×

Determining physical alignment between magnetic couplers for wireless power transfer

  • US 10,075,028 B2
  • Filed: 12/03/2014
  • Issued: 09/11/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An apparatus comprising:

  • an energy input module that applies an amount of energy to a primary converter of a wireless power transfer (“

    WPT”

    ) system, the WPT system comprising the primary converter with a primary transmitter pad and a secondary converter with a secondary receiver pad, the WPT system transferring energy from the primary transmitter pad of the primary converter to the secondary receiver pad of the secondary converter, the secondary converter providing power to a load;

    a coupling measurement module that measures a coupling coefficient between the primary transmitter pad and the secondary receiver pad when the primary transmitter pad and the secondary receiver pad are separated by a vertical distance and horizontally aligned at a horizontal position;

    a coupling threshold module that determines if the coupling coefficient is above a coupling threshold, the coupling threshold indicative of a condition acceptable for transferring power to the load; and

    an alignment alert module that sends an alignment alert in response to the coupling coefficient being above the coupling threshold,wherein the energy input module applies the amount of energy to the primary converter under one of;

    a no load condition between the secondary converter and the load, wherein the WPT system provides substantially no power to the load during the no load condition; and

    during a measurement operation, wherein the WPT system limits power transfer to a low power to the load during the measurement operation,wherein a switching frequency of the primary converter during the measurement operation and the no load condition is controlled to a particular frequency.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×