Wireless power transmitting/receiving devices and methods

• US 10,186,907 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Vitali, Andrea Lorenzo, Galizzi, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US15/169,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20170346340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A wireless power transmitting/receiving device includes a power transmitting/receiving element, a plurality of switches, a current sensor and a controller. Each of the plurality of switches has a control terminal and a conduction terminal, with the conduction terminal being coupled to the power transmitting/receiving element. The current sensor senses a current through the power transmitting/receiving element, and the controller is configured to control the plurality of switches based on the sensed current.

Claims

1. A wireless power transmitting/receiving device, comprising:

a power transmitting/receiving element;

a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches having a control terminal and a conduction terminal, the conduction terminal being coupled to the power transmitting/receiving element;

a current sensor configured to sense a current through the power transmitting/receiving element;

a controller coupled to the current sensor and the plurality of switches, the controller being configured to control the plurality of switches based on the sensed current; and

a plurality of switch driver circuits, each of the switch driver circuits configured to selectively drive a respective switch in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the switch driver circuits drive the switches based on control signals received from the controller in the first mode, and the switch driver circuits drive the switches as a sync rectifier in the second mode,

wherein each of the plurality of switch driver circuits includes;

a digital multiplexer having a first input configured to receive the control signals from the controller for driving the switch in the first mode, and a second input configured to receive second control signals for driving the switch in the second mode; and

a switch driver having an input and an output, the input being coupled to an output of the digital multiplexer.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the power transmitting/receiving element comprises an inductive coil.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of switch drivers is coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the plurality of switches.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of switches includes first, second, third and fourth transistors arranged in an H-bridge having a high-side terminal and a low-side terminal,

the first and second transistors having respective first conduction terminals coupled to the high-side terminal,

the third and fourth transistors having respective first conduction terminals coupled to the low-side terminal,

the first and third transistors having respective second conduction terminals coupled to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, and

the second and fourth transistors having respective conduction terminals coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of switches includes first and second transistors arranged in a half H-bridge having a high-side terminal and a low-side terminal,

the first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the high-side terminal,

the second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the low-side terminal and to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, and

the first and second transistors having respective second conduction terminals coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the power transmitting/receiving element comprises a center-tap coil having a first terminal, a second terminal and a center-tap terminal, the plurality of switches including first and second transistors, the first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first terminal of the center-tap coil, the second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the second terminal of the center-tap coil.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an inductive choke having a first terminal coupled to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, wherein the plurality of switches includes first and second transistors, the first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the inductive choke, the second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element and a second conductive terminal coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising first and second inductive chokes, the first inductive choke having a first terminal coupled to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, the second inductive choke having a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element,

wherein the plurality of switches includes first, second, third and fourth transistors, the first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first inductive choke,

the second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element,

the third transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the second inductive choke,

the fourth transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of voltage sensors, the plurality of voltage sensors being configured to sense a voltage across respective ones of the plurality of switches.

25. The wireless power transmitting/receiving device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of switch driver circuits further includes an analog multiplexer coupled between the output of the switch driver and the respective switch.

10. A method, comprising:

controlling a power share controller module, the power share controller module being operable to transmit power in a power transmitting mode, and to receive power in a power receiving mode, the controlling including;

sensing a current through a power transmitting/receiving element; and

controlling the plurality of switches based on the sensed current, the plurality of switches being coupled to the power transmitting/receiving element, each of the switches having an associated switch driver circuit, the switch driver circuits being configured to selectively drive the switches in a first mode in which the switch driver circuits drive the switches based on control signals received from a controller, and in a second mode in which the switch driver circuits drive the switches as a sync rectifier, each of the switch driver circuits including a digital multiplexer having a first input configured to receive the control signals from the controller for driving the switch in the first mode, and a second input configured to receive second control signals for driving the switch in the second mode, and a switch driver having an input and an output, the input being coupled to an output of the digital multiplexer;

in the power receiving mode, controlling the plurality of switches includes;

generating a rectified power signal;

in the power transmitting mode, controlling the plurality of switches includes;

generating a pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein in the power receiving mode, generating the rectified power signal includes:

during a first power receiving phase, activating first and second transistors of an H-bridge, the first transistor being coupled between a high-side terminal and a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, and the second transistor being coupled between a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element and a low-side terminal; and

during a second power receiving phase, activating third and fourth transistors of the H-bridge, the third transistor being coupled between the high-side terminal and the second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, the fourth transistor being coupled between the first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element and the low-side terminal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein, in the power transmitting mode, generating the pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal includes:

generating at least one of;

a full-amplitude, two-level PWM power signal and a full-amplitude, three-level PWM power signal.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein in the power receiving mode, generating the rectified power signal includes:

during a first power receiving phase;

activating a first transistor, the first transistor being coupled between a high-side terminal and a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, and

deactivating a second transistor, the second transistor being coupled between the first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element and a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element; and

during a second power receiving phase;

deactivating the first transistor.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein, in the power transmitting mode, generating the pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal includes:

generating a half-amplitude, two-level PWM power signal.

15. The method of claim 10, the power transmitting/receiving element comprising a center-tap coil, wherein in the power receiving mode, generating the rectified power signal includes:

during a first power receiving phase, activating a first transistor coupled to a first terminal of the center-tap coil; and

during a second power receiving phase, activating a second transistor coupled to a second terminal of the center-tap coil.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein, in the power transmitting mode, generating the pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal includes:

generating a half-amplitude, two-level PWM power signal.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the power share controller module includes an inductive choke having a first terminal coupled to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, wherein the plurality of switches includes first and second transistors, the first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the inductive choke, the second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element and a second conductive terminal coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, wherein, in the power receiving mode, generating the rectified power signal includes:

activating the first transistor and deactivating the second transistor during a first power receiving phase; and

deactivating the first transistor during a second power receiving phase.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein, in the power transmitting mode, generating the pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal includes:

generating a half-amplitude, two-level PWM power signal.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the power share controller module includes first and second inductive chokes, the first inductive choke having a first terminal coupled to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, the second inductive choke having a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, wherein the plurality of switches includes first, second, third and fourth transistors, the first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first inductive choke, the second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a first terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, the third transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the second inductive choke, the fourth transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the power transmitting/receiving element, wherein, in the power receiving mode, generating the rectified power signal includes:

activating the first and fourth transistors during a first power receiving phase; and

activating the second and third transistors during a second power receiving phase.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein, in the power transmitting mode, generating the pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal includes:

generating a full-amplitude, three-level PWM power signal.

21. A wireless power transmitting and receiving circuit, comprising:

an inductive coil;

a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches having a control terminal and a conduction terminal, the conduction terminal being coupled to the inductive coil;

a current sensor configured to sense a current through the inductive coil;

a controller coupled to the current sensor and the plurality of switches, the controller being configured to control the plurality of switches based on the sensed current; and

a plurality of switch driver circuits, each of the switch driver circuits configured to selectively drive a respective switch in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the switch driver circuits drive the switches based on control signals received from the controller in the first mode, and the switch driver circuits drive the switches as a sync rectifier in the second mode,

wherein each of the plurality of switch driver circuits includes;

a digital multiplexer having a first input configured to receive the control signals from the controller for driving the switch in the first mode, and a second input configured to receive second control signals for driving the switch in the second mode; and

a switch driver having an input and an output, the input being coupled to an output of the digital multiplexer,

wherein, in a power receiving mode, the circuit is configured to generate a rectified power signal,

wherein, in a power transmitting mode, the circuit is configured to generate a pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal.

22. The circuit of claim 21 wherein each of the plurality of switch drivers is coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the plurality of switches.

23. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of voltage sensors, the plurality of voltage sensors being configured to sense a voltage across the inductive coil.

24. A wireless power transmitting and receiving circuit, comprising:

an inductive coil;

a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches having a control terminal and a conduction terminal, the conduction terminal being coupled to the inductive coil;

a voltage sensor configured to sense a voltage through the inductive coil;

a controller coupled to the current sensor and the plurality of switches, the controller being configured to control the plurality of switches based on the sensed voltage; and

a plurality of switch driver circuits, each of the switch driver circuits configured to selectively drive a respective switch in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the switch driver circuits drive the switches based on control signals received from the controller in the first mode, and the switch driver circuits drive the switches as a sync rectifier in the second mode,

wherein each of the plurality of switch driver circuits includes;

a digital multiplexer having a first input configured to receive the control signals from the controller for driving the switch in the first mode, and a second input configured to receive second control signals for driving the switch in the second mode; and

a switch driver having an input and an output, the input being coupled to an output of the digital multiplexer,

wherein, in a power receiving mode, the circuit is configured to generate a rectified power signal, and

wherein, in a power transmitting mode, the circuit is configured to generate a pulse-width modulated (PWM) power signal.