Power-supplying device, control method for the same, and power-supplying system

Abstract

Even when power is to be simultaneously supplied to a plurality of power-supplied devices by using one primary coil, it is possible to properly supply power to the respective power-supplied devices. More specifically, a power-supplying device stops non-contact power supply in accordance with the detection of a plurality of power-supplied devices set in a power supply area.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A power-supplying device including a plurality of primary coils comprising:
 a power supply unit configured to supply power in a non-contact manner from at least one of the plurality of primary coils to at least one power-supplied device set in a power supply area of at least one of the plurality of primary coils; 
 a detecting unit configured to detect whether a plurality of power-supplied devices are set in the power supply area of one of the plurality of primary coils; and 
 a controlling unit configured to control the power supply unit to stop supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, when the detecting unit detects that the plurality of power-supplied devices are set in the power supply area of the one of the plurality of primary coils. 
 
     
     
       2. The power-supplying device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a communication unit configured to obtain allowability information associated with power supplied to the at least one power-supplied device by communicating with the at least one power-supplied device set in the power supply area of at least one of the plurality of primary coils,
 wherein the controlling unit controls the power supply unit to supply power from the plurality of primary coils, other than the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices based on the allowability information obtained by the communication unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The power-supplying device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the controlling unit determines whether power supplied by the power supply unit to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices set on at least one of the primary coil plurality of primary coils falls within an allowable range of voltage and current determined based on the allowability information, when the power supply unit is stopped supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, and 
 the controlling unit controls the power supply unit to resume supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils, when determining that the power supplied to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices set on the one of the plurality of primary coils falls outside the allowable range. 
 
     
     
       4. The power-supplying device according to  claim 3 , further comprising an alert unit configured to issue an alert when the power supplied to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices falls outside the allowable range determined based on the allowability information. 
     
     
       5. A control method for a power-supplying device comprising a power supply unit, including a plurality of primary coils, configured to supply power in a non-contact manner from at least one of the plurality of primary coils to at least one power-supplied device set in a power supply area of at least one of the plurality of primary coils, characterized by comprising:
 a supplying step of supplying power in a non-contact manner from at least one of the plurality of primary coils to at least one power-supplied device set in a power supply area of at least one of the plurality of primary coils;  
 a detecting step of detecting whether a plurality of power-supplied devices are set in the power supply area of one of the plurality of primary coils; and 
 a controlling step of controlling the power supply unit to stop supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, when it is detected in the detection detecting step that the plurality of power-supplied devices are set in the power supply area of the one of the plurality of primary coils. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , characterized by further comprising a communication step of obtaining allowability information associated with power supplied to the at least one power-supplied device by communicating with the at least one power-supplied device set in the power supply area of at least one of the plurality of primary coils,
 wherein in the controlling step, the power supply unit is controlled to supply power from the plurality of primary coils, other than the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices based on the allowability information obtained in the communication step. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that in the controlling step, it is determined whether power supplied by the power supply unit to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices set on at least one of the primary coil plurality of primary coils falls within an allowable range of a voltage and current determined based on the allowability information, when the power supply unit is stopped supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, and
 the power supply unit is controlled to resume supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils, when it is determined that the power supplied to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices set on the one of the plurality of primary coils falls outside the allowable range. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , characterized by further comprising an alert step of issuing an alert when the power supplied to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices falls outside the allowable range determined based on the allowability information. 
     
     
       9. A power-supplying system comprising a power-supplying device and at least one power-supplied device, wherein the power-supplying device comprises
 a plurality of primary coils, 
 a power supply unit configured to supply power in a non-contact manner from at least one of the plurality of primary coils to the at least one power-supplied device set in a power supply area of at least one of the plurality of primary coils, 
 a detecting unit configured to detect whether a plurality of power-supplied devices are set in the power supply area of one of the plurality of primary coils, and 
 a controlling unit configured to control the power supply unit to stop supplying power from the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, when the detecting unit detects that the plurality of power-supplied devices are set in the power supply area of the one of the plurality of primary coils, and 
 the at least one power-supplied device each comprises power receiving unit including a secondary coil which receives power supplied from the power supply unit when the power-supplied device is set on any of the plurality of primary coils. 
 
     
     
       10. The power-supplying device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the controlling unit controls the power supply unit to supply power from the plurality of primary coils, other than the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein in the controlling step, the power supply unit is controlled to supply power from the plurality of primary coils, other than the one of the plurality of primary coils on which the plurality of power-supplied devices are detected to be set, to at least one of the plurality of power-supplied devices. 
 
     
     
       12. A power-supplying device comprising:
 a first power supply circuit that wirelessly supplies power to a power-supplied device in a predetermined area;   at least one processor programmed to perform:   determining that one or more power-supplied devices is or are located in the predetermined area;   obtaining first information regarding allowable power for each of a plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area and second information regarding power respectively supplied from the first power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area;   controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area by using the first information and the second information.   
     
     
       13. The power-supplying device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor controls whether to limit wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices or not, by using the first information and the second information. 
     
     
       14. The power-supplying device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor controls whether to limit wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices depending on whether or not power respectively supplied from the first power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices meets the allowable power for each of the plurality of power-supplied devices. 
     
     
       15. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the first information includes information of an allowable power range,   wherein the at least one processor controls wireless power supply from the first power supply unit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that power supplied by the first power supply circuit is within the allowable power range.   
     
     
       16. The power-supplying device according to claim 15,
 wherein the first information includes information of an upper limit of the allowable power and information of a lower limit of the allowable power, and   wherein the allowable power range is defined by the information of the upper limit of the allowable power and the information of the lower limit of the allowable power.   
     
     
       17. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the first information includes information of an allowable voltage range,   wherein the at least one processor controls wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that power supplied by the first power supply circuit is not out of the allowable voltage range.   
     
     
       18. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the first information includes information of a maximum allowable voltage which indicates an upper limit of an allowable voltage and information of a minimum allowable voltage which indicates a lower limit of the allowable voltage, and   wherein the at least one processor controls wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that a voltage of power supplied by the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices does not exceed the maximum allowable voltage for the plurality of power-supplied devices.   
     
     
       19. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the first information includes information of an allowable voltage range, and   wherein the at least one processor controls wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that respective voltages of power supplied by the first power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices do not exceed respective allowable voltage ranges.   
     
     
       20. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the at least one processor obtains the second information repeatedly.   
     
     
       21. The power-supplying device according to claim 20,
 wherein the at least one processor controls wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area whenever the second information is obtained.   
     
     
       22. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the at least one processor obtains the second information while the first power supply circuit is supplying power.    
     
     
       23. The power-supplying device according to claim 12,
 wherein the first power supply circuit wirelessly supplies power using an electromagnetic induction scheme or a magnetic field resonance scheme.   
     
     
       24. The power supplying device according to claim 12, further comprises:
 a second power supply circuit that is different from the first power supply circuit, and   wherein the at least one processor obtains a third information regarding power respectively supplied from the second power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area, and   wherein the at least one processor controls wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area by using the third information.   
     
     
       25. The power-supplying device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one processor controls whether to limit wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area or not, by using the third information. 
     
     
       26. The power-supplying device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor determining that one or more power-supplied devices is or are located in the predetermined area by detecting, using sensors, that one or more power-supplied devices is or are located in the predetermined area. 
     
     
       27. A control method comprising:
 wirelessly supplying power to a power-supplied device in a predetermined area by using a power supply circuit;   detecting that one or more power-supplied devices is or are located in the predetermined area;   obtaining first information regarding allowable power for each of a plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area;   obtaining second information regarding power respectively supplied from the power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area;   controlling wireless power supply from the power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area by using the first information and the second information.   
     
     
       28. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 controlling whether to limit wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices or not, by using the first information and the second information.   
     
     
       29. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 controlling whether to limit wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices depending on whether or not power respectively supplied from the first power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices meets the allowable power for each of the plurality of power-supplied devices.   
     
     
       30. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that power supplied by the first power supply circuit is within an allowable power range, wherein the first information includes information of the allowable power range.   
     
     
       31. The control method according to claim 30,
 wherein the first information includes information of an upper limit of the allowable power and information of a lower limit of the allowable power, and   wherein the allowable power range is defined by the information of the upper limit of the allowable power and the information of the lower limit of the allowable power.   
     
     
       32. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that power supplied by the first power supply circuit is not out of an allowable voltage range, wherein the first information includes information of the allowable voltage range.   
     
     
       33. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that a voltage of power supplied by the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices does not exceed a maximum allowable voltage for the plurality of power-supplied devices, wherein the first information includes information of the maximum allowable voltage which indicates an upper limit of an allowable voltage and information of a minimum allowable voltage which indicates a lower limit of the allowable voltage.   
     
     
       34. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area such that respective voltages of power supplied by the first power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices do not exceed respective allowable voltage ranges, wherein the first information includes information of the allowable voltage range.   
     
     
       35. The control method according to claim 27, further comprising:
 obtaining the second information.   
     
     
       36. The control method according to claim 35, further comprises:
 controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area whenever the second information is obtained.   
     
     
       37. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 obtaining the second information while the first power supply circuit is supplying power.   
     
     
       38. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 wirelessly supplying power by the first power supply circuit using an electromagnetic induction scheme or a magnetic field resonance scheme.   
     
     
       39. The control method according to claim 27, further comprises:
 obtaining a third information regarding power respectively supplied from a second power supply circuit that is different from the first power supply circuit to each of the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area, and   controlling wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area by using the third information.   
     
     
       40. The control method according to claim 39, further comprises:
 controlling whether to limit wireless power supply from the first power supply circuit to the plurality of power-supplied devices located in the predetermined area or not, by using the third information.