JP6161376B2 - apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless power receiving apparatus and power receiving method.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system that supplies power by contactless (wireless) is known. There are four methods for supplying power wirelessly. That is, an electromagnetic induction method, a magnetic field resonance method, an electric field coupling method, and a radio wave reception method. In recent years, among these four methods, the magnetic field resonance method, which has a large power that can be transmitted and has a long transmission distance, has attracted attention.
On the other hand, a technique for switching the power source of the apparatus according to the state of the apparatus is also known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for switching a power source from a main power source to a secondary battery when the state of the apparatus is switched from a normal state to a sleep (power saving) state that consumes less power than the normal state. It is disclosed. Patent Document 1 further discloses a technology that enables selection of a main power source or external I / F power supply as a charging source for a secondary battery.

JP 2011-245626 A

  However, in the wireless power feeding system, it is assumed that the power feeding to the power receiving device stops when the power transmitting device shuts down during power transmission to the power receiving device or when the power receiving device moves out of the wireless power feeding area. The As described above, when power supply to the power receiving apparatus is stopped, there is a problem in that the power receiving apparatus does not operate normally.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that allows a power receiving apparatus to operate normally even when wireless power feeding to the power receiving apparatus is stopped.

A wireless power receiving unit that receives power from an external device wirelessly; a power source that receives power from a commercial power source ; and a secondary battery, wherein the wireless power receiving unit wirelessly supplies power from the external device. the receiving though that if the power supply to the device by the power supply unit is stopped, in accordance with particular said device that the radio by the power supply from the external device is stopped is detected for the wireless power receiving unit, wherein device utilizes the electric power charged in the secondary battery, characterized by the Turkey to resume power supply to the device by the power supply unit.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even if it is a case where the wireless electric power feeding to a power receiving apparatus stops, the mechanism which a power receiving apparatus can operate | move normally can be provided.

It is a figure which shows a wireless power feeding system. It is a figure which shows MFP subunit. It is a figure which shows a power supply part. It is a sequence diagram which shows an electric power feeding process. It is a flowchart which shows a transfer process. It is a flowchart which shows the power supply control process in a sleep state. It is a flowchart which shows the power supply control process in a sleep state. It is a flowchart which shows a transfer process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wireless power feeding system. The wireless power feeding system includes a multifunction image forming apparatus (MFP) main body 10 as a power transmission apparatus and an MFP slave unit 20 as a power receiving apparatus. Although FIG. 1 shows three MFP slave units 20, the number of MFP slave units 20 is not limited to the embodiment.
The MFP main body 10 sends power to the MFP slave device 20 wirelessly. Further, the MFP body 10 performs data communication necessary for power supply with the MFP slave unit 20. The MFP slave unit 20 receives power from the MFP body 10 wirelessly. Further, the MFP slave unit 20 performs data communication necessary for power supply with the MFP body 10.

Here, the power supply area 30 is an area where power can be supplied from the MFP body 10 to the MFP slave device 20. The power supply area 30 is a range determined by the power supply capability of the MFP body 10. As shown in FIG. 1, when there are a plurality of MFP slave units 20 in the power supply area 30, the MFP body 10 can execute wireless power feeding to each of the plurality of MFP slave units 20.
The communication area 40 is an area where data communication can be performed between the MFP main body 10 and the MFP slave device 20. The communication area 40 is wider than the power supply area 30, and the communication area 40 includes the power supply area 30.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the MFP slave device 20. The MFP slave device 20 includes a wireless power receiving unit 200, a controller unit 210, a wireless power transmission unit 220, and a power supply unit 230. The controller unit 210, the wireless power transmission unit 220, and the wireless power reception unit 200 are connected by an internal bus. The power supply unit 230 is connected to each unit and supplies power.
The wireless power reception unit 200 includes a voltage stabilization circuit 202, a rectification circuit 203, a demodulation circuit 204, a reception circuit 205, a diplexer 206, and a power reception coil unit 207. The power receiving coil unit 207 has a plurality of resonance coils as resonance elements. The signal and power received by the power receiving coil unit 207 are divided into power and modulation signal by the diplexer 206. The electric power divided by the diplexer 206 is rectified by the rectifier circuit 203, stabilized by the voltage stabilization circuit 202, and input to the power supply unit 230. The modulation signal divided by the diplexer 206 is received by the reception circuit 205 and demodulated by the demodulation circuit 204.
In the present embodiment, the power receiving coil unit 207 includes a plurality of resonance coils, but the configuration of the power receiving coil unit 207 is not limited to this.
The wireless power transmission unit 220 includes a wireless communication circuit 221 and a power transmission coil unit 222. For example, when the MFP slave unit 20 receives a power necessity confirmation request from the MFP body 10, the wireless power transmission unit 220 transmits the power requirement information of the MFP slave unit 20 itself to the MFP body 10.

The controller unit 210 includes an operation unit 211, a CPU 212, a storage device 213, a ROM 214, and a RAM 215. The storage device 213 and the ROM 214 store various information.
The CPU 212 is activated from a boot program stored in the ROM 214. After startup, the CPU 212 expands the main program compressed and stored in the nonvolatile storage device 213 in the RAM 215, and thereafter performs an operation process using the expanded main program. The operation unit 211 displays display data input from the CPU 212 on its own display unit. The operation unit 211 also sends input data to the CPU 212.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the power supply unit 230. The power supply unit 230 includes a power supply control unit 231, a secondary battery 232, an AC / DC main power supply 233, and an operation power switch (SW) 234. The main power supply 233 receives a commercial power supply and generates power for each part of the MFP slave unit 20. The secondary battery 232 is a chargeable power source.

The power supply control unit 231 also sets one of the power outputs of the wireless power receiving unit 200, the secondary battery 232, and the main power supply 233 to the sleep state when the MFP slave unit 20 transitions from the normal state to the sleep state. Output as power source 242.
Here, the normal state and the sleep state are states of power consumption of the MFP slave device 20. The sleep state is a power saving state in which the power consumption of the MFP slave device 20 is smaller than that in the normal state. For example, when there is no operation job for a certain period of time or when the user inputs to the operation unit 211, the state of the MFP body 10 shifts from the normal state to the sleep state.
In the sleep state, the power supply control unit 231 further monitors whether or not a sleep state cancellation factor has occurred. As a sleep state cancellation factor, for example, an input of an instruction to return to the normal state to the operation unit 211 can be cited.

The power control unit 231 also detects whether or not a stable power is output from the wireless power receiving unit 200, that is, the wireless power receiving unit 200 detects the presence or absence of wireless power feeding from the MFP body 10. Specifically, the power supply control unit 231 includes a comparator circuit, and detects the presence or absence of wireless power feeding by the comparator circuit.
The power supply control unit 231 also controls charging of the secondary battery 232. When the capacity of the secondary battery 232 is empty, the power supply control unit 231 selects the main power supply 233 as a charging source for the secondary battery 232 in the normal state, and switches the wireless power reception unit 200 in the sleep state. Select as charging source. The power supply control unit 231 controls charging of the secondary battery 232 from the selected charging source.

The power control unit 231 controls the power supplied to each unit. Specifically, the power supply control unit 231 controls on / off of the SW 234 by inputting the on / off signal 241 to the SW 234. In response to this, the operating power supply 243 is input to each unit of the MFP slave unit 20.
The SW 234 turns on / off input of the output power of the main power source 233 to the MFP slave unit 20 in accordance with the on / off signal 241 output from the power control unit 231. The operating power supply 243 is input to each unit related to the operation of the MFP slave unit 20 in accordance with the on / off state of the SW 234.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing power supply processing by the MFP main body 10 and the MFP slave device 20. The power supply process has three periods of an association period (S101), a power transmission preparation period (S102), and a power transmission period (S103) in the order of processing. The association period (S101) is a period in which the MFP body 10 performs device authentication of the MFP slave device 20 and the like. The power transmission preparation period (S102) is a period during which the MFP main body 10 prepares for power transmission. The power transmission period (S103) is a period during which the MFP body 10 transmits power to the MFP slave unit 20.
In the power supply process, the MFP body 10 first makes an authentication request (S201) to the MFP slave device 20. This authentication request is a request for confirming the device ID of the MFP slave unit 20. Next, the MFP body 10 checks the necessity of power (S202). If there is no need for power supply from the MFP main body 10, the MFP slave unit 20 transmits a power unnecessary notification to the MFP main body 10, and if there is a need for power supply, transmits a power request to the MFP main body 10 (S <b> 203). The MFP body 10 selects a power supply target from among the MFP slave devices 20 that are the transmission source of the power request. As mentioned above, the process of S201-S203 is a process in an association period (S101).

In the subsequent power transmission preparation period (S102), the MFP body 10 performs power transmission preparation (S204). Thereafter, in the power transmission period (S103), the MFP body 10 performs power transmission to the MFP slave device 20. That is, the MFP body 10 transmits power to the MFP slave device 20 (S205). When no power supply is required, the MFP slave unit 20 transmits a power transmission end notification to the MFP body 10 (S206), and the power supply process ends.
In the wireless power supply system according to the present embodiment, the arrangement positions of the MFP main body 10 and the MFP slave unit 20 are fixed. It is assumed that the arrangement position of the MFP slave unit 20 is within the power supply area 30 of the MFP main body 10. Then, in the process of the association period (S101), the MFP body 10 preferentially selects the MFP slave device 20 as a power supply target over other power receiving devices. As a result, the MFP slave unit 20 can stably receive wireless power supply from the MFP body 10.

Next, processing when the power state of the MFP slave device 20 is shifted from the normal state to the sleep state will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process for shifting to the sleep state. In S <b> 11, the CPU 212 of the MFP slave device 20 determines whether or not the processing in S <b> 201 to S <b> 205 has been completed and the power supply control unit 231 has detected wireless power feeding from the MFP body 10 (power feeding detection processing). In addition, the power supply control part 231 detects the presence or absence of wireless electric power feeding by a comparator circuit as above-mentioned.
If the wireless power feeding is detected in S11, the CPU 212 advances the process to S12. In S <b> 12, the power control unit 231 selects wireless power feeding as the sleep power source 242. Specifically, the power supply control unit 231 switches the sleep power supply 242 from the output of the main power supply 233 to the output of the wireless power reception unit 200 (power supply control process). Thereby, the wireless power supply from the wireless power receiving unit 200 is supplied to each unit that requires power in the sleep state as the sleep power source 242.

Next, in S13, the CPU 212 saves data necessary for returning from the sleep state to the normal state in the storage device 213 in preparation for the transition to the sleep state. Next, in S <b> 14, the CPU 212 turns off the SW 234 by the on / off signal 241 through the power supply control unit 231 to turn off the operation power supply 243 and stop the power supply from the main power supply 233. The CPU 212 switches the state of the MFP slave device 20 from the normal state to the sleep state (power saving state) (state management process).
On the other hand, if the wireless power feeding is not detected in S11, the CPU 212 advances the process to S13 without performing the process of S12. That is, the CPU 212 continues to select the main power source 233 selected as the sleep power source 242 before the transition processing, and selects the sleep power source 242, and advances the processing to S13.

By the above processing, after the state of the MFP slave device 20 shifts to the sleep state, the sleep power source 242 is supplied with power only to the parts that require power during the sleep.
As described above, the MFP slave unit 20 uses the wireless power supply as the sleep power source 242 only when the wireless power supply is available as the sleep power source. Therefore, the MFP slave unit 20 can avoid a situation in which it does not operate normally due to an unstable power source.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing power control processing by the MFP slave unit 20 in the sleep state. First, in S <b> 21, the CPU 212 determines whether or not the power control unit 231 has detected wireless power feeding from the MFP body 10 (power feeding detection processing). In S21, when the wireless power feeding is detected, the CPU 212 continues to detect the presence or absence of the wireless power feeding by a loop process.
When the wireless power feeding is not detected in S21, the CPU 212 advances the process to S22. In S <b> 22, the power supply control unit 231 selects the secondary battery 232 as the temporary sleep power supply 242. Then, the power supply control unit 231 switches the sleep power supply 242 from the wireless power supply detected to be stopped in S21 to the secondary battery 232 while maintaining a stable voltage.

Next, in S <b> 23, the power supply control unit 231 issues a start instruction for the main power supply 233. As a result, the main power supply 233 is activated. Next, in S24, the power supply control unit 231 switches the sleep power supply 242 from the secondary battery 232 to the main power supply 233 while maintaining a stable voltage. Thus, the power control process ends.
The power supply control unit 231 determines whether or not a sleep release factor has occurred during execution of the power supply control process. When the power supply control unit 231 detects occurrence, the CPU 212 ends the power supply control process, and shifts the state of the MFP slave device 20 from the sleep state to the normal state.

As described above, the MFP slave unit 20 stably switches the sleep power source 242 when the wireless power feeding is stopped. Accordingly, in the sleep state, for example, when the MFP main body 10 is shut down or when the MFP slave unit 20 is moved out of the power supply area 30, the MFP slave unit 20 operates normally even when wireless power supply is stopped. can do.
As described above, in the wireless power feeding system according to the first embodiment, even when wireless power feeding from the MFP main body 10 serving as the power transmission device to the MFP slave device 20 serving as the power receiving device is stopped, the MFP slave device 20. Can continue to operate normally.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a wireless power feeding system according to the second embodiment will be described. In the wireless power supply system according to the second embodiment, the MFP slave device 20 performs power control during the sleep state based on the remaining amount of the secondary battery 232.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing power control processing in the sleep state by the MFP slave device 20 according to the second embodiment. In step S22 of the power supply control process, after the secondary battery 232 is selected as the sleep power supply 242, the power supply control unit 231 advances the process to step S25.

In S25, the power supply control unit 231 checks whether or not the remaining charge of the secondary battery is equal to or greater than a threshold (remaining amount detection process). Here, the threshold value is a value of the remaining charge that allows the secondary battery 232 to maintain the sleep state. Note that the threshold value is a value that also takes into account the power required when starting the main power supply in S23. The threshold value is set in advance in the RAM 215, for example.
As a result of discharging the secondary battery 232 as the sleep power source 242, the battery voltage decreases according to the remaining amount. Thus, in this way, the power supply control unit 231 uses the comparator circuit to monitor whether or not the remaining charge amount is reduced to a value smaller than the threshold value.

In S25, when the remaining charge of the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the threshold, the power supply control unit 231 continues the comparison process between the remaining charge and the threshold by loop processing. In S25, when the remaining charge of the secondary battery becomes less than the threshold value, the power supply control unit 231 advances the process to S23.
The remaining configuration and processing of the wireless power feeding system according to the second embodiment are the same as the configuration and processing of the wireless power feeding system according to the first embodiment.
As described above, in the wireless power feeding system according to the second embodiment, the MFP slave unit 20 continues the period in which the secondary battery 232 is set as the sleep power source 242, thereby setting the main power source 233 as the sleep power source 242. Can be shortened.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a wireless power feeding system according to the third embodiment will be described. In the wireless power supply system according to the third embodiment, the MFP slave unit 20 causes an operation error in the MFP slave unit 20 by selecting the main power source 233 as the sleep power source 242 when the remaining charge is low. Avoid.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a migration process by the MFP slave device 20 according to the third embodiment. In the transition process according to the third embodiment, first, in S15, the power supply control unit 231 determines whether or not the remaining charge of the secondary battery 232 is within a normal range using a comparator circuit. Note that the normal range is a preset range and is stored in the RAM 215 or the like, for example.

In S15, when the remaining charge is a value within the normal range, the power supply control unit 231 advances the process to S16. In S <b> 16, the power supply control unit 231 uses a comparator circuit to check whether the remaining charge of the secondary battery 232 is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Here, the threshold value is a value of the remaining amount of charge with which the secondary battery 232 can maintain the sleep state, similarly to the threshold value used by the power supply control unit 231 according to the second embodiment. Here, S15 and S16 are an example of a remaining detection process.
In S16, when the charge remaining amount is equal to or greater than the threshold, the power supply control unit 231 advances the process to S11. The processes after S11 are the same as the processes of S11 to S14 described with reference to FIG. 5 in the first embodiment.

On the other hand, if the charge remaining amount is not within the normal range in S15, the power supply control unit 231 advances the process to S17. Moreover, also in S16, when the charge remaining amount is less than the threshold, the power supply control unit 231 advances the process to S17.
In S <b> 17, the CPU 212 performs a preparation process for preparing for the transition to the sleep state. The process of S17 is the same as the process of S13. That is, the CPU 212 saves data necessary for returning from the sleep state to the normal state in the storage device 213 in preparation for the transition to the sleep state.
Next, in S <b> 18, the CPU 212 turns off the SW 234 by an on / off signal via the power control unit 231. However, in S18, unlike S14, the CPU 212 does not stop the power supply from the main power supply 233. That is, the power supply control unit 231 selects the main power supply 233 as the sleep power supply 242. As a result, the power from the main power supply 233 is continuously supplied as a sleep power supply 242 to each unit that requires power in the sleep state.

  Thus, in the third embodiment, the main power supply 233 is not turned off when the remaining charge of the secondary battery 232 is out of the normal range or less than the threshold value. As a result, stable operation of the MFP slave unit 20 in the sleep state can be ensured prior to reducing power consumption in the sleep state.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media. Then, the computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program.

  As mentioned above, according to each embodiment mentioned above, even if it is a case where the wireless electric power feeding to a power receiving apparatus stops, a power receiving apparatus can operate | move normally.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

10 MFP main body, 20 MFP slave unit, 30 power feeding area, 40 communication area, 200 wireless power receiving unit, 210 controller unit, 211 operation unit, 212 CPU, 213 storage device, 214 ROM, 215 RAM, 220 wireless power transmitting unit, 230 power supply Part, 231 power supply control part, 232 secondary battery, 233 main power supply, 234 SW

Claims (5)

A device,
And the wireless power receiving unit powered with wirelessly from an external device,
A power supply unit to receive power supply from a commercial power source,
A secondary battery,
The wireless power receiving portion from the external device if that has powered wirelessly, power supply to the device by the power supply unit is stopped,
In response to the device detecting that the wireless power supply from the external device to the wireless power receiving unit is stopped , the device uses the power charged in the secondary battery, and the power source unit and wherein the Turkey to resume power supply to by the device. A determination means for determining whether or not the wireless power receiving unit is wirelessly supplied with power from an external device;
The apparatus stops power supply to the device by the power supply unit when the determination unit determines that the wireless power receiving unit is wirelessly powered by an external device. Item 2. The apparatus according to Item 1. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the apparatus shifts to a sleep state, the determination unit determines whether the wireless power receiving unit is wirelessly supplied with power from an external apparatus. When the wireless power receiving unit is wirelessly supplied with power from an external device, the wireless power receiving unit is selected as a charging source for the secondary battery,
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the power supply unit is supplied with power from a commercial power supply, the power supply unit is selected as a charging source for the secondary battery. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is an MFP.

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