Wireless power transmission/reception apparatus and method

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a wireless power transmission/reception apparatus. The wireless power transmission/reception apparatus includes a wireless power transmission unit and a wireless power reception unit. The wireless power transmission unit receives power, generates a wireless power signal to be wirelessly transmitted, wirelessly transmits the generated wireless power signal in a magnetic resonance manner, receives a returned wireless power signal and detects the number of power consumption devices, and wirelessly transmits a wireless power signal using resonance frequency appropriate for the number of power consumption devices.

1 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The wireless power transmission/reception apparatus as set forth in claim  1 ,
 wherein the wireless power reception unit comprises:
 a second resonance antenna comprised of an inductor and a capacitor, and configured to receive the wireless power signal from the wireless power transmission unit using resonance frequency depending on the inductor and the capacitor in a magnetic resonance manner and return the remaining wireless power signal to the wireless power transmission unit; 
 a power signal converter connected to each of a plurality of power consumption devices, configured to convert the wireless power signal received through the second resonance antenna into a power signal appropriate for a power supply method and supply the resulting power signal to the power consumption device; 
 a power detector for detecting and outputting power intensity of the wireless power signal received through the second resonance antenna; and 
 a controller for performing control so that the wireless power signal is received using the second resonance antenna and power is supplied to the power consumption device and so that the remaining wireless power signal is returned to the wireless power transmission unit. 
   
     
     
         8 . The wireless power transmission/reception apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the controller of the wireless power reception unit searches for a maximum inflection point of the power intensity detected by the power detector while tuning the resonance frequency of the first resonance antenna and sets the resonance frequency of the second resonance antenna to a resonance frequency corresponding to the found maximum inflection point. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless power transmission/reception apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the wireless power reception unit further comprises an impedance matcher between the second resonance antenna and the power signal converter; and
 the controller searches for a maximum inflection point of the power intensity detected by the power detector while adjusting impedance of the impedance matcher and 
   sets the impedance of the impedance matcher to an impedance corresponding to the found maximum inflection point.   
     
     
         10 . The wireless power transmission/reception apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the wireless power reception unit further comprises a switch disposed between the second resonance antenna and the power signal converter and configured to block transmission of the power received by the second resonance antenna; and   the controller, when connection of the power consumption device is released, controls the switch so that transmission of the power received by the second resonance antenna is blocked.   
     
     
         11 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A wireless power reception unit, comprising:
 a second resonance antenna installed in a power consumption device, comprised of an inductor and a capacitor, and configured to receive a wireless power signal from a wireless power transmission unit using resonance frequency depending on the inductor and the capacitor in a magnetic resonance manner and return a remaining wireless power signal to the wireless power transmission unit;   a power signal converter for converting the wireless power signal received through the second resonance antenna into a power signal appropriate for a power supply method and supplying the resulting power signal to the power consumption device;
 a power detector for detecting and outputting power intensity of the wireless power signal received through the second resonance antenna; and 
 a controller for performing control so that the wireless power signal is received through the second resonance antenna and power is supplied to the power consumption device and so that the remaining wireless power signal is returned to the wireless power transmission unit. 
   
     
     
         18 . The wireless power reception unit as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the power signal converter comprises:
 an Alternating Current (AC) converter for converting the received wireless power signal into an AC signal; and   an AC-Direct Current (DC) converter for converting the received wireless power signal into a DC signal.   
     
     
         19 . The wireless power reception unit as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the controller searches for a maximum inflection point of power intensity detected by the power detector while adjusting the resonance frequency of the second resonance antenna and sets the resonance frequency of the second resonance antenna to resonance frequency corresponding to the found maximum inflection point. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless power reception unit as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprises
 an impedance matcher between the second resonance antenna and the power signal converter; and   the controller searches for a maximum inflection point of the power intensity detected by the power detector while adjusting impedance of the impedance matcher and   sets the impedance of the impedance matcher to impedance corresponding to the found maximum inflection point.   
     
     
         21 . The wireless power reception unit as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprises
 a switch disposed between the second resonance antenna and the power signal converter and configured to block transmission of the power received by the second resonance antenna; and
 the controller, then connection of the power consumption device is released, controls the switch so that transmission of the power received by the second resonance antenna is blocked. 
   
     
     
         22 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A wireless power reception method, comprising:
 when a wireless power reception unit receives a wireless power signal from a wireless power transmission unit, a power consumption device in which the wireless power reception unit has been installed receiving the transmitted wireless power signal and returning a remaining wireless power signal; and   when connection of power consumption device in which the wireless power reception unit has been installed is released, stopping receiving a wireless power signal from the wireless power transmission unit.