Receiver

Abstract

This receiver comprises an antenna, a processing circuit, a filter circuit, a cable, and a sensor. In a wireless power supply system, the antenna receives a power supply signal from a transmitter that transmits the power supply signal. The processing circuit is attached to a first part of the antenna. The filter circuit is connected to the processing circuit and is capable of blocking signals. The cable is connected to the filter circuit. The sensor is attached to the cable.

Description

Receiver

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a receiver.

[0002] In recent years, wireless power feeding for wirelessly supplying power has been implemented.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an antenna device having high antenna efficiency and flexibility.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-025502

[0005] When it is intended to supply power to a predetermined sensor by wireless power feeding, depending on the object to which the sensor is attached, there may be a restriction on the installation position of a receiver that receives a power feeding signal and supplies power to the sensor.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a receiver that can alleviate restrictions on the installation position thereof.

[0007] The receiver includes an antenna, a processing circuit, a filter circuit, a cable, and a sensor. In a wireless power feeding system, the antenna receives a power feeding signal from a transmitter that transmits the power feeding signal. The processing circuit is attached to a first portion of the antenna. The filter circuit is connected to the processing circuit and can block a signal. The cable is connected to the filter circuit. The sensor is attached to the cable.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a receiver capable of alleviating restrictions on the installation position can be provided.

[0009] This figure shows the overall configuration of the WPT system 1 according to this embodiment. This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 shown in Figure 1. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the receiving antenna 201 and the circuit unit 210. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the receiver 200. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a receiver 200 attached to a predetermined drive unit. This is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the receiver 200. This is a block diagram showing another example of the structure of the receiver 200. This is a block diagram showing another example of the structure of the receiver 200. This is a schematic diagram showing another example of the structure of the receiver 200. This is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the receiver 200. This is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the receiver 200. This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the receiver 200 when multiple filter circuits 209 are connected to one sensor 208. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcontroller 205 when connecting filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n. This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the receiver 200. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the receiving antenna 201a and circuit unit 210a when viewed from a predetermined direction. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the receiving antenna 201a and circuit unit 210a shown in Figure 15 when viewed from the rear. This is a block diagram showing the basic hardware configuration of the computer 90.

[0010] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings illustrating the embodiments, common components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are omitted. The following embodiments are not intended to unduly limit the content of this disclosure as described in the claims. Not all components shown in the embodiments are necessarily essential components of this disclosure. Also, each drawing is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily a strict illustration.

[0011] Furthermore, in the following description, "processor" refers to one or more processors. 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). At least one processor may be single-core or multi-core.

[0012] Furthermore, at least one processor may be a broad-sense processor, such as a hardware circuit that performs some or all of the processing (e.g., an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)).

[0013] Furthermore, in the following explanation, we may use expressions such as "xxx table" to describe information from which an output is obtained for a given input. This information can be data of any structure, or it can be a learning model such as a neural network that generates an output for a given input. Therefore, "xxx table" can be referred to as "xxx information."

[0014] Furthermore, in the following explanation, the configuration of each table is just an example; one table may be divided into two or more tables, or all or part of two or more tables may constitute a single table.

[0015] Furthermore, in the following explanation, the subject of the process may sometimes be "program," but since a program is executed by a processor and performs defined processes using the memory and / or interface as appropriate, the subject of the process may also be the processor (or a device such as a controller that has that processor).

[0016] The program may be installed on a device such as a computer, or it may reside on a program distribution server or a computer-readable (e.g., non-temporary) recording medium. Furthermore, in the following description, two or more programs may be implemented as a single program, or one program may be implemented as two or more programs.

[0017] Furthermore, in the following explanation, identification numbers are used as identification information for various objects, but other types of identification information (for example, identifiers including letters or symbols) may also be used.

[0018] Furthermore, in the following explanations, when describing similar elements without distinction, a reference code (or a common code among reference codes) may be used, and when describing similar elements with distinction, the element's identification number (or reference code) may be used.

[0019] Furthermore, in the following explanation, only control lines and information lines deemed necessary for the explanation are shown, and not all control lines and information lines in the product are necessarily shown. All components may be interconnected.

[0020] Each information processing device consists of a computer equipped with an arithmetic unit and a memory device. The basic hardware configuration of the computer and the basic functional configuration of the computer realized by said hardware configuration will be described later.

[0021] <Overview> The wireless power supply system has a transmitter that sends a power supply signal and multiple receivers that receive the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter and generate power. The receivers have sensors that are driven by the generated power. The elements of the receiver other than the sensors are housed in a casing, for example, and only the sensors are connected by cables and placed outside the casing. The cables are connected to a filter circuit housed in the casing. The filter circuit is a low-pass filter that blocks high-frequency signals. Even if the sensors are connected along the cable, because the cables are connected to the filter circuit, it is possible to suppress the effect of the cables on the radio wave characteristics of the receiver. This makes it possible to place the receiver body and sensors separately, and allows for flexible setting of the receiver's installation location.

[0022] <1. Overall System Configuration Diagram> Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the WPT system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0023] The WPT system 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises, 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 Figure 1 is used, for example, in a building or a factory. The connection between the transmitter 100 and the first information processing device 300, and the connection between the first information processing device 300 and the second information processing device 400, may be wired or wireless.

[0024] Figure 1 shows an example where 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 WPT system 1 may include two or fewer transmitters 100, or four or more transmitters 100.

[0025] Figure 1 shows an example where 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 fewer, or eight or more.

[0026] In this specification, the transmitter 100 is a (power) transmitter 100 in the sense of transmitting power wirelessly, and similarly, the receiver 200 is a (power) receiver 200 in the sense of receiving power wirelessly. As will be described later, the receiver 200 may transmit information about the state of the receiver 200 or information about measurement results from sensors as a data signal to the transmitter 100, and the transmitter 100 may receive such a data signal. In this case, the transmitter 100 functions as a receiver that receives a data signal, and the receiver 200 functions as a transmitter that transmits a data signal.

[0027] Figure 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 WPT system 1 may include one first information processing device 300, or it may include three or more.

[0028] The transmitter 100 transmits, for example, a power supply signal or a data signal to the receiver 200. The transmitter 100 transmits a power supply signal to the receiver 200 using, for example, radio waves in the 920 MHz band. The transmitter 100 transmits a data signal to the receiver 200 using, for example, radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band. The transmitter 100 may also transmit the data signal using radio waves in the 920 MHz band.

[0029] The feed signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 may, for example, be a continuous wave (CW) with a predetermined power. The frequency bands that can be used for the feed signal are not limited to those mentioned above, and for example, radio waves in the 430 MHz band (433.05 MHz to 434.79 MHz), 860 MHz band (865 MHz to 868 MHz), 920 MHz band (902 MHz to 928 MHz (915 MHz ± 13 MHz)), 2.4 GHz band (2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz), 5.7 GHz band (5.725 GHz to 5.875 GHz), and 24 GHz band (24 GHz to 24.25 GHz) can also be used.

[0030] In this case, the laws of the country where the WPT system 1 is installed may impose restrictions on the intermittent transmission of power supply signals with a predetermined power level. For example, if the power supply signal from transmitter 100 falls under the provisions for radio stations as defined in Japan's Radio Law (regardless of whether a license is in place), it may be necessary to provide a certain pause period for the power supply signal in accordance with the Radio Law. In this case, considering it over a certain time axis, the power supply signal cannot be considered a continuous wave. However, it is important to provide a pause period, and since this pause period only needs to be short, the power supply signal transmitted from transmitter 100 can be considered a nearly continuous wave. The ratio of the duration of the power supply signal to the duration of the pause period should be such that the power supply signal transmitted from transmitter 100 can be considered a nearly continuous wave, as described above. For example, the duration of the pause period is about 1 / 50 to 1 / 100 of the duration of the power supply signal.

[0031] The transmitter 100 may, for example, supply 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 other transmitters 100, or transmit a different data signal from other transmitters 100. The transmitter 100 may, for example, transmit a predetermined command signal as a data signal to the receiver 200, or transmit a pre-set signal as a data signal to the receiver 200.

[0032] The transmitter 100 receives, for example, a data signal transmitted from the receiver 200. The transmitter 100 may receive a data signal transmitted from one receiver 200, or it may receive data signals transmitted from multiple 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 regarding the state of the transmitter 100 to the first information processing device 300.

[0033] The receiver 200 receives, for example, a power supply signal or a data signal transmitted from the transmitter 100. If the receiver 200 has, for example, a power storage unit, it converts the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 into power and stores the converted power in the power storage unit. If the receiver 200 has, for example, a predetermined sensor, it converts the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 into power and drives the sensor with the converted power.

[0034] The receiver 200 transmits, for example, information regarding the state of the receiver 200 or information regarding measurement results from the sensor as a data signal to the transmitter 100.

[0035] The first information processing device 300 is an information processing device that monitors the operation of the transmitter 100 and 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 status of the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200 transmitted from the transmitter 100. If it determines that the transmitter is in a preset state, the first information processing device 300 transmits predetermined information to the second information processing device 400.

[0036] Furthermore, the first information processing device 300 stores information about the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 housed in the WPT system 1. For example, the first information processing device 300 stores information about the status of the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 transmitted from the transmitter 100 in a storage unit provided in the first information processing device 300.

[0037] Furthermore, the first information processing device 300 controls the operation of the transmitter 100, which is housed in the WPT system 1. For example, the first information processing device 300 transmits a predetermined instruction or information to the transmitter 100.

[0038] Furthermore, the first information processing device 300 controls the operation of the second information processing device 400.

[0039] The second information processing device 400 is, for example, an information processing device operated by the 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, receiver 200, or both thereof, which are connected to the WPT system 1, are in a predetermined state, it informs the user that the transmitter 100, receiver 200, or both thereof are in a predetermined state.

[0040] Furthermore, the second information processing device 400 analyzes the information regarding the status of the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 stored in the first information processing device 300 and presents predetermined information to the user. The predetermined information includes, for example, the following: • Information regarding the placement of the transmitter 100 • Information regarding the placement of the receiver 200 • Information regarding power consumption • Information regarding energy consumption

[0041] <2. Transmitter and Receiver Configuration> Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance, for example. For example, the transmitter 100 and receiver 200 are installed at a distance of several meters from each other. Specifically, for example, the transmitter 100 is fixed and installed at a predetermined high position indoors, for example, on the ceiling or 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 the user. The transmitter 100 transmits a power supply signal to the receiver 200 using radio waves at a predetermined frequency, for example, in the 920 MHz band. The receiver 200 converts the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 into power, and either charges with the converted power or supplies the converted power to a predetermined device.

[0042] The transmitter 100 includes, for example, an oscillator 101, a transmitting antenna 102, a microcontroller (controller) 103, a data transceiver 104, and a data transceiver antenna 105. The oscillator 101, microcontroller 103, data transceiver 104, data transceiver antenna 105, or at least a combination of these, may be mounted on a PCB (printed circuit board), for example.

[0043] The oscillator 101 oscillates a signal in a predetermined frequency band, for example, a 920 MHz band. The oscillated signal may be amplified as necessary to remove unnecessary frequency components.

[0044] The transmission antenna 102 is formed to be capable of efficiently transmitting radio waves in, for example, the 920 MHz band. The transmission antenna 102 radiates a signal oscillated by the oscillator 101 as a feeding signal.

[0045] The microcomputer 103 controls the operation of the transmitter 100. The microcomputer 103 is implemented by, for example, a semiconductor element equipped with an ARM processor. The microcomputer 103 controls, for example, radio wave transmission by the transmission antenna 102.

[0046] The data transceiver 104 performs processing such as analog conversion of digital data and modulation of analog data. Furthermore, the data transceiver 104 performs processing such as demodulation of data signals received by the data transmitting and receiving antenna 105 and digitization of the demodulated data. For example, the data transceiver 104 extracts a predetermined signal from a data signal received by the data transmitting and receiving antenna 105, converts the signal into digital data, and transmits the digital data to the microcomputer 103.

[0047] The data transmitting and receiving antenna 105 is formed to be capable of efficiently transmitting and receiving radio waves in, for example, a 2.4 GHz band. The data transmitting and receiving antenna 105 radiates data signals supplied from the data transceiver 104. Furthermore, the data transmitting and receiving antenna 105 receives data signals transmitted from the receiver 200.

[0048] The receiver 200 includes, for example, a reception antenna 201, a rectifier circuit 202, a power management unit 203, a power storage unit 204, a microcomputer 205, a data transceiver 206, a data transmitting and receiving antenna 207, a filter circuit 209, and a sensor 208. The reception antenna 201, the rectifier circuit 202, the power management unit 203, the power storage unit 204, the microcomputer 205, the data transceiver 206, the data transmitting and receiving antenna 207, or at least any combination thereof may be mounted on, for example, a PCB or an FPC (flexible printed circuit).

[0049] The receiving antenna 201, rectifier circuit 202, power management unit 203, energy storage unit 204, microcontroller 205, data transceiver 206, data transceiver antenna 207, and filter circuit 209 are housed in the housing 250. The housing 250 is made of a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate resin.

[0050] The receiving antenna 201 is configured to efficiently receive, for example, radio waves in the 920 MHz band. The receiving antenna 201 receives the feed signal radiated from the transmitting antenna 102.

[0051] The rectifier circuit 202 rectifies the radio waves received as a power supply signal and converts them into a DC voltage.

[0052] The power management unit 203 manages the DC voltage. For example, the power management unit 203 controls the charging voltage based on the DC voltage. By controlling the charging voltage, the power management unit 203 charges the energy storage unit 204. Also, for example, when the energy storage unit 204 stores more than a predetermined capacity of power, the power management unit 203 supplies the DC voltage to the connected components.

[0053] Furthermore, the power management unit 203 releases the power stored in the energy storage unit 204 in response to control from the microcontroller 205.

[0054] The energy storage unit 204 stores power in response to instructions from the power management unit 203. The energy storage unit 204 is implemented, for example, by a battery or a capacitor. The energy storage unit 204 also releases the stored power in response to instructions from the power management unit 203.

[0055] The microcontroller 205 controls the operation of the receiver 200. The microcontroller 205 is an example of a processing circuit. The microcontroller 205 is driven by a DC voltage supplied from the power management unit 203 or by power stored in the energy storage unit 204. The microcontroller 205 controls the power management unit 203 to release the power stored in the energy storage unit 204.

[0056] The filter circuit 209 is connected to the microcontroller 205. The filter circuit 209 is, for example, a circuit that blocks signals above a predetermined frequency. In other words, the filter circuit 209 is, for example, a circuit that blocks high-frequency signals. More specifically, the filter circuit 209 is, for example, a circuit that blocks signals in the MHz band. More specifically, the filter circuit 209 is, for example, a circuit that blocks signals in the high-frequency band of several MHz to tens of MHz or higher. The filter circuit 209 can also be called, for example, a low-pass filter that allows signals with frequencies below a predetermined frequency band to pass through. The filter circuit 209 can also be called, for example, a band-stop filter (or band-elimination filter) that allows signals with frequencies excluding a predetermined frequency band (for example, 1 Hz to 1 MHz) to pass through. Furthermore, the filter circuit 209 is a circuit that blocks signals in a frequency band corresponding to the transmission frequency band of the power supply signal transmitted by the transmitter 100. For example, when transmitter 100 transmits a feed signal in the 430 MHz band, the filter circuit 209 is set to block signals in the 430 MHz band or approximately 430 MHz band. Also, for example, when transmitter 100 transmits a feed signal in the 860 MHz band, the filter circuit 209 is set to block signals in the 860 MHz band or approximately 860 MHz band. Also, for example, when transmitter 100 transmits a feed signal in the 920 MHz band, the filter circuit 209 is set to block signals in the 920 MHz band or approximately 920 MHz band. Also, for example, when transmitter 100 transmits a feed signal in the 2.4 GHz band, the filter circuit 209 is set to block signals in the 2.4 GHz band or approximately 2.4 GHz band. Furthermore, for example, when the transmitter 100 transmits a power supply signal in the 5.7 GHz band, the filter circuit 209 is set to block signals in the 5.7 GHz band, or approximately 5.7 GHz band. Also, for example, when the transmitter 100 transmits a power supply signal in the 24 GHz band, the filter circuit 209 is set to block signals in the 24 GHz band, or approximately 24 GHz band. The filter circuit 209 is implemented, for example, by ferrite beads or inductors (coils). The filter circuit 209 may also be called an isolation circuit.

[0057] Sensor 208 is connected to filter circuit 209 via a cable of a predetermined length. Sensor 208 can be implemented by various sensors, for example. For example, sensor 208 may be a heat sensor, temperature sensor, light sensor, humidity sensor, vibration sensor, magnetic sensor, etc. Alternatively, sensor 208 may be a force sensor, proximity sensor, gas sensor, acceleration sensor, human presence sensor, infrared sensor, illuminance sensor, flow sensor, current sensor, pressure sensor, etc. Sensor 208 is driven, for example, by a DC voltage supplied from power management unit 203 or power released from energy storage unit 204.

[0058] The microcontroller 205 continuously or intermittently monitors the voltage value at a predetermined location on the receiver 200, the status of the sensor 208, and the information detected by the sensor 208. The microcontroller 205 transmits the voltage value at a predetermined location on the receiver 200, the status of the sensor 208, and the information detected by the sensor 208 as digital data to the data transceiver 206.

[0059] The data transceiver 206 performs processing such as converting digital data supplied from the microcontroller 205 to analog and modulating analog data. The data transceiver 206 also performs processing such as demodulating the data signal received by the data transmission antenna 207 and digitizing the demodulated data. The data transceiver 206 is driven, for example, by a DC voltage supplied from the power management unit 203 or power emitted from the energy storage unit 204.

[0060] The data transmission antenna 207 is configured to efficiently transmit and receive radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band, for example. The data transmission antenna 207 radiates data signals supplied from the data transceiver 206. The data transmission antenna 207 also receives data signals transmitted from the transmitter 100. For example, the data transmission antenna 207 is driven by, for example, a DC voltage supplied from the power management unit 203 or power emitted from the energy storage unit 204.

[0061] <3.1 Structure of Receiving Antenna and Circuit Section> Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of a receiving antenna 201 and a circuit section 210 (an example of a processing circuit). The receiving antenna 201 shown in Figure 3 has, for example, a cylindrical shape with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The receiving antenna 201 has an upper surface, a lower surface, and side surfaces. The upper surface represents the part located on the top surface in Figure 3. The lower surface represents the part located on the bottom surface in Figure 3. The side surfaces represent the parts located on the sides in Figure 3. The upper surface and the lower surface are arranged to face each other. In the receiving antenna 201 shown in Figure 3, the upper surface and the lower surface are arranged roughly parallel to each other. The upper surface and the lower surface do not have to be arranged roughly parallel to each other. Also, the upper surface, the lower surface, and the side surfaces may be flat overall or partially, curved, or a combination thereof.

[0062] The receiving antenna 201 has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, and has a predetermined height. For example, the receiving antenna 201 has a transverse width of 10 mm, a longitudinal width of 30 mm, and a height of 8 mm. The longitudinal width of 30 mm is, for example, approximately one-tenth the wavelength of the 920 MHz band signal that is expected to be received. The size of the receiving antenna 201 is not limited to this and may be increased or decreased within a predetermined range. The receiving antenna 201 may be treated as a loop antenna or as an inverted F antenna.

[0063] The receiving antenna 201 comprises a first conductor 2011 and a second conductor 2012. The first conductor 2011 is formed on the upper surface shown in Figure 3. The first conductor 2011 is realized, for example, by a conductive layer formed on a PCB. The conductive layer formed on the PCB is realized, for example, by copper foil.

[0064] The second conductor 2012 is realized, for example, by conductive plates that constitute the bottom portion and both side portions shown in Figure 3. The conductive plates are made of metal plates such as copper or aluminum. The second conductor 2012 is formed, for example, by bending a single conductive plate. More specifically, for example, a single copper plate is bent to form a roughly U-shape (roughly U-shaped or roughly C-shaped) cross-section. In the bending process, for example, a mold may be used to plastically deform the copper plate or the like. The first conductor 2011 and the second conductor 2012 are connected, for example, by soldering the second conductor 2012 to the PCB.

[0065] The circuit section 210 is formed on the upper surface as shown in Figure 3. The circuit section 210 is mounted on a PCB, for example. The circuit section 210 includes a rectifier circuit 202, a power management unit 203, a power storage unit 204, a microcontroller 205, a data transceiver 206, and a data transceiver antenna 207. The circuit section 210 may also include a filter circuit 209. The first conductor 2011 has a slit (gap) formed near the area where the rectifier circuit 202 is installed. In the example shown in Figure 3, the slit is formed on the upper surface. In Figure 3, the circuit section 210 is mounted on the upper surface facing the spatial direction. The circuit section 210 may also be mounted on the upper surface facing the downward direction.

[0066] The characteristic impedances of the first conductor 2011 and the second conductor 2012 are designed to match the characteristic impedance of the rectifier circuit 202. Specifically, for example, the characteristic impedances of the first conductor 2011 and the second conductor 2012 are matched using complex conjugate. For example, the characteristic impedances of the first conductor 2011 and the second conductor 2012 are designed to be R + jX. The characteristic impedance of the rectifier circuit 202 is designed to be R - jX.

[0067] Note that the structure of the receiving antenna 201 and the circuit section 210 is not limited to Figure 3. For example, Figure 3 shows a case where the circuit section 210 is mounted in the spatial direction of the upper surface. The lower surface may be realized by a PCB, and the first conductor 2011 may be formed on the lower surface. In this case, the circuit section 210 is mounted on the PCB of the lower surface. The circuit section 210 may be mounted in the spatial direction of the lower surface, or it may be mounted in the direction of the upper surface of the lower surface. The second conductor 2012 is realized, for example, by conductive plates that constitute the upper surface and both side surfaces. Alternatively, the side surfaces may be realized by a PCB, and the first conductor 2011 may be formed on the side surfaces. In this case, the circuit section 210 is mounted on the PCB of the side surfaces. The circuit section 210 may be mounted in the spatial direction of the side surfaces, or it may be mounted in the inward direction of the cylindrical shape of the side surfaces. The second conductor 2012 is realized, for example, by conductive plates that constitute the upper surface, the lower surface, and the other side surface.

[0068] <3.2 Receiver Structure> Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of a receiver 200. In the receiver 200 shown in Figure 4, a receiving antenna 201, a circuit unit 210, and a filter circuit 209 are housed in a housing 250. A cable is connected to the filter circuit 209. The cable is connected to a sensor 208 located outside the housing 250. In this embodiment, the connection to the filter circuit 209 is not limited to a cable, that is, for example, a conductor for transmitting electricity with an insulating protective coating. For example, the connection to the filter circuit 209 may be a conductor capable of transmitting electrical signals, and a circuit board such as an FFC (flexible flat cable), FPC, or rigid-flex circuit board may be connected instead of a cable.

[0069] <3.3 Installation of the Receiver> The receiver 200 is installed, for example, in a predetermined indoor device. More specifically, for example, the receiver 200 is mounted on the metal housing of a drive unit used indoors. However, the mounting location of the receiver 200 is not limited to the drive unit. For example, the receiver 200 may be mounted on a predetermined frame. Furthermore, the mounting location of the receiver 200 is not limited to a metal housing. For example, the receiver 200 may be mounted on a non-metallic housing.

[0070] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a receiver 200 attached to a predetermined drive unit. The receiver 200 is attached, for example, so that one side of the housing 250 is in contact with the metal housing of the drive unit. The sensor 208 is attached to a predetermined position on the drive unit, away from the housing 250.

[0071] The housing 250 housing the receiver 200 is not limited to being entirely made of resin. At least one surface of the housing 250 may be made of a conductive material, such as metal. The metal part of the housing 250 may contact, for example, one surface of the receiving antenna 201. The contact between the metal part and the receiving antenna 201 may be physical contact, functional, or electrical connection. The metal part may also be shared with one surface of the receiving antenna 201.

[0072] As described above, in the above embodiment, the receiver 200 includes a receiving antenna 201, a processing circuit 210 (circuit section 210), a filter circuit 209, a cable, and a sensor 208. The receiving antenna 201 includes a first conductor 2011 and a second conductor 2012 that forms an annular shape with the first conductor 2011 by being connected to the first conductor 2011. The processing circuit 210 is attached to a first portion of the substrate on which the first conductor 2011 is formed. The filter circuit 209 is connected to the processing circuit 210 and blocks signals above a predetermined frequency. The cable is connected to the filter circuit 209. The sensor 208 is attached to the cable. This makes it possible to attach the sensor 208 to the cable and to install the sensor 208, the receiving antenna 201, and the processing circuit 210 separately.

[0073] If the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 cannot be installed separately from the sensor 208, the installation direction of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 must be aligned with the direction in which the sensor 208 is mounted to the drive unit. Therefore, depending on the installation direction of the sensor 208, it was sometimes difficult to align the installation direction of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 with the polarization direction of the power supply signal. According to this embodiment, since it is possible to install the sensor 208 separately from the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210, it becomes possible to align the installation direction of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 with the polarization direction of the power supply signal, thereby improving the power reception efficiency of the receiver 200.

[0074] Furthermore, depending on the indoor environment, reflected radio waves can interfere with the power supply signal, causing amplification or cancellation of the power supply signal, which may result in dead spots in some locations. If the receiver 200 is placed in a dead spot, the received power will be almost zero. According to this embodiment, since the sensor 208 and the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be installed separately, the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be placed away from dead spots.

[0075] Depending on the arrangement of devices indoors, the receivers 200 may be placed in close proximity. When the receivers 200 are placed in close proximity, the receiving antennas 201 may interfere with each other, potentially degrading the power reception performance. According to this embodiment, since the sensor 208, the receiving antenna 201, and the processing circuit 210 can be installed separately, the receiving antenna 201 can be placed separately from the receiving antennas 201 of other receivers 200, thereby avoiding degradation of power reception performance.

[0076] If there is an obstruction between the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200, it will affect the amount of power received by the receiver 200. In particular, if the transmitter 100 and the obstruction are parallel, the amount of power received by the receiver 200 will be greatly affected. According to this embodiment, since the sensor 208 and the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be installed separately, even if the detection position by the sensor 208 is fixed, the placement positions of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be flexibly changed. Therefore, it is possible to place the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 in a position where there is no obstruction between them and the transmitter 100, that is, in a position where power can be received efficiently.

[0077] Depending on the device to which it is attached, the power reception performance may change depending on its position on the device. In this embodiment, since the sensor 208 and the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be installed separately, even if the detection position by the sensor 208 is fixed, the placement positions of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be flexibly changed. Therefore, it is possible to place the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 in a position where power can be received efficiently.

[0078] Depending on the shape of the device to which it is attached (for example, a structure such as a metal column), the power reception performance may change depending on the placement position. According to this embodiment, since the sensor 208 and the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be installed separately, even if the detection position by the sensor 208 is predetermined, the placement positions of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be flexibly changed. Therefore, it is possible to place the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 in a position where power can be received efficiently.

[0079] If there is metal between the transmitter 100 and the receiver 200, the power receiving performance of the receiver 200 changes. According to this embodiment, since the sensor 208 and the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be installed separately, even if the detection position by the sensor 208 is determined, the placement positions of the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 can be flexibly changed. Therefore, it is possible to place the receiving antenna 201 and processing circuit 210 in a position where power can be received efficiently.

[0080] Therefore, it is possible to provide a receiver that can relax the restrictions on installation location.

[0081] <4 Modifications> In the above embodiment, the case in which one sensor 208 is attached to a cable connected to the filter circuit 209 was described as an example. The configuration of the receiver 200 according to this embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0082] (Modification 1) Figure 6 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the receiver 200. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the structure of the receiver 200. In the receiver 200 shown in Figure 6, sensor 208-1 is connected to the microcontroller 205 via a filter circuit 209 and a cable wired from the filter circuit 209. Sensor 208-1 is located outside the housing 250. Sensor 208-2 is connected to the microcontroller 205. Sensor 208-2 is located inside the housing 250. Sensors 208-1 and 208-2 may measure the same type of parameter or different types of parameter.

[0083] The receiver 200 shown in Figure 7 has a receiving antenna 201, a circuit unit 210, a sensor 208-2, and a filter circuit 209 housed in a housing 250. A cable is connected to the filter circuit 209. The cable is connected to the sensor 208-1, which is located outside the housing 250.

[0084] Sensor 208-2 is, for example, a sensor module having a predetermined size. Sensor 208-2 is connected to the circuit section 210 by connecting to wiring formed on the PCB. Sensor 208-2 is positioned on the back side of the bottom surface relative to the top surface, penetrating the bottom surface. The distance between sensor 208-2 and the bottom surface is based, for example, on the position where the sensor 208-2 measures the state of the drive unit when the receiver 200 is attached to the drive unit. Note that sensor 208-2 does not necessarily have to be positioned penetrating the bottom surface. For example, wiring may be routed along the surfaces of the first conductor 2011 and the second conductor 2012 to position sensor 208-2 on the back side of the bottom surface relative to the top surface. In this case, for example, the circuit section 210 and sensor 208-2 can be mounted on a rigid-flex substrate. By installing ferrite beads or inductors at the connection point between the rigid and flexible sections of the rigid-flex circuit board, it is possible to suppress the influence of the flexible section on the receiving antenna 201.

[0085] The receiver 200 is mounted, for example, so that one side of the housing 250 is in contact with the metal housing of a predetermined drive unit. The receiver 200 is mounted so that the sensor 208-2 is positioned at a predetermined location in the drive unit. The sensor 208-1 is mounted at a predetermined location in the drive unit, away from the housing 250. The drive unit to which the sensor 208-1 is mounted may be a different drive unit from the drive unit to which the housing 250 is mounted.

[0086] Depending on the arrangement of devices indoors, the receiver 200 may be placed in close proximity. When the receiver 200 is placed in close proximity, the receiving antenna 201 may interfere with each other, potentially degrading the power reception performance. According to this embodiment, since the receiving antenna 201 and the processing circuit 210 can be shared between sensor 208-1 and sensor 208-2, it is possible to prevent the receiving antenna 201 from being placed in close proximity, thereby avoiding degradation of power reception performance.

[0087] (Modification 2) Figure 8 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the receiver 200. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the structure of the receiver 200. In the receiver 200 shown in Figure 8, sensors 208-1 and 208-3 are connected to the microcontroller 205 via a filter circuit 209 and cables wired from the filter circuit 209. Sensors 208-1 and 208-3 may measure the same type of parameter or different types of parameters.

[0088] The receiver 200 shown in Figure 9 has a receiving antenna 201, a circuit unit 210, and a filter circuit 209 housed in a housing 250. A cable is connected to the filter circuit 209. The cable is connected to sensors 208-1 and 208-3 located outside the housing 250. The cable wired from the filter circuit 209 may be two cables, or a single cable may be branched midway. Although two cases are shown for the connector provided on the housing 250 in Figure 9, only one connector may be provided.

[0089] The receiver 200 is mounted, for example, so that one side of the housing 250 is in contact with the metal housing of a predetermined drive unit. Sensors 208-1 and 208-3 are mounted, for example, at different positions on the same drive unit, away from the housing 250. The drive unit to which sensor 208-1 is mounted may be a different drive unit from the drive unit to which sensor 208-3 is mounted. Also, the drive units to which sensors 208-1 and 208-3 are mounted may be a different drive unit from the drive unit to which the housing 250 is mounted.

[0090] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the structure of the receiver 200. The filter circuits 209 may be installed at different locations on the circuit section 210, and cables may be routed from each of them.

[0091] Depending on the arrangement of devices indoors, the receiver 200 may be placed in close proximity. When the receiver 200 is placed in close proximity, the receiving antenna 201 may interfere, potentially degrading the power reception performance. According to this embodiment, since the receiving antenna 201 and the processing circuit 210 can be shared between sensor 208-1 and sensor 208-3, it is possible to prevent the receiving antenna 201 from being placed in close proximity, thereby avoiding degradation of power reception performance. Furthermore, since the receiving antenna 201 and the processing circuit 210 can be placed regardless of the positions of sensor 208-1 and sensor 208-3, it is possible to place the receiving antenna 201 and the processing circuit 210 in a position where power can be received efficiently.

[0092] (Modification 3) Figure 11 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of the receiver 200. The receiver 200 shown in Figure 11 has a path that bypasses the filter circuit 209 (a path that short-circuits the filter circuit 209), and a switching circuit 2010 installed in that path.

[0093] The switching circuit 2010 switches on / off in response to control from the microcontroller 205. When the switching circuit 2010 is on, the path bypassing the filter circuit 209 is open, and the signal passes through this path. When the switching circuit 2010 is off, the path bypassing the filter circuit 209 is closed, and the signal passes through the filter circuit 209.

[0094] The microcontroller 205 monitors the powered voltage and switches the switching circuit 2010 on or off. Specifically, for example, the microcontroller 205 determines whether the voltage value at a predetermined point in the rectifier circuit 202 or the power management unit 203 exceeds a predetermined value (a pre-set threshold) when the switching circuit 2010 is on. If the voltage value exceeds the predetermined value, the microcontroller 205 keeps the switching circuit 2010 on. If the voltage value does not exceed the predetermined value, the microcontroller 205 switches the switching circuit 2010 off. This allows the microcontroller 205 to suppress the deterioration of the radio wave characteristics of the receiver 200 due to the cable functioning as part of the antenna. Furthermore, if the cable functioning as part of the antenna improves the radio wave characteristics of the receiver 200, the microcontroller 205 can maintain the improved state of radio wave characteristics.

[0095] The microcontroller 205 may monitor the received voltage at predetermined intervals and switch the switching circuit 2010 accordingly. For example, the environment around the receiver 200 may change when the drive unit to which the receiver 200 is attached is driven. The drive unit may be rephrased as the sensing target of the sensor 208. The microcontroller 205 measures the received voltage in synchronization with the period in which the drive unit is driven. If the voltage value of the received voltage exceeds a predetermined value, the microcontroller 205 maintains the connection of the switching circuit 2010. On the other hand, if the voltage value of the received voltage falls below a predetermined value, the microcontroller 205 switches the connection of the switching circuit 2010 to the other side. In other words, if the radio wave characteristics are better when the cable is not treated as part of the antenna, the microcontroller 205 turns off the switching circuit 2010. Also, if the radio wave characteristics are better when the cable is treated as part of the antenna, the microcontroller 205 turns on the switching circuit 2010. This allows the microcontroller 205 to control the switching circuit 2010 so that the radio wave characteristics of the receiver 200 are maintained at a high level. Note that the period during which the microcontroller 205 measures the received voltage does not need to be synchronized with the drive cycle of the drive unit. The microcontroller 205 may measure the received voltage at a period of seconds or less.

[0096] The microcontroller 205 may monitor the received voltage at predetermined intervals and employ one of the multiple filter circuits 209 provided for a single sensor 208.

[0097] Figure 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a receiver 200 when multiple filter circuits 209 are connected to a single sensor 208. The receiver 200 shown in Figure 12 has filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n. The impedance characteristics of filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n are, for example, different. In Figure 12, an example is shown where all paths connecting the microcontroller 205 and the sensor 208 are connected to one of the filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n, but there may also be paths that short-circuit filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n.

[0098] The receiver 200 has switching circuits 2010-1 to 2010-n for each of the filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n. The switching circuits 2010-1 to 2010-n are switched on / off in response to control from the microcontroller 205. The microcontroller 205 controls the switching circuits so that one of the switching circuits 2010-1 to 2010-n is turned on and the others are turned off. Since the impedance characteristics of the filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n are different, the received voltage differs for each connected filter circuit 209-1 to 209-n depending on the environment in which the receiver 200 is installed. The microcontroller 205 controls the switching circuit 2010 so that the filter circuit 209 with the maximum received voltage is connected.

[0099] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the microcontroller 205 when connecting filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n.

[0100] In step S11, the microcontroller 205 repeats the processes of steps S12 to S18 until, for example, a stop instruction is input. In step S12, the microcontroller 205 repeats the processes of steps S13 to S15 as many times as there are filter circuits 209. That is, the microcontroller 205 repeats the processes of steps S13 to S15 n times.

[0101] In steps S13 to S15, the microcontroller 205 turns on switching circuits 2010-1 to 2010-n one by one (turning off the other switching circuits). After turning switching circuits 2010 on / off, the microcontroller 205 waits for a transient time (Ts). Transient time (Ts) is a variable or constant that stores the time from when the filter circuit is transitioned from on to off, or from off to on, until the power reception state stabilizes. Ts may be a preset constant or may be changed dynamically. After Ts has elapsed, the microcontroller 205 stores the measured power reception voltage in Vr_buf[]. Once the power reception voltages for all filter circuits 209-1 to 209-n have been stored in Vr_buf[], the microcontroller 205 proceeds to step S16.

[0102] In step S16, the microcontroller 205 identifies the filter circuit 209 with the maximum received voltage based on the received voltage stored in Vr_buf[]. The maximum value of the received voltage is calculated, for example, using an existing method.

[0103] In step S17, the microcontroller 205 turns on only the switching circuit 2010 connected to the filter circuit 209, which has the maximum power reception voltage, and turns off the other switching circuits 2010.

[0104] In step S18, the microcontroller 205 waits for the control cycle (Tc). The control cycle (Tc) represents a variable or constant that stores an arbitrary control cycle time. Tc is the time interval that determines how often the power receiving mode is changed by comparing the state of the filter circuit being present and the state being absent. Tc may be pre-set (a constant) or changed dynamically. Once Tc has elapsed, the microcontroller 205 repeats the process from step S12.

[0105] The above process enables the receiver 200 to efficiently utilize the external sensor cable as part of the antenna. This maximizes the power available for other processes during the Tc seconds period.

[0106] The above describes the case in which the microcontroller 205 determines whether the voltage value of the received voltage exceeds a predetermined value, but the voltage values ​​to be compared are not limited to predetermined values. The microcontroller 205 may compare the voltage values ​​of predetermined states. Specifically, for example, the microcontroller 205 may compare the voltage value of the received voltage when the switching circuit 2010 is turned on with the voltage value of the received voltage when the switching circuit 2010 is turned off. The microcontroller 205 switches the connection of the switching circuit 2010 at a predetermined period and compares the voltage value before switching with the voltage value after switching. If the voltage value after switching is higher, the microcontroller 205 maintains the connection of the switching circuit 2010. On the other hand, if the voltage value before switching is higher, the microcontroller 205 returns the connection of the switching circuit 2010 to its original state. The microcontroller 205 may switch the connection of the switching circuit 2010 in synchronization with the drive cycle of the drive unit, or it may switch the connection of the switching circuit 2010 without synchronization with the drive cycle of the drive unit. The microcontroller 205 may switch the connection of the switching circuit 2010 at intervals of seconds or less. This allows the microcontroller 205 to control the switching circuit 2010 so that the radio wave characteristics of the receiver 200 are maintained at a high level.

[0107] If multiple cables are connected to the filter circuit 209 and a sensor 208 is attached to each of them, a switching circuit 2010 may be provided for each cable.

[0108] (Other variations) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the filter circuit 209 is installed in the circuit section 210, but the installation of the filter circuit 209 is not limited to the circuit section 210. The filter circuit 209 may be installed at a position just before the cable is pulled out from the housing 250 to the outside.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case in which the receiver 200 includes a sensor 208 was described as an example. However, the receiver 200 does not necessarily have to include a sensor 208. For example, the sensor 208 may be detachable from the cable. Also, the cable to which the sensor 208 is attached may be detachable from the housing 250. The housing 250 may have, for example, a mechanism (connector) that allows the cable to be detached. By making it detachable, any sensor 208 can be attached to the receiver 200. Also, it becomes possible to attach a cable of any length to the receiver 200.

[0110] Furthermore, the above embodiment described a WPT system in which a transmitter 100 transmits a power supply signal by radio waves, a receiver 200 receives the power supply signal, and generates power based on the received power supply signal. However, the receiver 200 according to this embodiment is not limited to use in a WPT system. The receiver 200 according to this embodiment may be a device related to an RFID tag. That is, for example, a radio signal may be transmitted from the transmitter 100, and the receiver 200 may receive the radio signal transmitted from the transmitter 100.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the receiver 200 may have a mechanism for accurately measuring the DC voltage received by the receiving antenna 201 and output from the rectifier circuit 202. The value of the DC voltage supplied from the rectifier circuit 202 to the power management unit 203 fluctuates according to fluctuations in the impedance within the circuit, including the power management unit 203 and the energy storage unit 204. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately measure the value of the DC voltage supplied from the rectifier circuit 202 to the power management unit 203.

[0112] Therefore, in this embodiment, the output of the rectifier circuit 202 is supplied to a resistor disconnected from the subsequent load, and the voltage across that resistor is measured.

[0113] Figure 14 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the receiver 200. The receiver 200 shown in Figure 14 includes a receiving antenna 201, a rectifier circuit 202, a power management unit 203, a power storage unit 204, a microcontroller 205, a data transceiver 206, a data transmission antenna 207, a sensor 208, a filter circuit 209, a switching circuit 221, a resistor 222, and a measurement unit 223.

[0114] The switching circuit 221 switches the connection path based on a signal from the microcontroller 205. The switching circuit 221 is connected to either the path connecting the rectifier circuit 202 and the power management unit 203, or the path connecting the rectifier circuit 202 and the resistor 222. The microcontroller 205 outputs a switching instruction to the switching circuit 221 at a predetermined timing. Specifically, for example, in the initial state when the power supply signal is supplied, for example, when the charge storage unit 204 or the capacitor in the circuit has not yet been fully charged, the switching circuit 221 connects the rectifier circuit 202 and the power management unit 203. When the charge storage unit 204 or the capacitor in the circuit is fully charged, the microcontroller 205 instructs the switching circuit 221 to switch the connection, connecting the rectifier circuit 202 and the resistor 222. The microcontroller 205 may, for example, monitor the voltage of the energy storage unit 204 and, if the voltage is above a predetermined threshold, switch the connection to the switching circuit 221 to connect the rectifier circuit 202 and the resistor 222. Alternatively, the microcontroller 205 may, for example, monitor the voltage of the energy storage unit 204 and, if the voltage trend is not decreasing, switch the connection to the switching circuit 221 to connect the rectifier circuit 202 and the resistor 222.

[0115] Resistor 222 is, for example, a resistor with a predetermined resistance value. The resistance value is, for example, 100 ohms. Note that resistor 222 may be multiple resistors, each with a different resistance value.

[0116] The measuring unit 223 measures the voltage across the terminals of the resistor. The microcontroller 205 may display the measured voltage on a display provided on the receiver 200, or transmit it to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 via the data transceiver 206. If the resistor 222 consists of multiple resistors with different resistance values, the measuring unit 223 measures the voltage across at least one of the resistors. The microcontroller 205 may display the measured voltage along with the procedure used and which resistor was used for measurement on the display, or transmit it to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300.

[0117] By supplying the output of the rectifier circuit 202 to a resistor disconnected from the subsequent load, and measuring the voltage across that resistor with the measurement unit 223, the receiver 200 can measure the power supplied by the power supply signal in real time. Therefore, users can identify areas with weak power supply within an office or factory space based on the measurement results from the receiver 200. Furthermore, the receiver 200 can measure power supply in real time even after the specified equipment has been installed in the office or factory. Additionally, by accumulating actual power measurement results against prior simulation results, the accuracy of prior simulations can be improved.

[0118] The resistor 222 and the measuring unit 223 may be predetermined devices driven by current. Specifically, for example, the resistor 222 and the measuring unit 223 may be replaced with LEDs. The light intensity of an LED changes according to the magnitude of the supplied current. Therefore, the user can determine the power supply in the area where the receiver 200 is installed based on the light intensity of the LED.

[0119] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the receiver 200 may monitor the voltage of the energy storage unit 204 and vary the strength of the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 based on the magnitude of the voltage. Specifically, for example, if the voltage is lower than a predetermined threshold and the voltage trend is decreasing, the receiver 200 sends an instruction to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 to increase the strength of the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100. Also, for example, if the voltage is higher than a predetermined threshold and the voltage trend is not decreasing, the receiver 200 sends an instruction to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 to decrease the strength of the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100.

[0120] As a result, the transmitter 100 reduces its output power when transmitting the power supply signal, thereby reducing the likelihood of malfunctions. Furthermore, the receiver 200 can respond flexibly even when power is suddenly required. Additionally, the transmitter 100 can operate in an energy-saving mode suitable for its purpose or application.

[0121] Furthermore, the receiver 200 may, for example, send an instruction to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 to increase the strength of the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 if the voltage supplied by the received power supply signal is lower than a predetermined value. Also, the receiver 200 may, for example, send an instruction to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 to increase the strength of the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 if the power consumption in the receiver 200 is higher than a predetermined value, or if the power consumption trend is increasing. Furthermore, the receiver 200 may, for example, send an instruction to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 to increase the strength of the power supply signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 in accordance with the operating time based on the power consumption of the sensor 208 attached to the receiver 200.

[0122] The transmitter 100 receives information about the received power from the receiver 200 installed in space. Based on the information about the received power, the transmitter 100 grasps the intensity distribution of the received power. The transmitter 100 evaluates the intensity distribution of the transmitted power, and if the variation is greater than a preset value, it may increase the intensity of the power supply signal.

[0123] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the receiver 200 may monitor the energy storage status in the receiver 200 by observing the voltage stored in the receiver 200 not only at short periods (several msec to several sec) but also at long periods (several minutes to about one hour). For example, the receiver 200 measures the power supply voltage at short and long periods. The power supply voltage is, for example, the voltage of the energy storage unit 204. The receiver 200 stores the voltage value measured at short periods in a ring buffer for short periods, and the voltage value measured at long periods in a ring buffer for long periods. The receiver 200 linearly approximates the voltage value read at a predetermined position in the ring buffer for long periods using a predetermined statistical method (for example, the least squares method). The receiver 200 calculates the slope of the approximation curve and sends a notification to the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 based on the calculated slope.

[0124] In environments where the WPT system 1 is used, there are cases where the received power is slightly insufficient for the power consumption of the receiver 200. In this case, the power supply voltage may gradually decrease over a long period of time, eventually leading to inoperability. Such cases are difficult to detect because short-period voltage measurements would indicate "no change." For the user, it is desirable to be able to detect this at an early stage during startup or steady-state operation, as the system should operate normally according to the short-period measurement results, but then suddenly stops working like a ticking time bomb. According to this embodiment, since the voltage value is measured over a long period of time, it is possible to detect early on a state where the power supply voltage has been decreasing for a long period of time.

[0125] Alternatively, the receiver 200 may monitor its energy storage status by measuring the difference between the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit 202 and the voltage of the energy storage unit 204 over a long period of time. Specifically, for example, the receiver 200 measures the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit 202 and the voltage of the energy storage unit 204 at predetermined intervals. The receiver 200 samples the difference between the DC voltage and the power supply voltage. The receiver 200 calculates the time average of the difference and determines whether the calculated time average value remains below a threshold over a long period of time. If the time average value remains below the threshold for a certain period of time, the receiver 200 notifies the transmitter 100 or the first information processing device 300 of this fact.

[0126] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case in which the circuit section 210 is formed horizontally on the receiving antenna 201 was described as an example. However, the circuit section 210 does not have to be formed horizontally on the receiving antenna 201. For example, the circuit section 210 may be formed perpendicular to the receiving antenna 201.

[0127] Figures 15 and 16 are schematic diagrams showing examples of the structure of the receiving antenna 201a and the circuit section 210a. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the receiving antenna 201a and the circuit section 210a as viewed from a predetermined direction. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the receiving antenna 201a and the circuit section 210a shown in Figure 15 as viewed from the rear.

[0128] The receiving antenna 201a shown in Figures 15 and 16 has, for example, a cylindrical shape with a roughly rectangular cross-section, and the cylindrical portion is closed by a substrate. The receiving antenna 201a has a top surface portion, a bottom surface portion, and a side portion. The top surface portion represents the part located on the top surface in Figures 15 and 16. The bottom surface portion represents the part located on the bottom surface in Figures 15 and 16. The side portion represents the part located on the side in Figures 15 and 16. The top surface portion and the bottom surface portion are arranged to face each other. A slit (gap) is formed on one side portion. In the receiving antenna 201a shown in Figures 15 and 16, the top surface portion and the bottom surface portion are arranged roughly parallel to each other. The top surface portion and the bottom surface portion do not have to be arranged roughly parallel to each other. Also, the top surface portion, the bottom surface portion and the side portion may be flat overall or partially, curved, or a combination thereof.

[0129] The receiving antenna 201a has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, and has a predetermined height. For example, the receiving antenna 201a has a transverse width of 10 mm, a longitudinal width of 30 mm, and a height of 8 mm. The longitudinal width of 30 mm is, for example, approximately one-tenth the wavelength of the 920 MHz band signal that is expected to be received. Note that the size of the receiving antenna 201a is not limited to this and may be increased or decreased within a predetermined range. The receiving antenna 201a may be treated as a loop antenna or as an inverted F antenna.

[0130] The receiving antenna 201a is realized, for example, by a conductor having an annular shape. The receiving antenna 201a is realized, for example, by a conductive plate made of a metal plate such as copper or aluminum. The receiving antenna 201a is formed, for example, by bending a single conductive plate. More specifically, for example, a single copper plate is bent to have a roughly rectangular shape in cross-section. In the bending process, for example, a mold may be used to plastically deform the copper plate or the like.

[0131] The circuit section 210a is formed on the rear surface 2013a shown in Figures 15 and 16. The circuit section 210a includes a rectifier circuit 202, a power management unit 203, a power storage unit 204, a microcontroller 205, and a data transceiver 206. The circuit section 210a may also include a filter circuit 209. The circuit section 210a may be formed on both sides of the rear surface 2013a, or on one side.

[0132] The rear portion 2013a is realized, for example, by a substrate such as a PCB. The rear portion 2013a is positioned, for example, to cover the cylindrical portion of the receiving antenna 201a. The rear portion 2013a may cover the entire cylindrical portion of the receiving antenna 201a, or it may cover a part of the cylindrical portion.

[0133] In Figures 15 and 16, the rear portion 2013a may be formed such that the portion for attaching the sensor 208-2 protrudes from the receiving antenna 201a.

[0134] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the receiver 200 may have a user-accessible interface. The user accesses the receiver 200, which can be attached to the device, via the interface. The interface includes, for example, a button, an LED, or a combination thereof connected to the circuit unit 210.

[0135] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case in which the receiving antenna 201 has an annular shape was described as an example. However, the shape of the receiving antenna 201 is not limited to those shown above. For example, the receiving antenna 201 can be configured in various ways, such as a dipole antenna, monopole antenna, slot antenna, tip antenna, patch antenna, or the like.

[0136] In this specification, "connection" refers to a relationship in which information, power, signals, or electric and magnetic fields influence each other, regardless of whether or not there is physical contact, and includes not only direct connections but also indirect connections through other elements or materials.

[0137] For example, if circuit element A and circuit element C are connected, and circuit element B is inserted between them, then A and C are considered connected if electrical signal transmission, current flow, or influence via electric and magnetic fields is maintained between A and C. In this specification, “connection” includes the following forms: (1) Conductive connection (“Communicable Connection”) A connection is made if a first connection point and the anode of a diode are conductively connected, and electrical conduction is maintained under certain conditions even if a resistor, capacitor, inductor, switch, or other element is inserted between them. (2) Network connection (“Network Connection”) A connection is made if a first connection point and the anode of a diode belong to the same network, and even if an element is inserted between them, they have an electrical influence on each other. For example, this applies to circuit nodes whose potential is affected, or to circuit paths where impedance matching is considered. (3) Connection as an electrical path ("Electrical Pathway") A connection is defined as a connection when the first connection point and the anode of a diode form an electrical path, regardless of the presence or absence of an intervening element. For example, this includes connections via switching elements in a power supply circuit and path formation within a bridge circuit.

[0138] Furthermore, the definition of connection may differ depending on the type of semiconductor circuit and its operating principle. For example, the concept of connection is applied as follows in bulk CMOS, SOI CMOS, compound semiconductor circuits, and wide-bandgap semiconductor circuits: (1) Connections in CMOS circuits In bulk CMOS, electrical conduction through metal wiring or diffusion regions directly formed on the silicon substrate is defined as a connection. On the other hand, in SOI CMOS, since the silicon layer and the substrate are separated by an embedded oxide layer, coupling due to parasitic capacitance can also be included as a form of connection. (2) Connections in wide-bandgap semiconductor circuits In wide-bandgap semiconductor circuits using SiC or GaN, it is necessary to consider connections via vertical current paths and electron transfer via barrier layers in order to adapt to high voltage and high frequency operation. (3) Connections in high-frequency circuits In high-frequency circuits, not only physical wire connections but also coupling via parasitic inductance and parasitic capacitance, signal transmission by electromagnetic induction, and the effects of resonant circuits may be included. For example, in millimeter-wave circuits, connections via waveguides and antennas are also included.

[0139] In this specification, the definition of "connection" is applied according to the circuit configuration and operating conditions, and is not limited to mere physical conductivity. In a broad sense, coupling via electric and magnetic fields, optical coupling, and electromagnetic coupling can also be included as connections. On the other hand, when defined as a connection in a narrow sense, it may refer only to direct conductivity or specific physical contact. This should be interpreted appropriately according to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0140] <5 Basic Hardware Configuration of the Computer> Figure 17 is a block diagram showing the basic hardware configuration of computer 90. Computer 90 includes at least a processor 901, main memory 902, auxiliary storage 903, and a communication IF 991 (interface). These are electrically connected to each other by a communication bus 921.

[0141] The processor 901 is hardware for executing the instruction set described in the program. The processor 901 consists of an arithmetic unit, registers, peripheral circuits, etc.

[0142] The main memory 902 is for temporarily storing programs and data processed by programs, etc. For example, it is a volatile memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0143] The auxiliary storage device 903 is a storage device for storing data and programs. Examples include flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, semiconductor memory, etc.

[0144] A communication interface (IF991) is an interface for inputting and outputting signals for communication with other computers via a network using wired or wireless communication standards. The network consists of various mobile communication systems, such as the Internet, LANs, and wireless base stations. For example, networks include 3G, 4G, and 5G mobile communication systems, LTE (Long Term Evolution), and wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi®) that can connect to the Internet via designated access points. When connecting wirelessly, communication protocols include, for example, Z-Wave®, ZigBee®, and Bluetooth®. When connecting via wired connections, the network also includes connections made directly via USB (Universal Serial Bus) cables, etc.

[0145] Furthermore, by distributing all or part of each hardware configuration across multiple computers 90 and connecting them to each other via a network, a computer 90 can be virtually realized. Thus, the concept of computer 90 includes not only a computer 90 housed in a single enclosure or case, but also a virtualized computer system.

[0146] <6 Basic Functional Configuration of Computer 90> The functional configuration of the computer realized by the basic hardware configuration of computer 90 (Figure 17) will be explained. The computer comprises at least one functional unit: a control unit, a memory unit, and a communication unit.

[0147] Furthermore, the functional units of computer 90 can also be realized by distributing all or part of each functional unit across multiple computers 90 interconnected via a network. The concept of computer 90 includes not only a single computer 90 but also a virtualized computer system.

[0148] The control unit is realized when the processor 901 reads various programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 903, loads them into the main memory device 902, and executes processing according to those programs. The control unit can realize various functional units that perform information processing depending on the type of program. In this way, the computer is realized as an information processing device that performs information processing.

[0149] The memory unit is implemented by a main memory 902 and an auxiliary memory 903. The memory unit stores data, various programs, and various databases. The processor 901 can also reserve memory areas corresponding to the memory unit in the main memory 902 or the auxiliary memory 903 according to the program. The control unit can also cause the processor 901 to perform addition, update, and deletion operations on data stored in the memory unit according to the various programs.

[0150] The term "database" refers to a relational database, which is used to manage and associate data sets called tables and masters, which are structured in a tabular format defined by rows and columns. In a database, tables are called tables, masters are called masters, the columns of tables are called columns, and the rows of tables are called records. In a relational database, relationships can be established and linked between tables and masters. Typically, each table and each master has a primary key column to uniquely identify a record, but setting a primary key for a column is not mandatory. The control unit can cause the processor 901 to add, delete, and update records in specific tables and masters stored in the storage unit according to various programs. Furthermore, by storing data, various programs, and various databases in the storage unit, the information processing device and information processing system described in this disclosure can be considered manufactured.

[0151] Furthermore, the databases and masters in this disclosure may include any data structures (lists, dictionaries, associative arrays, objects, etc.) in which information is structurally defined. Data structures also include data that can be considered as data structures by combining data with functions, classes, methods, etc., written in any programming language.

[0152] The communication unit is implemented by the communication IF 991. The communication unit implements the function of communicating with other computers 90 via the network. The communication unit can receive information transmitted from other computers 90 and input it to the control unit. The control unit can cause the processor 901 to perform information processing on the received information according to various programs. The communication unit can also transmit information output from the control unit to other computers 90.

[0153] Furthermore, each of the above-mentioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc., may be implemented in hardware, in whole or in part, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The present invention can also be implemented by software program code that realizes the functions of the embodiment. In this case, a storage medium on which the program code is recorded is provided to a computer, and the processor of that computer reads the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code read from the storage medium itself realizes the functions of the embodiment described above, and the program code itself and the storage medium on which it is stored constitute the present invention. Examples of storage media used to supply 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, and the like.

[0154] Furthermore, the program code that implements the functions described in this embodiment can be implemented in a wide range of programming or scripting languages, such as assembler, C / C++, Perl, Shell, PHP, and Java®.

[0155] Furthermore, the program code for the software that implements the functions of the embodiment may be distributed via 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 computer's processor may read and execute the program code stored in the storage means or storage medium.

[0156] The functions realized by the components described herein may be implemented in a circuit or processing circuitry, including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), CPUs (a Central Processing Unit), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, programmed to realize the described functions. A processor, including transistors and other circuits, is considered a circuit or processing circuitry. A processor may be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in memory. In this specification, circuitry, unit, and means are hardware programmed to realize or perform the described functions. Such hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein, or any hardware known to be programmed to realize or perform the described functions. If such hardware is a processor that is considered a type of circuitry, then such circuitry, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to constitute such hardware and / or processor.

[0157] While several embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, these embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications are permitted without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents.

[0158] (Note) The matters described in each of the above embodiments are noted below.

[0159] (Note 1) A receiver comprising an antenna that receives a power supply signal from a transmitter that transmits a power supply signal in a wireless power supply system, a processing circuit attached to a first part of the antenna, a filter circuit connected to the processing circuit and capable of blocking signals, a cable connected to the filter circuit, and a sensor attached to the cable. (Note 2) A receiver comprising an antenna comprising a first conductor and a second conductor that forms an annular shape with the first conductor by being connected to the first conductor, a processing circuit attached to a first part of a substrate on which the first conductor is formed, a filter circuit connected to the processing circuit and capable of blocking signals, a cable connected to the filter circuit, and a sensor attached to the cable. (Note 3) The receiver according to (Note 1) or (Note 2), wherein the antenna receives the power supply signal in a predetermined frequency band, and the filter circuit is capable of blocking signals in a frequency band corresponding to the transmission frequency band of the power supply signal. (Note 4) The receiver according to (Note 1) to (Note 3), wherein the antenna, processing circuit, and filter circuit are housed in a housing, and the cable and sensor are located outside the housing. (Note 5) A receiver according to any one of (Note 1) to (Note 4), wherein multiple cables are connected to the filter circuit, and sensors are connected to each of the multiple cables. (Note 6) A receiver according to (Note 5), wherein the multiple sensors measure the same or different types of parameters. (Note 7) A receiver according to (Note 4), further comprising a second sensor connected to a processing circuit and housed in a housing. (Note 8) A receiver according to (Note 7), wherein the sensor and the second sensor measure the same or different types of parameters. (Note 9) A receiver according to (Note 4), wherein the cable is detachable from the housing. (Note 10) A receiver according to any one of (Note 1) to (Note 9), further comprising a switching circuit that switches the continuity / disconnection of a path that short-circuits the filter circuit, and the processing circuit switches the connection of the switching circuit based on the voltage value of the voltage generated by the power supply signal received by the antenna.(Note 11) A receiver according to any one of (Note 1) to (Note 9), comprising a processing circuit and a plurality of filter circuits having different impedance characteristics, each connected to a cable, and a plurality of switching circuits that switch the continuity / disconnection of the paths to the plurality of filter circuits, wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the plurality of switching circuits based on the voltage value of the voltage generated by the power supply signal received by the antenna. (Note 12) A receiver according to (Note 10) or (Note 11), wherein the processing circuit measures the voltage value at a period based on the drive cycle of the device to be sensed by the sensor. (Note 13) A receiver according to any one of (Note 1) to (Note 9), comprising a switching circuit that switches the continuity / disconnection of the path that shorts the filter circuit, wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the switching circuit at a predetermined period and determines the connection of the filter circuit based on the voltage value of the voltage generated by the power supply signal received by the antenna. (Note 14) A receiver according to (Note 13), wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the filter circuit at a period based on the drive cycle of the device to be sensed by the sensor. (Note 15) A receiver comprising an antenna having a first conductor and a second conductor that, when connected to the first conductor, forms an annular shape with the first conductor; a processing circuit attached to a first portion of a substrate on which the first conductor is formed; a filter circuit connected to the processing circuit and capable of blocking signals; a circuit board connected to the filter circuit; and a sensor attached to the circuit board. (Note 16) The receiver according to (Note 15), wherein the filter circuit is capable of blocking signals in a frequency band corresponding to the transmission frequency band of the incoming power supply signal, and the circuit board is a flexible circuit board.

[0160] 1...WPT system 100...Transmitter 101...Oscillator 102...Transmitting antenna 103...Microcontroller 104...Data transceiver 105...Data transceiver antenna 200...Receiver 201...Receiving antenna 202...Rectifier circuit 203...Power management unit 204...Energy storage unit 205...Microcontroller 206...Data transceiver 300...First information processing unit 400...Second information processing unit

Claims

1. A receiver in a wireless power supply system comprising: an antenna that receives a power supply signal from a transmitter that transmits the power supply signal; a processing circuit attached to a first part of the antenna; a filter circuit connected to the processing circuit and capable of blocking signals; a cable connected to the filter circuit; and a sensor attached to the cable.

2. An antenna comprising a first conductor and a second conductor that, when connected to the first conductor, forms an annular shape with the first conductor; a processing circuit attached to a first portion of a substrate on which the first conductor is formed; a filter circuit connected to the processing circuit and capable of blocking signals; a cable connected to the filter circuit; and a sensor attached to the cable.

3. The receiver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the antenna receives the feed signal in a predetermined frequency band, and the filter circuit is capable of blocking signals in a frequency band corresponding to the transmission frequency band of the feed signal.

4. The receiver according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the antenna, the processing circuit, and the filter circuit are housed in a housing, and the cable and the sensor are located outside the housing.

5. The receiver according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of cables are connected to the filter circuit, and each of the plurality of cables is connected to a sensor.

6. The receiver according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of sensors measure the same or different types of parameters.

7. The receiver according to claim 4, further comprising a second sensor connected to the processing circuit and housed in the housing.

8. The receiver according to claim 7, wherein the sensor and the second sensor measure the same or different types of parameters.

9. The receiver according to claim 4, wherein the cable is detachable from the housing.

10. The receiver according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a switching circuit that switches the conduction / disconnection of a path that short-circuits the filter circuit, wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the switching circuit based on the voltage value of the voltage generated by the power supply signal received by the antenna.

11. The receiver according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: a plurality of filter circuits having different impedance characteristics, each connected to the processing circuit and the cable; and a plurality of switching circuits that switch the conduction / disconnection of the paths to the plurality of filter circuits, wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the plurality of switching circuits based on the voltage value of the voltage generated by the power supply signal received by the antenna.

12. The receiver according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the processing circuit measures the voltage value at a period based on the drive cycle of the device to be sensed by the sensor.

13. The receiver according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a switching circuit that switches the conduction / disconnection of a path that short-circuits the filter circuit, wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the switching circuit at a predetermined period and determines the connection of the filter circuit based on the voltage value of the voltage generated by the power supply signal received by the antenna.

14. The receiver according to claim 13, wherein the processing circuit switches the connection of the filter circuit at a period based on the drive cycle of the device to be sensed by the sensor.

15. An antenna comprising a first conductor and a second conductor that, when connected to the first conductor, forms an annular shape with the first conductor; a processing circuit attached to a first portion of a substrate on which the first conductor is formed; a filter circuit connected to the processing circuit and capable of blocking signals; a circuit board connected to the filter circuit; and a sensor attached to the circuit board.

16. The receiver according to claim 15, wherein the filter circuit is capable of blocking signals in a frequency band corresponding to the transmission frequency band of the incoming power supply signal, and the circuit board is a flexible circuit board.

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