi-power transmission device 10,
the voltage value of the power signal being received for the
request signal received from the wireless multi-power transmission
device 10.
[0098] Also, a power source for USB ports of computers, and a power
source inputted from an AC adapter, a cigar Jack and the like may
be supplied to the power supply unit 25.
[0099] Also, a temperature detector unit 26 is provided to detect
temperature of the corresponding charger block 14 or the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 during the charging procedure.
Therefore, an operation of the corresponding charger block 14 may
be stopped when the corresponding charger block 14 is heated to the
hot temperature detected in the temperature detector unit 26, and
an operation of the entire system may be stopped when the entire
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 is heated to the hot
temperature.
[0100] In addition, a current detection member may be provided in
each of the power supply unit 25, the multi-gate driver module 23,
the respective full-bridge resonant converters 22 or the reception
signal processor modules 24 to monitor a flow of electric current.
In this case, when the corresponding members becomes an over
current and overvoltage state by means of the current detection
member, operations of the corresponding member and its related
charger block 14 are stopped, or an operation of the system is
stopped, and they transmit a signal for the error.
[0101] Then, FIG. 13 is a configuration view showing a wireless
multi-power transmission device according to one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the configuration
of the wireless multi-power transmission device according to one
exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the wireless power
transmitter includes a control logic for IC communication with a
receptor module installed inside the wireless power transmission
device that is a wireless device; and a pre-driver for driving a
full-bridge resonance-type converter to generate an induced
electromotive force using LC resonance. And, an SPI controller for
communication with EEPROM for storing various parameters may be
installed inside the wireless power transmitter. Also, a clock
input port for operation of the system, an LCD backlight for
displaying a charging state of the wireless device, and an
input/output port for controlling ports of the LCD may be installed
inside the wireless power transmitter. Furthermore, the wireless
power transmitter may include an LED input/output port for checking
the operation of the wireless device, VCC and GND input ports for
DC power source, and a shout-down port for detecting temperature of
a transmission coil and stopping the operation of the wireless
device when an inside comparator determines the temperature of the
transmission coil to be more than a predetermined temperature.
[0102] Also, FIG. 14 is a configuration view showing a central
controller of the wireless multi-power transmission device
according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Here, it is shown that the central controller may be configured
with a single mold. This single chip may have a function to enable
wireless power transmission, and the FET Pre-driver has an output
function, and the analog unit has a comparator installed
thereinside, the comparator having an ID detection function, and
may include a power-on reset, 5V, VCC-5V, a 3.3V positive-voltage
regulator (including a shutdown function in shortcut), and an input
port for detecting temperature of the transmission/reception coil
temperature. Also, the digital unit may include an SPI interface
for serial communication, a logic for controlling wireless power
transmission, and an amplifier for an external system clock
oscillator amplifier. Also, a plurality of input/output ports may
be installed inside the central controller to drive LED, backlight,
LCD, etc.
[0103] Also, FIG. 18 is a circuit view showing a wireless device
control module of the wireless power transmission device according
to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, it is
shown that members for controlling the wireless power transmission
device 30 may be configured with a single mold. That is to say, the
wireless device control module has a function to communicate with
the wireless multi-power transmission device 10 in a wireless
manner, and may include members such as a pre-driver and FET for ID
generation, a comparator for analog input, a power-on reset as an
analog unit, a clock oscillating circuit, 64-bit interior/exterior
ID and a control logic. When a voltage of a battery is detected by
this mold, the wireless device control module may have a function
to be converted into a recharge mode, a function to feed back a
value of the fully charged state of the charger IC, a function to
detect a phase to recognize an encryption code, etc. In addition to
the functions, the wireless device control module may be designed
to have an output port for controlling an external DC/DC converter
or a charger IC, an analog input and a comparator for controlling
up and down of power, input/output ports for setting various
modes.
[0104] Also, FIG. 19 is a circuit view showing a wireless power
transmission device according to one exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. Here, it is shown that a member for processing a
power signal transmitted from the wireless multi-power transmission
device 10 may be formed with a singly mold.
[0105] Referring to the configuration of this mold, a synchronous
rectifier chip aids the adjustment of power in a receptor module of
the power-receiving battery system using an induced electromotive
force. Therefore, the mold may include a synchronous rectifier for
generating a DC voltage from a reception coil to minimize the power
loss and the heat generation, and a buck-converter used to
previously control the output of the rectifier so as to supply a
predetermined voltage to a charging circuit. This buck-converter
may be switched on at a rate of high-speed 2 MHz so as to reduce
output ripples of the rectifier and employ a micro chip inductor.
Also, the output of the buck-converter may be used as an input of a
linear charging circuit, and a built-in linearly charging function
allows a battery to be charged with CC/CV. In this case, the
battery is designed to set a charge electric current to a
predetermined current level. This linearly charging function has a
fully charged state port that may feed back a charging state of the
battery, and the linearly charging function may also have a low
dropout (LDO) regulator installed thereinside, the LDO regulator
having an output voltage of 2.85V to supply a power source to a
power receiver chip (a wireless device control module) that is IC
for controlling external systems.
[0106] Also, this synchronous rectifier chip has low heat
generation and drop characteristics (i.e., 0.4V drop in a
rectifier), and has a 2 MHz buck-converter installed thereinside
for the purpose of the high efficiency. Also, the synchronous
rectifier chip may be maintained to the maximum input voltage of
about 20V, installed inside the battery pack in the form of a Micor
SMD package, and optimized for the wireless power transmission
within several hundreds of kHz bandwidth. In this case, a P-channel
field effect transistor (PFET) of the buck-converter has a low
Rdson value of 240 m.OMEGA. and the maximum load current of 700 mA,
and a LDO regulator with 2.85V@10 mA may be installed inside the
PFET.
[0107] Next, a power control procedure will be described in more
detail in the charging control step (S05), as follows.
[0108] That is to say, a power signal transmitted by the primary
charging core 13 of the wireless multi-power transmission device 10
is transmitted via the secondary charging core 32 of the wireless
power transmission device 30. In this case, the device controller
390 receives information on the input voltage intensity of the
power signal. Then, the device controller 390 desirably maintains
the voltage of the power signal to a constant voltage level when
the device controller 390 detects that a voltage (for example,
about 5V) of the power signal received in the device controller 390
is transmitted as a stable voltage. When the voltage of the power
signal received in the device controller 390 is too low or too
high, the wireless power transmission device 30 may be configured
to receive a constant voltage by transmitting information on
voltage regulation to the wireless multi-power transmission device
10 in a load modulation manner. When the voltage of the power
signal is regulated to the constant voltage, the device controller
390 controls the battery cell 35 to be charged with power by
converting an operation of the charger IC in the charger IC block
36 of the wireless power transmission device 30 into an active
state.
[0109] When the battery cell 35 of the wireless power transmission
device 30 is charged with the power transmitted from the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 as described above, the
protection circuit module block 37 is configured to stably charge
the battery cell 35 with electric power by checking the stability
of the battery cell 35 while the battery cell 35 is on charge.
[0110] When the wireless power transmission device 30 put on the
corresponding charger block 14 of the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10 moves around during the charging operation
of the wireless multi-charger system (A) used as the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 and the wireless power
transmission device 30, positions of the primary charging core 13
and the secondary charging core 32 are changed, which leads to the
decreased receiving rate of the power signal received from the
wireless power transmission device 30. As a result, the primary
charging core 13 and the secondary charging core 32 move to
inappropriate positions as the wireless power transmission device
30 becomes remote from the center toward a horizontal or vertical
direction as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and therefore an induced
electromotive force is not desirably generated in the wireless
power transmission device 30.
[0111] Therefore, when the voltage of the power signal, which is
received into the wireless power transmission device 30 put on the
corresponding charger block 14, is less than the reference voltage
value, the wireless multi-charger system (A) according to the
present invention transmits a request signal for voltage
compensation to the wireless multi-power transmission device 10 so
as to supplement the shortage in the voltage of the power signal
and transmit the supplemented voltage of the power signal.
[0112] For example, assume that a voltage of the received power
signal is set to the reference voltage of 5V, and a reference
deviation value is set to a voltage of 0.5V. In this case, when the
wireless power transmission device 30 receives a voltage of less
than 4.5V due to the movement of the wireless power transmission
device 30, the device controller 390 of the wireless power
transmission device controller module 39 controls the secondary
charging core 32 to boost a voltage by about 0.5V and transmit the
boosted voltage. Then, the secondary charging core 32 transmits a
boost request signal via the signal processor block 392.
[0113] As a result, the wireless multi-power transmission device 10
transmits the boosted power signal in response to the 0.5V boost
request signal. That is to say, an oscillation frequency may be
varied, for example, to boost a transmission power outputted from
the wireless multi-power transmission device 10.
[0114] As described above, the power signal transmitted from the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 is regulated according
to the changes in the position of the wireless power transmission
device 30. Theses charging efficiencies according to the changes in
the position are shown in FIGS. 7 to 12.
[0115] That is to say, FIGS. 7 to 10 are graphic diagrams showing a
primary power (W) in the wireless multi-power transmission device
and a secondary power (W) in the wireless power transmission
device, and their efficiencies (%), all of which are measured by
moving the wireless power transmission device 30 on the
corresponding charger block 14 of the wireless multi-power
transmission device by -7 mm.about.7 mm in a horizontal direction
and a vertical direction, respectively, when it is assumed that a
secondary reference power of the wireless power transmission device
is set to a voltage level of about 2.5 W. Here, the efficiency (%)
is represented by an efficiency of an output power of the wireless
multi-power transmission device to a primary input power of the
wireless multi-power transmission device ((secondary power/primary
power)*100), the output power being applied to a secondary side of
the wireless multi-power transmission device.
[0116] Also, it is shown that the compensation of the transmission
power is adjusted to a voltage level 0.5 W according to the present
invention. Therefore, FIGS. 7 and 8 show graphs that is plotted in
a secondary power of 2.about.2.5 W in the case of the wireless
power transmission device, which indicates the charging efficiency
when the wireless power transmission device 30 is charged without
the compensation of the power signal according to the changes in
frequency in the wireless charger apparatus 10 relative to the
changes in horizontal distances and vertical distances of the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 and the wireless power
transmission device 30. That is to say, when wireless power
transmission device 30 moves in a horizontal distance or a vertical
distance relative to the wireless multi-power transmission device
10, a secondary power of the wireless power transmission device 30
drops as the secondary power goes away from the center of the
wireless power transmission device 30, which leads to the
decreasing efficiency.
[0117] However, for the wireless multi-charger system (A) according
to the present invention as shown in FIG. 9 (a graph according to
the movement of the wireless power transmission device 30 in a
horizontal direction) and FIG. 10 (a graph according to the
movement of the wireless power transmission device 30 in a vertical
direction) on the contrary to FIGS. 7 and 8, information on the
changes in the received power voltage is transmitted from the
wireless power transmission device as the wireless power
transmission device 30 moves in a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction on the top of the charger block 14 of the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10. As a result, the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 shows its efficiency by
controlling a power through the changes in frequency. This
indicates that the power transmission is stably performed in the
wireless power transmission device 30, and therefore it is revealed
that the efficiency in the power transmission is good.
[0118] Also, FIG. 11 shows a graph plotting efficiencies according
to the movement of the wireless power transmission device 30 in a
horizontal direction, and FIG. 12 shows a graph plotting
efficiencies according to the movement of the wireless power
transmission device 30 in a vertical direction. Here, it is
revealed that the efficiencies are better when there is the power
compensation according to the change in frequency (an upper
rectangular dot graph, POWER CONTROL) than when there is no power
compensation according to the change in frequency (a lower curve
graph, FIXED POWER).
[0119] Therefore, a power source is stably transmitted in a
wireless manner through the wireless power transmission of the
wireless multi-charger system (A) that is carried out in the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10 and the wireless power
transmission device 30. Therefore, the wireless multi-power
transmission device 10 and the wireless power transmission device
30 may be stably used in the wireless multi-charger system (A).
[0120] In particular, the charging method for the power
compensation in the charging control step (S05) of performing the
above-mentioned wireless power transmission may be used as a better
charging method in the case of the configuration in which a
plurality of the charger blocks 14 are provided in the wireless
multi-power transmission device 10 according to the present
invention.
[0121] That is to say, various kinds of the wireless power
transmission devices 30 may be positioned and charged on the
wireless charger table 12 in the case of the configuration in which
a plurality of the charger blocks 14 is configured on the wireless
charger table 12 as shown in FIG. 1.
[0122] In this case, portable wireless power transmission devices
such as mobile phones, PDA, PMP, DMB terminals, MP3 or notebook
computers may be used as the wireless power transmission device 30.
While one wireless power transmission device is charged on the
charger block 14 positioned in one side of the wireless charger
table 12, another wireless power transmission device may be put and
charged on the charger block 14 positioned in another side of the
wireless charger table 12.
[0123] Furthermore, when a user touches the wireless power
transmission device that is being already charged, or shakes the
wireless multi-power transmission device 10, a primary charging
core of the corresponding charger block 14 and a secondary charging
core of the wireless power transmission device that is on charge
may be unfortunately changed in position. Since the wireless power
transmission device that is being on charge is charged with a
stable voltage due to the compensation of the charging power as
described above, a corresponding device may continue to be charged
without any big troubles until the device is in a fully charged
state.
[0124] For the wireless multi-charger system (A) according to the
present invention, a wireless power transmission device is charged
on each of the respective charger blocks 14. In this case, small
mobile phones may not only be charged on the respective charger
blocks 14, but large wireless power transmission devices that may
be charged in a wireless manner may also be charged on the
respective charger blocks 14.
[0125] Therefore, a secondary charging core of the corresponding
wireless power transmission device may be charged in a position
corresponding to a primary charging core of one charger block, but
other parts of the wireless power transmission device that are free
from the secondary charging core are put on other charger blocks
due to the big size of the wireless power transmission device. In
this case, the other charger blocks are converted into a foreign
substance error mode to stop the power transmission, which may
prevent the damage of other part of the wireless power transmission
device.
[0126] Also, since parts, such as metal lines, of the wireless
power transmission device may be used to perform a wireless
charging operation, the charger blocks on which the parts are
positioned are converted into a foreign substance error to stop the
power transmission. Therefore, the wireless power transmission
device and the wireless multi-power transmission device may stably
perform their charging operation according to the power
transmission since only the charger block on which the secondary
charging core of the large wireless power transmission device is
positioned performs its wireless charging operation.
[0127] In addition, the wireless power transmission device 30
according to the present invention includes a shielding member for
protecting the wireless power transmission device 30 and the
battery cell 35 from the magnetic field that is generated by the
primary charging core 13 of the wireless multi-power transmission
device 10 and the secondary charging core 32 of the wireless power
transmission device 30, as shown in FIGS. 15 to 19.
[0128] First of all, FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view
showing a configuration of a wireless power transmission device 30
having a wireless power receiver module. Here, a battery pack
composed of coil, fine metal, thin aluminum film (foil, etc.),
lithium ion or lithium polymer has no effect on cells since a thin
aluminum film is introduced into the battery pack to completely cut
off the magnetic field, which allow the cells to be
charged/discharged at cell cycles of 500 or more. Here, the shapes
of the secondary charging core include all kinds of cores. That is
to say, the shapes of the core may include a rectangular shape, a
round shape or an oval shape, and various cores such as a winding
coil, a spiral core and the like may be provided herein. In this
case, the wireless power transmission device 30 having a wireless
power receiver module includes a wireless power receiver circuit 40
including members such as a power receiver controller 39 and a
charger IC block 36, both of which are formed in one side of the
charging battery cell 35, and the wireless power receiver circuit
40 may include a shielding member 41 for preventing a surrounding
magnetic field.
[0129] Also, the wireless power transmission device 30 is provided
with shielding plates 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 provided in the bottom,
the front, the rear, the left side and the right side of the
charging battery cell 35 to protect the battery cell 35 from the
magnetic field of the primary core block and the secondary core
block 32 by shielding the magnetic field.
[0130] Then, since the five regions, for example, the front, the
rear, the left side, the right side and the bottom of the battery
cell 35 are provided respectively with the shielding plates 42, 43,
44, 45 and 46 to cut off the magnetic field generated by the
primary core block and the secondary core block 32, it is possible
to prevent damage of the battery cell 35 from the magnetic field.
Therefore, an additional shielding plate may be provided in an
upper surface of the battery cell 35, when necessary. In this case,
it is desirable when temperature is not increased due to the
completely closed surroundings of the battery cell 35.
[0131] As described above, the shielding plates 42, 43, 44, 45 and
46 and the shielding member 41 may be formed of thin discs
including Al, Cu, Ni Alloy metals.
[0132] Also, a magnetic plate 48 is formed between the shielding
plates 46 and the charge receiver module 321 to facilitate the
induction of the magnetic field induced from the secondary charging
core 32, the shielding plates 46 formed in the bottom of the
battery cell 35, and the charge receiver module 321 including the
secondary charging core 32. This magnetic plate 48 includes
amorphous ferrites, Mn--Zn (50 parts by weight:50 parts by weight),
Ni--Fe (80 parts by weight:20 parts by weight), fine metals
(Fe--Si--Cu--Nb), etc.
[0133] The magnetic plate 48 may be composed of an upper magnetic
plate 481 formed between the shielding plates 46 and the charge
receiver module 321; and a lower magnetic plate 252 disposed in a
lower portion of the charge receiver module 321. Therefore, the
lower magnetic plate 482 may have a lower plate thorough hole as a
thorough hole passed through the center thereof. This shape of the
lower plate thorough hole 483 is preferably formed with the same
shape as the core of the secondary core block 32. For example, FIG.
15 shows that the lower plate thorough hole 483 of the lower
magnetic plate 482 is formed with a round shape since the secondary
core block 32 is formed of a round core. However, when the core is
formed with a rectangular shape or a polygonal shape, the lower
plate thorough hole 483 is preferably formed with the same shape.
Therefore, an induced electromotive force is easily generated in
the secondary core block 32 due to the presence of the lower plate
thorough hole 483, the secondary core block 32 being that is
present within the induced magnetic field, and the signal may be
transmitted/received in an easy manner.
[0134] Also, the magnetic plate 48 is provided with an insulating
plate 47 that is provided between the shielding plates 46 and the
battery cell 35 to insulate the battery cell 35, the shielding
plates 46 being formed in the bottom of the battery cell 35. Since
this insulating plate 47 is formed in the form of a mesh or thin
film that is made of Ni--Cu, the heat of the shielding plates 46 is
not delivered to the battery cell 35.
[0135] As another example of the magnetic field shielding member,
the magnetic plate 48 is provided with a magnetic plate 48 (a
primary HPES: Hanrim Postech Electro-magnetic shield) formed
between an aluminum-based battery cell case 35' and the secondary
core block 32 as shown in FIG. 16, the aluminum-based battery cell
case 35' constituting an outer body of the battery cell 35. In this
case, a shield mesh member 49 is further provided as a secondary
HPES between the magnetic plate 48 (i.e., a primary HPES) and the
battery cell case 35'. The magnetic plate 48 as a primary HPES and
the shield mesh member 49 as a secondary HPES may be composed of
the same components as in the above-mentioned shielding member.
[0136] It is known that most of the magnetic field is shielded by
the magnetic plate 48 that is a primary HPES. As shown in FIG. 16,
it is revealed that a line of magnetic force does not affect a
battery cell since the line of magnetic force is bent by the
magnetic plate 48 that is a shielding plate. As a result, the heat
is generated in a peak region by the line of magnetic force, and
then radiated out by the metallic magnetic plate 48. In addition,
the shield mesh member 49 as a secondary HPES is formed by coating
a metal mesh with a coating agent selected from the group
consisting of amorphous ferrites, Mn--Zn (50 parts by weight:50
parts by weight), Ni--Fe (80 parts by weight:20 parts by weight),
or fine metals (Fe--Si--Cu--Nb). Therefore, the secondary HPES
functions to shield the magnetic field that is not shielded by the
magnetic plate 48 that is a primary HPES. An eddy current is formed
by excessive line of magnetic force in the metal mesh of the shield
mesh member 49 that is a secondary HPES. In this case, the battery
pack should be affected by the magnetic field that is generated by
the primary core block and the secondary core block due to the
presence of the eddy current formed in the metal mesh. In this
experiment, it is revealed that about 90% of the magnetic field is
shielded by the magnetic plate 48 that is a primary HPES, and about
10% of the magnetic field is shielded by the shield mesh member 49
that is a secondary HPES.
[0137] The wireless power transmission device 30 including the
magnetic plate 48 as a primary HPES and the shield mesh member 49
as a secondary HPES is used to repeat a charging experiment (500
cycles) for the charging efficiency. Here, a battery is not coupled
to a charging device in wireless manner, but the battery is coupled
to the charging device through wires to perform a
charging/discharging experiment, as shown in FIG. 17. Accordingly,
FIG. 17 shows a graph that is plotted using an 80% efficiency curve
as the reference curve (hereinafter, referred to as "standard
efficiency line segment" (D)), the 80% efficiency curve being
obtained through the repeated charging/discharging of a battery
pack at 500 cycles and referred to as a stable charging efficiency.
First, when the wireless power transmission device 30 is generally
charged through electrical contacts without the exposure to the
magnetic field (a graph represented by "N" in FIG. 17), the
experiment of the wireless power transmission device 30 is carried
out so that the charging capacities can be plotted over the
standard efficiency line segment, which indicates that the
charging/discharging efficiency is stable in the battery pack.
[0138] Accordingly, for the wireless power transmission device 30
according to the present invention, it is shown that the
charging/discharging efficiency by the magnetic plate 48 as a
primary HPES and the shield mesh member 49 as a secondary HPES (a
graph represented by "A" in FIG. 17) is stable with an efficiency
of 83.9% on the basis of 500-cycle charging/discharging
experiment.
[0139] However, when the secondary HPES is not used in the wireless
power transmission device 30, it is shown that the
charging/discharging efficiency (a graph represented by "B" in FIG.
17) is rather low with an efficiency of 75.3% on the basis of
460-cycle charging/discharging experiment. When the primary HPES
and the secondary HPES are not used in the wireless power
transmission device 30, it is shown that the charging/discharging
efficiency (a graph represented by "C" in FIG. 17) is very low with
an efficiency of 74.5% in the charging/discharging experiment at
340 cycles that are far away below the 500 cycles. However, it is
revealed that the wireless power transmission device 30 according
to the present invention shows a highly excellent
charging/discharging efficiency.
[0140] The description proposed herein is just an exemplary
embodiment for the purpose of illustrations only, not intended to
limit the scope of the invention, so it should be understood that
other equivalents and modifications could be made thereto without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as apparent to
those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that
the present invention might be not defined within the scope of
which is described in detailed description but within the scope of
which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *