Wireless power feeding system, method of controlling the same, program, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016197488-A1
Application number	US-201414910443-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Sep 18, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of determining a power transmission device to be set as a master device such that wasteful communication is not caused. In a wireless power feeding system, a power transmission device that transmits electric power to a power reception device forms a group with other power transmission devices. The power transmission device performs communication with the power reception device or the other power transmission devices using a wireless transmission section and a wireless reception section, and exchanges information with the other power transmission devices. The power transmission device receives a setting for determining a power transmission device to be set as a master device out of the self device and the other power transmission devices, with which information has been exchanged. If the received setting is for setting the self device as the master device, the self device is set as the master device.

First claim

1 . A wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device that transmits electric power forms a group in cooperation with at least one other power transmission device,
wherein the power transmission device comprises: a power transmission unit configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device; a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception device or the at least one other power transmission device; an information exchanging unit configured to exchange information with any of the at least one other power transmission device, with which said communication unit can perform communication; an input unit configured to receive a setting for determining a power transmission device to be set as a master device out of the self device and any of the at least one other power transmission device, with which said information exchanging unit has exchanged information; and a determination unit configured to determine the self device as the power transmission device to be set as the master device, in a case where the setting received by said input unit is a setting for determining the self device as the master device.

2 . The wireless power feeding system according to claim 1 , wherein the information exchanged by said information exchanging unit includes at least one of a communicatable distance, a power transmittable distance, and the maximum transmittable electric power.

3 . A wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device that transmits electric power forms a group in cooperation with at least one other power transmission device,
wherein the power transmission device comprises: a power transmission unit configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device; a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception device or the at least one other power transmission device; an information exchanging unit configured to exchange information with any of the at least one other power transmission device, with which said communication unit can perform communication; a comparison unit configured to compare management information stored in the self device and management information of any of the at least one other power transmission device, which is obtained by said information exchanging unit; and a determination unit configured to determine the self device as the power transmission device to be set as the master device, in a case where it is judged based on a result of comparison by said comparison unit that the self device has higher capabilities.

4 . The wireless power feeding system according to claim 3 , wherein the management information includes at least one of performance of a CPU of the power transmission device, a compliant version of a standard, a management capability value of the power reception device, and a communicatable distance.

5 . A wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device that transmits electric power forms a group in cooperation with at least one other power transmission device,
wherein the power transmission device comprises: a power transmission unit configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device; a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception device or the at least one other power transmission device; an acquisition unit configured to acquire time information at a predetermined timing; an information exchanging unit configured to exchange information with any of the at least one other power transmission device, with which said communication unit can perform communication; a comparison unit configured to compare time information in management information stored in the self device and time information in management information of any of the at least one other power transmission device, which is obtained by said information exchanging unit; and a determination unit configured to determine the self device as the power transmission device to be set as the master device, in a case where it is judged based on a result of comparison by said comparison unit that time information of the self device is earliest.

6 . The wireless power feeding system according to claim 5 , wherein the predetermined timing is immediately after startup of the power transmission device.

7 . A wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device that transmits electric power forms a group in cooperation with at least one other power transmission device,
wherein the power transmission device comprises: a power transmission unit configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device; a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception device or the at least one other power transmission device; a calculation unit configured to calculate the number of communicatable power transmission devices, using said communication unit; an acquisition unit configured to acquire the number of communicatable power transmission devices from each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, using said communication unit; a comparison unit configured to compare the number of communicatable power transmission devices, which is calculated by said calculation unit, and the number of communicatable power transmission devices of each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, which is acquired by said acquisition unit; and a determination unit configured to determine the self device as the power transmission device to be set as the master device, in a case where it is judged, based on a result of comparison by said comparison unit that the number of communicatable power transmission devices, which is calculated by said calculation unit, is larger than the number of communicatable power transmission devices of each communicatable one of the at least one other power transmission device, which is acquired by said acquisition unit.

8 . A wireless power feeding system for supplying electric power to a power reception device, in which a power transmission device that transmits electric power forms a group in cooperation with at least one other power transmission device,
wherein the power transmission device comprises: a power transmission unit configured to transmit electric power to the power reception device; a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception device or the at least one other power transmission device; a calculation unit configured to calculate location information, a power feeding area, and a communication area of the self device; an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from each of the at least one other power transmission device location information, a power feeding area, and a communication area thereof, using said communication unit; a comparison unit configured to compare the location information, the power feeding area, and the communication area of the self device, which are calculated by said calculation unit, and the location information, the power feeding area, and the communication area of each of the at least one other power transmission device, which are acquired by said acquisition unit; and a determination unit configured to determine the self device as the power transmission device to be set as the master device, in a case it is judged based on a result of comparison by said comparison unit that the self device is advantageous.

9 . The wireless power feed

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Hada Manabu
• Akazawa Minoru
• Kitajima Keisuke

Classifications

• H02J4/25

  for transfer of electric power between AC and DC networks, e.g. for supplying the DC section within a load from an AC mains system · CPC title

• H02J50/80 Primary

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H02J5/005 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J50/90

  involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title