Hybrid wireless power transmitting system and method therefor

1. An apparatus for wireless power transfer, comprising:

a first power transmitting unit capable of transmitting a first wireless power signal;

a second power transmitting unit capable of transmitting a second wireless power signal; and

a controller configured to:

transmit both of a first object detection signal associated with the first power transmitting unit and a second object detection signal associated with the second power transmitting unit,

receive a response signal from a wireless power receiving apparatus, wherein the response signal is either a first type in response to the first object detection signal or a second type in response to the second object detection signal,

select, from among the first power transmitting unit and the second power transmitting unit, a selected power transmitting unit based, at least in part, on the response signal, wherein the first power transmitting unit is selected as the selected power transmitting unit when the response signal is the first type, wherein the second power transmitting unit is selected as the selected power transmitting unit when the response signal is the second type, and

cause a transmission of the first wireless power signal or the second wireless power signal to the wireless power receiving apparatus via the selected power transmitting unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power transmitting unit is capable of transmitting the first wireless power signal using magnetic induction and the second power transmitting unit is capable of transmitting the second wireless power signal using magnetic resonance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive, from the wireless power receiving apparatus, resonant voltage information indicating a resonant voltage corresponding to the second object detection signal;

select the first power transmitting unit as the selected power transmitting unit when the resonant voltage information indicates that the resonant voltage is above a reference voltage; and

select the second power transmitting unit as the selected power transmitting unit when the resonant voltage information indicates that the resonant voltage is below the reference voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive power status information from the wireless power receiving apparatus through a near communication module or a transmitting coil of the selected power transmitting unit, and

control the selected power transmitting unit based on the power status information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether the wireless power receiving apparatus is an inductive wireless power receiving apparatus or a resonant wireless power receiving apparatus based, at least in part, on whether the response signal is the first type or the second type, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first power transmitting unit includes a transmitting coil, and

wherein the second power transmitting unit includes a transmitting antenna.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:

a first variable capacitor block connected to the transmitting coil and the transmitting antenna.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

perform an inductive main impedance matching by controlling the first variable capacitor block and by operating the transmitting coil when the selected power transmitting unit is the first power transmitting unit, and

perform a resonant main impedance matching by controlling the first variable capacitor block and by operating the transmitting antenna when the selected power transmitting unit is the second power transmitting unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first variable capacitor block includes:

a first main capacitor block connected to the transmitting coil;

a second main capacitor block connected to the transmitting antenna; and

a main switching unit configured to select one of the first main capacitor block and the second main capacitor block under control of the controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 ,

wherein the first main capacitor block includes a plurality of main inductive capacitors connected in serial or parallel with each other,

wherein the first main capacitor block further includes an inductive transmitting switch connected between the plurality of main inductive capacitors, and

wherein the controller performs inductive main impedance matching by turning on and off the inductive transmitting switch.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 ,

wherein the second main capacitor block includes a plurality of main resonant capacitors connected in serial or parallel with each other,

wherein the second main capacitor block further includes a resonant transmitting switch connected between the plurality of main resonant capacitors, and

wherein the controller performs a resonant main impedance matching by turning on and off the resonant transmitting switch.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first power transmitting unit is further configured to transmit the first object detection signal and the second power transmitting unit is configured to transmit the second object detection signal, and

wherein the first object detection signal and the second object detection signal are transmitted in alternating fashion.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a plurality of response signals from the wireless power receiving apparatus, the plurality of response signals including at least a first response signal of the first type in response to the first object detection signal and a second response signal of the second type in response to the second object detection signal, wherein the first response signal indicates inductive frequency information corresponding to the first object detection signal, and wherein the second response signal indicates a resonant voltage corresponding to the second object detection signal,

cause transmission of the first wireless power signal via the first power transmitting unit when a difference between a frequency indicated in the inductive frequency information and a reference frequency is less than a predetermined amount and the resonant voltage is above a reference voltage, and

cause transmission of the second wireless power signal via the second power transmitting unit when a difference between the frequency indicated in the inductive frequency information and the reference frequency is more than the predetermined amount and the resonant voltage is below the reference voltage.

14. A method for wireless power transfer, the method comprising:

transmitting both of a first object detection signal associated with a first power transmitting unit and a second object detection signal associated with a second power transmitting unit, wherein the first power transmitting unit is capable of transmitting a first wireless power signal and the second power transmitting unit is capable of transmitting a second wireless power signal;

receiving a response signal from a wireless power receiving apparatus, wherein the response signal is either a first type in response to the first object detection signal or a second type in response to the second object detection signal;

selecting, from among the first power transmitting unit and the second power transmitting unit, a selected power transmitting unit based, at least in part, on the response signal, wherein the first power transmitting unit is selected as the selected power transmitting unit when the response signal is the first type, wherein the second power transmitting unit is selected as the selected power transmitting unit when the response signal is the second type; and

causing a transmission of the first wireless power signal or the second wireless power signal to the wireless power receiving apparatus via the selected power transmitting unit.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first power transmitting unit is capable of transmitting the first wireless power signal using magnetic induction and the second power transmitting unit is capable of transmitting the second wireless power signal using magnetic resonance.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving, from the wireless power receiving apparatus, resonant voltage information indicating a resonant voltage corresponding to the second object detection signal;

selecting the first power transmitting unit as the selected power transmitting unit when the resonant voltage information indicates that the resonant voltage is above a reference voltage; and

selecting the second power transmitting unit as the selected power transmitting unit when the resonant voltage information indicates that the resonant voltage is below the reference voltage.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving power status information from the wireless power receiving apparatus through a near communication module or a transmitting coil of the selected power transmitting unit, and

controlling the selected power transmitting unit based on the power status information.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining whether the wireless power receiving apparatus is an inductive wireless power receiving apparatus or a resonant wireless power receiving apparatus based, at least in part, on whether the response signal is the first type or the second type, respectively.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first power transmitting unit includes a transmitting coil and the second power transmitting unit includes a transmitting antenna.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

performing an inductive main impedance matching by controlling a variable capacitor block connected to the transmitting coil and operating the transmitting coil when the selected power transmitting unit is the first power transmitting unit, and

performing a resonant main impedance matching by controlling the variable capacitor block connected to the transmitting antenna and operating the transmitting antenna when the selected power transmitting unit is the second power transmitting unit.