KR20180081243A - Battary pack charger for wireless charging and wireless charging method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack charger for wireless charging and a wireless charging method thereof. The wireless charging method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: determining whether an external power source is connected or not; searching for a wireless power receiver disposed in a charging area using power supplied through the external power source if the external power source is connected, as a result of the determination; performing wireless charging for the sensed wireless power receiver using power supplied through the external power source when the wireless power receiver is detected, as a result of the search; and charging a rechargeable battery using power supplied through the external power source if the wireless power receiver is not detected, as a result of the search. Therefore, the present invention can provide a charger capable of charging a battery in wired and wireless manners.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack charger for wireless charging,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless charging technique, and more particularly, to a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function and a wireless charging method using the same.

The wireless power transmission technology (wireless power transmission or wireless energy transfer) is a technology to transmit electric energy from the transmitter to the receiver wirelessly using the induction principle of the magnetic field. In the 1800s, electric motor or transformer And thereafter, a method of radiating electromagnetic waves such as radio waves, lasers, high frequencies, and microwaves to transfer electrical energy has also been attempted. Our electric toothbrushes and some wireless shavers are actually charged with electromagnetic induction.

Up to the present, energy transmission using radio may be roughly classified into a magnetic induction method, an electromagnetic resonance method, and an RF transmission method using a short wavelength radio frequency.

In the magnetic induction method, when two coils are adjacent to each other and a current is supplied to one coil, a magnetic flux generated at this time causes an electromotive force to the other coils. As a technology, . The magnetic induction method has the disadvantage that it can transmit power of up to several hundred kilowatts (kW) and the efficiency is high, but the maximum transmission distance is 1 centimeter (cm) or less, so it is usually adjacent to the charger or the floor.

The self-resonance method is characterized by using an electric field or a magnetic field instead of using electromagnetic waves or currents. The self-resonance method is advantageous in that it is safe to other electronic devices or human body since it is hardly influenced by the electromagnetic wave problem. On the other hand, it can be used only at a limited distance and space, and has a disadvantage that energy transfer efficiency is somewhat low.

Short wavelength wireless power transmission - simply, RF transmission - takes advantage of the fact that energy can be transmitted and received directly in radio wave form. This technology is a RF power transmission system using a rectenna. Rectena is a combination of an antenna and a rectifier, which means a device that converts RF power directly into direct current power. That is, the RF method is a technique of converting an AC radio wave into DC and using it. Recently, as the efficiency has improved, commercialization has been actively researched.

Wireless power transmission technology can be applied not only to mobile but also to various industries such as car, IT, railway, and household appliance industries.

Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0117081 (Wireless Rechargeable Battery Pack, published on Oct. 7, 2014) discloses a wireless rechargeable battery pack having both a wireless power receiving function and a battery recharging function.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack charger for wireless charging and a wireless charging method thereof.

The present invention also provides a battery pack charger capable of performing wireless charging dynamically using not only an external power source but also electric power charged in a battery pack, and its wireless charging.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, unless further departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It will be possible.

The present invention can provide a battery pack charger for wireless charging and a wireless charging method thereof.

The method of wireless charging in a battery pack charger according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of determining whether an external power source is connected and a step of determining whether the external power source is connected or not, The method comprising the steps of: searching for a wireless power receiver disposed in the wireless power receiver, and if the wireless power receiver is detected, performing wireless charging for the sensed wireless power receiver using power supplied through the external power source, As a result, if the wireless power receiver is not detected, charging the rechargeable battery using power supplied from the external power supply may be included.

The wireless charging method may further include searching for a wireless power receiver disposed in the charging area using the power of the rechargeable battery when the external power is not connected as a result of the determination.

Here, if the wireless power receiver is sensed using the power of the rechargeable battery, the wireless charging method may further include wirelessly charging the sensed wireless power receiver using the power of the rechargeable battery.

Also, the wireless charging method And charging the rechargeable battery using the external power source when the wireless charging using the external power source is completed.

The method of wireless charging in a battery pack charger according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a step of determining whether an external power source is connected and a step of determining whether or not the external power source is connected, The method comprising the steps of: charging a rechargeable battery; searching for a wireless power receiver disposed in a charging region using power supplied through the external power source; and if the wireless power receiver is detected as a result of the search, And performing wireless charging for the sensed wireless power receiver using power supplied via the external power supply.

The wireless charging method may further include searching for a wireless power receiver disposed in the charging area using the power of the rechargeable battery when the external power is not connected as a result of the determination.

The wireless charging method may further include wirelessly charging the sensed wireless power receiver using the power of the rechargeable battery when the wireless power receiver is sensed using the power of the rechargeable battery.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery pack charger including a main body and a control circuit board provided in the main body and electrically connected to a metal terminal provided in the receiving portion, And a power supply terminal connected to the external power source and electrically connected to the control circuit board.

Here, the control circuit board may include circuit elements for controlling wireless charging and circuit elements for controlling charging of the rechargeable battery.

In addition, a circuit element for controlling wireless charging may be mounted on the control circuit board in a form of a sub-board.

In addition, the battery pack charger may further include a USB terminal for supplying power charged in the rechargeable battery to an external device via a USB cable.

Also, the control circuit board may include at least one processor, and the processor may further include a wireless power receiver disposed on the charging pad cover using power supplied through the external power source when the external power source is connected to the power terminal. And if the wireless power receiver is detected as a result of the search, wireless power charging for the sensed wireless power receiver can be controlled using power supplied through the external power source.

In addition, if the wireless power receiver is not detected as a result of the search, the processor can control the charging battery to be charged using power supplied from the external power source.

In addition, when the external power source is not connected, the processor can use the power of the rechargeable battery to search for a wireless power receiver disposed in the charging pad cover.

In addition, when the wireless power receiver is detected using the power of the rechargeable battery, the processor can control the wireless charging of the sensed wireless power receiver using the power of the rechargeable battery.

In addition, when the wireless charging using the external power source is completed, the processor can control the charging battery to be charged using the external power source.

The battery pack charger according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a rechargeable battery mounted in a receiving portion and a wireless charging transmitter for transmitting power wirelessly to a wireless power receiver, And a charging control circuit for dynamically controlling power supplied to the charging control circuit, the charging control circuit performing wireless charging using the external power when the external power is connected, And wireless charging is performed using the power of the battery.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a program for realizing the wireless power transmission method and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded may be provided.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, And can be understood and understood.

Effects of the method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described as follows.

The present invention has the advantage of providing a battery pack charger for wireless charging and a wireless charging method thereof.

Further, the present invention has an advantage of providing a battery pack charger capable of performing wireless charging dynamically using electric power charged in a battery pack as well as an external power source and its wireless charging.

In addition, the present invention provides a battery pack charger capable of wireless charging with a wireless charging function and a battery pack charging function, thereby eliminating the need to separately purchase a battery pack and a wireless charging device.

The effects obtained by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description will be.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the technical features of the present invention are not limited to the specific drawings, and the features disclosed in the drawings may be combined with each other to constitute a new embodiment.
1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless charging system according to another embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram for explaining a sensing signal transmission procedure in a wireless charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram illustrating a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a state transition diagram for explaining a wireless power transmission procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a wireless power transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram for explaining a hardware structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a battery pack wireless charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to another embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a diagram for explaining a hardware structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to another embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a flowchart illustrating a wireless charging method in a battery pack charger according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a flowchart illustrating a wireless charging method in a battery pack charger according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an apparatus and various methods to which embodiments of the present invention are applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The suffix "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

In the description of the embodiment, in the case where it is described as being formed "above" or "below" each element, the upper or lower (lower) And that at least one further component is formed and arranged between the two components. Also, in the case of "upper (upper) or lower (lower)", it may include not only the upward direction but also the downward direction based on one component.

In the description of the embodiments, an apparatus for transmitting wireless power on a wireless power system includes a wireless power transmitter, a wireless power transmitter, a wireless power transmitter, a wireless power transmitter, a transmitter, a transmitter, a transmitter, A wireless power transmission device, a wireless power transmitter, and the like are used in combination. Also, for the sake of convenience of explanation, it is to be understood that a wireless power receiving apparatus, a wireless power receiving apparatus, a wireless power receiving apparatus, a wireless power receiving apparatus, a receiving terminal, a receiving side, a receiving apparatus, Etc. may be used in combination.

The transmitter according to the present invention may be configured as a pad, a cradle, an access point (AP), a small base station, a stand, a ceiling, a floor, And may transmit wireless power to the power receiving device. To this end, the transmitter may comprise at least one radio power transmission means. Here, the radio power transmission means may be various non-electric power transmission standards based on an electromagnetic induction system in which a magnetic field is generated in a power transmitting terminal coil and charged using an electromagnetic induction principle in which electricity is induced in a receiving terminal coil under the influence of the magnetic field. For example, the wireless power transmission means may include an electromagnetic induction wireless charging technique as defined in a wireless charging technology standards organization such as Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), Power Matters Alliance (PMA), and the like.

Also, a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may include at least one wireless power receiving means and may receive wireless power from two or more transmitters at the same time. Here, the wireless power receiving means may include, but is not limited to, an electromagnetic induction wireless charging technique defined by Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), Power Matters Alliance (PMA), which is a wireless charging technology standard mechanism.

A wireless power receiver according to the present invention may be mounted on one side of a transportation device, but is not limited thereto, and may be a device equipped with wireless power receiving means according to the present invention to charge a battery.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the wireless charging system includes a wireless power transmission terminal 10 for wirelessly transmitting power, a wireless power receiving terminal 20 for receiving the transmitted power, and an electronic device 30 Lt; / RTI >

For example, the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 and the wireless power receiving terminal 20 can perform in-band communication in which information is exchanged using the same frequency band as that used for wireless power transmission. In another example, the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 and the wireless power receiving terminal 20 perform out-of-band communication in which information is exchanged using a different frequency band different from the operating frequency used for wireless power transmission .

For example, information exchanged between the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 and the wireless power receiving terminal 20 may include control information as well as status information of each other. Here, the status information and the control information exchanged between the transmitting and receiving end will become more apparent through the description of the embodiments to be described later.

The in-band communication and the out-of-band communication may provide bidirectional communication, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the in-band communication and the out-of-band communication may be provided.

 For example, the unidirectional communication may be that the wireless power receiving terminal 20 transmits information only to the wireless power transmitting terminal 10, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 may transmit information Lt; / RTI >

In the half duplex communication mode, bidirectional communication is possible between the wireless power receiving terminal 20 and the wireless power transmitting terminal 10, but information can be transmitted only by any one device at any time.

The wireless power receiving terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may acquire various status information of the electronic device 30. [ For example, the status information of the electronic device 30 may include current power usage information, information for identifying a running application, CPU usage information, battery charge status information, battery output voltage / current information, And is information obtainable from the electronic device 30 and available for wireless power control.

In particular, the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention can transmit a predetermined packet indicating whether or not to support fast charging to the wireless power receiving terminal 20. The wireless power receiving terminal 20 can inform the electronic device 30 of the connected wireless power transmitting terminal 10 when it is confirmed that it supports the fast charging mode. The electronic device 30 may indicate that fast charging is possible through a predetermined display means, which may be, for example, a liquid crystal display.

Also, the user of the electronic device 30 may select the predetermined fast charge request button displayed on the liquid crystal display means to control the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 to operate in the fast charge mode. In this case, the electronic device 30 can transmit a predetermined fast charge request signal to the wireless power receiving terminal 20 when the quick charge request button is selected by the user. The wireless power receiving terminal 20 may generate a charging mode packet corresponding to the received fast charging request signal and transmit the same to the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 to switch the general low power charging mode to the fast charging mode.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless charging system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

For example, as shown in 200a, the wireless power receiving terminal 20 may include a plurality of wireless power receiving devices, and a plurality of wireless power receiving devices may be connected to one wireless power transmitting terminal 10, Charging may also be performed. At this time, the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 can distribute power to a plurality of wireless power receiving apparatuses in a time division manner, but it is not limited thereto. In another example, the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 can distribute power to a plurality of wireless power receiving apparatuses using different frequency bands allocated to the wireless power receiving apparatuses.

At this time, the number of wireless power receiving apparatuses connectable to one wireless power transmitting apparatus 10 is set to at least one of the required power amount for each wireless power receiving apparatus, the battery charging state, the power consumption amount of the electronic apparatus, Can be determined adaptively based on

As another example, as shown in 200b, the wireless power transmitting terminal 10 may be composed of a plurality of wireless power transmitting apparatuses. In this case, the wireless power receiving terminal 20 may be connected to a plurality of wireless power transmission apparatuses at the same time, and may simultaneously receive power from connected wireless power transmission apparatuses to perform charging. At this time, the number of wireless power transmission apparatuses connected to the wireless power receiving terminal 20 is adaptively set based on the required power amount of the wireless power receiving terminal 20, the battery charging status, the power consumption amount of the electronic apparatus, Can be determined.

3 is a diagram for explaining a sensing signal transmission procedure in a wireless charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As an example, the wireless power transmitter may be equipped with three transmit coils 111, 112, 113. Each of the transmission coils may be disposed such that a portion of the transmission coils overlaps with the other transmission coils. However, this is merely an example, and the transmission coils may be disposed without overlapping one another or with one transmission coil.

The wireless power transmitter sequentially transmits predetermined sensing signals 117, 127 (e.g., digital ping) for sensing the presence of a wireless power receiver through each transmit coil in a predefined sequence.

3, the wireless power transmitter sequentially transmits the detection signal 117 when the primary sensing signal transmission procedure shown in the reference numeral 110 is started, and outputs a predetermined response signal - For example, a signal strength indicator 116 or a signal strength packet may be referred to as a signal strength indicator for convenience of explanation. The received transmission coils 111 and 112 can be identified. Subsequently, the wireless power transmitter sequentially transmits the detection signal 127 when the secondary detection signal delivery procedure shown in the reference numeral 120 is started, and when the signal strength indicator 126 indicates that the power of the transmission coils 111 and 112 It is possible to control the transmission efficiency (or charging efficiency) - that is, the alignment state between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil - to identify a good transmitting coil and to allow power to be delivered through the identified transmitting coil, have.

As shown in FIG. 3, the reason why the wireless power transmitter performs the two detection signal transmission procedures is to more accurately identify to which transmission coil the reception coil of the wireless power receiver is well aligned.

If the signal strength indicators 116 and 126 are received at the first transmission coil 111 and the second transmission coil 112 as shown in the aforementioned numerals 110 and 120 of FIG. 3, Selects a transmission coil having the best alignment based on the received signal strength indicator 126 in each of the first transmission coil 111 and the second transmission coil 112 and performs wireless charging using the selected transmission coil .

4 is a block diagram illustrating a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The battery pack charger 400 according to the present invention may include a wireless power transmitter 410, a charge control circuit 420, and a rechargeable battery 430.

The charging control circuit 420 may transmit the power supplied from the power source 450 to at least one of the wireless power transmitter 410 and the rechargeable battery 430 when the power source 450 is connected.

To this end, the charge control circuit 420 according to the present embodiment may be configured to include at least one of a microprocessor, a voltage sensor, a power distribution circuit, and a switch.

The charging control circuit 420 may transmit the power charged in the rechargeable battery 430 to the wireless power transmitter 410 when the power supply 450 is not connected.

The wireless power transmitter 410 may perform the receiver search procedure using the power received from the charge control circuit 420 and, if the receiver is sensed, perform wireless charging to the receiver. The detailed configuration and operation of the wireless power transmitter 410 will become more apparent from the description of FIGS. 5 to 6, which will be described later.

The charge control circuit 420 may receive the predetermined status information indicating that the receiver is detected from the wireless power transmitter 410 when the receiver located in the charging area is sensed. In addition, the charging control circuit 420 may also receive certain status information from the wireless power transmitter 410 corresponding to the event when the wireless charging for the receiver is complete or the receiver is removed from the charging area. The charging control circuit 420 may also receive the requested power information from the wireless power transmitter 410. [ Hereinafter, various state information transmitted by the wireless power transmitter 410 to the charge control circuit 420 will be referred to as charge state information.

The charge control circuit 420 may distribute the power applied from the power source 450 based on the charge state information.

For example, the charge control circuit 420 may control the power supplied from the power source 450 to be transmitted to the wireless power transmitter 410 when the receiver is detected while the power source 450 is connected. If the receiver is not detected in the state that the power source 450 is connected, the charge control circuit 420 may control all of the power applied from the power source 450 to be transmitted to the rechargeable battery 430.

The charge control circuit 420 may be configured to control the power delivered to the wireless power transmitter 410 and the rechargeable battery 430 based on the power applied from the power source 450 and the power required by the wireless power transmitter 410. [ May be distributed dynamically. The charging control circuit 420 may measure the current remaining charge amount of the rechargeable battery 430 using the voltage sensor or the like and may calculate the current remaining charge amount of the rechargeable battery 430 using the voltage sensor provided in the wireless power transmitter 410 and the rechargeable battery 430 The delivered power may be dynamically distributed. For example, the charge control circuit 420 may distribute the power applied from the power source 450 so that the remaining charge amount of the rechargeable battery 430 always exceeds a predetermined reference value. This is to allow for minimal wireless charging even when the power source 450 is not connected, but is not limited thereto.

The charging control circuit 420 may transmit the power applied from the power source 450 to the rechargeable battery 430 if it is confirmed that the receiver is not sensed until a certain time has elapsed after power supply to the wireless power transmitter 410 have. At this time, the charge control circuit 420 may control to supply only the minimum power required for the receiver search to the wireless power transmitter 410.

The charge control circuit 420 controls the power charged in the rechargeable battery 430 to be supplied to the wireless power transmitter 410 when the wireless power transmitter 410 is activated while the power supply 450 is not connected It is possible. Here, whether to supply power to the wireless power transmitter 410 may be determined based on the present remaining charge amount of the rechargeable battery 430. [ If the current remaining charge amount is less than the predetermined reference value, the charge control circuit 420 may cut off the power supplied from the rechargeable battery 430 to the wireless power transmitter 410. [

5 is a state transition diagram for explaining a wireless power transmission procedure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5, power transmission from a transmitter to a receiver is largely divided into a selection phase 510, a ping phase 520, an identification and configuration phase 530, a negotiation phase Phase 540, a calibration phase 550, a power transfer phase 560, and a renegotiation phase 570.

The selection step 510 may be a phase transition when a specific error or a specific event is detected while initiating a power transmission or maintaining a power transmission. Here, the specific error and the specific event will become clear through the following description. Also, in a selection step 510, the transmitter can monitor whether an object is present on the interface surface. If the transmitter detects that an object has been placed on the interface surface, it may transition to a ping step 520. However, analog pings can be replaced by other alternative means. Other alternative means may be a proximity sensor, a Hall sensor for sensing a change in magnetic field, a pressure sensor, or at least one of an abbreviation. In the selection step 510, the transmitter transmits an analog ping signal of a very short pulse and, based on the current change of the transmission coil or the primary coil, It is possible to detect whether or not there is an error.

In step 520, the transmitter activates the receiver when an object is detected, and transmits a digital ping to identify whether the receiver is capable of receiving wireless power from the transmitter. If the transmitter does not receive a response signal for the digital ping (e. G., A signal strength packet) from the receiver within a predetermined time after transmitting the digital ping in step 520, the transmitter may transit to the selection step 510 again. Also, in the step of the ping 520, the transmitter may transition to the selection step 510 upon receiving a signal indicating that the power transmission has been completed from the receiver, that is, the charge completion packet.

Once the ping step 520 is complete, the transmitter may transition to an identification and configuration step 530 for identifying the receiver and collecting receiver configuration and status information.

In the identifying and configuring step 530, the transmitter determines whether a packet is received (unexpected packet), a desired packet is not received during a predefined period of time (time out), a packet transmission error, (No power transfer contract) can be made to the selection step 510.

The transmitter may determine whether an entry to the negotiation step 540 is required based on the negotiation field value of the configuration packet that was made in the identification and configuration step 530. [

If it is determined that negotiation is required, the transmitter may enter a negotiation step 540 to perform a foreign object detection procedure.

On the other hand, if it is determined that negotiation is not required, the transmitter may immediately enter the power transmission step 560.

At negotiation step 540, the transmitter may receive a Foreign Object Detection (FOD) status packet including a reference quality factor value. At this time, the transmitter can determine a threshold value for foreign matter detection based on the reference quality factor value.

For example, the transmitter may determine a value lower than the reference quality factor value by a correction ratio as a threshold for detecting foreign matter, and may measure the current quality factor value prior to entry into the panning step 520 after object detection.

The transmitter compares the determined threshold value with the currently measured quality factor value to determine whether foreign substances are present in the charged area, and can control power transmission according to the foreign matter detection result.

In one example, if a foreign object is detected, the transmitter may return to the selection step 510. On the other hand, if no foreign object is detected, the transmitter may enter the power transfer step 560 via the correction step 550. In detail, if a foreign object is not detected, the transmitter in the correction step 550 determines the strength of the power received at the receiver and determines the strength of the power transmitted at the receiver and at the transmitter Power loss can be measured. That is, the transmitter can estimate the power loss based on the difference between the transmit power of the transmitter and the receive power of the receiver in a correction step 550. [ A transmitter according to an exemplary embodiment may compensate a threshold for detecting a foreign substance by reflecting a predicted power loss. This allows the transmitter to more accurately detect foreign objects.

In the power transfer step 560, the transmitter determines whether an unexpected packet is received, a desired packet is received for a predefined time (time out), a violation of a predetermined power transmission contract occurs transfer contract violation, and if the charging is completed, the selection step 510 can be performed.

Also, in the power transfer step 560, the transmitter may transition to the renegotiation step 570 if it is necessary to reconfigure the power transfer contract according to the transmitter state change or the like. At this time, if the renegotiation is normally completed, the transmitter may return to power transfer step 560. [

The power transmission contract may be set based on the status and characteristic information of the transmitter and the receiver. For example, the transmitter status information may include information on the maximum amount of transmittable power, information on the maximum number of receivable receivers, and the receiver status information may include information on the requested power and the like.

6 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a wireless power transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6, the wireless power transmitter 600 may include a power conversion unit 610, a power transmission unit 620, a communication unit 630, a control unit 640, and a sensing unit 650 . It should be noted that the configuration of the wireless power transmitter 600 described above is not necessarily an essential configuration, and may be configured to include more or less components.

6, when the DC power is supplied from the power supply unit 660, the power converting unit 610 may convert the DC power into AC power having a predetermined intensity.

The power converter 610 may include a DC / DC converter 611, an inverter 612, and a frequency generator 613. The inverter 612 may be a half bridge inverter or a full bridge inverter. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a circuit configuration capable of converting DC power into AC power having a specific operating frequency is sufficient.

The DC / DC converting unit 611 may convert DC power supplied from the power supply unit 650 into DC power having a specific intensity according to a control signal of the controller 640. [

At this time, the sensing unit 650 may measure the voltage / current of the DC-converted power and provide the measured voltage / current to the controller 640. In addition, the sensing unit 650 may measure the internal temperature of the wireless power transmitter 600 and may provide the measurement result to the controller 640 in order to determine whether overheating occurs.

For example, the control unit 640 may adaptively cut off the power supply from the power supply unit 650 or block the supply of power to the amplifier 612 based on the voltage / current value measured by the sensing unit 650 . To this end, a power cutoff circuit may be further provided at one side of the power conversion unit 610 to cut off power supplied from the power supply unit 650 or to cut off power supplied to the amplifier 612.

The inverter 612 can convert the DC / DC converted DC power into AC power based on the reference AC signal generated by the frequency generator 613. At this time, the frequency of the reference AC signal - that is, the operating frequency - can be dynamically changed according to the control signal of the controller 640. The wireless power transmitter 600 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may adjust the operating frequency to adjust the intensity of the transmitted power.

For example, the control unit 640 may receive the power reception status information and / or the power control signal of the wireless power receiver through the communication unit 630 and may receive the power control information based on the received power reception status information and / To determine the operating frequency, and to dynamically control the frequency generator 613 to produce the determined operating frequency.

For example, the power reception status information may include, but is not limited to, the intensity information of the rectifier output voltage, the intensity information of the current applied to the reception coil, and the like. The power control signal may include a signal for requesting power increase, a signal for requesting power reduction, and the like.

The power transmitting unit 620 may be configured to include a multiplexer 621 (or a multiplexer), a transmitting coil unit 622, and the like. Here, the transmission coil section 622 may be composed of first to n-th transmission coils.

In addition, the power transmitting unit 620 may further include a carrier generator (not shown) for generating a specific carrier frequency for power transmission. In this case, the carrier generator may generate a specific carrier frequency for mixing with the output AC power of the inverter 612 transmitted through the multiplexer 621.

It should be noted that one embodiment of the present invention may have different frequencies of AC power delivered to each transmit coil.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the resonance frequency of each transmission coil may be set differently by using a predetermined frequency controller having a function of controlling LC resonance characteristics for different transmission coils.

The multiplexer 621 may perform a switch function to transmit AC power to the transmission coil selected by the controller 640. [ The controller 640 may select a transmission coil to be used for power transmission to the corresponding wireless power receiver based on the signal strength indicator received for each transmission coil.

The controller 640 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may transmit power through time division multiplexing for each transmission coil when a plurality of wireless power receivers are connected.

For example, if the wireless power transmitter 600 has three wireless power receivers-i. E., The first through third wireless power receivers, respectively, identified through three different transmit coils, i. E., First through third transmit coils , The control unit 640 controls the multiplexer 621 to control the AC power to be transmitted only through a specific transmission coil in a specific time slot. At this time, the amount of power transmitted to the corresponding wireless power receiver can be controlled according to the length of the time slot allocated for each transmission coil, but this is only one embodiment. DC power of the DC / DC converter 611 to control the transmission power of each wireless power receiver.

The control unit 640 may control the multiplexer 621 so that the detection signals may be sequentially transmitted through the first through n'th transmission coils 622 during the first detection signal transmission procedure. At this time, the control unit 640 can identify the time at which the detection signal is transmitted using the timer 655. When the time of the transmission of the trashed signal arrives, the control unit 640 controls the multiplexer 621 to output a detection signal It can be controlled to be transmitted. For example, the timer 650 can transmit a specific event signal to the control unit 640 at predetermined intervals during the ping transmission step. The control unit 640 controls the multiplexer 621 every time the corresponding event signal is detected So that the digital ping can be transmitted through the corresponding transmission coil.

In addition, the control unit 640 may transmit a predetermined transmission coil identifier for identifying a signal strength indicator (Signal Strength Indicator) through a transmission coil from the demodulation unit 632 during the first detection signal transmission procedure, Lt; / RTI > received signal strength indicator. In the second sensing signal sending process, the controller 640 controls the multiplexer 621 so that the sensing signal can be transmitted only through the transmitting coil (s) on which the signal strength indicator is received during the first sensing signal sending procedure You may. In another example, when there are a plurality of transmit coils in which the signal strength indicator is received during the first differential sense signal transmission procedure, the control unit 640 transmits the received transmit coil with the signal strength indicator having the largest value as the second differential sense signal In the procedure, the detection signal may be determined as a transmission coil to be transmitted first, and the multiplexer 621 may be controlled according to the determination result.

The communication unit 630 may include at least one of a modulation unit 631 and a demodulation unit 632.

The modulator 631 may modulate the control signal generated by the controller 640 and transmit the modulated control signal to the multiplexer 621. Here, the modulation scheme for modulating the control signal includes a frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation scheme, a Manchester coding modulation scheme, a phase shift keying (PSK) modulation scheme, a pulse width modulation scheme, A differential bi-phase modulation method, and the like.

The demodulator 632 can demodulate the detected signal and transmit the demodulated signal to the controller 640 when a signal received through the transmission coil is detected. Here, the demodulated signal may include a signal strength indicator, an error correction (EC) indicator for power control during wireless power transmission, an end of charge indicator (EOC), an overvoltage / overcurrent / overheat indicator, But is not limited to, various status information for identifying the status of the wireless power receiver.

Also, the demodulator 632 can identify which of the transmit coils the demodulated signal is received, and provide the control unit 640 with a predetermined transmit coil identifier corresponding to the identified transmit coil.

 The demodulation unit 632 can demodulate the signal received through the transmission coil 623 and transmit the demodulated signal to the control unit 640. In one example, the demodulated signal may include, but is not limited to, a signal strength indicator, and the demodulated signal may include various status information of the wireless power receiver.

In one example, the wireless power transmitter 600 may obtain the signal strength indicator through in-band communication that uses the same frequency used for wireless power transmission to communicate with the wireless power receiver.

In addition, the wireless power transmitter 600 may transmit wireless power using the transmit coil portion 622, as well as exchange various control signals and status information with the wireless power receiver via the transmit coil portion 622 . As another example, a separate coil corresponding to each of the first to n-th transmission coils of the transmission coil section 622 may be additionally provided in the wireless power transmitter 600, and wireless power It should be noted that it may also perform in-band communication with the receiver.

Although the wireless power transmitter 600 and the wireless power receiver perform in-band communication in the description of FIG. 6, this is merely an example, and the frequency band used for the wireless power signal transmission Directional communication through different frequency bands. For example, the near-end bi-directional communication may be any one of low-power Bluetooth communication, RFID communication, UWB communication, and Zigbee communication.

6, the power transmission unit 620 of the wireless power transmitter 600 includes a multiplexer 621 and a plurality of transmission coils 622, but this is only one embodiment, It should be noted that the power transmission unit 620 according to the embodiment may be composed of one transmission coil.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7, the battery pack charger 700 includes an integrated charge control circuit 710, a wireless charging antenna 720, a rechargeable battery 730, a switch 740, a power terminal 750, and a power sensor 760, As shown in FIG.

The integrated charge control circuit 710 can control the overall operation of the battery pack charger 700.

Integrated charge control circuitry 710 includes circuitry (s) for generating ac power signals for transmission via wireless charging antenna 720 and for communicating with the receiver and circuitry (not shown) for controlling the charging of rechargeable battery 730 Device (s) < / RTI > Here, the circuit element may be a semiconductor device such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a memory, as well as a resistor, a capacitor, a diode, a transistor, an amplifier, May include general circuit components of the < RTI ID = 0.0 >

In the following embodiments, the wireless charge control operation and the battery charge control operation of the battery pack charger 700 may be performed by at least one processor mounted in the integrated charge control circuit 710. [

The integrated charge control circuit 710 may supply power to the rechargeable battery 730 through the control of the switch 740 or may be supplied with the charged power to the rechargeable battery 730.

For example, when the power plug is connected to the power input terminal 750, the integrated charge control circuit 710 can charge the rechargeable battery 730 using the power applied through the power input terminal 750. In addition, when the external power source is not connected, the integrated charging control circuit 710 may perform the wireless charging by performing the searching procedure of the receiver capable of wireless charging using the electric power charged in the charging battery 730.

The power sensor 760 may measure the remaining charge of the rechargeable battery 730 and transmit the measurement results to the integrated charge control circuit 710.

The integrated charge control circuit 710 can determine whether to transmit the wireless power through the wireless charging antenna 720 based on the remaining charge amount of the rechargeable battery 730. [

The integrated charging control circuit 710 also controls the charging antenna 720 and the charging battery 730 based on the power required by the receiver and the power applied from the external power supply, It is also possible to dynamically distribute the amount of electric power to be supplied to the battery.

The integrated charge control circuit 710 can control the battery pack charger 700 to operate only as a wireless power transmitter when the rechargeable battery 730 is not mounted in the battery pack charger 700. [

8 is a diagram for explaining a hardware structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8, the battery pack charger 800 includes a main body 810, a hinge 820, a charging pad cover 830, a rechargeable battery 850, a receiving portion 860, a control circuit board 870, And a terminal 880. Fig.

The hinge 820 is provided on one side of the main body and can be configured to open and close the charging pad cover 830 in the direction of the arrow 831. [

The user can open the charging pad cover 830 to seat the rechargeable battery 850 in the accommodating portion 860. [ At this time, the rechargeable battery 850 is attached to the receiving portion 860 such that the metal terminal 851 provided on one side of the rechargeable battery 850 and the metal terminal 861 provided on one side of the receiving portion 860 are in contact with each other do.

A wireless charging antenna 840 may be mounted inside the charging pad cover 830. Both terminals of the wireless charging antenna 840 are electrically connected to the control circuit board 870.

In addition, the rechargeable battery 850 and the power terminal 880 are also electrically connected to the control circuit board 870.

The integrated charge control circuit 710 of FIG. 7 may be mounted on the control circuit board 870 according to an embodiment, and may be implemented as a single board type. The control circuit board 870 according to another embodiment may be implemented as a multi board type in which a wireless charging sub board implemented as a removable PCB is mounted on the main board.

9 is a block diagram for explaining a structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to another embodiment of the present invention.

9, the battery pack charger 900 includes an integrated charge control circuit 910, a wireless charging antenna 920, a rechargeable battery 930, a switch 940, a power terminal 950, a power sensor 960, And a USB terminal 970.

The description of the integrated charge control circuit 910, the wireless charging antenna 920, the rechargeable battery 930, the switch 940, the power supply terminal 950 and the power sensor 960 is the same as that of the above- The control circuit 710, the wireless charging antenna 720, the battery pack 730, the switch 740, the power supply terminal 750, and the power sensor 760.

When the external device is connected to the USB terminal 970 via the USB cable, the integrated charge control circuit 910 can control the battery pack charger 900 to operate as the auxiliary battery. For example, when the USB plug is inserted into the USB terminal 970, the integrated charge control circuit 910 controls the switch 940 so that the electric power charged in the rechargeable battery 930 is supplied to an external device connected to the USB terminal 970 To be supplied.

If an external device is connected to the USB terminal while power is being supplied from the external power supply, the integrated charge control circuit 910 controls the power supplied through the power supply terminal 950 to the USB terminal 970 To be supplied to the external device.

In another example, when an external device is connected to the USB terminal 970 during wireless charging using an external power source, the integrated charging control circuit 910 continuously uses the external power source for wireless charging and charges the charging battery 930 The power can be controlled to be supplied to an external device connected to the USB terminal 970.

When the external device is connected to the USB terminal during the wireless charging using the rechargeable battery 930 while the external power is not connected, the integrated charge control circuit 910 sets the wireless charging Function and the auxiliary battery function can be controlled to be performed.

If the external device is connected to the USB terminal during wireless charging using the rechargeable battery 930 in the state where the external power is not connected, the integrated charge control circuit 910 controls the current charging of the rechargeable battery 930 The power of the rechargeable battery 930 may be dynamically distributed based on the remaining power (or output voltage) and the required power of the wireless power receiver.

10 is a diagram for explaining a hardware structure of a battery pack charger equipped with a wireless charging function according to another embodiment of the present invention.

10, the battery pack charger 1000 includes a main body 810, a hinge 820, a charging pad cover 830, a rechargeable battery 850, a receiving portion 860, And may further include a USB terminal 1010 as well as a control circuit board 870 and a power terminal 880.

The USB terminal 1010 may be connected to an external device via a USB cable 1020 and may be electrically connected to the control circuit board 870.

When an external device is connected to the USB terminal 1010, a processor (not shown) provided on the control circuit board 870 can supply power to the battery 850 or power supplied through the power terminal 880 Can be controlled to be supplied to the external device through the USB terminal 1010.

11 is a flowchart illustrating a wireless charging method in a battery pack charger according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, the battery pack charger can confirm whether an external power source is connected (S1101).

As a result, if the external power source is not connected, the battery pack charger can perform the receiver searching procedure using the power charged in the battery pack to detect the receiver disposed in the charging area (S1102 to S1103).

The battery pack charger can perform wireless charging of the sensed receiver using the electric power charged in the rechargeable battery when the wireless rechargeable receiver is detected through the receiver search procedure (S1104).

If the external power source is connected in step S1101, the battery pack charger may perform a receiver search procedure using an external power source to detect a receiver disposed in the charging area (S1106 to S1107).

The battery pack charger can perform wireless charging of the receiver sensed using the external power source when the receiver capable of wireless charging is detected through the receiver searching procedure in step S1105 (S1107).

The battery pack charger can charge the rechargeable battery using the external power source if the receiver capable of wireless charging is not detected through the receiver search procedure in step S1105 (S1108).

12 is a flowchart illustrating a wireless charging method in a battery pack charger according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 12, the battery pack charger can confirm whether an external power source is connected (S1201).

As a result, when the external power source is connected, the battery pack charger can start charging the rechargeable battery using the external power source (S1202).

The battery pack charger can stop the charging of the rechargeable battery and perform wireless charging of the sensed receiver using the external power supply when the receiver capable of wireless recharge is detected through the receiver searching procedure (S1203 to S1204). Here, the battery pack charger may distribute a part of the external power to the transmission of the ping signal for searching the receiver, but this is only one embodiment, and the receiver search procedure may be performed using the power charged in the rechargeable battery .

As a result of the checking in step S1201, if the external power source is not connected, the battery pack charger can perform a receiver search procedure using the electric power charged in the rechargeable battery to detect the receiver disposed in the charge area (S1205 to S1206 ).

The battery pack charger can perform wireless charging for the sensed receiver using the power charged in the rechargeable battery when the wireless rechargeable receiver is detected through the receiver search procedure (S1207).

However, if the receiver is not detected despite the receiver search for the predetermined time in step 1206, the process may return to step 1201. [

As in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the battery pack charger according to the present invention can dynamically control a power supply target according to a preset priority. Here, the power supply target may include, but is not limited to, a wireless power receiver and a rechargeable battery, and an external device connected to the USB terminal may be further included in the power supply target, as in the embodiment of Figs. have.

The methods according to the above-described embodiments may be implemented as a program for execution in a computer and stored in a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include ROM, RAM, CD- , Floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.

Accordingly, the above description should not be construed in a limiting sense in all respects and should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by rational interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the scope of equivalents of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (17)

A method for wireless charging in a battery pack charger,
Determining whether an external power source is connected;
If it is determined that the external power source is connected, searching for a wireless power receiver located in a charging area using power supplied through an external power source;
Performing wireless charging for the sensed wireless power receiver using power supplied through the external power source when the wireless power receiver is detected as a result of the search; And
If the wireless power receiver is not detected, charging the rechargeable battery using power supplied from the external power source
And the wireless charging method. The method according to claim 1,
And if the external power is not connected, searching for a wireless power receiver located in the charging area using the power of the rechargeable battery as a result of the determination. 3. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising wireless charging the sensed wireless power receiver using the power of the rechargeable battery when the wireless power receiver is sensed using the power of the rechargeable battery. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising the step of charging the rechargeable battery using the external power source when the wireless recharging using the external power source is completed. A method for wireless charging in a battery pack charger,
Determining whether an external power source is connected;
Charging the rechargeable battery using power supplied through the external power source when the external power source is connected;
Searching for a wireless power receiver located in a charging area using power supplied through the external power source; And
Stopping charging of the rechargeable battery when the wireless power receiver is detected as a result of the search and performing wireless charging for the sensed wireless power receiver using power supplied through the external power supply
And the wireless charging method. 6. The method of claim 5,
And if the external power is not connected, searching for a wireless power receiver located in the charging area using the power of the rechargeable battery as a result of the determination. The method according to claim 6,
Further comprising wireless charging the sensed wireless power receiver using the power of the rechargeable battery when the wireless power receiver is sensed using the power of the rechargeable battery. main body;
A receiving portion provided in the main body and to which a rechargeable battery is mounted;
A control circuit board electrically connected to a metal terminal provided in the accommodating portion;
A charging pad cover having a wireless charging antenna connected to the control circuit board and configured to open and close the receiving portion; And
A power supply terminal connected to an external power source and electrically connected to the control circuit board
And the battery pack charger. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the control circuit board comprises circuit elements for controlling wireless charging and circuit elements for controlling charging of the rechargeable battery. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein a circuit element for controlling wireless charging is implemented in a sub board form and mounted on the control circuit board. 9. The method of claim 8,
And a USB terminal for supplying electric power charged in the rechargeable battery to an external device via a USB cable is further provided in the main body. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the control circuit board is provided with at least one processor,
The processor searches for a wireless power receiver disposed on the charging pad cover using power supplied through the external power source when the external power source is connected to the power terminal, And controls to wirelessly charge the sensed wireless power receiver using power supplied through the external power source. 13. The method of claim 12,
And if the wireless power receiver is not detected as a result of the search, the processor controls the rechargeable battery to be charged using power supplied from the external power supply. 13. The method of claim 12,
The processor searches for a wireless power receiver disposed in the charging pad cover using the power of the rechargeable battery when the external power source is not connected. 15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein when the wireless power receiver is sensed using the power of the rechargeable battery, the processor controls the wireless charging of the sensed wireless power receiver using the power of the rechargeable battery. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein when the wireless charging using the external power source is completed, the processor controls the charging battery to be charged using the external power source. Rechargeable battery;
A wireless charging transmitter for wirelessly transmitting power to a wireless power receiver; And
A charging control circuit for dynamically controlling power supplied to the wireless charging transmitter according to whether an external power source is connected or not,
Wherein the charging control circuit performs wireless charging using the external power when the external power is connected and performs wireless charging using the power of the charging battery when the external power is not connected Wherein the battery pack charger is a battery pack charger.

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