Wireless charging system with inductance imaging
First Claim
1. A wireless power transmitting device having a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device, wherein the wireless power receiving device has a sensitive component that is sensitive to exposure to wireless power signals and that has a wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device while the sensitive component is at a location on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
- an array of wireless power transmitting coils;
inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals;
inductance measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and
control circuitry configured to;
gather coil inductance measurements from the array of wireless power transmitting coils with the inductance measurement circuitry;
determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface by analyzing the coil inductance measurements to identify an area in the wireless power receiving device that is sensitive to wireless power signal exposure; and
select at least a given wireless power transmitting coil from among the array of wireless power transmitting coils to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving coil based on the location of the sensitive component and based on coil inductance measurements.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless power transmission system has a wireless power receiving device that is located on a charging surface. The wireless power transmitting device has an array of wireless power transmitting coils that overlap the charging surface. The wireless power transmitting device uses inductance measurement circuitry that is coupled to the coil array to measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils. The wireless power receiving device may contain a communications integrated circuit, display circuitry, or other sensitive components. The location and orientation of the wireless receiving device on the charging surface can be determined by analyzing the coil inductances. This information and information on the location of the sensitive component within the wireless power receiving device can be used to select a wireless power transmitting coil to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device without exposing the sensitive component to excessive wireless power signals.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A wireless power transmitting device having a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device, wherein the wireless power receiving device has a sensitive component that is sensitive to exposure to wireless power signals and that has a wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device while the sensitive component is at a location on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
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an array of wireless power transmitting coils; inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals; inductance measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and control circuitry configured to; gather coil inductance measurements from the array of wireless power transmitting coils with the inductance measurement circuitry; determine the location of the sensitive component on the charging surface by analyzing the coil inductance measurements to identify an area in the wireless power receiving device that is sensitive to wireless power signal exposure; and select at least a given wireless power transmitting coil from among the array of wireless power transmitting coils to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving coil based on the location of the sensitive component and based on coil inductance measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wireless power transmitting device having a charging surface configured to receive a wireless power receiving device, wherein the wireless power receiving device has a sensitive component that includes circuitry that is sensitive to radio-frequency interference when exposed to wireless power signals and that has a wireless power receiving coil configured to receive wireless power signals from the wireless power transmitting device while the sensitive component is at a location on the charging surface, the wireless power transmitting device comprising:
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an array of wireless power transmitting coils; inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals that are received by the wireless power receiving device; inductance measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and control circuitry configured to; measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils using the inductance measurement circuitry; and analyze the coil inductances to select a wireless power transmitting coil to transmit the wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving coil, wherein when the wireless power receiving coil overlaps a first of the wireless power transmitting coils by a first amount and overlaps a second of the wireless power transmitting coils by a second amount that is less than the first amount and when the first wireless power transmitting coil is coupled to the sensitive component more than the second wireless power transmitting coil, the second coil is the selected coil. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A wireless power transmitting device configured to supply wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device that contains a sensitive component that is sensitive to interference from the wireless power signals, comprising:
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an array of wireless power transmitting coils overlapping a charging surface; inverter circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils, wherein the inverter circuitry is configured to supply drive signals to the array of wireless power transmitting coils to produce the wireless power signals; impulse response measurement circuitry coupled to the array of wireless power transmitting coils; and control circuitry configured to; measure coil inductances for the wireless power transmitting coils using the impulse response measurement circuitry; determine a location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device on the charging surface from the measured coil inductances; and identify a given one of the wireless power transmitting coils to use to transmit the wireless power signals without interfering with the sensitive component based on the location and orientation of the wireless power receiving device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification