Patent Publication Number: US-9837850-B2

Title: Non-contact charger system, control device, wireless communication device, and non-contact charging device

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/981,710, filed Jul. 25, 2013, which is the U.S. National Phase Application of PCT International Application PCT/JP2012/000646, filed Jan. 31, 2012. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a synchronously controllable non-contact charging unit, a synchronously controllable wireless communication unit, a non-contact charger system which enables non-contact charge and wireless communication compatible with each other, and relates to a control device, a wireless communication device, and a non-contact charging device. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A keyless entry system which achieves a door lock mechanism of a car for unlocking and locking by using wireless communication has heretofore come into wide use (for example, see Non-Patent Literature 1). 
     A system which charges a battery of a portable communication device through communication between the portable communication device and an on-vehicle communication device has been known as the background-art keyless entry system (for example, see Patent Literature 1). 
     In addition, there has been heretofore known a vehicle charging system provided with a vehicle-side charging control device which has a coil for non-contact charging an on-vehicle battery loaded into the vehicle from a loop coil of an external device outside the vehicle and which transmits a charging start request signal and a charging stop request signal to the external device outside the vehicle when a predetermined condition is established, in order to prevent a bad influence on wireless communication used in the vehicle (for example, see Patent Literature 2). 
     A portable device such as a cell phone loaded with a rechargeable secondary battery has recently come into wide use, and development of non-contact charge has been advanced to attain further improvement in user-friendliness. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2004-76378 
         Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2010-93957 
       
    
     Non-Patent Literature 
     
         
         Non-Patent Literature 1: Mitsuharu Kato, Denso Corporation/Nikkei Automotive Technology, “Car Electronics Illustrated (vol. 1): System” first edition, published by Nikkei Business Publications Inc., Jun. 28, 2010 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, there is a problem that it is difficult to make non-contact charge and wireless communication compatible with each other because frequency bands used therein are close to each other so that non-contact charge and wireless communication according to the background art interfere with each other. 
     The invention is accomplished to solve the problem in the background art. An object of the invention is to provide a non-contact charger system, a control device, a wireless communication device, and a non-contact charging device in which the non-contact charger system and a wireless communication system are formed from a synchronously controllable non-contact charging unit, a synchronously controllable wireless communication unit and a control unit for synchronously controlling the non-contact charging unit and the wireless communication unit so that non-contact charge and wireless communication are compatible with each other. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In order to achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a control device connected to a non-contact charging device for non-contact charging a portable device and a wireless communication device for communicating with an electronic key to operate an electrical component mounted in a vehicle, wherein the control device includes a memory that stores a wireless communication cycle for communication between the electronic key and the wireless communication device, a wireless communication control signal output part that outputs a wireless communication control signal for controlling operation of the wireless communication device, a non-contact charging control signal output part that outputs a non-contact charging control signal for controlling operation of the non-contact charging device, and a synchronizer that synchronizes the wireless communication control signal and the non-contact charging control signal with each other. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the invention, a control unit which synchronously controls a non-contact charging unit and a wireless communication unit is provided to prevent the non-contact charging unit and the wireless communication unit from interfering with each other in frequency bands used therein. Thus, it is possible to obtain an effect that non-contact charge and wireless communication can be operated without any obstruction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  A configuration diagram of a non-contact charger system in a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  A configuration diagram of a non-contact charging unit and a portable device. 
         FIG. 3  A configuration diagram of a wireless communication unit and an electronic key. 
         FIG. 4  A view of a relation between respective frequency bands used in the non-contact charging unit and the wireless communication unit. 
         FIG. 5  A view of a timing relation between a non-contact charging control signal and a wireless communication control signal in the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  A view of the relation among the non-contact charging control signal, the wireless communication control signal, the non-contact charging unit and the wireless communication unit. 
         FIG. 7  A configuration diagram of a non-contact charger system formed from a non-contact charging unit having a control function. 
         FIG. 8  A configuration diagram of a non-contact charger system formed from a wireless communication unit having a control function. 
         FIG. 9  A configuration diagram of a non-contact charger system in a second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 10  A view of a timing relation between a non-contact charging control signal and a wireless communication control signal in a stopped vehicle in the second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 11  A view of a timing relation between the non-contact charging control signal and the wireless communication control signal in a moving vehicle in the second embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiment 1 
     A non-contact charger system  1  in Embodiment 1 of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram of the non-contact charger system  1  in Embodiment 1 of the invention. 
     In  FIG. 1 , the non-contact charger system  1  includes a non-contact charging unit  2  as a non-contact charging device, a wireless communication unit  3  as a wireless communication device, and a control unit  4  as a control device. The non-contact charger system  1  is provided in a vehicle such as a car. 
     The non-contact charging unit  2  is provided for non-contact charging a portable device  6  as a cell phone, a so-called smartphone or any other portable terminal device, by using a predetermined method (which will be described later in detail) (the portable device  6  is supplied with electric power from the non-contact charging unit  2 ). 
     The wireless communication unit  3  is provided for communicating with an electronic key  7  carried by a user to thereby execute operation (such as locking/unlocking a vehicle door or starting/stopping an engine) of an electrical component mounted in the vehicle. 
     The control unit  4  is connected to the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  and provided for synchronously controlling the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3 . 
     For example, the control unit  4  is configured by a microcomputer  4   a , an ROM  4   b  as a memory, an RAM  4   c , etc. In this case, the microcomputer  4   a  executes a computer program stored in the ROM  4   b  and provided for performing control processing which will be described later, while using the RAM  4   c  as a work area. 
     In the control unit  4 , the microcomputer  4   a  outputs a control signal which will be described later to the wireless communication unit  3  through a wireless communication control signal output part  4   d , and outputs a control signal which will be described later to the non-contact charging unit  2  through a non-contact charging control signal output part  4   e.    
     Incidentally, in this embodiment, the wireless communication control signal output part  4   d  and the non-contact charging control signal output part  4   e  are output terminals of the microcomputer  4   a.    
     Details of the non-contact charger system  1  configured as described above will be described below. First, details of the non-contact charging unit  2  and the portable device  6  will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  shows a configuration diagram of the non-contact charging unit  2  and the portable device  6 . 
     A feeder side battery  8   a  such as a battery mounted in the vehicle is connected to the non-contact charging unit  2 . 
     The non-contact charging unit  2  includes a feeder side power supply block  9   a  provided with a plurality of switch elements, a feeder side coil  10   a , a control element  12  for turning the non-contact charging unit  2  operatively/inoperatively (ON/OFF) and cyclically changing over the switches of the feeder side power supply block  9   a  from one to another, and an oscillator  11  which generates a clock signal as a reference of the switching cycle. 
     In addition, the portable device  6  such as a cell phone includes a receiver side battery  8   b , a receiver side power supply block  9   b , and a receiver side coil  10   b . Here, the receiver side battery  8   b  is a rechargeable secondary battery. 
     Further, the non-contact charging unit  2  is connected to the control unit  4 . Operation of the non-contact charging unit  2  is controlled in accordance with a non-contact charging control signal  5   a  outputted by the control unit  4 . The operative non-contact charging unit  2  operates as follows. 
     In the non-contact charging unit  2 , electric power is supplied from the feeder side battery  8   a  is supplied as an AC voltage to the feeder side coil  10   a  while the plurality of switches of the feeder side power supply block  9   a  are changed over from one to another by the control element  12  at a frequency defined by the oscillator  11 . 
     When the AC voltage is applied to the feeder side coil  10   a , AC magnetic flux  13  is generated. On this occasion, induced electromotive force is generated in the receiver side coil  10   b  of the portable device  6 . The receiver side battery  8   b  is charged with the generated induced electromotive force through the receiver side power supply block  9   b.    
     Since the function of feeding electric power from the non-contact charging unit  2  and the function of charging the receiver side battery  8   b  through the receiver side power supply block  9   b  of the portable device  6  can be implemented by use of well-known technology, detailed description thereof will be omitted here. 
     Next, details of the wireless communication unit  3  and the electronic key  7  will be described below with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a configuration diagram of the wireless communication unit  3 . The wireless communication unit  3  includes a control unit  14 . The electronic key  7  and the control unit  14  transmit and receive a request signal  15  and a response signal  16 . 
     Further, the wireless communication unit  3  is connected to the control unit  4 . The wireless communication unit  3  operates as follows in accordance with a wireless communication control signal  5   b  outputted by the control unit  4 . 
     The wireless communication unit  3  sends the request signal  15  intermittently toward the electronic key  7  in accordance with the wireless communication control signal  5   b.    
     Upon reception of the request signal  15  sent from the control unit  14 , the electronic key  7  sends the response signal  16  toward the control unit  14 . 
     Since transmission/reception of the request signal  15  and the response signal  16  between the wireless communication unit  3  and the electronic key  7  can be achieved by use of well-known technology, detailed description thereof will be omitted here. 
     Further, details of the control unit  4  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 to 6 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the relation between a non-contact charging frequency band  17  (frequency band used in the non-contact charging unit) and a wireless communication frequency band  18  (frequency band used in the wireless communication unit). 
     Generally, the frequency of the AC voltage used in the non-contact charging unit  2  is defined to be in a range of from 110 kHz to 205 kHz. Assume that the frequency of the request signal  15  of the wireless communication unit  3  is, for example, 134 kHz which is an ordinary value while the frequency of the response signal  16  is, for example, 300 kHz to 400 kHz, then there is a possibility that the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  will interfere with each other at the frequency bands used therein so that the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  cannot operate normally when the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  operate simultaneously. 
     Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit  4  controls the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  as follows. 
     That is, the control unit  4  simultaneously outputs a non-contact charging control signal  5   a  and a wireless communication control signal Sb to the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  respectively to synchronously control the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  to change over ON/OFF of operation of non-contact charge and wireless communication in accordance with the non-contact charging control signal  5   a  and the wireless communication control signal  5   b.    
       FIG. 5  shows a timing relation  19  between the non-contact charging control signal  5   a  and the wireless communication control signal  5   b .  FIG. 6  shows a relation among the non-contact charging control signal  5   a , the wireless communication control signal  5   b , the operating state of the non-contact charging unit  2  and the operating state of the wireless communication unit  3 . 
     The non-contact charging control signal Sa and the wireless communication control signal  5   b  are outputted from the control unit  4  while synchronized with each other so that the non-contact charging control signal  5   a  is outputted as an inverted signal of the wireless communication control signal  5   b  from the control unit  4 . In this manner, operation of the non-contact charge and operation of the wireless communication can be controlled respectively. 
     Specifically, when the wireless communication control signal  5   b  is high while the non-contact charging control signal Sa is low, the wireless communication unit  3  sends the request signal  15  to the electronic key  7 . Incidentally, transmission of the request signal  15  and reception of the response signal  16  may be performed in the aforementioned period. 
     When the wireless communication control signal  5   b  is low while the non-contact charging control signal  5   a  is high, the non-contact charging unit  2  is operated to charge the portable device  6 . 
     Since it is necessary to confirm the location of the electronic key, the wireless communication unit  3  and the electronic key  7  need to communicate with each other periodically. 
     However, when the non-contact charging unit  2  operates while the wireless communication unit  3  and the electronic key  7  communicate with each other, there is a possibility that the wireless communication unit  3  and the non-contact charging unit  2  may interfere with each other in frequency bands used therein so that the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  cannot operate normally. Therefore, the period of time in which the non-contact charging unit  2  feeds electric power to the portable device  6  (the portable device  6  is charged) needs to be out of the period of time in which the wireless communication unit  3  sends the request signal  15  or out of the period of time in which the wireless communication unit  3  sends the request signal  15  and receives the response signal  16 . 
     Accordingly, the ON/OFF switching timing of operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication is stored in the control unit  4  so that operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication is turned on/off in a period of time which is set in advance in consideration of this point. 
     This can be achieved in such a manner that the cycle in which the electronic key  7  and the wireless communication unit  3  communicate with each other is stored in advance in the memory such as the ROM  4   b  provided in the control unit, the wireless communication control signal  5   b  is generated and outputted to the wireless communication unit  3  based on the cycle, and the wireless communication control signal  5   b  is inverted by use of a simple logic circuit so that the inverted signal is used as the non-contact charging control signal  5   a . In this case, the simple logic circuit serves as a synchronizer. 
     Alternatively, the wireless communication control signal  5   b  may be inverted as described above by arithmetic processing performed by the microcomputer  4   a , or two synchronized signals may be calculated by the microcomputer  4   a  so that the wireless communication control signal  5   b  and the non-contact charging control signal  5   a  are switched from one to the other at the aforementioned timing. In this case, the microcomputer  4   a  serves as the synchronizer and, for example, the RAM  4   c  serves as the memory. 
     Incidentally, the cycle stored in advance in the ROM  4   b  may be used as the cycle for communication (wireless communication cycle) between the electronic key  7  and the wireless communication unit  3  or the microcomputer  4   a  may dynamically calculate the cycle for communication between the electronic key  7  and the wireless communication unit  3  in consideration of the surrounding situation or environment. 
     As described above, in this embodiment, operation/non-operation (ON/OFF) of the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  is switched while synchronized, and the control unit  4  makes control to suppress operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication. In this manner, the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  can be prevented from interfering with each other in frequency bands used therein. Accordingly, no obstruction occurs so that non-contact charge and wireless communication are compatible with each other. 
     Although the non-contact charger system  1  according to the embodiment has been described in the case where the control unit  4  is independent, the invention may be carried out likewise when a non-contact charger system  20  configured so that the control unit  4  is included in a non-contact charging unit  21  or a non-contact charger system  22  configured so that the control unit  4  is included in a wireless communication unit  23  is used as shown in  FIG. 7 or 8 . 
     Embodiment 2 
     A non-contact charger system  24  in Embodiment 2 of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
     In the embodiment, the same constituent parts as those in Embodiment 1 will be referred to by the same numerals as those in Embodiment 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 9  is a configuration diagram of the non-contact charger system  24  in Embodiment 2 of the invention. 
     In  FIG. 9 , the non-contact charger system  24  includes a non-contact charging unit  2 , a wireless communication unit  3 , and a switching cycle variable control unit  25 . Similarly to Embodiment 1, the respective units are provided in a vehicle such as a car. 
     A portable device  6  is supplied with electric power from the non-contact charging unit  2 . An electronic key  7  communicates with the wireless communication unit  3 . 
     For example, the switching cycle variable control unit  25  includes a microcomputer  25   a , an ROM  25   b , and an RAM  25   c . In this case, the microcomputer  25   a  executes a computer program stored in the ROM  25   b  and provided for performing control processing which will be described later, while using the RAM  25   c  as a work area. 
     In the switching cycle variable control unit  25 , the microcomputer  25   a  outputs a control signal which will be described later to the wireless communication unit  3  through a wireless communication control signal output part  25   d , and outputs a control signal which will be described later to the non-contact charging unit  2  through a non-contact charging control signal output part  25   e.    
     Incidentally, in the embodiment, the wireless communication control signal output part  25   d  and the non-contact charging control signal output part  25   e  are output terminals of the microcomputer  25   a.    
     The point of difference of Embodiment 2 from Embodiment 1 lies in that the switching cycle variable control unit  25  synchronously controlling the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  is provided with (or connected to) a moving state detector which detects a vehicle moving state (as to whether the vehicle is moving or not) to control the switching cycle of the non-contact charging unit and the wireless communication unit in accordance with the vehicle moving state (for example, vehicle speed). 
     Detection of the vehicle moving state can be achieved easily in such a manner that vehicle speed information is obtained from a speed meter or the like provided in the vehicle to determine whether the current vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined speed or not. 
     Control operation of the non-contact charger system  24  configured as described above will be described below. 
     In the embodiment, the switching cycle variable control unit  25  simultaneously outputs a non-contact charging control signal  26   a  to the non-contact charging unit  2  and a wireless communication control signal  26   b  to the wireless communication unit  3  respectively to thereby synchronously control the non-contact charging unit  2  and the wireless communication unit  3  in accordance with the non-contact charging control signal  26   a  and the wireless communication control signal  26   b . In addition, the switching cycle variable control unit  25  variably controls a switching cycle for switching ON/OFF operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication. 
     Specifically, when the wireless communication control signal  26   b  is high while the non-contact charging control signal  26   a  is low, the wireless communication unit  3  sends the request signal  15  to the electronic key  7 . 
     Incidentally, transmission of the request signal  15  and reception of the response signal  16  may be performed in the aforementioned period. 
     When the wireless communication control signal  26   b  is low while the non-contact charging control signal  26   a  is high, the non-contact charging unit  2  is operated to charge the portable device  6 . 
     Incidentally, the switching cycle for switching ON/OFF operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication on this occasion is changed in accordance with a result of detection made by the switching cycle variable control unit  25  as to whether the vehicle is stopped or moving, as described below. 
     That is, the switching cycle variable control unit  25  is configured to receive information (signal) indicating whether the vehicle is stopped or moving. The switching cycle variable control unit  25  changes the switching cycle based on this information. 
     Whether the vehicle is stopped or moving may be determined based on a signal obtained from a vehicle speed sensor as follows. Determination is made that the vehicle is stopped when the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined speed (for example, 20 km/h or the like). Determination is made that the vehicle is moving when the vehicle speed is not lower than the predetermined speed. Alternatively, change of position information obtained from GPS may be used. 
       FIG. 10  shows a timing relation in a stopped vehicle  27  between a non-contact charging control signal  28   a  and a wireless communication control signal  28   b .  FIG. 11  shows a timing relation in a moving vehicle  29  between a non-contact charging control signal  30   a  and a wireless communication control signal  30   b.    
     The non-contact charging control signal  28   a  and the wireless communication control signal  28   b  are synchronized with each other. The non-contact charging control signal  28   a  is set as an inverted signal of the wireless communication control signal  28   b  to suppress operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication. 
     In addition, the non-contact charging control signal  30   a  and the wireless communication control signal  30   b  are synchronized with each other. The non-contact charging control signal  30   a  is set as an inverted signal of the wireless communication control signal  30   b  to suppress operation of the non-contact charge and the wireless communication. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , ON/OFF of operation of non-contact charge and wireless communication is changed over so that priority is given to wireless communication to make communication frequently when the vehicle is stopped. On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 11 , ON/OFF of operation of non-contact charge and wireless communication is changed over so that priority is given to charging to make charging frequently when the vehicle is moving. In this manner, battery charging efficiency of the portable device  6  can be improved. 
     Incidentally, when the vehicle is moving, the operation of non-contact charge may be always turned on without wireless communication so that the portable device  6  can be charged. 
     That is, the situation that the vehicle is stopped is a situation that the possessor of the electronic key  7  can carry the electronic key  7  to the outside of the vehicle easily, and that wireless communication has to be made frequently to confirm the location of the electronic key  7 . On the other hand, the situation that the vehicle is moving is a situation that the possessor of the electronic key  7  can carry the electronic key  7  to the outside of the vehicle hardly, and that frequent non-contact charge is allowed. 
     As described above, in the embodiment, the switching cycle of the non-contact charging control signal  26   a  and the wireless communication control signal  26   b  is controlled variably. Accordingly, when the ON period of the non-contact charging control signal  26   a  is set to be long, battery charging efficiency of the portable device  6  can be improved by the non-contact charging unit  2 . In addition, when communication is not performed, the system may be used in the condition that the non-contact charging control signal  26   a  is always turned on. 
     Although the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the sprint and scope of the invention. 
     The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application (Patent Application 2011-022386) filed on Feb. 4, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     In the invention, the non-contact charging unit, the wireless communication unit and the control unit synchronously controlling the non-contact charging unit and the wireless communication unit are useful as a non-contact charger system because non-contact charge and wireless communication are compatible with each other. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1  non-contact charger system 
           2  non-contact charging unit 
           3  wireless communication unit 
           4  control unit 
           4   a  microcomputer 
           4   b  ROM 
           4   c  RAM 
           4   d  wireless communication control signal output part 
           4   e  non-contact charging control signal output part 
           5   a  non-contact charging control signal 
           5   b  wireless communication control signal 
           6  portable device 
           7  electronic key 
           8   a  feeder side battery 
           8   b  receiver side battery 
           9   a  feeder side power supply block 
           9   b  receiver side power supply block 
           10   a  feeder side coil 
           10   b  receiver side coil 
           11  oscillator 
           12  control element 
           13  AC magnetic flux 
           14  control unit 
           15  request signal 
           16  response signal 
           17  non-contact charging frequency band 
           18  wireless communication frequency band 
           19  timing relation 
           20  non-contact charger system 
           21  non-contact charging unit 
           22  non-contact charger system 
           23  wireless communication unit 
           24  non-contact charger system 
           25  switching cycle variable control unit 
           25   a  microcomputer 
           25   b  ROM 
           25   c  RAM 
           25   d  wireless communication control signal output part 
           25   e  non-contact charging control signal output part 
           26   a  non-contact charging control signal 
           26   b  wireless communication control signal 
           27  timing relation in stopped vehicle 
           28   a  non-contact charging control signal 
           28   b  wireless communication control signal 
           29  timing relation in moving vehicle 
           30   a  non-contact charging control signal 
           30   b  wireless communication control signal