A POWER TRANSFER APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREFOR

A power transfer apparatus being a power transmitter (101) or power receiver (103) of a power transfer via a power transfer signal comprises a power coil (103, 107) for transferring power with a complementary power transfer coil (107, 103) being the other apparatus of the power transfer operation. A first communicator (205, 305) communicates data with the complementary power transfer apparatus using modulation of the power transfer signal. A second communicator (207, 307) communicates power transfer control data via a second communication channel that is independent of the power transfer signal and has a communication data rate at least ten times higher. A presence detector (209, 309) determines whether the complementary power transfer apparatus is present in a proximity of the power transfer coil (103, 107) in response to the first data; and a power transfer controller (201, 301) restricts the wireless power transfer from the power transmitter (101) to the power receiver (103) in response to a detection of an absence of the complementary power transfer apparatus.