Couple inductor power transfer system

• US 10,348,131 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triune Systems, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Triune Systems, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Inventors: Teggatz, Ross E., Atrash, Amer, Chen, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Jagdeep S
• Application Number:
  US15/264,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20170005526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 307140, 307 80, 307 82, 320108, 320137, 330277, 330310, 705412, 705 67
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

Coupled inductor systems are disclosed in which transmitter and receiver inductors, or coils, are coupled in a configuration for wirelessly transferring power and/or data among them. In preferred implementations, the systems are used for transmitting both power and data in pairs of coupled coils. Primary side circuits in preferred embodiments of the systems of the invention employ Class D or Class G amplifiers.

Claims

1. A coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer comprising:

a primary side having a plurality of half H bridge drivers coupled to a primary side inductor;

a secondary side having a secondary side inductor;

wherein the secondary side is adapted for receiving a power signal transmitted by the half H bridge drivers through the primary side inductor, and the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise pulse width modulation data transmission functionality.

2. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise a Class G amplifier and a low drop out regulator coupled between the Class G amplifier and the primary side inductor.

3. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise a Class D amplifier.

4. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise a differential amplifier.

5. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the secondary side further comprise circuitry for providing feedback to the primary side.

6. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 further comprising feedback circuitry adapted to determine a selected frequency characteristic of the primary side and to operate the one or more half H bridge drivers at the selected frequency.

7. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 further comprising feedback circuitry configured to determine a resonant frequency of the primary side and to operate the one or more half H bridge drivers at the resonant frequency.

8. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the primary side further comprises startup circuitry configured to reach a bias level prior to driving the primary side inductor.

9. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the secondary side further comprises data receiving functionality.

10. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 1 wherein the primary side is configured to control power transfer to the secondary side by adjusting the output amplitude of the one or more half H bridge drivers.

11. A coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer comprising:

a primary side having one or more half H bridge drivers coupled to logic, and a primary side inductor;

a secondary side having a secondary side inductor;

wherein the secondary side is configured to receive a power signal transmitted by the driver through the primary side inductor; and

circuitry configured to provide feedback from the secondary side to the primary side for controlling the one or more half H bridge drivers to adjust a frequency and an amplitude of a driver output, wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise pulse width modulation data transmission functionality.

12. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 11 wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a selected frequency characteristic of the primary side and to operate the one or more half H bridge drivers at the selected frequency.

13. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 11 further comprising feedback circuitry adapted to determine the resonant frequency of the primary side and to operate the driver at the resonant frequency.

14. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 11 wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise a Class G amplifier.

15. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 11 wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise a Class D amplifier.

16. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 11 wherein the one or more half H bridge drivers further comprise a differential amplifier.

17. The coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer according to claim 11 wherein the secondary side further comprises data receiving functionality.

18. A coupled inductor system for wireless power transfer comprising:

a primary side having a Class G amplifier driver, the Class G amplifier operably coupled to a primary side inductor, logic operably coupled to the Class G amplifier, and half H bridge drivers coupled to the logic and the primary side inductor;

a secondary side having a secondary side inductor;

wherein the secondary side is configured to receive a power signal transmitted by the one of the drivers through the primary side inductor; and

circuitry whereby feedback from the secondary side is provided to the primary side for controlling one of the drivers to adjust a frequency and an amplitude of one of the drivers, and wherein the half H bridge drivers further comprise pulse width modulation data transmission functionality.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the half H bridge drivers further comprise a differential amplifier.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the secondary side further comprises data receiving functionality.