Wireless power transfer using a field altering circuit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wireless power transmitter for wirelessly coupling charging power to one or more receiver devices, comprising:
- a power transmit coil comprising one or more coils or coil turns spaced or positioned to generate a magnetic field having a first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform over a surface area defining a near-field charging region in response to a current in the power transmit coil;
a circuit comprising at least one of a portion of a coil turn of the power transmit coil or a second coil different from the one or more coils or coil turns of the power transmit coil, wherein based on a position of the portion of the coil turn or a position of the second coil relative to the power transmit coil, the circuit is configured to alter the magnetic field generated by the power transmit coil to have a second magnetic field distribution over the surface area that has a peak in a center portion of the near-field charging region in response to control of the circuit; and
a controller operably coupled to the circuit, the controller configured to;
detect a characteristic indicative of a size of a receiver device of the one or more receiver devices positioned in the near-field charging region;
control the circuit in a first mode to generate the first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a first size of the receiver device; and
control the circuit in a second mode to generate the second magnetic field distribution that has the peak in the center portion in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a second size of the receiver device, the second size being larger than the first size.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless power transmitter includes a power transmit coil configured to generate a magnetic field for wirelessly coupling charging power to one or more receiver devices, the magnetic field having a magnetic field distribution over an area defining a charging region, a circuit configured to alter the magnetic field generated by the power transmit coil to alter the magnetic field distribution, and a controller operably coupled to the circuit, the controller configured to control the circuit to alter the magnetic field distribution responsive to a detected characteristic of the one or more receiver devices.
23 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A wireless power transmitter for wirelessly coupling charging power to one or more receiver devices, comprising:
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a power transmit coil comprising one or more coils or coil turns spaced or positioned to generate a magnetic field having a first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform over a surface area defining a near-field charging region in response to a current in the power transmit coil; a circuit comprising at least one of a portion of a coil turn of the power transmit coil or a second coil different from the one or more coils or coil turns of the power transmit coil, wherein based on a position of the portion of the coil turn or a position of the second coil relative to the power transmit coil, the circuit is configured to alter the magnetic field generated by the power transmit coil to have a second magnetic field distribution over the surface area that has a peak in a center portion of the near-field charging region in response to control of the circuit; and a controller operably coupled to the circuit, the controller configured to; detect a characteristic indicative of a size of a receiver device of the one or more receiver devices positioned in the near-field charging region; control the circuit in a first mode to generate the first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a first size of the receiver device; and control the circuit in a second mode to generate the second magnetic field distribution that has the peak in the center portion in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a second size of the receiver device, the second size being larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wireless power device, the device comprising:
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means for generating a magnetic field over a surface area defining a near-field charging region for wirelessly charging or powering one or more receiver devices, the generating means comprising one or more portions spaced or positioned to generate the magnetic field to have a first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform over the surface area defining the near-field charging region in response to a current in the generating means; means for altering the magnetic field generated by the generating means to have a second magnetic field distribution over the surface area that has a peak in a center portion of the near-field charging region in response to control of the altering means; means for detecting a characteristic indicative of a size of a receiver device of the one or more receiver devices; means for controlling the altering means in a first mode to generate the first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a first size of the receiver device; and means for controlling the altering means in a second mode to generate the second magnetic field distribution that has the peak in the center portion in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a second size of the receiver device, the second size being larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a wireless power transmitter apparatus, the method comprising:
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generating, using a power transmit coil, a magnetic field having a first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform over a surface area defining a near-field charging region for wirelessly charging or powering one or more receiver devices, the power transmit coil comprising one or more coils or coil turns spaced or positioned to generate the first magnetic field distribution; detecting a characteristic indicative of a size of a receiver device of the one or more receiver devices; controlling a circuit to operate in a first mode to generate the first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a first size of the receiver device, the circuit comprising at least one of a coil turn of the power transmit coil or a second coil different from the one or more coils or coil turns of the power transmit coil; and controlling the circuit to operate in a second mode to generate a second magnetic field distribution that has a peak in a center portion of the near-field charging region in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a second size of the receiver device, the second size being larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for wireless power transfer, comprising:
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a housing having a surface configured for direct or indirect placement of one or more receiver devices, the surface defining a surface area having a near-field charging region for wirelessly charging the one or more receiver devices; a power transmit coil comprising one or more coils or coil turns spaced or positioned to generate a magnetic field having a first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform over the surface area of the near-field charging region; and a circuit comprising at least one of a portion of a coil turn of the power transmit coil or a second coil different from the one or more coils or coil turns of the power transmit coil, wherein based on a position of the portion of the coil turn or a position of the second coil relative to the power transmit coil, the circuit is configured to alter the magnetic field generated by the power transmit coil to have a second magnetic field distribution over the surface area that has a peak in a center portion of the near-field charging region in response to control of the circuit; and a controller operably coupled to the circuit, the controller configured to; detect a characteristic indicative of a size of a receiver device of the one or more receiver devices positioned in the near-field charging region; control the circuit in a first mode to generate the first magnetic field distribution that is substantially uniform in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a first size of the receiver device; and control the circuit in a second mode to generate the second magnetic field distribution that has the peak in the center portion in response to determining the characteristic indicative of the size indicates a second size of the receiver device, the second size being larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification