Receiver, method, electronic circuit, and wireless power supply system

Abstract

To provide techniques of determining the power reception status of a wirelessly rechargeable receiver while saving power.SOLUTION: Provided is a receiver that wirelessly receives transmission power comprising AC signals. The receiver comprises: a rectification unit that rectifies the transmission power; a power management unit that manages a rectified voltage from the rectification unit; a rechargeable unit that is recharged by an output voltage from the power management unit; and a controller that controls the operation of the receiver. The controller executes: a step for detecting a predetermined voltage value in the receiver; and a step for storing the voltage value detected in the detecting step in a buffer memory by direct memory access (DMA).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a program, a method, a receiver, and a wireless power supply system. [Background technology]

[0002] In a wireless power supply system, there is a technology in which the secondary battery of the receiver is charged wirelessly, and power is supplied to the constant voltage generation unit that supplies the power supply voltage to the sensor device by wireless power supply when the rectified output voltage of the wireless power supply is above a certain level, and by the secondary battery if it is below that level (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-004611 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In wireless power supply, since the power supply state is influenced by the environment, it is difficult to stably supply a constant amount of power, and the amount of power supply may vary significantly over time. However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not determine the power supply state of the receiver, i.e., the power receiving state. On the other hand, if the process of determining the power receiving state of the receiver is performed by a CPU mounted on a microcomputer in the receiver, there is a concern that the determination process will consume power.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for determining the power receiving state of a wirelessly powered receiver while achieving power saving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a receiver that wirelessly receives transmission power consisting of an AC signal, the receiver having a rectifier unit that rectifies the transmission power, a power management unit that manages the rectified voltage from the rectifier unit, a charging unit that is charged by the output voltage from the power management unit, and a controller that controls the operation of the receiver, wherein the controller executes the steps of detecting a predetermined voltage value within the receiver and storing the voltage value detected in the detection step in a buffer memory by DMA (Direct Memory Access). Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technique for determining the power receiving state of a wirelessly powered receiver while achieving power saving. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a wireless power supply system (WPT system) according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a transmitter and a receiver illustrated in FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a circuit configuration of a receiver according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a microcomputer of a receiver according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration and processing of a voltage acquisition unit in a microcomputer of the receiver according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a determination table according to the first embodiment; FIG. [Figure 7] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow in the receiver according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a microcomputer of a receiver according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9]13 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a power receiving state determination unit in a microcomputer of a receiver according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating configurations and processing of a gradient calculation unit and a gradient comparison unit in the power receiving state determination unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a determination table according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and processing of a power supply voltage comparison unit in a power receiving state determination unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a determination table according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and processing of a rectified voltage comparison unit in the power receiving state determination unit. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a determination table according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and processing of a determination unit in a power receiving state determination unit. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a determination table according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings explaining the embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to common components, and repeated explanations are omitted. Note that the following embodiment does not unduly limit the contents of the present disclosure described in the claims. In addition, not all of the components shown in the embodiment are essential components of the present disclosure. In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily illustrated strictly.

[0010] In the following description, a "processor" refers to one or more processors. The at least one processor is typically a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but may be another type of processor such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The at least one processor may be a single-core or multi-core.

[0011] Furthermore, the at least one processor may be a processor in the broad sense, such as a hardware circuit (for example, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) that performs part or all of the processing.

[0012] In the following explanation, information that gives an output for an input may be described using an expression such as "xxx table", but this information may be data of any structure or a learning model such as a neural network that generates an output for an input. Therefore, the "xxx table" may be called "xxx information".

[0013] Furthermore, in the following description, the configuration of each table is an example, and one table may be divided into two or more tables, or all or part of two or more tables may be one table.

[0014] In addition, in the following explanation, the processing may be described with the "program" as the subject, but since the program is executed by a processor to perform a specified processing step by appropriately using a memory unit and / or an interface unit, etc., the subject of the processing may be the processor (or a device such as a controller having the processor).

[0015] The program may be installed in a device such as a computer, or may be, for example, in a program distribution server or a computer-readable (e.g., non-transitory) recording medium. In the following description, two or more programs may be realized as one program, or one program may be realized as two or more programs.

[0016] In the following description, identification numbers are used as identification information for various objects, but other types of identification information (for example, identifiers including alphabetic characters or symbols) may be used instead.

[0017] In addition, in the following description, when describing elements of the same type without distinguishing between them, reference signs (or common signs among the reference signs) may be used, and when describing elements of the same type with distinction between them, the identification numbers (or reference signs) of the elements may be used.

[0018] In the following description, the control lines and information lines are those that are considered necessary for the description, and not all control lines and information lines in the product are necessarily shown. All components may be connected to each other.

[0019] <0 System Overview> The WPT system according to the present disclosure has a receiver that receives power transmitted from a transmitter based on a wireless power supply method and supplies the power to a device.

[0020] Although details will be described in the first embodiment, in the WPT system according to the present disclosure, microwave power (a substantially continuous sine wave (CW) of 920 MHz) is received by the antenna of the receiver, and the radio wave is converted into a DC voltage by a rectifier circuit functionally connected to the antenna. The DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit is controlled by a power management unit, and the voltage is then supplied to a charging unit (mainly a capacitor). There is no particular limitation on the storage element constituting the charging unit, and it may include a capacitor, a lithium ion battery, an electric double layer capacitor, a ceramic capacitor, and the like. In the WPT system according to the present disclosure, the charging unit will be described as mainly including a capacitor. The voltage supplied from the power management unit is supplied to the charging unit when the voltage stored in the charging unit is less than a predetermined value. When the charging unit is charged to a predetermined voltage, the power supplied and output from the power management unit is supplied to a microcomputer.

[0021] Here, since the power supply state of wireless power supply depends on the environment, it is difficult to stably supply a constant amount of power, and the amount of power supply varies greatly over time. Similarly, the amount of power supply may change in wireless power supply using solar cells or lasers. Even in such a situation where the power supply state is unstable, it is necessary to diagnose each time whether power supply can be continued in order to continue stable power supply to the microcomputer of the receiver and further to the sensor device of the receiver.

[0022] If the diagnostic results are not good, the transmitter and / or the information processing device that monitors the transmitter and receiver in the WPT system must be notified, and in some cases the system must be shut down normally. This is done at the transmitter / receiver installation stage, during actual operation, and during maintenance.

[0023] However, as mentioned above, the amount of power supplied to the receiver can vary greatly over time, so the power receiving state of the receiver cannot be accurately determined by simply checking the voltage value inside the receiver momentarily. For example, even if the power supply voltage, which is the charging voltage of the charging section, is a normal voltage value, if the rectified voltage, which is the output value from the rectifier circuit, is a voltage value close to 0, the power supply to the receiver is not stable, and there is a possibility that the power supply to the device will be cut off soon.

[0024] Therefore, it is conceivable that the receiver obtains two voltage values, the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage, and transmits data to the transmitter and / or information processing device, but frequent data transmission would require a large amount of power consumption by the receiver. Furthermore, when several tens to nearly 100 receivers are associated with one transmitter, the calculation load on the transmitter (including the information processing device) would be high.

[0025] Therefore, in the WPT system according to the present disclosure, the rectified voltage and power supply voltage of the receiver are compared with respective threshold values ​​to determine whether the receiver can maintain the function of supplying power to a microcomputer, etc.

[0026] It goes without saying that the specific configuration of the WPT system according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above.

[0027] <1. First embodiment> <1.1 Overall system configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a WPT system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0028] The WPT system 1 shown in Fig. 1 includes, for example, a transmitter 100, a receiver 200, a first information processing device 300, and a second information processing device 400. The WPT system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is used in, for example, a building or a factory.

[0029] In this specification, the transmitter 100 is a (power) transmitter 100 in the sense of wirelessly transmitting power, and similarly, the receiver 200 is a (power) receiver 200 in the sense of wirelessly receiving power. As described later, the transmitter 100 may transmit, for example, information on the state of the receiver 200 or information on a measurement result by a sensor to the transmitter 100 as a data signal, and the transmitter 100 may receive such a data signal. In this case, the transmitter 100 is a receiver that receives a data signal, and the receiver 200 functions as a transmitter that transmits a data signal.

[0030] 1 shows an example in which the WPT system 1 includes three transmitters 100, but the number of transmitters 100 included in the WPT system 1 is not limited to three. The number of transmitters 100 included in the WPT system 1 may be two or less, or may be four or more.

[0031] 1 shows an example in which the WPT system 1 includes seven receivers 200, but the number of receivers 200 included in the WPT system 1 is not limited to seven. The number of receivers 200 included in the WPT system 1 may be six or less, or eight or more.

[0032] 1 shows an example in which the WPT system 1 includes two first information processing devices 300, but the number of first information processing devices 300 included in the WPT system 1 is not limited to two. The number of first information processing devices 300 included in the WPT system 1 may be one, or three or more.

[0033] The transmitter 100 transmits, for example, a power supply signal or a data signal to the receiver 200. The transmitter 100 transmits the power supply signal to the receiver 200 by radio waves in the 920 MHz band, for example. The transmitter 100 transmits the data signal to the receiver 200 by radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band, for example. The transmitter 100 may transmit the data signal by radio waves in the 920 MHz band.

[0034] The power transmission signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 may be, for example, a continuous wave (CW) sine wave having a predetermined power. The frequency band of the power transmission signal is, for example, a 920 MHz band, taking into consideration the distance between the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200. If the frequency band is higher than the exemplified frequency band, it may not be possible to supply the predetermined power that allows the receiver 200 to operate unless the distance between the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 is shortened, so an appropriate frequency band can be determined by taking into consideration a practical range (for example, the distance between the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 is several meters).

[0035] In this case, the laws of the country in which the WPT system 1 is installed may impose restrictions on the intermittent transmission of a power transmission signal having a specified power. As an example, if the power transmission signal from the transmitter 100 falls under the provisions of the radio station stipulated in the Radio Act of Japan (regardless of whether a license is held or not), it may be necessary to provide a certain pause period for the power transmission signal based on the Radio Act. In this case, when considered on a certain time axis, the power transmission signal cannot be said to be a continuous wave. However, it is essential to provide a pause period, and since this pause period only needs to be short, the power transmission signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 can be considered to be a substantially continuous continuous wave.

[0036] The transmitter 100 may, for example, feed power to one receiver 200 or to multiple receivers 200. The transmitter 100 may, for example, transmit a data signal to one receiver 200 or to multiple receivers 200. The transmitter 100 may, for example, transmit the same data signal as another transmitter 100, or may transmit a data signal different from that of the other transmitters 100. The transmitter 100 may, for example, transmit a predetermined command signal as a data signal to the receiver 200, or may transmit a preset signal as a data signal to the receiver 200.

[0037] The transmitter 100 receives, for example, a data signal transmitted from the receiver 200. The transmitter 100 may receive, for example, a data signal transmitted from one receiver 200, or may receive data signals transmitted from a plurality of receivers 200. The transmitter 100 transmits the data signal transmitted from the receiver 200 to the first information processing device 300. The transmitter 100 transmits information related to the state of the transmitter 100 to the first information processing device 300.

[0038] The receiver 200 receives, for example, a power supply signal or a data signal transmitted from the transmitter 100. For example, if the receiver 200 has a charging unit, the receiver 200 converts the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 into electric power and stores the converted electric power in the charging unit. For example, if the receiver 200 has a predetermined sensor, the receiver 200 converts the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 into electric power and drives the sensor with the converted electric power.

[0039] The receiver 200 transmits, for example, information relating to the state of the receiver 200 or information relating to the measurement results of a sensor to the transmitter 100 as a data signal.

[0040] The first information processing device 300 is an information processing device that monitors the operation of the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 housed in the WPT system 1. For example, the first information processing device 300 determines whether the transmitter 100 or the receiver 200 is in a preset state based on information about the state of the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 transmitted from the transmitter 100. If it is determined that the transmitter 100 or the receiver 200 is in a preset state, the first information processing device 300 transmits predetermined information to the second information processing device 400.

[0041] In addition, the first information processing device 300 accumulates information about the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 accommodated in the WPT system 1. For example, the first information processing device 300 stores information about the states of the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 transmitted from the transmitter 100 in a storage unit provided in the first information processing device 300.

[0042] In addition, the first information processing device 300 controls the operation of the transmitter 100 accommodated in the WPT system 1.

[0043] The second information processing device 400 is an information processing device operated by an administrator of the WPT system 1. When the second information processing device 400 receives a notification from the first information processing device 300 that the transmitter 100, the receiver 200, or both of them housed in the WPT system 1 are in a predetermined state, the second information processing device 400 presents to the user that the transmitter 100, the receiver 200, or both of them are in the predetermined state.

[0044] Moreover, the second information processing device 400 analyzes information on the status of the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 stored in the first information processing device 300, and presents predetermined information to the user. The predetermined information is, for example, the following. Information regarding placement of transmitter 100 Information regarding the placement of the receiver 200 Power consumption information Power intensity information

[0045] <1.2 Transmitter and receiver configuration> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 are, for example, spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval. For example, the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 are installed at a distance of about several meters apart. Specifically, for example, the transmitter 100 is fixedly installed at a predetermined high position provided in a high place indoors, for example, on a ceiling or a wall. The receiver 200 is installed in a predetermined device indoors, or placed near a device that requires power supply. The receiver 200 may also be carried by a user. The transmitter 100 transmits a power supply signal to the receiver 200 by radio waves of a predetermined frequency, for example, 920 MHz band. The receiver 200 converts the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 into power, and charges the device with the converted power, or supplies the converted power to the predetermined device.

[0046] The transmitter 100 includes, for example, an oscillator 101, a transmitting antenna 102, a microcomputer 103, a data transceiver 104, and a data transmitting / receiving antenna 105. The oscillator 101, the microcomputer 103, and the data transceiver 104 may be mounted on, for example, a PCB (printed circuit board).

[0047] The oscillator 101 oscillates a signal in a predetermined frequency band, for example, the 920 MHz band. The oscillated signal may be amplified and unnecessary frequency components may be removed, if necessary.

[0048] The transmitting antenna 102 is formed so as to be capable of efficiently transmitting radio waves in the 920 MHz band, for example. The transmitting antenna 102 radiates a signal oscillated by an oscillator 101 as a power supply signal.

[0049] The microcomputer 103 controls the operation of the transmitter 100. The microcomputer 103 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor device equipped with an ARM processor. The microcomputer 103 controls, for example, the transmission of radio waves by the transmission antenna 102.

[0050] For example, in the WPT system 1 used in a factory, it is desirable for the receiver 200 to supply power equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Therefore, the microcomputer 103 controls the transmission of radio waves by the transmitting antenna 102 based on a feedback signal transmitted from the receiver 200. The feedback signal relates to, for example, a voltage value at a predetermined location in the receiver 200. Based on the feedback signal, the electric field intensity of the receiver 200 can be grasped in a pseudo manner. When the transmitting antenna 102 has, for example, a plurality of antenna elements, the microcomputer 103 controls the transmitting antenna 102 so that the power feed signal is transmitted from, for example, an optimal antenna element. For example, the microcomputer 103 adjusts the polarization direction of the power feed signal by switching the antenna element to be driven. In addition, the microcomputer 103 adjusts the directivity of the power feed signal by adjusting the drive timing of the antenna element.

[0051] In addition, in the WPT system 1 used indoors such as in a building, the microcomputer 103 controls the transmission of radio waves by the transmitting antenna 102 based on a feedback signal transmitted from the receiver 200. When the transmitting antenna 102 is, for example, a single antenna element, the microcomputer 103 optimizes the power transmission output from the transmitting antenna 102, for example.

[0052] The data transceiver 104 performs processes such as converting digital data to analog data, modulating analog data, etc. The data transceiver 104 also performs processes such as demodulating a signal extracted from a data signal received by the data transceiver antenna 105, and digitizing the demodulated analog data. For example, the data transceiver 104 extracts a feedback signal from the data signal received by the data transceiver antenna 105, converts it into digital data, and transmits it to the microcomputer 103.

[0053] The data transmission / reception antenna 105 is formed to be capable of efficiently transmitting and receiving radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band, for example. The data transmission / reception antenna 105 radiates a data signal supplied from the data transceiver 104. In addition, the data transmission / reception antenna 105 receives a data signal transmitted from the receiver 200.

[0054] Receiver 200 includes, for example, receiving antenna 201, rectifier circuit (rectifier unit) 202, power management unit 203, charging unit (charging unit) 204, microcomputer (controller) 205, data transceiver 206, and data transceiver antenna 207. Rectifier circuit 202, power management unit 203, charging unit 204, microcomputer 205, and data transceiver 206 may be mounted on, for example, a PCB or FPC (flexible printed circuit board).

[0055] The receiving antenna 201 is formed so as to be able to efficiently receive radio waves in the 920 MHz band, for example. The receiving antenna 201 receives the power supply signal radiated from the transmitting antenna 102.

[0056] The rectifier circuit 202 rectifies the radio waves received as a power supply signal and converts them into a DC voltage.

[0057] The power management unit 203 manages the DC voltage. For example, the power management unit 203 controls a charging voltage based on the DC voltage. The power management unit 203 charges the charging unit 204 by controlling the charging voltage. In addition, for example, when power equal to or greater than a predetermined capacity is stored in the charging unit 204, the power management unit 203 supplies the DC voltage to a connected member.

[0058] Moreover, the power management unit 203 causes the charging unit 204 to release the power stored therein under the control of the microcomputer 205 .

[0059] The charging unit 204 stores power in response to an instruction from the power management unit 203. Moreover, the charging unit 204 discharges the stored power in response to an instruction from the power management unit 203.

[0060] Microcontroller 205 controls the operation of receiver 200. Microcontroller 205 is driven by a DC voltage supplied from power management unit 203 or by power stored in charging unit 204. Microcontroller 205 controls power management unit 203 to cause charging unit 204 to release the power stored therein.

[0061] For example, various sensors can be connected to the receiver 200. For example, a heat sensor, a temperature sensor, a light sensor, a humidity sensor, a vibration sensor, and the like are connected to the receiver 200. The sensors connected to the receiver 200 are driven, for example, by a direct current voltage supplied from the power management unit 203 or by power discharged from the charging unit 204. The microcomputer 205 continuously or intermittently monitors the voltage value at a predetermined portion of the receiver 200, the status of the sensor connected to the receiver 200, information detected by the sensor, and the like. The microcomputer 205 transmits the voltage value at a predetermined portion of the receiver 200, the status of the sensor connected to the receiver 200, information detected by the sensor, and the like as digital data to the data transceiver 206.

[0062] The data transceiver 206 performs processes such as converting digital data supplied from the microcomputer 205 into analog data and modulating the analog data. The data transceiver 206 also performs processes such as demodulating the analog data and digitizing the demodulated analog data. The data transceiver 206 is driven by, for example, a DC voltage supplied from the power management unit 203 or power discharged from the charging unit 204.

[0063] The data transmission / reception antenna 207 is formed to be capable of efficiently transmitting and receiving radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band, for example. The data transmission / reception antenna 207 radiates a data signal supplied from the data transceiver 206. The data transmission / reception antenna 207 also receives a data signal transmitted from the transmitter 100. For example, the data transmission / reception antenna 207 is driven by a DC voltage supplied from the power management unit 203 or power discharged from the charging unit 204.

[0064] The transmission format of the data signal transmitted (radiated) from the data transmission / reception antenna 207 is arbitrary. In particular, since the data signal radiated from the data transmission / reception antenna 207 is a radio wave in the 2.4 GHz band, it may be a signal conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) or IEEE 802.11x (that is, so-called wireless LAN) format. In this case, it is preferable that the data transceiver 104 of the transmitter 100 also has a function of analyzing a data signal in a format that matches the format of the data signal transmitted from the receiver 200. Alternatively, the first information processing device 300 may also have such a function.

[0065] <1.3 Receiver circuit configuration> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of the circuit configuration of receiver 200 shown in Fig. 2. In the following explanation, detailed explanation of the components of receiver 200 explained with reference to Fig. 2 will be omitted. Also, only the main parts of the components of receiver 200 shown in Fig. 2 are shown.

[0066] In FIG. 3, the rectified voltage, which is the voltage at the rear stage of the rectifier circuit 202 (i.e., the output side of the rectifier circuit 202), and the power supply voltage, which is the charging voltage of the charging unit 204, are input to the microcomputer 205, converted into digital values ​​by the A / D conversion unit of the microcomputer 205, and used for determining the power receiving state, which will be described later.

[0067] <1.4 Functional configuration of microcomputer 205> Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the microcomputer 205. As shown in Fig. 4, the microcomputer 205 has functions as an A / D conversion unit 2051, a voltage acquisition unit 2052, a storage unit 2054, and a control unit 2053.

[0068] The A / D conversion unit 2051 performs a process of converting an analog signal input to the microcomputer 205 into a digital signal. The A / D conversion unit 2051 may include an A / D converter as a circuit. The A / D conversion unit 2051 of this embodiment converts the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage, which are analog signals, into digital values.

[0069] The voltage acquiring unit 2052 acquires values ​​obtained by converting the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage into digital signals from, for example, the A / D conversion unit 2051. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the voltage acquiring unit 2052. As shown in Fig. 5, the voltage acquiring unit 2052 includes a timer 20521, a DMA controller 20522, and a ring buffer 20523.

[0070] The timer 20521 is, for example, an oscillator circuit, and is used to determine the timing for acquiring the digital values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage. Specifically, the timer 20521 generates a signal at a predetermined interval, thereby enabling time measurement. The timing and interval for acquiring the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage by the voltage acquiring unit 2052 are arbitrary, and the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage may be acquired periodically, or may be acquired in accordance with the timing at which the transmission control module 20532 transmits a physical quantity measured by a sensor as a data signal to the transmitter 100 or the like. The term "in accordance" as used here includes the meaning of in accordance with the timing at which a signal representing a judgment result can be transmitted to the transmitter 100 or the like substantially simultaneously with the data signal, taking into consideration the time required for the judgment operation by the power receiving state judgment module 20533 described later.

[0071] Here, the timing of acquiring the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage by the voltage acquiring unit 2052 is synchronized with the timing of transmitting the physical quantity measured by the sensor to the transmitter 100 or the like by the transmission control module 20532 as a data signal, because transmitting a data signal causes the microcomputer 205 to consume a large amount of power, and therefore the power receiving state of the receiver 200 can be appropriately determined by determining the power receiving state of the receiver 200 when the microcomputer 205 is consuming power. In other words, except when transmitting a data signal, it is considered that the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage rise due to wireless power supply from the transmitter 100, and the power receiving state improves.

[0072] As an example, the A / D conversion unit 2051 is associated with a timer 20521 of the voltage acquisition unit 2052 by a MUX (Multiplexer) (not shown), and converts an analog signal acquired from an analog power supply terminal (AVDD) (not shown) into a digital signal at a timing determined by the timer 20521. Note that in an actual design, an RFSOC (Radio Frequency System on a chip) having a functional block capable of associating the timer 20521 with the A / D conversion unit 2051 may be used.

[0073] When acquiring an analog signal from the analog power supply terminal, the A / D conversion unit 2051 may acquire either the rectified voltage or the power supply voltage at a time (so-called single acquisition), or may acquire both (so-called scan acquisition). The A / D conversion unit 2051 may also accept input of a reference voltage (a band gap of 5 V, as an example) as offset information from the analog power supply terminal.

[0074] The DMA controller 20522 controls a direct memory access (DMA) transfer for transferring data within the microcomputer 205 without starting a processor mounted in the microcomputer 205. The DMA controller 20522 transfers the digital signal converted by the A / D conversion unit 2051 to a ring buffer 20523.

[0075] The ring buffer 20523 is an example of a buffer memory, and temporarily stores the digital values ​​of the digital signals converted by the A / D conversion unit 2051. The ring buffer 20523 has a storage area whose end and beginning are logically connected, allowing the storage area to be used cyclically.

[0076] Continuing the explanation by returning to Fig. 4. The control unit 2053 is realized by a processor mounted on the microcomputer 205 reading an application program 20541 stored in its own storage unit 2054 and executing instructions included in the application program 20541. The control unit 2053 operates according to the application program 20541 to fulfill functions shown as a reception control module 20531, a transmission control module 20532, and a power receiving state determination module 20533.

[0077] The reception control module 20531 controls the process in which the microcomputer 205 receives a signal from an external device such as the transmitter 100 in accordance with a communication protocol.

[0078] The transmission control module 20532 controls the process in which the microcomputer 205 transmits a signal to an external device such as the transmitter 100 in accordance with a communication protocol.

[0079] The power receiving state determination module 20533 compares the digital value of the rectified voltage stored in the ring buffer 20523 with a predetermined rectified voltage threshold (first threshold), and compares the digital value of the power supply voltage acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 2052 with a predetermined power supply voltage threshold (second threshold). Then, the power receiving state determination module 20533 refers to a determination table 20542 stored in the storage unit 2054, and determines the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the comparison result.

[0080] The storage unit 2054 includes, for example, a judgment table 20542 and the like.

[0081] The determination table 20542 is a table describing how to determine the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the condition of whether the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are equal to or lower than the threshold value. The determination table 20542 may be created in advance when the receiver 200 or the microcomputer 205 is manufactured and stored in the storage unit 2054 of the microcomputer 205, or may be transmitted from at least one of the transmitter 100, the first information processing device 300, and the second information processing device 400 after the receiver 200 is installed.

[0082] Here, a configuration is also conceivable in which the receiver 200 acquires only the digital values ​​of the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage, sends these digital values ​​to the transmitter 100, and the transmitter 100 and / or the first information processing device 300 and the second information processing device 400 determine the power receiving state of the receiver 200, and there is no intention to exclude such a configuration in the WPT system 1 of the present disclosure.

[0083] On the other hand, by having the receiver 200 determine its own power receiving state, as described below, there is an advantage that detailed and flexible operation control can be performed based on the determination result, such as the receiver 200 changing its own operation state. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, if the transmitter 100 is configured to receive data from multiple receivers 200, if the transmitter 100 etc. determines the power receiving state of each receiver 200, the calculation load of the transmitter 100 etc. will be large. For the above reasons, in the WPT system 1 according to the present disclosure, the receiver 200 mainly performs the power receiving state determination.

[0084] The first threshold and the second threshold, which are the basis for judging the power receiving state, may be different values. For example, the power management unit 203 may convert the voltage value of the output voltage of the rectifier circuit 202 and supply it to the charging unit 204 and the microcomputer 205. Therefore, the appropriate value of the rectified voltage, which is the output value from the rectifier circuit 202, may differ from the appropriate value of the power supply voltage related to the output value from the power management unit 203. The specific values ​​of the first threshold and the second threshold may be appropriately determined depending on the circuit configuration of the receiver 200, but the standard value in the circuit design may be, for example, if the output voltage value from the rectifier circuit 202 is 5V, the first threshold may be set to a value slightly lower than 5V, and similarly, if the output voltage value from the power management unit 203 is 3.3V, the second threshold may be set to a value slightly lower than 3.3V. In addition, since the power supply voltage is the charging voltage to the charging unit 204 and can also be considered as the voltage of the operating power supply for the microcontroller 205, the second threshold value can also be defined as a voltage value that enables charging to the charging unit 204 and / or a voltage value at which the microcontroller 205 can operate.

[0085] The first threshold value and the second threshold value are stored in advance in the storage unit 2054 of the microcomputer 205. The first threshold value and the second threshold value can also be updated based on data transmission from the transmitter 100.

[0086] An example of the determination table 20542 used by the power receiving state determination module 20533 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the determination table 20542 stored in the storage unit 2054 of the microcomputer 205.

[0087] In the judgment table 20542, the results of comparison of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage with the second threshold and the first threshold are associated with judgment results of the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on these comparison results. In the example shown in Fig. 6, ◯ indicates a voltage value equal to or greater than the first threshold or the second threshold, and × indicates a voltage value less than the first threshold or the second threshold. Since there are two comparison results for the rectified voltage and two for the power supply voltage, there are four types of judgment results of the power receiving state.

[0088] If at least one of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage is less than the threshold value, the power receiving state determination module 20533 determines that the power reception is not stable.

[0089] Specifically, if the power supply voltage is O and the rectified voltage is also O, it is determined that the power receiving state is stable and normal. Next, if the power supply voltage is O but the rectified voltage is X, it is presumed that the power for operating the microcomputer 205 by the charging unit 204 is currently secured, but if the rectified voltage is X, it is determined that the wireless power supply from the transmitter 100 is currently unstable and that the power supply voltage is expected to drop as the microcomputer 205 continues to operate. Furthermore, if the power supply voltage is X but the rectified voltage is O, it is determined that the charging state (SOC) of the charging unit 204 is low and the time when the power for operating the microcomputer 205 cannot be secured will soon come, because the wireless power supply has been unstable for a long time immediately before the determination. Then, if both the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are X, it is determined that the entire receiver 200 cannot operate. However, if the power supply voltage is below the operating voltage of the microcontroller 205, the power receiving state determination module 20533 itself cannot perform the determination operation, so even if both the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are x, the power supply voltage is considered to be above the operating voltage of the microcontroller 205.

[0090] Then, the power receiving state determination module 20533 transmits the determination result based on the determination table 20542 to the transmitter 100 or the like via the transmission control module 20532. The timing of transmitting the determination result is arbitrary, but the determination result may be transmitted periodically, similar to the timing of acquisition of the digital values ​​of the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage by the voltage acquisition unit 2052, or may be transmitted in accordance with the timing at which the transmission control module 20532 transmits the physical quantity measured by the sensor as a data signal to the transmitter 100 or the like.

[0091] The method of transmitting the determination result by the power receiving status determination module 20533 is arbitrary, and as an example, it may be a mode of transmitting only two types of signals indicating "normal" or "abnormal" (where "abnormal" includes both "unstable power receiving" and "abnormal"), a mode of transmitting three types of signals indicating "normal", "unstable power receiving state", and "abnormal", or even a mode of transmitting four types of signals indicating the four patterns of the power receiving status determination module 20533 shown in Figure 6.

[0092] <1.5 Example of operation> An example of the operation of the microcomputer 205 will now be described.

[0093] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a main operation of the microcomputer 205. The operation shown in the flowchart of Fig. 7 may be started in accordance with a timing based on the timer 20521. The order of operation of each step shown in the flowchart of Fig. 7 is not limited to that shown in the figure, and the order of operation can be appropriately changed. As an example, the order of obtaining the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage shown in steps S600 and S601 is not limited, and they may be obtained asynchronously or simultaneously.

[0094] In steps S600 and S601, the DMA controller 20522 obtains the digital values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage from the A / D conversion unit 2051. The DMA controller 20522 stores the obtained digital values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage in the ring buffer 20523 at least temporarily.

[0095] Next, in step S602, the control unit 2053 checks the voltage values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage acquired in steps S600 and S601 against the judgment table 20542. Specifically, for example, the control unit 2053 checks the voltage values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage acquired in steps S600 and S601 against the judgment table 20542 by the power receiving state judgment module 20533. The checking operation against the judgment table 20542 in step S602 does not need to be performed immediately after steps S600 and S601, and may be performed independently of the timing of acquiring the voltage values ​​in steps S600 and S601. Similarly, the operations in steps S603 and S604 do not need to be performed immediately after steps S600 and S601, and may be performed independently of the timing of acquiring the voltage values ​​in steps S600 and S601.

[0096] Next, in step S603, the control unit 2053 determines the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the comparison result in step S602. Specifically, for example, the control unit 2053 determines the power receiving state of the receiver 200 by the power receiving state determination module 20533 based on the comparison result in step S602.

[0097] Then, in step S604, the control unit 2053 transmits the determination result in step S603 to the transmitter 100, etc. Specifically, for example, the control unit 2053 transmits the determination result in step S603 to the transmitter 100, etc., via the power receiving state determination module 20533 and the transmission control module 20532.

[0098] <1.6 Effects of one embodiment> As described above in detail, according to the WPT system 1 of the present embodiment, in the receiver 200 to which power is supplied wirelessly, the power receiving state of the receiver 200 can be determined.

[0099] Specifically, if the voltage values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are sequentially transmitted to the transmitter 100, etc., the receiver 200 needs to frequently transmit data to the transmitter 100, etc., which is likely to increase the power consumption of the receiver 200. Furthermore, when the transmitter 100, etc. receives data transmissions from a plurality of receivers 200 as in the configuration shown in Fig. 1, the computational burden on the transmitter 100, etc. is likely to increase.

[0100] According to the WPT system 1 of this embodiment, the receiver 200 compares the voltage values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage with two types of thresholds (first threshold and second threshold) and determines the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the comparison result, which can reduce the calculation load of both the receiver 200 and the transmitter 100. In addition, since both the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are compared with the thresholds and the power receiving state of the receiver 200 is determined based on the comparison result, the power receiving state of the receiver 200 can be determined in detail and with high accuracy.

[0101] Then, based on this power receiving state determination, before the power receiving state of the receiver 200 enters an abnormal state (both the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage in the determination table 20542 in FIG. 5 are ×), the receiver 200 notifies the possibility of entering an abnormal state, and based on this notification, the administrator of the WPT system 1, or the first information processing device 300, or the second information processing device 400 can perform appropriate management. This management can include measures such as increasing the power supply power of the transmitter 100 that is wirelessly supplying power to the receiver 200 whose power receiving state is unstable, or changing the position of the transmitter 100.

[0102] In addition, when constructing the WPT system 1, i.e., when the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 are actually arranged, the judgment result of the power receiving state of the receiver 200 can be obtained, and the number and installation locations of the transmitters 100 and receivers 200 can be optimized based on this judgment result.

[0103] In particular, since the receiver 200 is equipped with a sensor, and the appropriate position of the sensor is determined to some extent in the installation space, it is of great merit to consider and optimize the number and placement positions of the transmitters 100 for appropriately wirelessly feeding power to the receiver 200 after installing the receiver 200.

[0104] In addition, when the manufacturer of the transmitter 100 and the manufacturer of the receiver 200 are different, the power receiving state of the receiver 200 can be appropriately determined regardless of the configuration of the transmitter 100, so that interoperability during operation can be ensured and guaranteed. In other words, a WPT system 1 that is not a best-effort type can be constructed.

[0105] Furthermore, when the microcomputer 205 determines the power receiving state of the receiver 200, particularly when the power supply voltage is equal to or lower than a threshold, the receiver 200 may be operated in a power saving mode. In other words, when the power supply voltage is equal to or lower than a threshold, it is highly likely that the microcomputer 205 and the like will have difficulty in continuing to operate, so it is preferable to operate the receiver 200 in a power saving mode. Examples of the power saving mode include lengthening the interval at which the sensor detection result is transmitted to the transmitter 100 and the like, lengthening the blinking interval of a lighting means such as an LED for indicating that the receiver 200 is operating, and further, if the microcomputer 205 has a low power consumption mode, transitioning to this low power consumption mode. The threshold for determining the transition to the power saving mode may be a value different from the second threshold.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the digital values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage converted by the A / D conversion unit 2051 are acquired by the DMA controller 20522 and transferred to the ring buffer 20523, and are used in the subsequent process of determining the power receiving state. With this configuration, the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage can be acquired without constantly running the processor functioning as the control unit 2053, thereby realizing power saving.

[0107] In addition, since a ring buffer is used as a buffer memory for temporarily storing the digital values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage, it is possible to use the digital values ​​converted by the A / D conversion unit 2051 for subsequent processing while minimizing the memory area of ​​the microcontroller 205.

[0108] <1.7 Modifications> In the WPT system 1 of the present embodiment described above, the microcomputer 205 of the receiver 200 has an A / D conversion unit 2051. However, in the WPT system 1 of the present embodiment, the configuration for acquiring the digital values ​​of the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage is not limited to this. As an example, a comparator that performs a voltage value comparison with a first threshold value and a second threshold value may be disposed in the input stage before the input to the microcomputer 205, and the output value of the comparator may be input to the microcomputer 205. In this case, since the output value of the comparator can be a digital value, it is not necessary to provide the A / D conversion unit 2051. Also, a reset IC may be used instead of the comparator.

[0109] In this way, it is quite possible to configure the comparison calculation between the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage and the first and second threshold values ​​without relying on the internal processing of the microcomputer 205.

[0110] In addition, in the WPT system 1 of the present embodiment described above, the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are compared with the first threshold and the second threshold, but these first threshold and second threshold may have multiple thresholds. In other words, the first threshold and the second threshold may have multiple thresholds with different voltage values, and a detailed power receiving state determination may be performed depending on whether the power supply voltage and the rectified voltage are equal to or lower than any of the first threshold and the second threshold, respectively.

[0111] <2. Second embodiment> A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 8 to Fig. 15. In the first embodiment, the power receiving state of the receiver 200 is determined by a power receiving state determination module 20533 included in the control unit 2053. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the power receiving state of the receiver 200 is determined by a power receiving state determination unit 2055 different from the control unit 2053. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0112] 8, the microcomputer 205 of the receiver 200 in the second embodiment includes a power receiving state determination unit 2055 that is different from the control unit 2053. That is, the power receiving state determination unit 2055 is configured by an electronic circuit different from the processor that functions as the control unit 2053.

[0113] 9, the power receiving state determination unit 2055 includes a gradient calculation unit 20551, a gradient comparison unit 20552, a power supply voltage comparison unit 20553, a rectified voltage comparison unit 20554, and a determination unit 20555. The power receiving state determination unit 2055 performs the process described below based on the digital value of the power supply voltage or the rectified voltage (hereinafter also referred to as the power supply voltage value or the rectified voltage value) stored in the ring buffer 20523. The power receiving state determination unit 2055 may be configured to acquire the voltage value stored in the ring buffer 20523 by DMA transfer executed by the DMA controller 20522.

[0114] The configurations of the gradient calculation unit 20551 and the gradient comparison unit 20552 will be described with reference to FIG. 10. The gradient calculation unit 20551 calculates the difference (i.e., gradient value) per unit time of the power supply voltage. As an example, the gradient calculation unit 20551 includes a subtractor 20551a. The subtractor 20551a calculates the gradient value ΔVb(t) of the power supply voltage based on the latest power supply voltage value Vb(t) and the previous power supply voltage value Vb(t-1) stored in the ring buffer 20523. As an example, when the power supply voltage value is stored in the ring buffer 20523 at predetermined intervals Δt, a value obtained by dividing the difference value between the power supply voltage value Vb(t) and the previous power supply voltage value Vb(t-1) by the predetermined interval Δt is calculated as the gradient value ΔVb(t).

[0115] The gradient comparator 20552 compares the gradient value ΔVb(t) calculated by the gradient calculator 20551 with a predetermined threshold. As an example, the gradient comparator 20552 includes a first gradient comparator 20552a and a second gradient comparator 20552b. The first gradient comparator 20552a compares the gradient value ΔVb(t) of the power supply voltage with a first gradient threshold THS1 stored in the storage unit 2054. The second gradient comparator 20552b compares the gradient value ΔVb(t) of the power supply voltage with a second gradient threshold THS2 stored in the storage unit 2054.

[0116] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a gradient judgment table 20542a, which is one of the judgment tables 20542 stored in the storage unit 2054. The gradient judgment table 20542a stores an output value when the gradient value ΔVb(t) of the power supply voltage satisfies a predetermined condition. As an example, as shown in FIG. 11, the gradient comparison unit 20552 outputs an output value S1 as 1 when "the gradient value ΔVb(t) of the power supply voltage ≧ the first gradient threshold THS1", and outputs S1 as 0 otherwise. Moreover, the gradient comparison unit 20552 outputs an output value S2 as 1 when "the gradient value ΔVb(t) of the power supply voltage ≧ the second gradient threshold THS2", and outputs S2 as 0 otherwise.

[0117] In this way, when the output value S1 and the output value S2 are both 1, it can be determined that the state (status) of the power supply voltage is tending to "increase." When the output value S1 is 1 and the output value S2 is 0, it can be determined that the state of the power supply voltage is tending to "stable." When the output value S1 and the output value S2 are both 0, it can be determined that the state of the power supply voltage is tending to "decrease." The specific values ​​of the first gradient threshold THS1 and the second gradient threshold THS2 can be set appropriately according to the specifications of the receiver 200 or the transmitter 100.

[0118] The configuration of the power supply voltage comparator 20553 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. The power supply voltage comparator 20553 compares the latest power supply voltage value Vb(t) stored in the ring buffer 20523 with a predetermined threshold. As an example, the power supply voltage comparator 20553 includes a first voltage comparator 20553a and a second voltage comparator 20553b. The first voltage comparator 20553a compares the power supply voltage value Vb(t) with a first voltage threshold THV1 stored in the storage unit 2054. The second gradient comparator 20552b compares the power supply voltage value Vb(t) with a second voltage threshold THV2 stored in the storage unit 2054.

[0119] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a voltage judgment table 20542b, which is one of the judgment tables 20542 stored in the storage unit 2054. The voltage judgment table 20542b stores an output value when the power supply voltage value Vb(t) satisfies a predetermined condition. As an example, as shown in FIG. 13, the power supply voltage comparator 20553 outputs an output value V1 as 1 when "power supply voltage value Vb(t) ≧ first voltage threshold THV1", and outputs V1 as 0 otherwise. In addition, the power supply voltage comparator 20553 outputs an output value V2 as 1 when "power supply voltage value Vb(t) ≧ second voltage threshold THV2", and outputs V2 as 0 otherwise.

[0120] In this way, when the output value V1 and the output value V2 are both 1, the state of the power supply voltage can be determined to be "good". When the output value V1 is 1 and the output value V2 is 0, the state of the power supply voltage can be determined to be "normal". When the output value V1 and the output value V2 are both 0, the state of the power supply voltage can be determined to be "bad". The specific values ​​of the first voltage threshold THV1 and the second voltage threshold THV2 may be set appropriately according to the specifications of the receiver 200 or the transmitter 100.

[0121] The configuration of the rectified voltage comparator 20554 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The rectified voltage comparator 20554 compares the rectified voltage value Vr(t) stored in the ring buffer 20523 with a predetermined threshold. As an example, the rectified voltage comparator 20554 includes a rectified voltage comparator 20554a. The rectified voltage comparator 20554a compares the rectified voltage threshold value THR1 stored in the storage unit 2054 with the rectified voltage value Vr(t).

[0122] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a rectified voltage judgment table 20542c, which is one of the judgment tables 20542 stored in the storage unit 2054. The rectified voltage judgment table 20542c stores an output value when the rectified voltage value Vr(t) satisfies a predetermined condition. As an example, as shown in Fig. 15, the rectified voltage comparator 20554 outputs an output value R1 as 1 when "rectified voltage value Vr(t) ≥ rectified voltage threshold THR1", and outputs R1 as 0 otherwise.

[0123] In this way, when the output value is R1, the state of the rectified voltage can be determined to be "good." When the output value R1 is 0, the state of the rectified voltage can be determined to be "bad." Note that the specific values ​​of the rectified voltage threshold value THR1 and the rectified voltage threshold value THR2 may be set appropriately according to the specifications of the receiver 200 or the transmitter 100.

[0124] The configuration of the determination unit 20555 will be described with reference to Fig. 16. The determination unit 20555 determines the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the output value S1 and the output value S2 output by the gradient comparison unit 20552, the output value V1 and the output value V2 output by the power supply voltage comparison unit 20553, and the output value R1 output by the rectified voltage comparison unit 20554. As an example, the determination unit 20555 includes a determination comparator 20555a.

[0125] Fig. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a power receiving state determination table 20542d, which is one of the determination tables 20542 stored in the storage unit 2054. The power receiving state determination table 20542d stores the relationship between the values ​​of S1, S2, V1, V2, and R1 received as input values ​​and the output value O1. Note that in Fig. 17, the power receiving state determination table 20542d is illustrated divided into three (i.e., power receiving state determination tables 20542d1 to 20542d3) from the viewpoint of visibility.

[0126] As an example, when S1 and S2 are both 1 (i.e., the power supply voltage is increasing), V1 and V2 are both 1 (i.e., the power supply voltage is good), and R1 is 1 (i.e., the rectified voltage is good), 0 is output as the output value O1. Also, when S1 and S2 are both 1 (i.e., the power supply voltage is increasing), V1 and V2 are both 0 (i.e., the power supply voltage is poor), and R1 is 1 (i.e., the rectified voltage is good), 1 is output as the output value O1.

[0127] The output value O1 being 0 means that the power receiving state of the receiver 200 is normal. The output value O1 being 1 means that the power receiving state of the receiver 200 is poor. In this way, when the output value O1 becomes 1, a processor functioning as the control unit 2053 may be started up to execute a predetermined process for when the power receiving state is poor (for example, a process of switching to a power saving mode).

[0128] In this manner, in the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the power receiving state of the receiver 200 can be determined without starting the processor, so that power saving within the receiver 200 can be realized.

[0129] In this embodiment, the gradient calculation unit 20551 calculates the gradient value of the power supply voltage, and determines the power receiving state taking into consideration whether the power supply voltage is on an upward or downward trend. In this way, by determining the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the value of the power supply voltage, the upward / downward trend of the power supply voltage, and the value of the rectified voltage, it is possible to estimate the future state of the power supply voltage. As an example, if the power supply voltage is on a downward trend but the rectified voltage is above the first threshold, it can be determined that the power supply voltage will recover thereafter and the current downward trend will not continue (a drop in the power supply voltage is not expected in the future).

[0130] It is also possible to define two more stages for the rising / falling tendency of the power supply voltage. In other words, a threshold value may also be set for the slope of the rise / fall of the power supply voltage, and the definition of the state may be changed depending on whether the rise / fall of the power supply voltage exceeds this threshold. In this way, the number of threshold values ​​for the slope of the rise / fall of the power supply voltage can be set arbitrarily.

[0131] <3. Notes> In addition, the above-described embodiments are described in detail to clearly explain the present disclosure, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. In addition, some of the configurations of each embodiment can be added to, deleted from, or replaced with other configurations.

[0132] As an example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the power receiving state of the receiver is mainly determined by the receiver 200, but the receiver 200 may transmit values ​​(digital values) of the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage as signals to the transmitter 100 and the first information processing device 300, and the transmitter 100 and the first information processing device 300 may determine the power receiving state of the receiver 200 based on the values ​​of the rectified voltage and the like transmitted from the receiver 200. That is, in FIG. 4, a configuration is also possible in which the power receiving state determination module 20533 is provided in at least one of the transmitter 100 and the first information processing device 300, and the transmission control module 20532 transmits the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 2052 to at least one of the transmitter 100 and the first information processing device 300.

[0133] In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the application to the so-called WPT system 1 in which the transmission power consisting of an AC signal is wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter 100 to the receiver 200 has been described, but it is naturally possible to apply it to a system that provides power to the receiver 200 by other methods. Since such systems are known, detailed description will be omitted. As an example, there is a system that transmits power generated by solar power generation to the receiver 200 regardless of whether it is wired or wireless, and further, a system that transmits power to the receiver 200 by laser light regardless of whether it is wired or wireless. In addition, it is also applicable to a configuration in which vibration or sound is given to the receiver 200 and the receiver 200 converts the power of the vibration or the like into power. In addition, it is naturally applicable to a system that uses a known non-contact power supply technology other than the system that wirelessly receives the transmission power consisting of an AC signal, for example, a non-contact power supply technology using a magnetic field coupling method.

[0134] In addition, the above-mentioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole by hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The present invention can also be realized by software program code that realizes the functions of the embodiments. In this case, a storage medium on which the program code is recorded is provided to a computer, and a processor included in the computer reads the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing it constitute the present invention. Examples of storage media for supplying such program code include flexible disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, hard disks, SSDs, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-Rs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, ROMs, etc.

[0135] Furthermore, the program code for realizing the functions described in this embodiment can be implemented in a wide range of program or script languages, such as assembler, C / C++, perl, Shell, PHP, Java (registered trademark), and the like.

[0136] Furthermore, the program code of the software that realizes the functions of the embodiments may be distributed over a network and stored in a storage means such as a computer's hard disk or memory, or in a storage medium such as a CD-RW or CD-R, and the processor of the computer may read out and execute the program code stored in the storage means or storage medium.

[0137] The matters described in the above embodiments will be supplemented below.

[0138] (Appendix 1) A receiver that wirelessly receives transmission power consisting of an AC signal, the receiver having a rectifier unit that rectifies the transmission power, a power management unit that manages the rectified voltage from the rectifier unit, a charging unit that is charged by the output voltage from the power management unit, and a controller that controls the operation of the receiver, the controller executing the steps of detecting a predetermined voltage value within the receiver, and storing the voltage value detected in the detecting step in a buffer memory by DMA (Direct Memory Access). (Appendix 2) The receiver described in Appendix 1, wherein, in the detecting step, the controller detects a power supply voltage which is the rectified voltage and the charging voltage of the charging unit, and compares the detected rectified voltage with a first threshold value defined for the rectified voltage, and compares the detected power supply voltage with a second threshold value defined for the power supply voltage. (Appendix 3) The receiver of claim 2, wherein the controller determines a power receiving state of the receiver based on at least one of the results of the comparison. (Appendix 4) The receiver described in Appendix 1, wherein the controller performs A / D conversion on the detected predetermined voltage value to obtain a digital value, and stores the obtained AD converted value in a ring buffer as the buffer memory. (Appendix 5) The receiver according to claim 4, wherein the controller includes a timer for determining a timing for acquiring the digital value, and the controller associates a converter that performs the AD conversion with the timer. (Appendix 6) The receiver described in Appendix 2, wherein the controller compares the detected rectified voltage with a first threshold value set for the rectified voltage and compares the detected power supply voltage with a second threshold value set for the power supply voltage without starting a processor, and determines the power receiving state of the receiver based on at least one of the comparison results. (Appendix 7) The receiver according to claim 6, wherein the rectified voltage and the power supply voltage are compared with threshold values ​​determined for each voltage using a subtractor and a comparator to determine the power receiving state of the receiver. [Explanation of symbols]

[0139] 1: WPT system, 100: transmitter, 101: oscillator, 102: transmitting antenna, 103: microcomputer, 104: data transceiver, 105: data transmitting / receiving antenna, 200: receiver, 201: receiving antenna, 202: rectifier circuit, 203: power management unit, 204: charging unit, 205: microcomputer, 206: data transceiver, 207: data transmitting / receiving antenna, 300: first information processing device, 400: second information processing device, 2051: A / D conversion unit, 2052: voltage acquisition unit, 20521: timer, 20522: DMA controller, 20523: ring buffer, 2053: control unit, 20531: receiving control module, 20532: transmitting control module, 20533: power receiving State determination module, 2054: memory unit, 20541: application program, 20542: determination table, 20542a: gradient determination table, 20542b: voltage determination table, 20542c: rectified voltage determination table, 20542d: power receiving state determination table, 2055: power receiving state determination unit, 20551: gradient calculation unit, 20551a: subtractor, 20552: gradient comparison unit, 20552a: first gradient comparator, 20552b: second gradient comparator, 20553: power supply voltage comparison unit, 20553a: first voltage comparator, 20553b: second voltage comparator, 20554: rectified voltage comparison unit, 20554a: rectified voltage comparator, 20555: determination unit, 20555a: determination comparator.

Claims

[Claim 1] A receiver that wirelessly receives transmitted power consisting of AC signals, The aforementioned receiver is A rectifier unit for rectifying the transmitted power, A power management unit that manages the rectified voltage from the rectifier unit, The charging unit is charged by the output voltage from the power management unit, The receiver has a controller that controls the operation of the receiver, The controller is, The steps include detecting a predetermined voltage value within the receiver, A receiver that performs the steps of storing the voltage value detected in the detection step into a buffer memory using DMA (Direct Memory Access).

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