Systems and method for high power constellations for wireless charging and power delivery

• US 10,284,012 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FLI Charge, LLC
• Original Assignee: Flag Acquisition, LLC
• Inventors: Hewelt, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Skibinski, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/147,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20160329746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 320103, 320104, 320107, 320109-115
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection

Abstract

A system for high powered wireless power delivery and charging includes an electronic device having a wireless charging module. The wireless charging module includes a power management module, the power management module configured and executing instructions to enable and disable the power delivery or charging of the electronic device based on whether a valid charging circuit exists, the power management module additionally configured and executing instructions to prevent a detection of an invalid load.

Claims

1. A system for power delivery to an electronic device, the system comprising:

a power delivery module configured to receive power conductively from a pad and comprising a constellation and a bypass rectifier, the constellation being configured to detect whether a valid constellation circuit or an invalid constellation circuit exists and to deliver power to the electronic device, the bypass rectifier configured to bypass the constellation and deliver power to the electronic device; and

a power management module configured to enable power delivery from the power delivery module to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the valid constellation circuit, and to disable power delivery from the power delivery module to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the invalid constellation circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a plurality of contacts configured to create a constellation circuit for delivering power when the plurality of contacts are placed on the pad.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the power delivery module comprises a plurality of bypass rectifiers, each of the bypass rectifiers in communication with a different one of the contacts.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a case comprising a plurality of contacts configured to create a constellation circuit for enabling power delivery to the electronic device and/or charging of a battery of the electronic device when the contacts are placed on the pad.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module is configured to periodically turn on the constellation to detect whether the valid constellation circuit or the invalid constellation circuit exists.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the power management module turns on the bypass rectifier when the valid constellation circuit is detected and the constellation is on.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the power delivery module includes a soft-start module, the soft-start module providing a delay for a ramping up of charging voltage for the bypass rectifier when the valid constellation circuit is first detected.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one of an appliance, a laptop, a power-tool battery, and a garden tool battery.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the bypass rectifier comprises a MosFET.

10. A case for power delivery to an electronic device, the case comprising:

a case body comprising a plurality of contacts configured to create a constellation circuit for powering and/or charging the electronic device when the electronic device is secured in the case and the plurality of contacts are placed on a conductive power delivery pad,

wherein the conductive power delivery pad is a part of a power delivery system comprising a power delivery module and a power management module,

wherein the power delivery module comprises a constellation and a bypass rectifier, the constellation configured to detect whether a valid constellation circuit or an invalid constellation circuit exists and to deliver power to the electronic device, the bypass rectifier configured to bypass the constellation and deliver power to the electronic device, and

wherein the power management module is configured to enable power delivery from the power delivery module to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the valid constellation circuit, and to disable power delivery from the power delivery module to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the invalid constellation circuit.

11. The case of claim 10, wherein the power management module is configured to periodically turn on the constellation to detect whether the valid constellation circuit or the invalid constellation circuit exists.

12. The case of claim 11, wherein the power management module turns on the bypass rectifier when the valid constellation circuit is detected and the constellation is on.

13. The case of claim 12, wherein the power delivery module includes a soft-start module, the soft-start module providing a delay for a ramping up of charging voltage for the bypass rectifier when the valid constellation circuit is first detected.

14. The case body of claim 10, wherein the power delivery module is configured to receive power conductively from the conductive power delivery pad, wherein the power management module is configured to enable and disable power delivery from the power delivery module to the electronic device based on whether a valid constellation circuit or an invalid constellation circuit exists.

15. The case of claim 10, wherein the bypass rectifier comprises a MosFET.

16. The case of claim 10, wherein the power delivery module comprises a plurality of bypass rectifiers, each of the bypass rectifiers in communication with a different one of the contacts.

17. A method for charging an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing an electronic device having a plurality of contacts;

placing the electronic device on a conductive power delivery pad;

creating a constellation circuit with the plurality of contacts when the electronic device is placed on the conductive power delivery pad;

detecting, by a constellation of a power delivery module, a valid constellation circuit or an invalid constellation circuit;

determining, by a power management module whether to enable power delivery from the power delivery module including the constellation to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the valid constellation circuit and to disable power delivery from the power delivery module to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the invalid constellation circuit;

delivering, by the power delivery module, power to the electronic device when the power delivery module detects the valid constellation circuit, the constellation configured to deliver power to the electronic device; and

bypassing, by a bypass rectifier of the power delivery module, the constellation and delivering power to the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

creating a constellation circuit with the plurality of contacts when the electronic device is placed on the conductive power delivery pad.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

periodically turning on the constellation to detect the valid constellation circuit or the invalid constellation circuit.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

turning on the bypass rectifier when the valid constellation circuit is detected and the constellation is on.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

delaying a ramping up of charging voltage for the bypass rectifier with a soft-start module when the valid constellation circuit is first detected.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the bypass rectifier comprises a MosFET.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the power delivery module comprises a plurality of bypass rectifiers, each of the bypass rectifiers in communication with a different one of the contacts.