Patent ID: 9007019
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
1. A non-contact charging method comprising setting down a battery powered device on a charging platform, electromagnetically coupling a power receiving coil in the battery-powered device to a power transmission coil in the charging platform, transmitting power from the power transmission coil to the power receiving coil by electromagnetic induction, and charging a battery in the battery-powered device using power induced in the power receiving coil, the non-contact charging method further comprising: detecting the charging current of the battery on the battery-powered device side; detecting the transmission efficiency from the charging current; comparing the detected transmission efficiency to an efficiency threshold value; determining that a foreign object has been set down on the charging platform when the detected charging efficiency is less than the efficiency threshold value and determining that a foreign object has not been set down on the charging platform when the detected charging efficiency is greater than the efficiency threshold value; and suspending foreign object detection during a time period when fluctuation in the charging current occurs; wherein, when the fluctuation occurs in the charging current of the battery and the charging current temporarily rises above or falls below a current change detection threshold value, a period of time including the rise or fall in the charging current above or below the current change detection threshold value is the fluctuation in the charging current when the period of time is shorter than a set time period, and foreign object detection is suspended during this time period.