Wireless charging techniques and circuitry for a battery

• US 10,574,079 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qnovo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qnovo, Inc.
• Inventors: Berkowitz, Fred, Gurries, Mark, McLaughlin, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rankine, Tarikh Kanem
• Application Number:
  US14/743,769
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 307104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• 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: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A wireless charging system for charging a battery may include wireless charging circuitry based on inductive coupling, where the wireless charging circuitry includes: control circuitry for adaptively charging or charging a battery/cell; and an output of the charging circuitry configured to apply an adapted, unregulated current and/or voltage to the battery. In certain embodiments, the adaptation of the unregulated current and/or voltage is based on the charging and/or operating conditions of the battery.

Claims

1. A wireless charging system for charging a battery, the wireless charging system comprising:

wireless charging circuitry to charge the battery from a power source, wherein the wireless charging circuitry is based on inductive coupling, wherein the wireless charging circuitry includes a programmable rectifier that is configured to apply at least one of a current or a voltage to the battery, wherein the programmable rectifier includes full-wave and half-wave rectifier circuitry;

monitor circuitry configured to monitor voltage data between terminals of the battery;

control circuitry coupled to the monitor circuitry, the programmable rectifier, and the power source, wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide the power source with one or more control signals and provide the programmable rectifier with one or more additional control signals to select between generating a plurality of pulses via the full-wave rectifier circuitry in the programmable rectifier or generating a plurality of pulses via the half-wave rectifier circuitry in the programmable rectifier based on one or more of the following characteristics;

an overpotential (OP) of the battery characterized as a difference in the monitored voltage between when a charge signal is initiated and when the battery reaches full equilibrium, a full relaxation time (FRT) of the battery, a charge pulse voltage (CPV) of the battery, a change in CPV of the battery, a partial relaxation time (PRT) of the battery, a temperature of the battery (T°

b/c), and a swelling of the battery; and

further wherein the wireless charging circuitry comprises programmable pulse shaping circuitry electrically coupled between the programmable rectifier and the terminals of the battery, and the pulse shaping circuitry provides modification of characteristics of the plurality of pulses output by the programmable rectifier based on one or more of the following characteristics;

the OP of the battery, the FRT of the battery, the CPV of the battery, the change in CPV of the battery, the PRT of the battery, the temperature of the battery, and the swelling of the battery.

2. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adaptively control at least one of a full-wave rectified current, a full-wave rectified voltage, a half-wave rectified current, a half-wave rectified voltage, voltage, current, or voltage pulses applied to the battery.

3. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide the power source with one or more control signals and provide the programmable rectifier with one or more additional control signals based on a charge pulse voltage (CPV) of the battery or a change in CPV of the battery.

4. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is disposed in at least one of a charge base or in a battery powered device.

5. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to produce the control signals based on one or more operating conditions of the charging circuitry.

6. The wireless charging system of claim 5, wherein the one or more operating conditions is selected based on at least one of operating temperature of one or more charging circuits of the wireless charging circuitry, operating efficiency of one or more of the charging circuits of the wireless charging circuitry, or an operating temperature of the housing (T°

h).

7. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to communicate with other circuitry or elements of the wireless charging system via wireless communication.

8. The wireless charging system of claim 7, further comprising induction coils or a transmission link for providing the wireless communication.

9. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the wireless charging circuitry further comprises a source coil configured to generate an alternating electromagnetic field.

10. The wireless charging system of claim 9, wherein the wireless charging circuitry further comprises an induction coil, which converts power from the electromagnetic field into electrical current.

11. The wireless charging system of claim 10, wherein the induction coil is disposed in a battery powered device that includes the battery, and wherein the source coil is disposed in a charge base that includes the power source.

12. The wireless charging system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control at least one of the source coil or the induction coil.

13. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the monitor circuitry is configured to provide the control circuitry with data representing at least one of charging conditions of the battery, circuitry, or a housing of the wireless charging system during charging.

14. The wireless charging system of claim 13, wherein the monitor circuitry comprises at least one of one or more voltage sensors or one or more current sensors configured to determine, measure, or monitor a respective voltage at the terminals of the battery or a respective current through the battery during the charging.

15. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide the power source with one or more control signals and provide the programmable rectifier with one or more additional control signals based on a swelling of the battery.

16. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the wireless charging circuitry does not include a current or voltage switching regulator electrically coupled between the full-wave or half-wave rectifier and the output of the charging circuitry.

19. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the programmable rectifier includes a diode bridge having switch circuitry to switch an output of the programmable rectifier between a full-wave rectified current or voltage and a half-wave rectified current or voltage.

17. A wireless charging method for charging a battery, the method comprising:

inductively coupling at least one of current or voltage between a source coil and induction coil;

rectifying, by a programmable rectifier, the current or voltage from the induction coil and applying the rectified current or voltage to the battery, wherein the programmable rectifier includes full-wave and half-wave rectifier circuitry;

monitoring voltage data between terminals of the battery; and

providing the programmable rectifier with one or more control signals to select between generating a plurality of pulses via the full-wave rectifier circuitry in the programmable rectifier or generating a plurality of pulses via the half-wave rectifier circuitry in the programmable rectifier based on one or more of the following characteristics;

an overpotential (OP) of the battery characterized as a difference in the monitored voltage between when a charge signal is initiated and when the battery reaches full equilibrium, a full relaxation time (FRT) of the battery, a charge pulse voltage (CPV) of the battery, a change in CPV of the battery, a partial relaxation time (PRT) of the battery, a temperature of the battery (T°

b/c), and a swelling of the battery; and

modifying characteristics of the plurality of pulses output by the programmable rectifier using programmable pulse shaping circuitry electrically coupled between the programmable rectifier and the terminals of the battery based on one or more of the following characteristics;

the OP of the battery, the FRT of the battery, the CPV of the battery, the change in CPV of the battery, the PRT of the battery, the temperature of the battery, and the swelling of the battery.

18. The wireless charging method of claim 17, wherein the programmable rectifier is adaptively controlled to output at least one of a full-wave rectified current, a full-wave rectified voltage, a half-wave rectified current, a half-wave rectified voltage, voltage, current, or voltage pulses applied to the battery.