Wireless Charging Foreign Object Detection Using RGB Image Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless charging systems face challenges in accurately and safely detecting foreign substances due to reduced charging efficiency and potential harm from metal objects or living creatures, with existing methods requiring additional coils or reliable communication channels, which are not effective for medium/high power transmission.
Innovation Solution
An image processing-based method that acquires images of the charging area, detects foreign substances by comparing RGB values, discriminates their type, and performs power control accordingly, using a device with a processor to classify and control power based on the detected foreign substance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a detection coil separate from the charging coil is installed to detect foreign substances, then foreign substance detection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The charging coil is designed to serve dual purposes: both wireless charging and foreign substance detection. By making the charging coil multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for a separate detection coil, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining foreign substance detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the detection function with the charging coil by utilizing the electromagnetic characteristics of the charging coil itself for foreign substance detection. This consolidation of functions into a single component reduces the number of parts and simplifies the overall device structure.
2Ease of operation
If electromagnetic characteristics of the charging coil are directly measured to detect foreign substances, then detection simplicity is improved, but effectiveness is reduced for medium/high power transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection coil that is magnetically coupled to the charging coil. This intermediary coil indirectly senses the electromagnetic characteristics changes caused by foreign substances, enabling effective detection even during medium/high power transmission while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in electromagnetic parameters (such as impedance, resonant frequency) of the charging coil or detection coil to detect foreign substances. By monitoring these parameter variations, the system achieves reliable detection across different power transmission levels without compromising simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If electromagnetic variance is transmitted from receiving end to transmitting end for power control, then power control capability is improved, but communication reliability requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power control function from the communication channel by implementing it directly at the transmitting end through real-time monitoring of electromagnetic characteristics. This eliminates the need to transmit electromagnetic variance data through the communication channel, thereby reducing communication reliability requirements while maintaining power control capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing-based foreign substance detection method in a wireless charging system and a device performing the method are disclosed. A method for detecting a foreign substance includes an operation of acquiring an image of a charging area of a wireless charging system, an operation of detecting, based on an RGB value of a frame of the image, a foreign substance in the charging area, an operation of discriminating a type of the foreign substance, and an operation of performing power control of the wireless charging system according to the type of the foreign substance.