Adaptive inductive power supply

• US 10,505,385 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips IP Ventures B.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skibinski, Tomi
• Application Number:
  US15/708,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20180019597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/015 with means for adaptation of resonance frequency, e.g. by modification of capacitance or inductance of resonance circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33571 Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33576 having at least one active switching element at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4815 Resonant converters H02M7/4811 and H02M7/4826 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4818 with means for adaptation of resonance frequency, e.g. by modification of capacitance or inductance of resonance circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53803 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/20 Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment

Abstract

A contactless power supply has a dynamically configurable tank circuit powered by an inverter. The contactless power supply is inductively coupled to one or more loads. The inverter is connected to a DC power source. When loads are added or removed from the system, the contactless power supply is capable of modifying the resonant frequency of the tank circuit, the inverter frequency, the inverter duty cycle or the rail voltage of the DC power source.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operation of an inductive power supply system, comprising the of:

establishing an inductive coupling between an inductive power supply and a remote device, the inductive power supply having a controller circuit; and

dynamically adjusting a resonant frequency of the inductive power supply,

wherein the remote device is inductively coupled with the inductive power supply, so as to achieve an optimal operating configuration for the inductive power supply,

wherein the controller circuit is configured to control dynamic adjustments in the resonant frequency,

wherein the controller circuit is configured to control dynamic adjustments in the resonant frequency by configuring a variable impedance component in the inductive power supply.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the controller circuit is configured to control dynamic adjustments in the resonant frequency by configuring the variable impedance component in the inductive power supply to cycle through pre-determined variable impedance values available to a primary circuit,

wherein the primary circuit is configured to wirelessly transferring power to the remote device by the inductive coupling.

3. An inductive power supply for supplying power to a remote device such that that the remote device can be placed in proximity to the inductive power supply to wirelessly receive power from the inductive power supply comprising:

a primary circuit for wirelessly transferring the power to the remote device by an inductive coupling, said primary circuit having a resonant frequency;

an inverter for applying power to said primary circuit, said inverter applying power to said primary circuit at an operating frequency and a duty cycle;

a DC power source coupled to said inverter to supply DC power to said inverter, said DC power source having a rail voltage;

a drive circuit coupled to said inverter, said drive circuit arranged to drive said primary circuit at said operating frequency and said duty cycle; and

a controller circuit configured to dynamically vary said resonant frequency of said primary circuit to achieve an optimal operating configuration for the inductive power supply,

wherein the controller circuit is configured to dynamically vary said resonant frequency of said primary circuit to achieve the optimal operating configuration for the inductive power supply by configuring a variable impedance component in the inductive power supply.

4. The inductive power supply of claim 3, wherein the controller circuit is configured to dynamically vary said resonant frequency of said primary circuit to achieve the optimal operating configuration for the inductive power supply by configuring a variable impedance component in the inductive power supply to cycle through pre-determined variable impedance values available to the primary circuit.

5. An inductive power supply for supplying power to a remote device such that the remote device can be placed in proximity to the inductive power supply to wirelessly receive power from the inductive power supply comprising:

a primary circuit for wirelessly transferring power to the remote device by an inductive coupling, said primary circuit having a resonant frequency;

a plurality of impedance components and a variable impedance switching system;

an inverter for applying power to said primary circuit, said inverter applying power to said primary circuit at an operating frequency and a duty cycle;

a DC power source coupled to said inverter to supply DC power to said inverter, said DC power source having a rail voltage;

a drive circuit coupled to said inverter, said drive circuit for driving said primary circuit at said operating frequency and said duty cycle; and

a controller circuit configured to dynamically vary said resonant frequency of said primary circuit to achieve an optimal operating configuration for the inductive power supply by controlling said variable impedance switching system to switch said plurality of impedance components in and out of said primary circuit.

6. The inductive power supply of claim 5 wherein said plurality of impedance components includes a bank of capacitors.

7. The inductive power supply of claim 5 wherein said plurality of impedance components includes a multi-tap primary.