Contactless battery charger, electronic device, battery pack, and contactless charging system
View Patent ↗A contactless charging system is made up of an electronic device and a contactless charger 200 that recharges the electronic device in a contactless manner. The electronic device transmits a full charge command indicating completion of charge. Upon receipt of the full charge command, the contactless charger shifts to a charge stop state in which charge of the electronic device is not performed. In the charge stop state, the contactless charger generates a load check signal for checking whether or not the electronic device is placed in the contactless charger in a rechargeable state, and transmits the signal. Further, the contactless charger also generates a charge restart check command for checking whether or not the electronic device requests recharge in a charge stop state, and transmits the command.
1. A contact-less charger, which is capable to charge, in a contact-less manner, an electronic device using a secondary battery as a power source, the contact-less charger comprising:
a receiving section that receives from the electronic device a signal indicating completion of charge;
wherein upon receipt of the signal indicating the completion of charge, the contact-less charger shifts to a charge stop state in which the charge of the electronic device is restricted;
wherein in the charge stop state, the contact-less charger intermittently generates a load check signal for checking whether or not the electronic device is placed on the contact-less charger; and
wherein in the charge stop state, the contact-less charger generates a signal for checking whether or not the electronic device requires recharge after a time period, which is longer than the generation interval of the load check signal, elapses from a beginning of the charge stop state.
2. The contact-less charger according to claim 1 , wherein in the charge stop state, the contact-less charger generates a plurality of the load check signal before generating the signal for checking whether or not the electronic device requires recharge.
3. The contact-less charger according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a standby mode in which the contact-less charger intermittently generates the load check signal;
wherein upon determination of presence of a load in the standby mode, the contact-less charger shifts to an authentication mode in which the contact-less charger authenticates the electronic device; and
wherein upon the electronic device is authenticated in the authentication mode, the contact-less charger shifts to a transfer mode in which charge of the electronic device is performed.
4. The contact-less charger according to claim 3 , wherein in the transfer mode, the contact-less charger determines whether or not an extraneous load is present; and
wherein upon determination of presence of the extraneous load, the contact-less charger restricts charge and intermittently generates the load check signal.
5. The contact-less charger according to claim 3 , wherein upon failure of authentication of the electronic device in the authentication mode, the contact-less charger restricts the charge and then intermittently generates the load check signal.
6. The contact-less charger according to claim 1 , wherein in the charge stop state, the signal for checking whether or not the electronic device requires recharge is generated independently from the load check signal.