JP5534795B2 - Electronics - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic device (charged device) that is charged by a charging device of a non-contact charging method.

  In the non-contact charging method, in order to increase the charging efficiency of the device to be charged, a primary coil for charging the charging device (charging coil) and a secondary coil for charging the charging device (charged coil) It is necessary to align the direction accurately. Therefore, although it is non-contact charging, there are restrictions on the installation posture of the device to be charged, and it is difficult to say that it is convenient for the user.

  In order to solve this problem, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique in which a loop surface of a coil to be charged is formed on an installation stable surface of a device to be charged.

  Patent Document 2 proposes a technique of providing a plurality of coils to be charged in a device to be charged, measuring the amount of power of the coil to be charged, and selecting the most efficient coil to be charged.

JP-A-4-317527 (Claim 2 FIG. 10) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-110399 (Claim 2 FIGS. 1 to 3)

  However, in the technique proposed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, there is a power loss in a coil that is not receiving power, and there is a problem that the power loss increases as the number of loop surfaces to be formed increases.

  In the technique proposed in Patent Document 2, a circuit for measuring power is required for each coil to be charged, and a memory for recording the amount of power is also required, which increases costs and space. There was a problem of being connected.

  The objective of this invention is providing the electronic device which can be charged efficiently, aiming at low cost and space saving.

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic device according to claim 1 is a non-contact type electronic device that is charged from a charging coil of a charging device, and a plurality of charged coils that are charged from the charging coil; An attitude detection unit that detects an attitude of the electronic device, and a switching unit that switches and selects a specific coil to be charged among the plurality of coils to be charged according to the attitude of the electronic device detected by the attitude detection unit. And determining means for determining whether or not the posture detecting means is operable. When the determining means determines that the posture detecting means is inoperable, the switching means includes a plurality of the objects to be detected. When the charging coil is selected to be switched, and the determination means determines that the posture detection means is operable, the switching means is detected before the detection by the posture detection means. Depending on the orientation of the electronic device, and selects switching a particular device under the charging coil.

  According to the electronic device of the present invention, it is possible to charge efficiently while achieving low cost and space saving.

1 is a configuration diagram of a non-contact charging system including a charged device (electronic device) and a charging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the mode of charge in the charging system of FIG. It is a figure which shows the attitude | position of the attitude | position detection part in FIG. 1, and a to-be-charged apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the to-be-charged (power receiving) process performed by the to-be-charged apparatus in FIG. It is a figure which shows the attitude | position of the attitude | position detection part which requires electric power, and a to-be-charged apparatus. It is a block diagram of the non-contact-type charging system which consists of a to-be-charged apparatus (electronic device) and a charging device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the switching state of the changeover switch in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the to-be-charged (power receiving) process performed by the to-be-charged apparatus in FIG.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a non-contact charging system including a charged device (electronic device) and a charging device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a charging device 100 includes a power source 101, a charging (power feeding) coil L1, and a resonance circuit 102 that drives the charging coil L1.

  A charged device 200 as an electronic device includes charged (power receiving) coils L2x, L2y, and L2z, changeover switches SW1x, SW1y, and SW1z, a rectifier circuit 201, and a storage battery that are disposed on the installation stable surface of the charged device 200. 202. The charged device 200 includes a load 203 and a posture detection unit 210.

  The feature of the present embodiment is that the posture detection unit 210 is used to control the changeover switch to select a specific coil to be charged.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state of charging in the charging system of FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the charging coil L1 and the charged coil L2y face each other, and charging is performed from the charging coil L1 to the charged coil L2y in a non-contact manner.

  In the present embodiment, the number of charged coils L2 is exemplified as three, but it is desirable that the charged coils L2 are arranged on all the installation stable surfaces.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the posture of the posture detection unit and the charged device in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, as the attitude detection unit 210, an inclination sensor that mechanically detects the direction of gravity is given as an example.

  When the posture of the posture detection unit 210 and the charged device 200 are (a-1) and (a-2), and (b-1) and (b-1) rotated 90 degrees from (a-1) and (a-2), The case of b-2) and the case of (c-1) and (c-2) rotated 180 degrees from (a-1) and (a-2) are shown.

  In FIG. 3, the detection member 211 and the ball member 213 form a switch SW1, and the detection member 212 and the ball member 213 form a switch SW2. The switch SW1 and the changeover switches SW1x, SW1y, SW1z are irrelevant.

  When the detection member 211 and the ball member 213 or the detection member 212 and the ball member 213 are in contact, the switches SW1 and SW2 are in the ON state, and when they are not in contact, the switches SW1 and SW2 are in the OFF state. When the predetermined inclination is exceeded, the switch state changes, so that the posture of the device to be charged 200 can be detected.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a charged (power receiving) process executed by the charged device in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, in step S <b> 110, the posture of the charged device 200 is detected by the posture detection unit 210. Suppose that the charged device 200 is placed on the charging device 100 as shown in FIG.

  At that time, the posture detection unit 210 is in the state of (b-1) in FIG. 3, and SW1 = ON and SW2 = ON. Therefore, it is determined that the posture is (b), and the process proceeds to step S122.

  In step S122, based on the detection result of step S110, the to-be-charged coil L2y in the most efficient direction is selected with respect to the charging coil L1. Here, control is performed so that the changeover switch SW1y in FIG. 1 is turned on and the other changeover switches SW1x and SW1z are turned off.

  In step S130, only the to-be-charged coil L2y is charged by the charging coil L1, and no current flows through the other to-be-charged coils L2x and L2z.

  Here, the case of the posture (b) has been described. However, in the case of the posture (a), SW1 = OFF and SW2 = ON state, and the process proceeds to step S121. In the case of the posture (c), SW1 = ON, SW2 = Proceed to step S123 in the OFF state.

  In either case, the most efficient charged coil is finally selected, charging is performed between the selected charged coil L2 and the charging coil L1, and the other unused charged coil L2 is used. No current flows.

  As described above, by selecting only the most efficient coil to be charged using the posture detection unit 210, the charged device 200 can be charged in any posture. In addition, since no current flows through an unnecessary coil to be charged, power loss here can be suppressed. Furthermore, only the attitude detection unit 210 needs to be mounted, and a low cost and space saving can be achieved as compared with a method of installing a power detection circuit for each coil to be charged.

(Second Embodiment)
In 1st Embodiment, it will be limited to the case where the attitude | position detection part is the structure which does not require electric power, or when the electric power of the level which operates an attitude | position detection part remains in a to-be-charged apparatus. However, there may be a case where a circuit that requires electric power as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the posture of the posture detection unit and the device to be charged that require electric power.

  When the posture of the posture detection unit 220 and the to-be-charged device 200 are (a-1) and (a-2), and (b-1) rotated by 90 degrees from (a-1) and (a-2), ( The case of b-2) and the case of (c-1) and (c-2) rotated 180 degrees from (a-1) and (a-2) are shown.

  In FIG. 5, an LED 214, a phototransistor 215, and a ball member 216 that shields light constitute a switch SW1, and an LED 217, phototransistor 218, and a ball member 219 that shields light constitute a switch SW2. The other portions are the same as those in FIG. 3, and the description thereof is omitted here.

  In FIG. 5, light from the LEDs 214 and 217 is transmitted or blocked depending on the position of the ball members 216 and 219. Accordingly, the phototransistors 215 and 218 receive light or are blocked, and an ON / OFF signal is output.

  In such an attitude detection unit 220, electric power is required to turn on the LEDs 214 and 217 and operate the phototransistors 215 and 218. However, when the remaining amount of power falls below a level at which the posture detection unit 220 can operate, posture detection cannot be performed, and selection of a charged coil becomes impossible.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment, a configuration is shown that can be handled even when the remaining power level of the device to be charged 200 is equal to or lower than a level at which the posture detection unit 220 can operate.

  FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a contactless charging system including a charged device (electronic device) and a charging device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  6, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted here. The newly added locations are the changeover switches SW2x, SW2y, SW2z and the remaining amount detection unit 204. The change-over switches SW2x, SW2y, SW2z and the switch SW2 shown in FIG. 5 are irrelevant.

  In the present embodiment, the remaining amount of power stored in the storage battery 202 is detected by the remaining amount detection unit 204, and in a state where the posture detection unit 220 becomes inoperable, the changeover switch is switched and a plurality of charged coils L2x, L2y and L2z are charged.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the switching state of the selector switch in FIG.

  7A shows a state in which the remaining power of the storage battery 202 is less than the level at which the posture detection unit 220 can operate, and FIG. 7B shows that the remaining power of the storage battery 202 can operate the posture detection unit 220. It is in a state where the level is over.

  Further, in (a), the switching SW1x and SW2z are ON, the portion indicated by the solid line is the portion where the current actually flows, and the current indicated is not the portion indicated by the broken line. Further, in (b), the switching SW1y and SW2y are ON, and again, the current flows in the portion indicated by the solid line and the current does not flow in the portion indicated by the broken line.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a charged (power receiving) process executed by the charged device in FIG.

  In FIG. 8, the remaining amount detection unit 204 detects the remaining amount of the storage battery 202 in step S210.

  When it is determined that the remaining amount of power of the storage battery 202 is less than the operation level of the posture detection unit 220, in step S220, a changeover switch is connected so that the plurality of charged coils L2x, L2y, L2z can receive power.

  Here, the changeover switch is switched to the state of FIG. That is, the changeover switches SW1x and SW2z are turned on, and the changeover switches SW1y, SW1z, SW2x and SW2y are turned off.

  Thereby, the plurality of coils to be charged L2x, L2y, L2z can be charged in any posture. Next, in step S230, charging is performed. Assuming that the installation direction of the device to be charged 200 is the direction shown in FIG. 2, the device to be charged 200 is charged by the charging coil L1 and the coil to be charged L2y.

  If charging proceeds and it is determined in step S210 that the remaining power level of the storage battery 202 is equal to or higher than the operation level of the posture detection unit 220, the process proceeds to step S240, where the posture detection unit 220 operates and The posture is detected.

  At that time, the posture detection unit 220 is in the state of (b-1) in FIG. 5, and SW1 = ON and SW2 = ON. Therefore, it is determined that the posture is (b), and the process proceeds to step S252.

  In step S252, based on the detection result of step S240, in order to select the to-be-charged coil L2y in the most efficient direction for the charging coil L1, the changeover switch is switched to the state of FIG.

  That is, the changeover switches SW1y and SW2y are turned on, and the other changeover switches SW1x, SW2x, SW1z, and SW2z are turned off.

  In step S260, only the coil to be charged L2y is charged.

  Here, the case of the posture (b) has been described, but in the case of the posture (a), SW1 = OFF and SW2 = ON, and the process proceeds to step S251. In the case of the posture (c), SW1 = ON, The process proceeds to step S253 with SW2 = OFF.

  In either case, the most efficient coil to be charged is finally selected, and charging is performed between the selected coil to be charged and the charging coil L1.

  In this way, when the posture detection unit 220 is inoperable electric power, by connecting the changeover switch so that the plurality of charged coils L2x, L2y, and L2z are charged, the coil that is not receiving electric power is connected. Although there is unnecessary power loss, charging is performed reliably.

  Moreover, if the attitude | position detection part 220 can operate | move, only a required to-be-charged coil will operate | move and an electric current will not flow into another unnecessary to-be-charged coil, and can suppress the power loss here.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Charging apparatus 101 Power supply 102 Resonant circuit L1 Charging coil 200 Charged apparatus 201 Rectifier circuit 202 Storage battery 203 Load,
210 Posture detection unit 204 Remaining amount detection unit L2x to L2z Charged coils SW1x to SW1z, SW2x to Sw2z changeover switch

Claims (3)

In electronic devices that are charged from the charging coil of the charging device in a non-contact manner,
A plurality of coils to be charged that are charged from the charging coil;
Attitude detection means for detecting the attitude of the electronic device;
Switching means for switching and selecting a specific coil to be charged from among the plurality of coils to be charged according to the attitude of the electronic device detected by the attitude detection unit;
Determination means for determining whether or not the posture detection means is operable,
When the determination means determines that the posture detection means is inoperable, the switching means switches and selects the plurality of charged coils, and the determination means determines that the posture detection means is operable. In this case, the switching means switches and selects a specific coil to be charged in accordance with the attitude of the electronic apparatus detected by the attitude detection means .   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture detection unit is a tilt sensor. The determination means according to claim 1 or 2 electronic device, wherein it is a remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of the charging power.

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