Interference detection for a wireless transfer station

• US 10,074,837 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PNC Bank National Association (The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enovate Medical, LLC (Enovate Medical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Miller, David R., Metelko, Mary, Kilbourne, Allen, Moody, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US14/323,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/342 Non-re-sealable arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A technology for a wireless transfer station that is operable to detect interference during a wireless transfer of energy or data between wireless transfer stations. A transfer load on a wireless transfer coil of a wireless transfer station can be monitored during a wireless transfer of energy or data from the wireless transfer station to another wireless transfer station. A change in the transfer load that exceeds a threshold value can be detected. The wireless transfer of energy or data by the wireless transfer station can be adjusted using the wireless transfer coil based on the detected change in the transfer load.

Claims

1. A wireless transfer station operable to transferring wireless energy, the wireless transfer station comprising:

a transfer platform having at least one surface for wirelessly transferring energy or data with another wireless transfer station;

a wireless transfer coil located within the transfer platform;

a management module for controlling the wireless transfer coil; and

a wireless interference detection module for detecting interference in an electromagnetic field used by the wireless transfer station to wirelessly transfer energy or data, wherein the interference is a radio transmission from a device, and wherein the wireless transfer station is operable to adjust a frequency of the wireless transfer coil in response to the interference.

2. The wireless transfer station of claim 1, further comprising a communication module configured to communicate information between the wireless transfer station and a device.

3. The wireless transfer station of claim 2, wherein the communication module is further configured to send an alert to a user of the wireless transfer station or a third party when interference is detected during the wireless transfer of energy or data.

4. The wireless transfer station of claim 2, wherein the communication module is further configured to:

receive interference information from the device; and

determine when the wireless transfer of energy or data affects cellular communication or a wireless communication by the device.

5. The wireless transfer station of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of wireless transfer coils, wherein

the wireless interference detection module is further configured to detect interference with the wireless transfer of energy or data; and

the management module is further configured to switch from a wireless transfer coil of the plurality of wireless transfer coils currently used for the wireless transfer of energy or data to a different wireless transfer coil of the plurality of wireless transfer coils for the wireless transfer of energy or data.

6. The wireless transfer station of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission direction module to direct a path of the wireless transfer of energy or data,

wherein the transmission direction module is configured to redirect the path of the wireless energy or data transfer when the wireless interference detection module detects interference with the wireless transfer of energy or data.

7. The wireless transfer station of claim 1, wherein the wireless interference detection module is configured to:

detect interference from an object; and

adjust a frequency of the wireless transfer coil used to wirelessly transfer energy or data.