Cross-connection resolution in wireless power transfer systems

• US 10,270,260 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gao, Jie, Lin, Xintian E
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries, Dru
• Application Number:
  US14/975,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20170179730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Power transmitting unit (PTU) usable with a wireless power transfer system to supply power and maintain a control signaling link to a local power receiving unit (PRU). A cross-connection circumstance between the PTU and a remote PRU is determined, where a control signaling link between the PTU and the remote PRU is established in an absence of power transmission to the remote PRU from the PTU. In response to the cross-connection circumstance, the control signaling link with the remote PRU is terminated while the supply of power and the control signaling link with the local PRU is maintained. In a related embodiment, a wrong-placement characteristic where power is transferred to a rogue local PRU in an absence of a control signaling link with that PRU, is detected. In response, the supply of power is maintained for at least a waiting period.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a power transmitting unit (PTU) to supply power to a local power receiving unit (PRU) via coupling between a power transmission transducer of the PTU and the PRU, the apparatus comprising:

power circuitry to drive the power transmission transducer;

wireless communication circuitry to establish a control signaling link with the local PRU; and

processing circuitry to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to;

provide a supply of power and the control signaling link with the local PRU;

detect a wrong-placement characteristic comprising power transfer to a rogue local PRU via the power transmission transducer in an absence of a control signaling link with the rogue local PRU, the wrong-placement characteristic being detected based on communication of a PTU-specific code that includes an ID value, by variation of the supply power via the transmission transducer, wherein the PTU-specific code is encoded in the supply power; and

in response to detection of the wrong-placement characteristic, maintain the supply of power for at least a waiting period.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to:

monitor for cessation of the wrong-placement characteristic during the waiting period; and

in response to an expiration of the waiting period and a non-cessation of the wrong-placement characteristic during the waiting period, interrupt the supply of power.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to:

in response to cessation of the wrong placement characteristic during the waiting period, maintain the supply of power via the power transmission transducer; and

in response to non-cessation of the wrong placement characteristic during the waiting period, terminate the supply of power via the power transmission transducer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to:

adjust the waiting period based on an amount of output power being supplied via the power transmission transducer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to:

detect a cross-connection circumstance between the PTU and a remote PRU wherein a control signaling link exists between the PTU and the remote PRU in an absence of power transmission to the remote PRU via the power transmission transducer;

in response to the cross-connection circumstance detection, terminate the control signaling link with the remote PRU while the supply of power and the control signaling link is maintained with the local PRU.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to detect the cross-connection circumstance based on:

a communication of a PTU-specific code by variation of supply power via the transmission transducer; and

determination, based on communications via the control signaling link, of receipt failure of the PTU-specific code by any PRU.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to:

terminate the control signaling link with the remote PRU within a predefined time duration b, and maintain the supply of power and the control signaling link with the local PRU for a time duration a, wherein a is greater than b.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the power circuitry and wireless communication circuitry to:

in response to termination of the control signaling link with the remote PRU, prevent establishment of a control signaling link with the remote PRU for a predefined time duration.

9. A method for operating a power transmitting unit (PTU) to supply power to a local power receiving unit (PRU) via coupling between a power transmission transducer of the PTU and the local PRU, the method comprising:

providing a supply of power to the local PRU via the power transmission transducer;

maintaining a control signaling link with the local PRU;

detecting a wrong-placement characteristic comprising power transfer to a rogue local PRU via the power transmission transducer in an absence of a control signaling link with the rogue local PRU, including communicating a PTU-specific code, that includes an ID value, by variation of the supply power via the transmission transducer, wherein the PTU-specific code is encoded in the supply power;

in response to detecting the wrong-placement characteristic, maintaining the supply of power via the power transmission transducer for at least a waiting period.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring for cessation of the wrong-placement characteristic during the waiting period; and

in response to an expiration of the waiting period and a non-cessation of the wrong-placement characteristic during the waiting period, interrupting the supply of power.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to cessation of the wrong placement characteristic during the waiting period, maintaining the supply of power via the power transmission transducer; and

in response to non-cessation of the wrong placement characteristic during the waiting period, terminating the supply of power via the power transmission transducer.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting the waiting period based on an amount of output power being supplied via the power transmission transducer.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a cross-connection circumstance between the PTU and a remote PRU wherein a control signaling link exists between the PTU and the remote PRU in an absence of power transmission to the remote PRU via the power transmission transducer;

in response to detecting the cross-connection circumstance, terminating the control signaling link with the remote PRU while maintaining the supply of power and the control signaling link with the local PRU.