System and method for frequency prediction

• US 10,411,525 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Weidner, Felix
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US15/452,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for setting an operating frequency for wireless charging systems. The wireless charging system comprises a transmitter circuit configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a current having an operating frequency and driving the transmitter circuit, and a receiver circuit configured to receive power via the magnetic field. The transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit are separated by an offset distance that contributes to a level of detuning between the transmitter and receiver circuits. To reduce a level of detuning, a level of coupling between the transmitter and receiver circuits is determined based upon a measured current or voltage value associated with the receiver circuit. From the determined level of coupling, the offset distance can be estimated. The offset distance may be used to determine a desired operating frequency for reducing the level of detuning between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a transmitter circuit configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a driving current at an operating frequency, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive power via the magnetic field, wherein the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit are separated by an offset distance; and

a controller circuit operationally coupled to the receiver circuit and configured to;

measure a current or voltage value associated with the receiver circuit in response to a sense current driving the transmitter circuit at the operating frequency,

determine the offset distance between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit based at least in part on (a) the measured current value or the measured voltage value and (b) a maximum current value available for driving the transmitter circuit,

determine a level of coupling between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit based on a comparison of the sense current to the maximum current value, and

determine an updated operating frequency of the current driving the transmitter circuit based on the determined offset distance and at least one known inductance variation parameter of the receiver circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one known inductance variation parameter of the receiver circuit comprises a maximum inductance variation of the receiver circuit over a range of offset distances.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause an indication of the updated operating frequency to be transmitted to the transmitter circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter circuit comprises a resonant transmitter circuit, and the receiver circuit comprises a resonant receiver circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determined offset distance is further based on an inductive variation of the receiver circuit and an inductive variation of the transmitter circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one storage location comprising pre-determined values associating a plurality of different determined offset distances with respective operating frequencies;

wherein the updated operating frequency is an operating frequency associated with the determined offset distance based upon the pre-determined values.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the measured current or voltage value is representative of the coupling level between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit;

and

wherein the at least one storage location corresponds to at least a first look-up table storing pre-determined values associating a plurality of different levels of coupling levels with the plurality of different determined offset distances.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one storage location further corresponds to at least a second look-up table storing pre-determined values associating the plurality of different determined offset distances with the respective operating frequencies.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the measured current value corresponds to a short circuit current of the receiver circuit in response to the sense current driving the transmitter circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage value corresponds to an open circuit voltage of the receiver circuit in response to the sense current driving the transmitter circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operating frequency is more detuned at the determined offset distance as compared to the updated operating frequency.

12. A method for setting an operating frequency in a wireless charging system, the wireless charging system comprising a transmitter circuit configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a driving current at an operating frequency, and a receiver circuit configured to receive power via the magnetic field, wherein the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit are separated by an offset distance that contributes to a level of detuning between the transmitter and receiver circuits, the method comprising:

measuring a current or voltage value associated with the receiver circuit in response to a sense current driving the transmitter circuit at the operating frequency;

determining the offset distance between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit based at least in part on (a) the measured current value or the measured voltage value and (b) a maximum current available for driving the transmit circuit;

determining a level of coupling between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit based on a comparison of the sense current to the maximum current value; and

determining an updated operating frequency of the current driving the transmitter circuit based on the determined offset distance and at least one known inductance variation parameter of the receiver circuit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one known parameter of the receiver circuit comprises a maximum inductance variation of the receiver circuit over a range of offset distances.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising causing an indication of the updated operating frequency to be transmitted from the receiver circuit to the transmitter circuit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitter circuit comprises a resonant transmitter circuit, and the receiver circuit comprises a resonant receiver circuit.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the updated operating frequency comprises identifying at least one storage location comprising pre-determined values associating a plurality of different determined offset distances with respective operating frequencies, wherein the updated operating frequency is an operating frequency associated with the determined offset distance based upon the pre-determined values.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the offset distance comprises identifying at least one storage location corresponding to at least a first look-up table storing pre-determined values associating the plurality of different levels of coupling levels with a plurality of different offset distances.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the updated operating frequency comprises identifying at least one storage location storing at least a second look-up table storing pre-determined values associating the plurality of different offset distances with operating frequencies.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the measured current or voltage value corresponds to a short circuit current of the receiver circuit in response to the sense current driving the transmitter circuit.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the measured current or voltage value corresponds to an open circuit voltage of the receiver circuit in response to the sense current driving the transmitter circuit.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the operating frequency is more detuned at the determined offset distance as compared to the updated operating frequency.

22. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power from a transmitter means configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a driving current at an operating frequency, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving wireless power via the magnetic field, wherein the transmitter means and the receiving means are separated by an offset distance that contributes to a level of detuning between the transmitter and receiving means;

means for measuring a current or voltage value associated with the receiving means in response to a sense current driving the transmitter circuit at the operating frequency;

means for determining the offset distance between the transmitter circuit and the receiving means based at least in part on (a) the measured current value or the measured voltage value and (b) a maximum current value available for driving the transmit circuit;

means for determining a level of coupling between the transmitter means and the receiving means based on a comparison of the sense current to the maximum current value; and

means for determining an updated operating frequency of the current driving the transmitter circuit based on the determined offset distance and at least one known inductance variation parameter of the receiving means.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one known parameter of the receiving means comprises a maximum inductance variation of the receiving means over a range of offset distances.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising causing an indication of the updated operating frequency to be transmitted from the receiving means to the transmitter circuit.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for determining the updated operating frequency comprises means for identifying at least one storage location comprising pre-determined values associating a plurality of different determined offset distances with respective operating frequencies, wherein the updated operating frequency is an operating frequency associated with the determined offset distance based upon the pre-determined values.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for determining the offset distance comprises means for identifying at least one storage location corresponding to at least a first look-up table storing pre-determined values associating the plurality of different levels of coupling levels with a plurality of different offset distances.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for determining the updated operating frequency comprises means for identifying at least one storage location storing at least a second look-up table storing pre-determined values associating the plurality of different offset distances with operating frequencies.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the operating frequency is more detuned at the determined offset distance as compared to the updated operating frequency.